Sun myths and legends

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Sekhmet Slaughtering Humans in the Desert and Drinking Their Blood

🏺 Egyptian MythologyWestern Desert, EgyptRa • Sekhmet • Hathor

When the sun god Ra grew old, he discovered that humans were plotting against his divine rule. He sent his daughter Sekhmet, the lioness-headed goddess of destruction, to punish them in the harsh Western Desert. Her bloodlust became so great that she nearly destroyed all of humanity, until Ra intervened with a clever trick involving red-dyed beer.

Ra's Tears of Joy Turning into the First Humans

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis (Cairo), EgyptRa • Atum • Shu

In the primordial age of the universe, the sun god Ra, also known as Atum, emerged from the chaotic waters of Nun to begin the work of creation. When his first children, Shu and Tefnut, became lost in the vast darkness, Ra sent his divine Eye to find them. Upon their joyous return, the creator was moved to tears, and as these droplets of divine sorrow and relief fell upon the earth, they...

The Fall of Phaethon

🏛️ Greek MythologyEridanos (Po River)Phaethon • Helios • Clymene

Phaethon, the mortal son of the sun god Helios, attempts to prove his divine lineage by driving his father's solar chariot across the sky. Lacking the strength to control the fiery horses, he veers off course, nearly incinerating the Earth before being struck down by Zeus’s thunderbolt into the river Eridanos.

The Spider Demons of Pan'si Cave and the Capture of Tang Sanzang

🐉 Chinese MythologyPan'si Cave Proxy (Pansidong), Sichuan, ChinaTang Sanzang • Sun Wukong • Zhu Bajie

While traveling toward the Western Heaven, the monk Tang Sanzang is captured by seven spider spirits disguised as beautiful sisters who trap him with magic silk. After a series of comical and dangerous encounters involving the Monkey King and Pigsy, the pilgrims must face the spiders' brother, the Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord, to save their master.

Apophis (Apep) Swallowing the Sun During a Solar Eclipse

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis (Cairo), EgyptRa • Apophis • Set

Apophis, the ancient Egyptian serpent of chaos, eternally seeks to devour the sun and plunge the world into darkness. During a solar eclipse, the Egyptians believed that the great snake had managed to ambush the sun god Ra's barque during the daylight hours, causing a terrifying disruption of Ma'at. The myth describes the desperate battle between the gods and the demon to ensure the sun...

Hiordis Gathering the Shards of the Shattered Sword Gram

🪓 Norse MythologyHedebyHiordis • Sigmund • Odin

Following the catastrophic battle where King Sigmund fell, his wife Hiordis sought him out among the dead. She found him mortally wounded by the intervention of Odin, who had shattered Sigmund's divine sword, Gram. Hiordis carefully collected the fragments of the blade, preserving them as a legacy for their unborn son, Sigurd, who would eventually reforge the weapon to slay the dragon Fafnir.

Sun Wukong Taking the Magical Ruyi Jingu Bang from the Sea Floor

🐉 Chinese MythologyEast China SeaSun Wukong • Ao Guang • Dragon Queen

After achieving immortality and master of the 72 transformations, Sun Wukong finds that ordinary weapons are too fragile for his divine strength. He journeys to the underwater palace of Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, to demand a weapon worthy of his power. There, he discovers a massive, glowing iron pillar used to measure the sea's depth, which responds to his voice and becomes...

Kuafu's Walking Stick Transforming into a Vast Forest of Peach Trees

🐉 Chinese MythologyZhongtiao Mountains, Shanxi, ChinaKuafu • The Golden Crow (The Sun) • Houtu

The myth of Kuafu tells of a giant who attempted to outrun the sun to capture its warmth and light for his people. After a grueling pursuit that saw him drink the Yellow and Wei Rivers dry, he succumbed to extreme thirst and exhaustion near the Zhongtiao Mountains. As he fell, his wooden walking stick transformed into the 'Denglin,' a massive peach forest that provided shade and nourishment...

Isis Discovering Ra's True, Secret Name to Steal His Power

🏺 Egyptian MythologyHeliopolis, CairoRa • Isis • Horus

In the ancient city of Heliopolis, the goddess Isis sought to elevate her son Horus to the throne by obtaining the secret name of the sun god Ra. Knowing that Ra’s true name held the essence of his power, she used his own divine saliva to create a magical serpent that poisoned him. As Ra withered in pain, Isis offered a cure only in exchange for his hidden name, eventually forcing the king of...

The Deception of Princess Iron Fan and the Flaming Mountains

🐉 Chinese MythologyFlaming Mountains, Turpan, ChinaSun Wukong • Princess Iron Fan • Tang Sanzang

Sun Wukong and his companions encounter the impassable Flaming Mountains during their journey to the West. To extinguish the fire, Wukong seeks the magical Plantain Fan from Princess Iron Fan, who seeks revenge for her son's capture. She tricks the Monkey King with a fake fan that causes the inferno to grow, leading to a series of magical battles and clever transformations.