Maui and the Sun - Polynesian

Hello, my name is Hina. Long ago, on our beautiful island floating in the big, blue ocean, the days were much too short. The sun was a speedy fellow who would leap into the sky, race across as fast as he could, and dive back into the sea before we knew it. My children couldn't finish their games, the fishermen couldn't catch enough fish, and my special tapa cloth would never have time to dry in the sun's warmth. My clever son, Maui, saw how this troubled everyone. He told me, 'Mother, I have a plan.'. This is the story of how my brave boy decided to fix our problem, a tale we call Maui and the Sun.

Maui was not the biggest or the strongest of my sons, but his mind was as sharp as a shell and his heart was full of courage. He gathered his brothers and told them his incredible plan to catch the sun. They all laughed at him, thinking it was an impossible joke. 'Catch the sun? You're silly, Maui,' they said. But Maui was very serious. He spent many weeks gathering strong fibers from coconut husks and weaving them into thick, powerful ropes. He braided them together to make a giant net that was sturdy enough to hold a mountain. He also had his magical jawbone club, a gift from his ancestors. With the net and his club, Maui and his brothers traveled to the very edge of the world. They climbed to the top of the great mountain Haleakalā, which means 'House of the Sun,' because that's where the sun slept at night. They found the great crater where the sun rested and hid behind the rocks, waiting patiently. Just as the first fiery leg of the sun peeked over the mountain, Maui gave the signal. He and his brothers threw their net with all their might and snared it. The sun roared and struggled, making the whole mountain shake, but the ropes held fast.

Maui stood before the trapped, fiery sun and was not afraid. The heat was immense, but Maui's spirit was stronger. He didn't want to hurt the sun; he just wanted to talk and make a deal. He explained, 'Oh, powerful Sun, you move too fast. My people do not have enough time in the day to live their lives.'. The sun was angry at being caught, but it listened to Maui's words. After a long talk, the sun finally agreed to a promise. For half of the year, during the summer, he would travel slowly, giving us long, warm days for growing food and playing. For the other half, the winter, he would move a bit faster. Maui and his brothers let the sun go, and the sun kept his promise. From that day on, our island had long, lovely days to work, play, and enjoy our beautiful world. This story reminds us that even the biggest problems can be solved with a bit of cleverness and a lot of courage. It is why my son Maui is known as a hero.