When the world was new there was day and there was night, but it was much different than what we see today. Day and Night were ruled by two gods. Hmm? Their names? Ah, this was so long ago that their names have been lost to the sands of time, but for the purpose of the story let's call the one who ruled the daytime Light and the one who ruled the nightime Darkness. But it's important to understand that these names do not represent their personalities, neither was evil nor good but they were fiercely proud of what they did and they both thought the other was superflous.

Light, tall and lithe with golden blond hair, believed that the world would be better in permanent daylight. Darkness, equally tall and lithe but with hair as dark as ebony, thought the world would be better in permanent night time.For a long time the two gods warred, sometimes daylight would reign supreme for weeks and sometimes it would be weeks before the sun shone down. And this was vexing to the great Creator who finally called the two before Him and listened to each state their case.

"The world should be bathed in daylight," started Light, "because there are so many good things that happen there. The plants grow and flourish, animals can see their way more clearly. The warmth that comes in daylight is nourishing to all." Light's voice was pure and warm, like honey flowing out.

"No," countered Darkness, his voice pure and sharp and soft as silk. "Nighttime should rule the world, for only then does it come alive with stars to spur the imagination. At night the owls can soar in silent flight, the cool, refreshing night air invigorates all life."

They went on this way for quite some time, arguing point and counterpoint until the great Creator finally said, "Stop!" Both gods were silent and the Creator thought long and hard on the matter. Finally, in a voice rich in timbre and warmth and clarity, the Creator spoke again.

"The problem is that you are both right, but neither of you can see the other's point of view. But what you both need to understand is that I made the world and daytime and nighttime to have a balance. In the daylight plants grow but they need the night to rest. And I have made things to live in the night that have just as much right to exist, as I have with those that live in the day. However, I know that neither of you will see the right of that so I am going to do something else."

So saying, the Creator raised a hand toward Light and one toward Darkness and spoke quietly and then said. "Now, while you both still have reign over your respective domains, you are not as powerful as you were before. No more can either of you rule the entire world but you shall always share, and part of the world shall be in daytime and part of it in nighttime."

Thus a new competition began. And Light and Darkness started their struggle anew, but this time things happened differently. Even today Darkness and Light struggle over who will reign, and that is why the days get longer and shorter. In some places there is daylight the whole day through, but even while that is happening there are places where it is night the whole day through, and so it all evens out.

So, why is there a moon? Well, that was the next part of the struggle. You see, while Light and Darkness struggled in a good natured way, they were always on the look out for some advantage, some edge. And so it was that one day, Light had an idea.

"Darkness," he said, in his honied voice, "How about a new game?"

Darkness peered at Light. "What kind of game?"

"A friendly game of catch," Light answered breezily.

"Go on," Darkness encouraged warily.

"I have a ball that we can toss betwixt and between us, something to pass the time while we are fighting here on the ground for supremacy." Which was true, for even though they knew they couldn't win entirely, they still kept up the fight.

"Why not, it would give me something else to do." Darkness knew that if Light was suggesting the game then there must be some advantage to Light, but Darkness refused to believe that he could not find a way to turn it to his own advantage.

Thus Light threw the Moon toward Darkness. And Darkness quickly realized that this new game would be tricky, for the ball shone daylight down into the night, gradually growing in light until the whole circle facing the earth glowed. Not as much as in the day but still a bit. And so Darkness threw it back and watched as the light faded from the disc, but not before realizing that two could play this game equally as well. And that is why we have the moon. But the moon is not fully lit all the time, for each toss between Darkness and Light can be measured as the Moon waxes to full and disappears again.

But Darkness was not done. For he realized that, if he threw the Moon back just right, he could get it to block the sun, not for long, but enough to remind Light that while Light may have thought up the game, he is not in total control of it.

And so we have the Moon, waning tonight on its way back toward Light, who will turn around and throw it back to Darkness.But that's a couple of weeks away.

When the world was new there was day and there was night, but it was much different than what we see today. Day and Night were ruled by two gods. Hmm? Their names? Ah, this was so long ago that their names have been lost to the sands of time, but for the purpose of the story let's call the one who ruled the daytime Light and the one who ruled the nightime Darkness. But it's important to understand that these names do not represent their personalities, neither was evil nor good but they were fiercely proud of what they did and they both thought the other was superflous.

Light, tall and lithe with golden blond hair, believed that the world would be better in permanent daylight. Darkness, equally tall and lithe but with hair as dark as ebony, thought the world would be better in permanent night time.For a long time the two gods warred, sometimes daylight would reign supreme for weeks and sometimes it would be weeks before the sun shone down. And this was vexing to the great Creator who finally called the two before Him and listened to each state their case.

"The world should be bathed in daylight," started Light, "because there are so many good things that happen there. The plants grow and flourish, animals can see their way more clearly. The warmth that comes in daylight is nourishing to all." Light's voice was pure and warm, like honey flowing out.

"No," countered Darkness, his voice pure and sharp and soft as silk. "Nighttime should rule the world, for only then does it come alive with stars to spur the imagination. At night the owls can soar in silent flight, the cool, refreshing night air invigorates all life."

They went on this way for quite some time, arguing point and counterpoint until the great Creator finally said, "Stop!" Both gods were silent and the Creator thought long and hard on the matter. Finally, in a voice rich in timbre and warmth and clarity, the Creator spoke again.

"The problem is that you are both right, but neither of you can see the other's point of view. But what you both need to understand is that I made the world and daytime and nighttime to have a balance. In the daylight plants grow but they need the night to rest. And I have made things to live in the night that have just as much right to exist, as I have with those that live in the day. However, I know that neither of you will see the right of that so I am going to do something else."

So saying, the Creator raised a hand toward Light and one toward Darkness and spoke quietly and then said. "Now, while you both still have reign over your respective domains, you are not as powerful as you were before. No more can either of you rule the entire world but you shall always share, and part of the world shall be in daytime and part of it in nighttime."

Thus a new competition began. And Light and Darkness started their struggle anew, but this time things happened differently. Even today Darkness and Light struggle over who will reign, and that is why the days get longer and shorter. In some places there is daylight the whole day through, but even while that is happening there are places where it is night the whole day through, and so it all evens out.

So, why is there a moon? Well, that was the next part of the struggle. You see, while Light and Darkness struggled in a good natured way, they were always on the look out for some advantage, some edge. And so it was that one day, Light had an idea.

"Darkness," he said, in his honied voice, "How about a new game?"

Darkness peered at Light. "What kind of game?"

"A friendly game of catch," Light answered breezily.

"Go on," Darkness encouraged warily.

"I have a ball that we can toss betwixt and between us, something to pass the time while we are fighting here on the ground for supremacy." Which was true, for even though they knew they couldn't win entirely, they still kept up the fight.

"Why not, it would give me something else to do." Darkness knew that if Light was suggesting the game then there must be some advantage to Light, but Darkness refused to believe that he could not find a way to turn it to his own advantage.

Thus Light threw the Moon toward Darkness. And Darkness quickly realized that this new game would be tricky, for the ball shone daylight down into the night, gradually growing in light until the whole circle facing the earth glowed. Not as much as in the day but still a bit. And so Darkness threw it back and watched as the light faded from the disc, but not before realizing that two could play this game equally as well. And that is why we have the moon. But the moon is not fully lit all the time, for each toss between Darkness and Light can be measured as the Moon waxes to full and disappears again.

But Darkness was not done. For he realized that, if he threw the Moon back just right, he could get it to block the sun, not for long, but enough to remind Light that while Light may have thought up the game, he is not in total control of it.

And so we have the Moon, waning tonight on its way back toward Light, who will turn around and throw it back to Darkness.But that's a couple of weeks away.