Long ago, it is said, there were nine suns in the sky. Like nine blazing fireballs, they all shone down upon the earth at once. Dogs were scorched, their tongues hanging out; tigers had their ears burned bald; water was dried up, and the ground cracked open.
People, all plants and trees, birds and beasts – everything – simply could not survive. So everyone rose up together, cursing and poking, and drove the suns away. After the suns were driven away, the earth became pitch black, a dark void everywhere.
Thus, people and all living things could no longer survive.
So everyone discussed sending someone to the heavens to invite the sun back. Who would go? "I will!" said the big rooster standing nearby, speaking up first. "Good!" Everyone happily attached a long tail to it, used the best leaves to fashion wings, and gave it eyes made of little red beans. The big rooster was about to set off; everyone waved and nodded continuously, bidding the rooster farewell and showing their respect. The rooster chuckled "koko-ko," and crowed as it flew towards the Land of the Sun.
Arriving at the place where the sun lived in the Land of the Sun, the rooster tucked its head under its wing and sat silently by the sun's door. As it sat, the sun's door opened a crack, and a small sun peeked its head out. Because the little sun was timid, upon seeing this shaggy, unkempt rooster, it was terrified, turned around with a shriek, and ran back inside. The great sun, thinking something earth-shattering had happened, asked in alarm, "What's wrong?" The little sun, panting heavily, told the great sun what it had just seen. After hearing this, the great sun crept quietly to the door, looked through the crack for a while, but saw nothing. Then, gathering its courage, it gently opened the sun's door. The rooster was overjoyed; instantly, it raised its head, chuckled "koko-ko" at the startled great sun, and began speaking.
Hearing the rooster explain its purpose, the great sun's heart slowly calmed down. "Oh! You've come to invite us!" the rooster replied, "Yes, I've been entrusted by all the people, all the plants and trees, all the birds and beasts, to specially invite you." The great sun was delighted: "We can go out again!" But when it remembered the past experience of being driven away, it immediately changed its tone: "Ah! We were cursed enough and poked enough before."
The rooster replied proudly, "This time, if you go out and don't burn everything up like you did before, everyone guarantees they won't curse you, poke you, or drive you away."
At this, the great sun said timidly, "If I go, I'll go alone." The rooster blinked its eyes and said, "Alright, alright, I'll come and get you at dawn." Because the rooster feared the great sun might not believe its words, it deeply carved several marks into its own comb, signifying its firm determination to keep its promise. The great sun, feeling touched, said, "There's no need to come get me; just call out to me when dawn breaks."
As the east began to lighten, the rooster started crowing "O-o-o!" The great sun, hearing this, quickly "Gah!" opened the door and came out. Instantly, light filled the heavens and earth. All the plants and trees, all the birds and beasts, rejoiced once more in the warm sunlight, some clapping, some cheering.
But the next day, the rooster nearly screamed itself hoarse, yet the sun still did not appear. What had happened to the sun? People discussed this anxiously, and finally asked the rooster to go and check in the Land of the Sun again.
The rooster returned to the sun's dwelling in the Land of the Sun. This time was different from last time; the rooster pushed the sun's door open directly and walked into the courtyard. Seeing it, the great sun quickly ushered it into the house.
"What's wrong? Have people started cursing you, poking you, and driving you away again?" the rooster asked.
"No, no one has cursed me, poked me, or driven me away. It's just that when people look at me, I feel shy," the great sun replied. "Oh my, I thought something else had happened. Fine, fine, I'll give you a pack of needles. If anyone stares at you, prick their eyes." "You must tell everyone when you return."
"When I return, I will certainly stop them. If I fail, may a wild cat eat me." "Good. If I fail to come out in the future, may the sky-dog eat me." From then on, the rooster and the sun became close companions. Whenever the east begins to lighten and the rooster crows, the sun comes out.
Of course, the sun sometimes becomes careless, so occasionally the sky-dog tries to eat the sun; and people and other animals sometimes forget the rooster's warning, so occasionally wild cats eat chickens.