The Sun, the Moon, and Great Paddy

In a certain country there are a woman and a man, it is said. There are also the children of those two persons, the elder brother and younger brother and elder sister. Well then, while these three persons were there, the man having died those children provided subsistence for the mother of the three.

One day the three persons went to join a party of friends in assisting a neighbour in his work. [9] That mother stayed at home. For that woman there was not a thing to eat. Should those persons bring food, she eats; if not, not.

When the three persons were eating the food provided for the working party, the elder sister and the elder brother having eaten silently, without even a [thought of the] matter of their mother, came away home. The younger brother thought, "Ane! We three persons having eaten here, on our going how about food for our mother? I must take some." Placing a similar quantity of cooked rice and a little vegetable curry under the corner of his finger nail, the three came back.

Then the mother asked at the hand of the elder sister, "Where, daughter, is cooked rice and vegetable curry for me?" She said, "I have not brought any. Having indeed eaten I came [empty-handed]."

Then the mother said to the daughter, "Thou wilt be cooked in hell itself."

Having called the elder son she asked, "Where, son, is the cooked rice and vegetable curry for me?"

The son said, "Mother, I have not brought it. Having indeed eaten, I came [empty-handed]."

Then the mother said to the son, "Be off, very speedily."

Having called the young younger brother she asked, "Where, son, is cooked rice and vegetable curry for me?"

Then that son said, "Mother, hold a pot." After that, the mother brought it and held it. The son struck down his finger nail in it. Then the pot was filled and overflowed.

Afterwards the mother, having eaten the rice and curry, gave authority to those three persons, to the elder brother, to the younger brother, and to the sister older than both of them.

Firstly, having called the elder sister she said, "Thou shalt be cooked even in hell." That elder sister herself now having become Great Paddy, [10] while in hell is cooked in mud.

She told the eldest son to go speedily. That elder brother himself having become the Sun, goes very speedily. For the Sun, in very truth (aettema), there is no rest. In the little time in which the eyelids fall, the Sun goes seven gawwas, [11] they say. At the time when the Great Paddy is ripening, the Sun goes across (harahin). [12] Because it is older than the Sun, [13] the Great Paddy represents the elder sister.

Having called the younger son she said, "My son, go you in the very wind (pawanema) [14]." That one himself having become the Moon, now goes in the wind. For the Moon in very truth there is not a difficulty, by the authority given by the Mother.