A Brazilian Folk Tale Translated and Illustrated by Lúcia G. Maier

When the earth was very young the night and the animals didn´t exist. There were only trees, plants and people. During this time, the sun shined very brightly. The people were always tired because they didn´tsleep well. The trees were faded because the hot weather.

Only the Big Snake who was a witch could make the night appear. She was a very big snake who lived near a river. She kept the night on the bottom of the river´inside a coconut. The snake enjoyed seeing the people very tired and asleep. The indians implored her to give them the night, but it was useless.

One day, the snake´s beautiful daughter married. Like her mother, she didn´t need the night to rest. But her husband and the other people of the village were always tired. She didn´t like to see them suffer. So she told her husband that she would ask to her mother to give her the night. Her mother never refused her requests. Her husband had three faithful servants.He sent them to take the night from the witch. Immediately the three indians took a boat and went to meet the Big Snake.

Although the three men were very tired they rowed fast. When the trees saw the scene, they asked were the indians were going so fast. When the trees knew that the night would come they started to dance and shout with joy. The three servants arrived at the place where the witch lived. They told her why they had come. She didn´t like the idea about giving them night, but she couldn´t refuse her daughter´s request.

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