Bright Sunbeam

From icy-cold Siberia comes this story about the daughters of the Sun.

The Sun had many, many children. The eldest was Peivalke; then there were the Four Winds, the Storm Cloud twins, Lightning, Thunder and Tempest. He also had three daughters whom he loved dearly—Golden Sunshine, Misty Shadow and Bright Sunbeam.

The girls were beautiful and free-spirited, chasing reindeer across the tundra, dancing in cool, wooded glades and flitting like silver fish in Lake Seityavr. One day, the sisters saw a birch-bark boat on the lake.

As they watched, a young fisherman on the boat cast his net into the lake. Strong and handsome, he hauled in his net, heavy with abundant fish, in one effortless tug. Then he brought his boat to the shore, hung out his nets to dry and went to sleep by the lakeside. Curious, the girls approached the sleeping man.

Upon a closer look at his handsome countenance, Golden Sunshine stamped her foot and declared with determination, ‘He is mine. From now on he shall serve only me!’ She tore the golden fur hem off her robe and drew it across the sleeping youth’s face, leaving a golden glow on his brow. But he did not stir.

‘It is for him to decide when he wakes,’ declared Misty Shadow with a haughty laugh. ‘Let us see who he chooses!’ Bright Sunbeam, though, did not say anything.

Their father had almost finished his day’s journey, riding his boat sledge across the sky, and was sinking beyond the sea to rest. Bright Sunbeam ran to join him.

Misty Shadow spread a pale blue quilt beside the sleeping man and blew a cool breeze upon him. The fisherman’s arms and legs became numb with cold and his heart froze. ‘What say, my dear sister? Who will he serve now?’ laughed Misty Shadow.

‘Let it be dawn. I’ll spread my golden glow over him then and he shall not refuse me,’ said Golden Sunshine.

When morning broke, it was Bright Sunbeam who rushed to the lakeside. She removed the cold blue quilt that lay on the bank and her warm gaze caressed the sleeping fisherman. The longer she looked at him, the warmer his heart became and the cold fled from his arms and legs. He opened his eyes to see a beautiful young girl bending over him, breathing warmth into his body. She wore a long robe of silken strands and scarlet boots.

Stretching out his arms to her, the young man exclaimed, ‘What a beautiful girl! Who are you, fair maiden, so like the daughter of the Sun?’

‘I’m indeed the Sun’s daughter,’ replied Bright Sunbeam shyly. ‘Why do you gaze at me so? Your golden eyes have warmed my poor cold heart. I’m not worthy of you, mere fisherman that I am! How could you love someone like me?’ he asked her. Without a word, she gently took his hand and walked along the shore until they came to his hut.

Misty Shadow and Golden Sunshine, who saw them together, rushed to their father with the news. ‘Dear Father, Bright Sunbeam has gone and married a poor fisherman! You have to punish her and make that fisherman serve us!’

On hearing the news, an anguished Sun wrapped himself in a storm cloud and his tears fell as rain on the ground. His sorrow thus spent, he gazed at his daughters with his fiery eyes.

‘Are you any better than her? Carrying tales and being so spiteful. No longer will you have the freedom to roam around as freely as you please. Misty Shadow, you shall sit in the forest marshes and guard my underground waters while you, Golden Sunshine, shall stand on the stone mountain and guard my underground treasures! And you shall not interfere with or trouble Bright Sunbeam or her husband.’

And, wrapping himself in more storm clouds, the Sun disappeared while Misty Shadow moved to the marshes of Black Varaka and her sister left for the stone mountain to stand guard.

Bright Sunbeam locked away her silken robe and her scarlet boots in a chest and began her new life as a simple fisherman’s wife. Soon, a beautiful daughter was born to them. The child was named Akkanidi. Their home and hearth were always warm and bright, even on days the sun never showed up. They were poor but happy.

One day, the fisherman said to his wife, ‘I’m going to Black Varaka tonight. There is a splendid birch there, which will make us some winter boots.’

Bright Sunbeam begged him not to go for she feared the deep, dark swamp. But the fisherman insisted and set out at dusk. The marsh, in the dying light of the day, looked sinister and gloomy. He soon found a smooth, white birch with deep circles. When he took out his knife to cut the bark, he saw a pair of blue eyes in there.

Two arms reached out for him from the tree trunk and a hoarse voice whispered, ‘Now you will marry me, fisherman!’ And Misty Shadow stepped out from behind the tree, with pale blue wood smoke trailing behind her.

‘No, no, no,’ cried the fisherman. ‘I have a wife and child at home.’ ‘Forget all that! You will now be with us, my daughter Keen Eyes, and my sons Mossy Clump and Burning Stump and build us a home right here!’ hissed Misty Shadow. At that very moment, the blue eyes jumped to his chest from the tree while Mossy Clump held his right leg and Burning Stump clung to his left.

They made the fisherman build a log hut for them to hide from the sun, for Misty Shadow was afraid of her father. He had to fill the cracks with mud so that no sunlight could enter. ‘Now go and get some food for us!’ she ordered.

The fisherman went home and told his wife what had happened. ‘You didn’t listen to me. Now we must both serve that evil sister of mine,’ his wife sighed. ‘Come, let us catch some fish.’

When the fisherman returned to the marsh with the food, Misty Shadow’s children grabbed it and ate greedily, chomping the last of the fish bones. ‘More . . . more . . .’ they screeched.

So the fisherman had to go back again. His wife made some fish broth and together, they carried the pots to the swamp. This continued every day and the fisherman had to give all the fish he caught to Misty Shadow and her children. And his own family remained hungry. Both the fisherman and Sunbeam grew gaunt and weak.

Meanwhile, the sun god summoned his firstborn, Peivalke. Like every father, he loved his daughter. ‘Go and see how our Bright Sunbeam is doing.’

Peivalke came down to earth and searched for his sister. But he could not find her anywhere. He flew back to his father and reported what he saw.

‘Bright Sunbeam is nowhere near the lake. All I could see was an old couple carrying pots of broth and going to Black Varaka. There is a log hut there, all covered with mud and slime.’

The Sun was furious! He guessed what had happened. He sent his son Black Tempest to the swamp to blow the mud hut away. Misty Shadow’s children ran out and hid in the mire while she stood exposed.

The Sun came out and burnt her with his fiery gaze. Her blue-white plait withered away, her arms became toads’ feet and her deep blue eyes became dull. Her belly became swollen and her head bulged.

‘You have now ceased to be my daughter. From now on, you shall be the marsh witch Oadz, hated and feared by all!’ he cursed.

When the fisherman and Bright Sunbeam came with the food as usual, the hut had disappeared. At the sight of frightful Oadz, they ran away as fast as they could. Evil Misty Shadow troubled them no more and they continued to live peacefully by the lake.