Highly Commended Story - The Legend of the Sun Clan

“The Legend of the Sun Clan” by Eleena Alphonsia D'Rozario, Sunrise English Private School, Abu Dhabi, UAE, is the Highly Commended story in the sub-junior category of the first biannual Short Story Contest 2019.

Eleena Alphonsia D’Rozario is a year old who is a Grade 3 student of Sunrise English Private School, Abu Dhabi. She is the only daughter of her parents and she comes from the beautiful and colourful country, India. At present Eleena lives in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi. Her hobbies include swimming, reading, watching cartoons, drawing, dancing and, of course, playing. She also likes to do things in a relaxed manner.

The Legend of the Sun Clan

Dear Reader, what you are about to read is a story that happened hundreds of years ago. From generation to generation this was passed down by word of mouth. I heard this from my mother who heard it from my grandmother. Maybe it is my destiny to put in writing what had happened in those ancient time.

My favourite place to visit during vacation was my mother’s native place; a village area of peace and tranquillity. As you enter this place the stillness and its greenery embrace you in its bosom. The singing of the birds and the aroma of fruits greets you. You can hear the sound of the gurgling waters of the river which meanders through this place. This river has an important role in the story and as the people say it never runs dry.

The wonderful sight of the mountain which stands like a sentinel takes your breath away. There was something peculiar about this mountain. Four purely white stones stands erect on the mountain. And it was these stones when I asked my mother about, the fascinating story unfolded.

Hundreds of years ago a King ruled this place, a benevolent King whose people loved him. People were very happy under him and the land was flourishing. A fertile land with the river the source of life and happiness.

This King was the descendant of the Sun God and coming from the Clan of the Sun. He was very talented in musical instruments and would always play the Sacred Wooden Instrument passed on to him by his ancestors when praying before the Sun God.

It so happened that the land faced a severe drought. Crops failed, animals began to die and the river completely dried off. Resources of food completely dwindled. People began to starve.

People wanted the Rain God to be appeased.

However, the King being from the Clan of the Sun cannot bow before other Gods. His trusted advisor, The Old Wise Man, opened the Sacred Book of the Hidden Truth and read before the King:

O You descendant of the Sun,
Bow Not before any Gods.
Benefits you will reap,
Your Life I will take.

The Old Wise Man continued:

“O King, if you bow before other Gods you will surely die!”

That night the King could not sleep. He made a decision. He called in his Council of Members and told them he will pray to the Rain God.

He began to pray to the Rain God playing the Sacred Instrument as well. The closed Gates of the Other World were opened and the rain began to fall. People began to rejoice and dance with joy.

But the rain never stopped. The river began to overflow and the land began to flood. The lives of the people were in danger.

The King realized his mistake. He ran to the top of the mountain with his wife and two children carrying along with him his sacred instrument.

He stretched out his hands and cried to the Sun God:

“O God of my forefathers! Take me to your World. Let my people live!”

There was a loud noise of thunder and lightning. A huge wind swept across the mountain and a thick white cloud covered the mountain. The King’s musical instrument was broken into pieces and the splinters were carried along with the water into the river. And they say for this reason the river never runs dry.

The Sun appeared on the sky for the first time and the rain stopped.

As the white cloud were cleared there appeared four white stones where the King, his wife and two children stood earlier.

People say the spirit of the King still lives on in the mountain. They say at times, in the stillness of the night, they could hear a melancholy tune in the mountain.