GAMBIA IS THE SMALLEST COUNTY TO BE FOUND ON MAINLAND AFRICA, AND MANY OF THE PEOPLES' ANCIENT TALES LINK THE SUN AND THE MOON AS PARTNERS, AS PARTNERS, SPOUSES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BENIN PEOPLE OF GAMBIA HAVE A WONDERFUL TALE ABOUT THE DAHOMEAN MOON WOMAN; SHE IS ALSO CALLED THE MOON, NIGHT, AND MOTHER. AS THE STORY GOES, SUN AND MOON AND THEIR CHILDREN, THE STARS, WERE A FAMILY. SUN LIKED TO GO OUT DURING THE DAY, AND HE LOVED TAKING HIS CHILDREN WITH HIM, BUT THIS WORRIED MOON WHO FELT IT WAS FAR TOO HOT FOR THEM. SO, SHE DECIDED TO PROTECT THEM BY MAKING SURE THAT THEY ONLY WENT OUT DURING THE NIGHT. THIS MADE SUN VERY ANGRY, SO HE NOW SPENDS HIS TIME CHASING HER ACROSS THE SKY. SOMETIMES HE DOES MANAGE TO CATCH HER...AND THIS IS WHEN WE HAVE AN ECLIPSE.
IN YET ANOTHER GAMBIAN GROUP, THE SERER, WE FIND ANTHER MOON WOMAN MYTH. IN THIS TALE, SUN AND MOON ARE OUT TOGETHER AND JUST HAPPEN TO PASS BY THE WATERFALL WHERE THEIR MOTHERS ARE ENJOYING A BATH. SUN LOOKS AWAY, BUT MOON CAN'T HELP BUT STARE AT THE NAKED WOMEN. SEEING THIS, GOD DECIDES TO MAKE SUN SO BRIGHT THAT PEOPLE WOULD KNOW ABOUT HIS MODEST BEHAVIOR; AND AS TO MOON, HE DELIBERATELY MADE HER HOTTER THAN THE SUN SO THAT THE PEOPLE WOULD STARE AT HER JUST LIKE SHE HAD DONE TO HER MOTHER.
THESE LITTLE TALES OFFER SOME VERY PRACTICAL ADVICE AND ACTUALLY CREATE SOCIAL RULES AS TO HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BEHAVE. CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING ABOUT IN THE HEAT; IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THEM, AND THEY MIGHT SUFFER FROM HEATSTROKE. AND, A PERSON MUST NEVER STARE AT THEIR MOTHER'S NUDITY.
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