Week 2 Story: The Eclipse

The Eclipse

Many luscious fruits and trees live in the rainforest of Costa Rica, but the most virtuous of them all is the great crescent shaped banana. Banana shares his great wisdom with all the fruits and trees beneath the canopy. He teaches Blackberry tree to be grateful for the nourishment of the Great Yellow Sun, sweet Mango tree to follow the moral guidance, and Kiwi blossoms to remember to share its riches with those less fortunate always. The trees and plants listen carefully for they know that Banana speaks the truth and cares for them from this perch in the canopy.

The Watcher of the Rainforest, the sly Spider Monkey observed Banana and the teachings he shared with the plant pupils. Spider Monkey questioned whether Banana’s resolve would hold when tested. Spider Monkey settled on a plan.

And then came the day when the sun’s light was eclipsed by the moon. As the moon crossed the Great Sun’s path, the fruits and plants of the trees became frightened. “Would the Great Sun return?” “How will we find nourishment without the Great Yellow Light?” they murmured. But wise Banana soothed their fears.

Total Solar Eclipse. Source: Wikipedia Commons

“Today will be a day of giving,” Banana urged them. “Today we will seek out ways to nourish others, while the Great Sun’s light is resting.”

And so the kiwi blossom waited, unsure of what would become of them, for the opportunity to give as Banana described. Soon a young toucan lighted on the a nearby branch, hungry from this long flight as his wings had not yet grown strong. The kiwi blossom saw the small bird and wanted to fulfill Banana’s wish for the fruits but was frightened. Softly the kiwi blossom wafted his sweet scent to the toucan, who happily took a kiwi fruit from the tree in his massive beak and returned to the nest to save the fruit for tomorrow. The kiwi blossoms reveled in feeling of virtuousness.

The mango tree, likewise, waited for the chance to show virtuousness, and soon a three-toed sloth slid onto one of his branches. Hanging there by her large toes the sloth peered around at the rainforest around her until the mango tree, summoning the courage to shake in the light breeze, caught her eye on a beautiful ripe fruit of the mango tree. Collecting the mango in her large paws, the three-toed sloth carried the mango back to her home to save for tomorrow. And the mango tree reveled in the feeling of virtuousness.

It was late in the afternoon when the blackberry tree would get her chance. As the unusually dark and quiet day wore on, a large iguana slowly crept along the branches of the blackberry tree. The iguana was also weary of the darkness. The blackberry tree saw this as the opportunity for virtuousness and swayed just enough to allow a bunch of her fruit to show itself to the iguana. The iguana gently took a blackberry in his mouth and carried it back to his nest for tomorrow. And the blackberry tree reveled in the feeling of virtuousness.

Sly Spider Monkey saw all this and was impressed. Still he made his way quickly along the canopy to where Banana hung loftily from his tree.

Spider Monkey waited under Banana’s tree and called loudly to any who could hear that he was hungry and afraid on this dark day. Knowing the truth of his calling, Banana did not hesitate. Banana dove in a graceful arch out of the bunch of his youth and landed gently on the rainforest earth in front of Spider Monkey. While falling, Banana pulled back his warm yellow coat to allow Spider Monkey to feast.

But as Banana settled onto the ground, the coat sealed again. Banana did not understand and asked the Spider Monkey what could have caused this.

The Spider Monkey surprised at the selfless act of Banana, ignored the question posing one of his own. “You would lay yourself at my feet for me to feast even as the Great Yellow Sun hides his face?”

“Of course,” said Banana, “It is our sacred assignment to nourish those around us as the Sun has nourished us. I would never shy away.”

And so the sly Spider Monkey was proved wrong and with his great strength, known to all the trees and fruits of the rainforest, launched Banana into the sky to shine his small crescent piece of yellow light around the edges of the dark eclipse. 

The Banana Moon. Source: Flickr

AUTHORS NOTE:
As you can see this story is based on The Hare that was Not Afraid to Die. I saw this as a simple morality story (with a bit of creation myth added in to explain why their appears to be a rabbit head on the moon) which could be told from the perspective of any creature. In all honesty, my friend was eating a banana at the time, so I challenged myself to make it work. You can be the judge.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

"The Hare that was Not Afraid to Die." Story source: Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie L. Shedlock (1920).