Tales of Middle-Earth by tinni

The day the sun didn't rise

A re-interpretation of the story of the Japanese Sun goddess Amaterasu

“Tilion was wayward and uncertain in speed, and held not to his appointed path; and he sought to come near to Arien, being drawn by her splendour, though the flame of Anar scorched him, and the island of the Moon was darkened.” - Of the sun and the moon, Silmarillion

“Come my love, yield to me,
Share with me thy splendour”
So said the moon to the sun
As they traversed the paths of heaven

“A naked flame may not yield,
Only burn or be smothered”
Replied the sun to the moon
Drawing away from yonder

“Leave me not daughter of flames
Alone to hunt the darkness
Let silver rays mingle with gold
As once it did in fair Aman”

“Great hunter leave me be,
I do not wish to blacken thy face,
Together in Aman we shall never rest
Till each of us falter in our steps”

“Stay, golden maiden but a little while
Silver light I love and adore
But thy splendour draws me ever more”

“Nay! Come not near!
Lest thou be burnt to cinder
Stay thy distance, silver hunter!
Draw no closer to my fire!”

“Yet thee I cannot resist
Burnt though I might be.”
So the moon chased the sun
And the sun fled from the moon

In the end the sun hid her glory
In a dark cavern that was dark no more
Hiding her light from all the world
afraid to do more harm than good

So the world mourned, the moon most of all
The loss of light bright and golden
Darkness spread to every corner
All too much for the moon’s silver bow

Many came from north and south
East and west and beyond the sea
But none could lure Arien
Out of the cavern she had made her own

Darkness ruled, despair reigned
Than came a wanderer upon the scene
With a mighty voice that reach across seas
And a golden harp that never tarnished

Of old he was a great prince
But against the gods he went in sin
thus he lost all that he had
Save his voice, mighty as

Maglor was his name
And the gods called to him
Begging him to sing a song
that the sun could not resist

To this he agreed
With all his heart
Eager to please the gods
And make amends for sins long past

Thus he sang a mighty song
That shook the vaults of very heaven
His song carried to the ears of Arien
Who could not resist the music’s spell

Than she saw the folk be glad
Rejoicing at the return of light
The long night had ended at last
Arien’s glory was back on earth

Than the sun ascended to the heavens
The Moon agreeing to keep his distance
So the world had two lights again
And Maglor’s wandering was brought to an end

Chapter End Notes

Author’s note: This is a re-interpretation of the story of the Japanese Sun Goddess Amaterasu. The story goes that she hid in a cave when the Thunder god frightened her. She refused to come out till the other gods held a great party, making lots of noises. The noises drew her out and after looking at herself in a mirror she remember who she was: the queen of the gods. So she returned and the world had light once again.