An interesting variant is the tradition of the Melanesian hero Qat and his brothers, who lived in perpetual day. Qat heard of Night, and setting forth in search, was successful in his quest. On his return he told his brothers to sit quite still, and when they felt something in their eyes to take no notice but keep quiet; thereon they fell asleep. When Night had lasted long enough, Qat took a slab of red obsidian and cut the darkness and Dawn came out. A tradition reminiscent of the “dustman” or the “sand-man” of the nursery, though the slab of red obsidian is a touch both poetic and symbolic in its suggestion.
Darkness as a Devouring Monster
In the early myths, Night or Darkness is invariably a malignant influence or a devouring monster threatening the earth or the sun, e.g., the Scandinavian Wolf Fenrir or Fenris, the Python slain by Apollo, and in Oannes the Chaldean sea-god devoured or destroyed by darkness.
Oannes, who is represented in composite fish and man form, according to tradition lived with mankind during the day to instruct them in the Arts and Sciences; being immolated at night and re-incarnated at dawn.
Season Myths
In the Scandinavian tradition of Baldur, the god of Peace, which bears some resemblance in respect to immolation and re-incarnation, the god was killed by the blind Hoder at the instigation of Loki. By order of Odin, everything that sprung from earth, air, fire and water was forbidden to injure Baldur, but the mistletoe, not being included, was made into an arrow and shot at random. It effected his death, but by general request of the gods, he was restored to life.
Baldur is really a season myth, symbolizing the death of the sun at the end of the year, with the resuscitation in the Spring. So also is the tradition of Persephone abducted by Pluto, and allowed to revisit her mother, Demeter, at the dawn of Summer. Another parallel is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Sun Myths
Of myths associated with the Dawn there is the tradition of Apollo and Daphne, where the story of the nymph being chased by the god and transformed into the tree symbolised the early dawn dispersed by the Sun, or the effect of the growing power of the Sun on vegetation.
Similar in idea is the tradition of Wabun, son of Mudjekee-Wee, the North American Indian Apollo, who chased Darkness with his arrows over hill and valley, waking the villagers, calling the Thunder and bringing the morning. He married Wabung Annung, whom he transplanted to the Heavens, where she became the Morning Star.