It is believed that long ago, in the very beginning when there was only emptiness and darkness everywhere, the world was created by three great spirits: Keyum Resi Yokmo, Keyum Sedi Yokmo, and Keyum Sengor Yokmo.
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The earth they formed was initially a vast watery world, completely filled with water. As these three spirits flew tirelessly around the earth, they eventually grew weary and sought a place to rest on the land they had created.
To achieve this, they began by separating the skies from the earth. They then shaped the land, forming the first mountains, valleys, rocks, and plains. But despite their efforts, the land remained submerged beneath the water.
With no dry land available for them to stay, the three spirits decided to summon another spirit, Keyum Remmyang, also known as Irsi Mite by others. This spirit, with eyes as bright as light, swept across the earth and brought light to the mountains and plains, casting away the shadows. The immense energy radiating from Keyum Remmyang's eyes dried up the excess water, allowing the earth to finally emerge from the depths. This drying of the land made it possible for life and rest to flourish on the newly created earth.
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|The Story of the Frog and the Two Suns
Thus, the dry lands were created and remained so, as Keyum Remmyang kept a constant vigil over them. During her periods of rest, when she would close her eyes, night would fall, and when she opened them again, day would return, creating the first balance of day and night. This cycle of light and darkness allowed life to thrive.
However, after a time, Keyum Remmyang passed away, and the world was once again plunged into a deep darkness. With her death came great floods that submerged the land once more. Desperate to restore order, the two remaining spirits, Resi Yokmo and Reman Yokmo, consulted one another. They decided to remove the eyes of Keyum Remmyang and pin them high in the skies. Once again, the earth was illuminated, bathed in the warmth and light of her eyes, and the waters began to recede, drying the land until it became habitable again.
Soon after, life on earth flourished as living organisms, animals, and plants began to inhabit the now-dry lands. According to legend, the two eyes of Keyum Remmyang, named Bomong and Boh, became the first two suns that circled the earth. These two suns followed each other endlessly, and as a result, there was no longer any night—only a continuous, scorching day. The intense heat that radiated from both suns caused the land to grow increasingly parched. The once fertile ground turned hard, and trees, grass, and vegetation began to wither under the relentless sun. Rivers and ponds, once full of life, also dried up, leading to a severe drought.
The unbearable heat soon gave rise to a famine, as food and water became scarce. Many creatures on the earth began to die from hunger and thirst as the sources of sustenance dwindled. In their panic and desperation, the earth's creatures, unable to endure the extreme heat, gathered together and conspired to rid themselves of one of the suns.
It was decided that Ettu Tiglung, a frog, would be given the task of killing one of the suns. Armed with a bow and arrows crafted from the trunk of the Kulung Ane (wild banana tree), he climbed to the top of a tall bamboo tree. From this vantage point, Ettu Tiglung prepared to strike down one of the two suns and restore balance to the world once more.
He climbed to the very top of a bamboo stalk, nestled in the heart of a grove, and waited patiently for the suns to rise. When the moment arrived, he drew his bow and let loose his arrows. He successfully struck Boh, one of the suns, injuring it. Afraid of retribution from the mighty suns, he quickly fled and sought refuge within the dense cluster of bamboo trees.
According to legend, this is why the frog still hides among the bamboo groves today.
The injury to Boh enraged both suns—Bomong and the wounded Boh—who, in their fury, refused to shine upon the world. In their absence, the earth was once again plunged into deep, suffocating darkness. The creatures of the earth, who had first struggled under the harsh heat of the two suns, now found the endless night even more unbearable. Without light, life seemed impossible, and the creatures had no choice but to seek a way to bring the suns back.
In their desperation, the creatures decided to send an emissary. They chose the crow to approach the suns and plead with them to return to the skies. The crow flew to the suns and earnestly begged for their forgiveness and for them to rise again. At first, the suns refused, still angry and seeking revenge for the attack on them. But after repeated pleas and persistent cajoling, the suns finally relented. However, they did not agree to rise without a price. They demanded that for every rise and set, the earth would owe them the lives of its creatures.
The crow, eager to end the eternal darkness, agreed to this deal on behalf of all the creatures. Thus, it is said that death entered the world, and the crow became the bearer of this curse, forever blamed for the existence of death.
In another version of the story, it was not the crow but the rooster who managed to coax the suns back. The rooster’s persistent crowing each morning is said to have convinced the suns to return to the skies in exchange for some of the lives of the earth’s creatures. This version suggests that the rooster, through its tireless calls, played a role in restoring the balance of day and night.
With the suns’ return, Boh, the injured sun, was considerably weakened. It shed a dimmer light and produced less heat than Bomong, the stronger of the two. From then on, the stronger sun was named Donyi, and it became the sun that lights the day. The weaker sun was called Polo, and it became the moon that lights the night. From that moment, the two celestial bodies rose alternately—Donyi as the sun during the day, and Polo as the moon at night—creating the natural cycle of day and night.
In Adi culture, Donyi is considered to be female and is called Ane Donyi (Mother Sun), while Polo is considered male and is referred to as Abo Polo (Father Moon). This balance between day and night is seen as a reflection of the harmony between masculine and feminine energies, ensuring the world's ongoing equilibrium.
Author: Ponung Ering Angu
Conclusion
The story is rooted in the rich mythological traditions of the Adi tribe, a major indigenous group from Arunachal Pradesh. It is adapted from the book Doying – A Collection of Myths and Folktales of the Adis, which preserves and shares the timeless tales passed down through generations. The tale reflects the Adis' deep connection with nature, the cosmos, and the balance between light and darkness, life and death. Through these ancient narratives, the Adis explain the creation of the earth, the sun, the moon, and the cycle of day and night, offering profound insight into their cultural worldview.
Adaptation Note:
This is an adapted version of the original myth from the Adi tribe, as found in Doying: A Collection of Myths and Folktales of the Adis. While preserving the core elements and themes of the original story, this adaptation has been rephrased and expanded for contemporary readers.
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