Mythology

A Mid-Autumn Festival story for children. A long, long time ago, so long that the stars hadn’t yet learned to twinkle, the sky had ten suns. Yes, ten! Each sun was a bright golden child of the Sky Emperor. They took turns crossing the heavens, one each day, lighting the world, warming the earth, and letting people plant their crops. For many centuries, everything was peaceful. When one sun finished his journey, he would dive behind the mountains and the next would rise. The people sang songs of gratitude, and the earth bloomed. ...

If you look up at the night sky on a clear evening, you might see a group of seven bright stars shaped like a big spoon. That’s called the Big Dipper. In Chinese, it’s known as Bei Dou (北斗, the Northern Dipper). In Chinese stories, the Big Dipper isn’t just a group of stars. It’s believed to be a group of heavenly beings — seven shining stars who help the Jade Emperor, the great ruler of the heavens, keep balance in the world. ...

The crew of The Stormchaser was in high spirits. With their treasure safely stowed and the fossa adventure behind them, they sailed toward the open sea, eager for their next great discovery. The wind filled their sails, the sun shone bright, and the waves rocked them gently. Then, the singing began. It started as a whisper on the wind: soft, sweet, and strange. The melody drifted over the water, wrapping itself around the crew like warm silk. It was the most beautiful sound they had ever heard. ...

A long, long time ago, in ancient China, there lived a mighty emperor. His palace was grand, filled with marble floors, tall red pillars, and golden dragons carved into the doors. People from every corner of the land brought him treasures — silk as soft as clouds, jade that shone like the moon, and jewels that sparkled brighter than the stars. But none of these made the emperor’s heart truly happy. ...

In Georgia, in the olden times, there lived a wise and noble woman, Queen Magdana, who ruled her rich green land justly. When her husband died, her son Rostomel became the sole love of her life. She loved him more than words can convey, and she watched fondly as the tender, callow youth grew into sturdy manhood. Nor was she the only one who thought him handsomer than all others. ...

Long ago in ancient Greece, music floated through the hills and valleys like a soft golden mist. And none played music more beautifully than Apollo, the god of music himself. His fingers danced across his lyre, sending out notes that shimmered in the air and made even the birds stop singing to listen. Everyone agreed: no one could match Apollo’s music. But one day, while resting under an olive tree on his island of Delphos, Apollo overheard a rumour from passing travellers. ...

A very long time ago, before cities and cars and lights, the night sky was as dark as velvet, and the stars shone like diamonds. High on a mountain in ancient Greece lived seven sisters, known for their beauty, kindness, and sparkling laughter. Their names were Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope, and Merope. They were the daughters of a gentle giant named Atlas, who held up the sky on his strong shoulders, and a kind goddess named Pleione, who loved to watch over them. ...

The sky was dark and the waves crashed angrily. Poseidon, the mighty sea god, was furious. His face looked like a storm, and he led an army of sea creatures toward a giant ship. Suddenly, SPLASH! A huge kraken burst out of the water! The kraken looked like a giant octopus with thick, strong arms. It wrapped its long, squishy tentacles around the ship and SQUEEEEEZED! The ship creaked and groaned. The engines went CLUNK! and stopped. ...

Poseidon, the mighty king of the sea, was swimming through his vast, blue kingdom. He liked to check on everything, making sure all the sea creatures were happy and safe. But today, something felt different. A worried frown creased his brow. Suddenly, a group of sharks, sleek and powerful, swam towards him. “Lord Poseidon,” the biggest shark, a great white named Chomper, said, “we are having trouble finding food. The fish are scarce, and we are hungry.” ...

In the highlands of Tonkin in Vietnam there lived two brothers whose mother and father died in quick succession. A funeral was held, and while the younger brother was away burying his parents, the elder stayed at home to settle the inheritance. And he, being very greedy, concealed all that was valuable. When the younger brother returned, he looked at him in surprise. “Tell me, honoured brother,” he asked, “where is our parents’ fortune? I see nothing of it here.” ...