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The Three Divine Brothers

THE THREE DIVINE BROTHERS

Every morning the coloured cock flies up on to its bamboo basket to greet the sun, loudly trumpeting: Zocariii, zocaraiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!! (Greetings to you, oh Sun, my brother.)

"Well, there must be some reason for the cock's similarity with the sun. Its feathers not only contain all the colours of the sun, but every colour has an undertone of the gold and silver of sunlight."

The waves whisper. The reeds bend down; the palm trees sway and a white cloud comes hurrying across the sky to hear it as well. The waves whisper: "We will tell you the truth. Listen - the fact is that the cock is one of the gods' children: the sun, the moon and the cock. They once lived together in harmony until one day the sun had to go on a journey and left the house. That was a misfortune. Three brothers can live in harmony, but never two. The moon ordered his brother the cock to bring in the cattle. The cock felt insulted by this command and refused to obey. So the wicked brother moon took the cock by the scruff of its neck and threw it far away down on to the earth. Picture 60. Red Moon and Golden Cock When the sun returned home, the moon told him what had happened. The sun was very upset and said: - moon, you never were able to live in peace with your brother the cock. That is why I will no longer share your life. The night belongs to you, but the day is mine. - And so all three of them were separated. Every morning when the sun rises, the cock down here on earth is pleased and calls out as loudly as it can: - Zocariiii, zocariiiiiiiiiii! - It is glad to see its good brother and all day long calls: - Zocariiii, zocariiiiiiiiiii!!!!!! - But when the sun has set and it is the moon's turn, then the cock retires quickly into its bamboo basket and puts its head under its wings so as not to meet its wicked brother the moon. That is the story of the three divine brothers: sun, moon and cock. Keep it to yourselves and do not talk too much about it!

The cock retires

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