Long ago, the Sun and her good friend the Water lived together on the earth. But Water never once visited Sun's house, so one day Sun asked why. Water explained, 'Your house is far too small — if I brought all my people, the waves and the fish and the rivers, we would flood your whole home.'

Later, Sun married Moon, and together they built a grand, spacious new house. Sun invited her old friend Water to finally come visit them in their new home. Water came flowing in, little by little, bringing all of his people with him, and soon the house filled up until the water reached Sun and Moon's knees.

Water asked, 'Shall I keep coming?' Not wanting to offend their friend, Sun and Moon agreed, and the water kept rising higher and higher, until it reached their necks, forcing them to climb up onto the roof of their house to escape drowning.

But the water kept rising still, until it reached even the roof itself, and Sun and Moon had nowhere left to flee but upward — into the sky, far above the many, many people of their old friend Water.

And from that day on, Sun and Moon have lived in the sky, far from their old friend Water, who had flooded their home without ever meaning any harm. This tale is still told across West Africa to explain to children why the Sun and Moon live so high above us.