How Gåmson tricked Pulan (the Moon) and Åtdao (the Sun) and why there is lowtide
Taimanu si Gåmson ha dangse si Pilan yan si Atdao yan enao mina ma’te’.
“How Gåmson tricked Pulan (the Moon) and Åtdao (the Sun) and why there is lowtide”
Long ago, a father and his son, lived modestly by a river on Guam. They sustained on fruits and vegetables nearby their home and would sometimes hunt in the jungles. Being the warm-hearted, caring man he is, the father would share with the nearby villagers his harvest and game. Often the son would skip out on chores and tasks and play at the a nearby beach in the shallows. This type of naughtiness caught the attention of the trickster of the ocean, Gåmson. He would time and again take the shape of an octopus and sneak up on unsuspecting villagers. That day, while disguised as an octopus, Gåmson crept up behind the son and grabbed his foot with one of his tentacles. However, the son did not budge or move even the slightest. Gåmson then tried two more tentacles, one on the son’s waist and one on his left arm. Still the son did not move. After trying all eight tentacles, the son had mistaken this act for playfulness and began to swing the poor trickster around. When his playing stopped, Gåmson changed into the form of a boy with gray skin and appearing to look the same age. The son was not afraid and was left filled with wonderment and curiosity.
The two introduced each other and immediately became friends. As time passed by, Gåmson discovered that the son could not float or be moved by anything while in the water. He told the son to bring his father to the beach so that he may speak with him and learn more of this finding. Gåmson couldn’t follow, he is bound to the ocean and forbidden to step on land as punishment from one of his tricks years ago. The son does as he’s told and brings his father. Unaware of their friendship and who his son’s friend really is, the father picks up a very large boulder with one hand and threatens the gray skinned boy. Gåmson reveals to the father who he is, enraging the father even more. As he launches the boulder at him, the son darts between the two, blocking and shattering it as it hits him directly. After several minutes reassuring the father he means no harm and no trick was made, the son steps away. It’s revealed that the father and his son were not like the other villagers. It was revealed that the two emerged from the peak of the tallest mountain on Guam and was given the strength and weight of one. Having such attributes hindered the son from enjoying the water and looking at the colorful reefs and schools of fish.
Feeling sorry, Gåmson had to think of something to help his sad friend. He knew that Pulan, the moon, was always awake, loved to shine, and see it’s reflection in the water. So much, that Pulan would pull the water closer to it to admire its radiance in greater detail. It’s boastful counterpart, Åtdao, the sun, would wake up and always bother Pulan by shining brighter and hotter. In doing so, the fish would come closer to the surface and villagers go out at sea to hunt it, rippling the ocean and breaking up the reflection. After hours and hours of shining, Åtdao would get tired fall asleep and retire into the horizon. Nearing the end of Åtdao’s gleaming, Gåmson used this as an opportunity to negotiate with Pulan to let go of the ocean. However, enamored with how clear it’s reflection was, Pulan refused. He tried and tried, but every attempt at dealing with Pulan ended in rejection. Frustrated and irritated, he resorted to his trickster ways and waited until Åtdao slept to act out his revised plan.
Gåmson, hid nearby some large rocks and remained there until Pulan began to glow. The water started to rise and the large rocks that Gåmson hid near were now fully submerged. The clever trickster then took all the surrounding rocks and placed them atop of the water blocking Pulan’s reflection. Confused, Pulan moved around in the sky searching for its reflection. Gåmson then calmly gathered a school of fish away from the island and bringing it closer to the surface. With the light from Pulan shining on their scales, it seemed to be a more dazzling replicated image of Pulans face. It then progressed to its mock mirrored image but before Pulan reached the fish, Gåmson made them swim faraway from the island, making Pulan follow behind it.
When it passed the horizon, the waters began to recede. The deep water at the shore line was now low enough for the son to play in. But something was still amiss. With no light from Åtdao or Pulan, the son could not admire the colorful reef or fish. The island was now in complete darkness. Without Pulan to push away the clouds to see itself in the ocean, the clouds covered the sky blocking the stars. This, along with the low tides, would prevent the seafarers and fishermen form going out at sea. Gåmson paid no mind because Åtdao would soon wake up and give light even brighter than that of Pulan. Hours later, Åtdao woke up. To its surprise, the rival it had always try to outshine was not in the sky. Not having its counterpart made it sad and disinterested in shining its light. It dimmed itself and would now go to sleep earlier, leaving less time for the islanders to do their daily routines.
The son would use this to his advantage and leave his chores earlier to play in the water with Gåmson and use the remaining light to look upon the reef. The father did not approve of his behavior, so he forbade his son from going to the beach. The son loved and respected his father and did not want to disobey him. With a heavy heart and tears streaming down his face, the son said his farewell to his friend. Gåmson didn’t want to lose his new best friend. His heart felt so broken that playing tricks and pranks on villagers didn’t seem as fun as it was before.
Gåmson remembered they lived by a river, so he called his brother, Tåmu, the Crafter of Rivers, the for assistance. (see previous post telling his story) Tåmu obliged and set forth to their house by the river. The father was busy throwing traps in the water when Tåmu partially emerged from the river. His sheer giant size alarmed the father. Tåmu demanded the father to go back to the beach that night to speak with Gåmson. If he didn’t comply, Tåmu would break all his traps and make the ground beneath his house swampy. Annoyed, the father did as commanded and met Gåmson at the shoreline. Knowing his mischievous nature, the father kept his distance. The trickster’s face showed much sadness and pain. His eyes red from a continuous flow of tears and his hands scarred and bloody from angrily thrashing on the reef. He fell to his knees and begged for his friend back. Reminding what he did for the son to be happy, he assured the father that he is capable of doing anything for him as well.
The father, seeing how much agony the trickster was in, offered a deal.
His son is to take care of his responsibilities before going into the water. If and when his son’s tasks are complete, you may send Pulan away to lower the tide. If, in the event, his son is not done with his errands but the fishermen and seafarers need to head out on the ocean, Pulan is to remain in the sky above to keep the tides high. The final request was to only play tricks on those who are naughty or have ill will, like his brother in the river.
Gåmson agreed and brought the fake reflection made of fish back, with Pulan trailing behind it.
This is why the moon will be out while the sun is still in the sky. Sometimes the son won’t be done with his chores until late at night or midafternoon. This is why the tide lowers at different times and durations throughout the year. This can also explain why the moon sometimes disappears from the sky and the sun sets early and rises late.
Many, many, many years later, his son remains on top of sticking to his priorities. One day, the father’s sister stormed into his home. Frustrated and furious, she asked if he had seen her daughter anywhere. She is known to skip on her duties and go swimming in the river. He said he had seen her at the mouth of the river. His sister told him that she sent her on an errand to get coals for her iron.
To which he said “Kalan guihan gue?”. His sister raised an eyebrow.