The Origin of Night and Day

Long ago, when Day and Night could not live in harmony, the world existed in an unpredictable order of day and night. Every twenty-four hours, Day and Night bickered over who would govern the sky, the winner enveloping the world in the cold blanket of night or warming solace of day.

The animals, distressed over this constant uncertainty, debated the issue. They decided to hold a competition to settle the dispute once and for all. The contest would include three challenges, the winner earning the right to dominate the heavens permanently.
    
The first event, judged by Mother Nature herself, challenged the contestants to grow the most beautiful flower imaginable. Night made a commendable effort but managed to nurture only a withered sprout, desperately clinging to life. Day, on the other hand, produced an abundance of magnificent flowers.
    
The second task required Day and Night to assemble the most of one species together. Father Time would decide this event. Using her brightest star, Night guided all the lightning bugs in the world to the oak tree on the hill. What a sight it was! Thousands upon thousands of fireflies created a glowing highway for miles, blinking and flying in unison.

Day wasn’t so successful. He tried to gather ants. However, without clear direction, the tiny insects dispersed instead to the nearest picnic.
    
For the final event, animals converged from around the globe to establish the winner. The ultimate contest was to create the most beautiful image in the sky. Day filled the horizon with flaming reds, brilliant oranges, and streaks of dazzling violet, painting the most glorious sunset ever seen. Night created a grand display as well, setting ribbons of red, yellow, and green in motion across the sky, a borealis of unsurpassed beauty.

The animals cast their votes and found the score even. They realized if Day were declared the winner, they would miss the stars and moon of night, and if Night won they would miss the flowers and sunshine of day. From then on, Day and Night vowed to live peacefully together, sharing the twenty-four hours equally.