How the Sunsets Came to be

the old man's stories Carl A Smith   Back to Writer's Gallery

      Now I'm sure you remember yesterday when I told about the stone lizards that walked the earth once.   How these giant lizards became overconfident about their dominion.   How pride destroyed, or least destroyed all the stone bones we find in our quarry.

      Today I thought I'd tell of an even older time, a time old even to stone lizards.   This was the time when there were only Gods upon the Earth.   Now when to quarreling the Gods made the stone lizard fights look tame.   Some say man inherited his quarrelsome nature from the Gods.   Perhaps this is so, for as men are always starting wars or feuds or whatever, so to did the Gods quarrel over the silliest of things.

      Now the land was barren and skies a dirty orange, and the fight had going on for countless millenium already.   The fight was so old no God remembered how the fight began or even cared why it began. nbsp; Volcanoes had erupted, oceans had boiled, species had come and went, and continents had been pushed back and forth across as the two Gods vied for position and opportunity.

      Why Esahu and Baruke fought no one knew or cared.   What the Gods did know is they wanted the fight to end soon, very soon.   No one was even sure who suggested they allow the two contestants to cheat, let alone why everyone agreed to it. Who ever or why ever, Baruke was the first to act upon it.   Esahu heard of it, but being in mid-bath decided it could wait - what was another millenium or two. Besides Baruke would never act, cheating no cheating, without first telling Esahu what was about to happen.   How else could Baruke expect Esahu to muster an appropriate response.

      But Baruke had long ago realized nothing upon the Earth would allow Esahu to come to harm - the God of the seas was too well loved by Earth and it's denizens.   So Baruke journeyed into the heavens above the Earth where not much of anything cared about anything, for there was little to care about there in the emptiness.   Standing upon the heavens Baruke pulled down a star from the velvet cloth and hurtled it Earthward, toward the spot where Esahu sat bathing.   Leaving a trail of light behind it the star shot through the heavens.   Faster and faster it traveled as neared the Earth and it's lesser planets.

      Baruke watched with wonder as the star burned its way across the heavens like a runner carrying a torch through the night.   Baruke watched with glee as the star dove into the skies above Earth lighting the night skies as plummeted earthward.   Baruke laughed outwardly as the star crashed down upon Esahu in his shallow bay.

      Happily Baruke exclaimed, "I've won." Sadly he exclaimed, "I've won." For as Baruke watched Esahu burn in the star's heat, he felt both the joy of winning and the regret of losing of worthy adversary.   Baruke, looking up from his tears and laughter, decided he should honor Esahu's memory.   So saying Baruke tossed Esahu's ashes to the skies where they drift to this day.

      The important thing to remember from this tale is the death of a God is not a clean affair and a God must never be forgotten.   So remember each time you see a SPECTACULAR SUNSET that it is the dust of Esahu painting colors across the last sun's sky.   And remember also Esahu.   Maybe remember him bathing in the once shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

      Now I hope you enjoyed my story and enjoyed my telling.   A few coins in my hat would certainly help this old man stay alive for yet another day and another tale.   Maybe tomorrow, if I'm still alive, I will tell you the story of Olean - how, angered by the dust in his skies set out to poison Baruke's creatures with a colorless odorless gas.   How this gas changed the entire planet, gave us our blue skies and green plants and destroyed all of Baruke's creatures, all but the few who dove deep into the ocean's depths.   Yes children, come back tomorrow, but leave some coins in passing.   No coins, then leave a morsel of bread and sliver of cheese.   Now be gone with you.   I need to rest.

The Old Man
 

Last Words

Carl A Smith
Spring `98
 

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