The Maiden the Sun Made Love To
A Zuni story about a maiden whom the Sun desired. The Sun came to her in human form and courted her, and she gave birth to twin boys — the ancestors of the Zuni war gods. The Sun's attention to the maiden brought both blessing and burden. The boys grew rapidly and displayed extraordinary abilities. They became the first culture heroes, teaching their people how to hunt, farm, and perform ceremonies. The story explains the origin of anger in the world — the maiden's anger at the Sun's departure (or at the gossip of the villagers) introduced this emotion to humanity. This origin myth establishes