The Sun peeked out over the horizon and decided once again to rise. Well, that is the short of it, but actually it was due to Sun’s horses. At dawn as they run before each event horizon their eyes grow wide gazing across the new fields before them. Despite their reputation and the appearance of their fiery manes, Sun’s horses are ‘fraidy cats. If there is anything that is suspicious or frightens them they spook easily and stall out, raising their sparkling white hoofs into the air, while performing the horsy version of screaming “eeek!”
Now this had not happened for a while -- the last time the Sun stopped moving in its tracks was about 1200 years ago. No one was quite sure what scared the massive white beasts, but a guy in a bar in Northern India took advantage of the situation big time. When the barkeeper demanded payment for the copious amounts of beer the unkempt big bellied guy was wolfing back, the fellow pointed to the sky and marking a line, said “When the horses of the Sun cross this line, I’ll pay up, is that ok by you?”
The barkeep had no idea how skittish the Sun’s horses were and so agreed to the proposal all while eyeing the 3-day growth of beard on his big belching customer.
However, as you have guessed, high up in the sky Sun’s Horses were spooked right there and right then and refused to move, pausing in the clear sky and rearing up - flames streaming out the end of every hair, and flames shooting forth hot from their noses; while clicking their diamond clad hoofs on the ether of space fires blazed.
The Sun appeared to just spin around in the sky, causing the temperature to rise unbearably on an already hot day. At first the barkeeper joked with his customers about it, as they came to the bar to relieve their thirst, but sweating he worked his way over to the portly drinker and asked him what he thought was happening. Our hero requested more beer.
The drinking man finished off one after another pint of beer, and asked for ale, he finished that off and switched back; he drank all afternoon. After several hours it slowly dawned on the barkeeper, watching kegs and barrels disappear, and the Sun not disappear, that the Sun wasn't going any where, but the beer was!
Gossip and appearance being what it is in this world all the patrons knew what was happening as the day dragged on for hours into what should have been night the increasingly hot fellows asked the nearly naked drinking man if there was anything he could do to encourage the Sun on its predetermined but seemingly forgotten path. But the man only sent for more ale and pointed out that the Sun had not crossed the line. The steaming barkeep was loosing more than money by the minute.
As the temperature soared all assembled took to begging the man to allow the Sun to continue rolling through the heavens -- only when the barkeeper agreed to charge nothing for all the beer did the Sun immediately continue carving its golden journey through the sky.
Some say that the horses were held up by an act of will of our drinking hero, as he pointed to the sky and commanded them to stop. Others say he was a master astrologer who knew the mystery of the hour the horses would stop their sky tour. Some said that he removed the horse’s blinders and once enabled to look down they froze in fear at the sight -- seeing themselves suspended so far above the earth!
Perhaps it is just one of those odd and wonderful coincidences which happens in this world by those with a life charmed with heart, empty pockets and a giant thirst. -Linda Lane Nov 7, 2001
From the Tibetan Tradition of Virupa, the Enlightened Builder of Bridges