THE STORY OF HOW DAY AND NIGHT BEGAN (Igbo folklore)
Folklore is a way most cultures preserve their cultural background and mythology.
The Igbos are rich in mythologically rich folklores and i was opportune to hear some from my parents.
I believe in this our 21st century, the age of computer and wonderful technologies. it's our duty to preserve our folklores and mythology and convey them to our children and their children after them when we might be called grand-pa/ma.

This is a story you might find in different versions from different Igbo communities but let me tell the story based on what my dad told me. hope you enjoy it.

The hurricane lamp glowed with little tip-toeing amber light flickering on it casting a yellowish-gold amber light around the room, Papa's eyes sparkled from the glow, i sat quietly on my young tender legs curled in a lotus manner, my brothers and sisters sat around looking at papa. all was quiet, then papa began

[size=13]Long ago when the skies were still land for squirrels, the world was young and the trees were brighter and greener, the sun was gentler and dimmer, bird songs filled the air.

Their was no day or night, people lived and slept anytime they want without any time determining phenomena.

A certain old widow lived in a village, she was wealthy as she was kind even tho her husband was dead. She had many servants and workers taking care of her wealth but yet she lacked just one thing.

Many years after her marriage to her husband they had no child until her husband's death. she was unhappy tho she lacked nothing materially.

One day by the advice given by one her servants she visited a very powerful dibia (native/witch doctor). who after some necessary sacrifices and incantations referred her to the land of ekwensu. **Ekwensu is the trickster and cunning/mischievous god in igbo pantheon)

"When you get to the land of ekwensu, you will see many choices of children. handsome ones, ugly ones, beautiful ones, handicapped and many more, but when you get to the land of ekwensu, you must wait until you hear mild ringing sounds then you can enter, but if you are hearing drum-like sounds you must never enter" The shaky voice of the dibia warned.

The old woman journeyed to the land of ekwensu, after many moons (months) of waiting the soft ringing sound became audible replacing the drum-like sounds that have been sounding for many moons she was there.

She walked into ekwensu's land and met the god. Ekwensu told her all the good children he had went on an errand, she should go back and return later unless she would like to take the handsome boy standing at a corner but he was full of mischief, had a raging blood lust and magical abilities.

The woman after many minutes of thinking chose to take the boy instead of waiting many more moons before the next ringing sound or going home empty handed. The child was given to her making her very happy to have a handsome son now that will inherit her wealth.

The boy grew handsomely and strong, after many years his lust for blood crept in.
He started by beheading his mother's chickens one by one, the woman thought he would be ok once the chickens are all dead but he moved to the goats afterwards. Then he started with the cattles until all the old woman's live stocks were all beheaded.

He started beheading the slaves, moving into the village beheading people subduing them with magical charms until finally he beheaded his mother.

An old witch that lived in the outskirts of the village knew the evil boy would come for her soon and was not ready to loose her head to a little boy so she spent her time making charms that would make darkness fall so she can escape the evil boy.

As expected the evil boy visited the old woman with sharp shimmering blood ridden matchet charging towards the old woman.

She threw her charm on the ground and darkness fell making the boy not to see where she was.
The boy being a magically inclined being threw his own charm and light restored.

They kept on doing this for days, throwing the charms at interval inducing light and darkness. the woman was determined to survive but the boy was bent on having her head.

The 7th day of their struggle, worn out and tired. Both of them tiredly threw their charms together causing it to explode suddenly. the light and darkness stuck to the world permanently turning the woman to a cricket and the evil child vanished forever.

And that is why till this day; The light and darkness charm shared the day into two equal parts coming out at interval because their is none that can stop them anymore.
That is why we have day and night in the world now..[/size]

The good old days when Men Were Men