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The Autumn Festival |
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There was a time in the distant past when the Ancient Kingdom was plagued by a fiery dilemma when nine suns rose up into the sky. The intense heat caused the occupants of the land, the people and even animals to suffer. A young man who was the best archer in the kingdom volunteered on his own accord to rid the world of its misery. He took his aim and shot the redundant eight suns. The kingdom returned to its original auspicious state and the people and gods were impress of the young archers bravery that he was installed King.
The king reigned in a just and equitable manner for the first few years but soon his popularity overtook his youthful wisdom. The king became arrogant and would order his subjects around as if they were his slaves. Even worse, he failed to pay his respects to the deities. Slowly, the king turned into the direct opposite of what made him the beloved brave warrior and young king. As the years went by, the King aged further but was desperate to be an immortal being as he was afraid to die. His search for the elixir of youth consumed his entire day and he neglects his courtly duties. The hunt began to take monstrous proportions as he ordered legions of doctors and wisemen to the search of the elusive concoction.
The King's wife noticed all of his misdeeds and took it upon herself to prevent him from ever becoming invincible and even haughtier. Eventually, the doctors succeeded in discovering the magical potion. The queen persuaded her husband that they should have a grand event for his subjects to witness the King turning immortal. He happily agreed to her plans and the day was set for the main event. The queen organised the event for her to present the elixir to the King. When the day arrived, in front of the throngs of people, the Queen walked up the throne where the King was seated but instead of presenting it to him, she drank its entire content.
The King was enraged at the sabotage and immediately ordered that his own consort be executed. But as he was ordering so, the Queen began to feel a certain kind of strangeness in herself. The Queen began to float gently and eluded her captors as she slowly ascended skywards. She floated and floated until she landed on the moon where she has lived her immortal existence ever since.
The people were moved and relieved by her sacrifice, thus celebrating her ascension in the Autumn festival.
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