Once, a long time ago, the world was always bright. It was always daytime! The sun stayed in the sky like a big, glowing lemon. People were tired because they could never find a “quiet time” to sleep.
In the middle of the deep, green jungle lived the Great Snake. It was said that she kept “The Night” locked in a small, clay jar at the bottom of the river.
One day, a young boy named Manu went to the river. He was very sleepy. He rubbed his eyes and whispered, “Please, Great Snake, can we have a little bit of dark? Just enough to dream?”
The Great Snake was kind. She swam to the surface and gave Manu a heavy clay jar. The lid was tied tight with vines.
“Listen carefully,” the Snake hissed. “Do not open this jar until you get home. If you open it early, the Night will escape and get lost in the trees.”
Manu took the jar. Clink, clink, clink. He walked through the forest.
Suddenly, he heard a sound from inside the jar. Scritch-scratch. Buzz-buzz. Chirp-chirp.
Manu stopped. His ears perked up. He was so curious! He thought, “Maybe just a tiny peek?”
He untied the vines. He lifted the lid just a crack.
WHOOSH!
Out flew the shadows! Out flew the stars! Out flew the “Whoo-whoo” of the owls and the “Crick-crick” of the crickets. The darkness rushed out like a giant purple blanket, covering the trees, the river, and Manu’s toes.
Everything went black. Manu was scared for a second, but then he smelled the cool air. He heard the jungle start to sing its “sleepy song.”
He realized that by being curious, he had let the Night out for everyone. He curled up on a big soft leaf and, for the first time ever, he fell fast… fast… asleep.
And that is why, even today, the Night belongs to everyone, and the crickets still sing to thank the boy who opened the jar.
Review The Magic Passport -Story 1 -The Jar of Quiet (A Story from the Amazon).