Retold by Pat Betteley 

Illustrated by Jeff Crosby

汪非 译

NARRATOR 1: Long ago, there was no daylight. A little orphan boy named Tulugac lived in a village far to the north. He slept in a corner of the kashim (the village meeting house where the men gathered), which was lit only by dim seal oil lamps. He was a brave and cheerful little boy who loved to listen to the old men’s tales of a time when there had been light and people could walk around and see everything.

KODA: My grandfather’s grandfather told him that the moon hung in the sky at night, and each night you could see more of it, until one night when you could see the whole round moon. Then, each night as you watched, it grew smaller and smaller again.

NARRATOR 2: Tulugac’s mother had given him one treasure that he wore under his parka near to his heart. It was a magic bird skin covered with shining black feathers. She told him that it would bring him good luck.

NARRATOR 3: Now and again, the shamans met in the kashim to try to bring back the light. They cast their powerful spells, chanted until they were hoarse, and danced until they collapsed, but nothing happened. On one such night, Tulugac sat in his corner dreaming of the sun.

TULUGAC: I will bet that I can find the light.

SHAMAN: You, a ragged little boy with no good sense, can do what the greatest shamans in the land cannot? (grabbing Tulugac by the shoulder) Go find the sun then. And do not come back without it!

NARRATOR 2: So Tulugac picked himself up in the snowy darkness. He felt a faint stirring from the little bird skin against his skin. Not knowing where else to go, he visited his auntie (who people said was a witch) to find out where to look for the sun.

AUNTIE: Big mouth boy! It will be a long and dangerous trip. Travel south, keep your bird skin with you always, and here, eat this piece of fat when you get hungry.

NARRATOR 3: So Tulugac set off south. He traveled for hours in the cold and darkness and finally dug a little cave in a snow bank, where he rested. He dreamed of sunlit tundra with little flowers growing and wild berries to eat. When he awoke, a small hare had curled up against him for warmth.

TULUGAC: I am looking for the light. Am I going in the right direction?

HARE: Yes, but it is far to the south. Good luck, little brother.

NARRATOR 1: Day after day, Tulugac trudged through the snow, eating the piece of fat when he got hungry. He thought it strange that it never seemed to get smaller.

NARRATOR 2: One day, he walked right into a big mother bear. She invited him to climb on her great, broad back and ride with her for a while. Next, a snowy owl encouraged him along his way.

NARRATOR 3: Finally, when he had lost all hope, he felt the bird skin flutter. He thought he saw a ray of light. Hurrying toward it, the boy came upon a great hill. Beyond its peak, he saw the gleaming sun and moon hanging outside of a hut. An enormous old man was shoveling snow, throwing it so high it completely shut out the light from the shining orbs. Tulugac walked boldly up to the old man.

OLD MAN: Who are you? Why are you here?

TULUGAC: I am Tulugac. Your snow shoveling has hidden the light from my village. It is always dark there, so I have come to live with you.

OLD MAN: Very well. Come with me into my hut.

NARRATOR 1: Once the old man entered the hut, Tulugac seized the smaller ball of light. He hurled it into the sky. To this day, the moon turns round and round from the force of his throw. That is why we sometimes see only the thin edge of its light, and as it turns, we begin to see the full face.

NARRATOR 2: Tulugac then tucked the larger light under his arm and ran as fast as he could. The bird skin fluttered and he became a raven flying swiftly and smoothly through the air.

NARRATOR 3: As he flew, Tulugac threw pieces of light from the sun. Sometimes he waited a long time before he threw out a piece of light. That is why we have the long nights of winter. Sometimes, he threw out pieces very close to each other, making the short nights of summer.

NARRATOR 1: When the raven-boy reached his village, he became human again. All the people came running when the light burst upon them.

TULUGAC: There, great shamans. I have brought back the light. The sun and the moon will hang in the sky, and there will be a day and night, always and forever.

NARRATOR 2: And so it is today.

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2023年1月刊

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