Long ago, in a mountain village of northern Vietnam, people awoke to find the sun had vanished. The sky was not dark like night, but gray and heavy, as if a lid had been placed over the world. No rooster crowed, no bird sang. Fields began to wither, and elders whispered that the Sky Demon had stolen the sun to punish humankind’s pride.
In the village lived a rooster with feathers as bright as flames. He was no ordinary bird, his crow was said to pierce mountains. The villagers begged the rooster to call the sun home, but the Sky Demon’s fortress stood high beyond the clouds. “I will go,” the rooster declared, “for without the sun, there is no morning, no hope.”
Rooster journeys
Climbing the mountains, he crossed forests, rivers, and icy peaks until he reached the Sky Demon’s gate. The demon laughed at the tiny challenger. “Crow if you wish, little bird, but the sun will never return.”
The rooster puffed his chest, stood on the highest stone, and crowed. The sound rang through the fortress, shaking the walls and reaching the chamber where the sun was trapped. Startled, the demon dropped the sun, and it rolled down the mountainside, spilling golden light back into the world.
The villagers celebrated the return of day. From that time, every morning, the rooster crows, not only to greet the sun but to remind it where it belongs.
Moral
Even the smallest voice can bring light to the darkest day when it speaks with courage.
Knowledge Check
What is the moral of the folktale “The Fire Rooster and the Sunless Day”?
The story teaches courage and perseverance, showing that even the smallest can bring great change.
What cultural group does the tale “The Fire Rooster and the Sunless Day” come from?
This folktale originates from the Vietnamese tradition in Asia.
Why did the Fire Rooster climb the mountain?
He sought to bring back the sun after the Sky Demon stole it.
How does the folktale explain the rooster’s crow at dawn?
It says the rooster crows to ensure the sun returns each day.
Is “The Fire Rooster and the Sunless Day” considered a trickster tale, ghost story, or moral fable?
It is a moral fable teaching courage and determination.
How is this folktale relevant to modern readers?
It shows that small actions can bring hope and change in difficult times.
Origin: Vietnamese tradition in Asia
