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  • Writer's pictureMatt Hart

The Sun: The Resplendent Youth



A major character in Folktales from across the country, bringer of light and warmth, the Sun.


It is worth remembering that a lot of Bulgarian Folklore and cosmology is often very humanised. While yes there are dragons and fey and spirits, most of these spirits do not live a thousand miles away but simply over the hill. Even magical boundaries can be crossed with the right item, or in this case, knowing the right person.


The Sun can be spoken to like anyone else, he lives in a home that can be walked to, and struggles with life like us all. But it is this struggle with a Celestial Creature that makes him so dangerous.


Day In, Day Out


The Sun lives in a giant house in the middle of a field of flowers and must physically travel across the world each day to bring it light. At the end of each day he gets covered in dust and dirt and becomes quite a lot angrier as a result. When he finally arrives home, he is scolding hot to be around, and even standing near him could burn you alive. And even if you aren't scolded, the Sun will be so enraged that someone has entered his home he may try to kill them to let off some steam.


The best way to ask the Sun for Favours is to simply wait until he has had something to eat and drink, and can calm down. After that point he becomes completely reasonable and friendly. With his favourite meal being 9 fully roasted oxen, 9 ovens worth of Sour Dough bread, and 9 Barrels of wine, which he eats near everyday.


His Mother's Sun


But the Sun is not alone in his house. Accompanying him is the Sun Mother, a gigantic woman of near infinite kindness and wisdom, who knows her son better than anyone else alive.


Surprisingly, we know very little about the rest of the Sun's family, as a father is rarely mentioned and siblings come and go between stories. He may have a sister who wishes to marry an Earthly Hero for example. But the Sun Mother is always there, both to help guide her child and to scold him for when he goes too far.


Whenever the Sun falls in love it's her job to give advice, and her job to make him meals to calm him down at the end of day. And when heroes on quests come seeking answers, the Sun Mother hides them until her son has calmed down, and will trick her son into helping if he refuses to.

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