Once there were many Suns in the Sky. Some were like Kargzant, riding
wherever they wished, others were like Brightface, staring down at his
Empire. Others were more cunning, not constant or moving, but waxing and
waning, seeking to deceive good men and women. One of these was in the
Sky and shone almost as brightly as Brightface and the Horse Khan's Daughter
could not sleep and begged her father to dim this other Sun. He offered
a prize of a dozen flying horses and his daughter's hand in marriage to
he who could shoot down this other Sun. Many tried and the arrows were
like showers of rain. Some even managed to hit the Moon, for that is what
she was, and some managed to scar her face, but none could dim her brightness.
Then came a great Hyaloran with a bow made of horn, a bow-string made of
the sinews of the lion and an arrow tipped with a diamond. He aimed high
and let loose his arrow, striking close to the heart of the Sun. With a
scream that made all our mares miscarry, the sun broke in two pieces. One
piece fell to the ground and can still be found to the West. It broke up
and crushed an evil city. Trolls live there now and devour the secrets
that were hidden long ago. The other half rose higher into the sky and
then fell to the ground. It is said that she still rises from the Underworld
and travels through the Sky until she falls again to the ground.
The sun was dimmed by this and everyone recognized that she was not a sun but a moon, altogether a different thing. The Hyaloran married the Khan's Daughter and he and his men rode upon flying horses. His men married his wife's maidservants and all were happy.
[End]