The Sun and Moon

Little Kim looks up at the sky. With 3 questions, his life is decided.

There was a sun. Little Kim saw it melt down into the earth every day before night time. He would come alone and lie on a grassy hill that was perfect for watching the sun. He wondered one day if he could ask the sun a question. He said to the sun, “why do you disappear every day?” The sun did not respond. “Fine.” Sighed Kim, “Maybe you don’t answer just questions. If you did, then you would have to respond to every one.” He thought of a good way to convince the sun to talk to him. The next day he came up with a plan: he would come every day with a question, ask the sun, and then the sun would answer all 3 on the fourth day. “It’s ok,” said Kim. “I don’t need your consent. I don’t want it. I know you will respond.” He went ahead and started to state the first question: “Oh sun, sun, sun. How do you rise and fall every day without getting tired of seeing the same things every day?” The sun didn’t respond. “Remember, you have time until the fourth day to organize your words. I’m patient.” The next day, Kim came to the hill again to state the second question; this time, it was much different. “Why do you run away from the moon? I think you two should talk more often. Is it a family problem?” Again, no response. “Ok, ok. That’s fine; remember I told you that you would answer all 3 on the fourth day. I can wait.” Yet again, during the falling of the next day, he came to the grassy hill with his final question. He bowed to the sun and said “Oh big sun, so mighty and rare. It’s the last day before the moment of truth, I hope you will dare to come forth. My last question is just of a simple thought.” Kim paused. He looked up at the sun, but remained in his bowed position. “Who is god, you or the moon? It confuses me that there are animals that worship the sun, yet other animals that worship the moon. Yet, what grits my teeth is the very thought of the supreme god. Which one is it? The creator of all. I must know. But hey, don’t worry. You have 24 hours until the next sun fall. I will wait.” With the final question delivered to the sun, Kim left into the darkness. On the fourth day, Kim came to the hill, except short on notice. He quickly but messily bowed, and demanded to the sun “Almighty god. I need the answers to the 3 questions now, as it seems I am out of time. It is only sunrise, but we can make this quick. Speak your mind!” No response from the sun. Kim was now in rage. He looked around the sun, back and forth, but nothing. He looked around for any signs; nothing was found. Only a steady breeze touched Kim. “AH FINE!” he screamed. “I will ask the moon what he thinks of you. You are a disgrace to the animal kingdom! The one and only god can only ever be the moon!” He placed extra emphasis on “moon” just as he left. The rest of the day, the temperature sky-rocketed. The town in which Kim lived in went through a drought, as all the water started to evaporate. The town only had a small water supply underground that was untouched by the heat. The mayor explained the hesitant and worried villagers of what was to come. “Citizens of God’s land! We have been punished by the gods as we have angered them. Only now is what remains of our water! Anyone found to have angered the god will be slaughtered! I repeat: SLAUGHTERED! It is the only way for us to survive and restore our water supply. Anyone who has a suspicion, report it to the town council at once! The reward for finding the men who did this to us is all the town’s supply of gold!” The villager’s emotions changed from scared to excitement so fast, it made Kim shiver. “Anyone found protecting the mad men will also be executed,” continued the mayor. “May the hunt begin!” The villagers quickly started bumping into each other, some scurried to local houses to investigate, and some villagers asked other villagers about what they have been doing the last week. It became into a network of information so valued, yet so open, that Kim ran away. He made sure to not make it obvious that it was him. Kim arrived home, and calmed himself. “Sun fall has just started. I can wait until the moon comes back up and ask for help. The moon has never failed me.” Midnight shadowed over the sky as Kim walked to the grassy hill with a lantern. He sat down, and called for the moon. “Great mighty moon! The sun is running rampant! He’s releasing all his ancient rage upon us innocent beings! Please respond to my cry!” The moon responds “Peasant of civilization. You have come to me 3 nights in a row, asking for the same things. Now I need what you have promised me.” Kim blinked. “And what was that?” The moon calmly answered, “It is of no worries. Your days are over, and you have never received the 3 answers humanity has asked us for ages.” With those final words, the moon faded. It was no longer in the sky, even though it was only midnight. Kim was now frightened, without the moon he would most definitely die. As his thoughts were scrambled, 2 villagers snatched his arms and pulled him towards the town. “Release me at once!” cried Kim. No! This was not to be! They have no evidence that it was me! Not even my family knows! Kim was roped to the ground on a wooden platform, taller than every villager that angrily stared at him. Beside him, was his sister. “Beverly!” Kim shrieked. “Why? Why!” he rolled his last word with a howling cry into the air like a wolf. He stopped his breathing, and looked up past his tears that rested on his eyes. He could see the moon. Kim smiled. He knew what was to happen. The executioner raised his axe in preparation for a swing. Kim whispered to himself “All my questions, answered on the fifth day. It was late, but so be it. The sun has no promise to keep, yet it will still answer me. This axe is the sun’s mouth. It will tell me everything I want to know…” And just then, the axe came down this throat and decapitated Kim. The answer was now clear.