Forty Days of Rain

The Sun Gods - Amun Ra, Apollo Helios, and Sol Invictus - sat around the campfire complaining about the cold. Freyr laughed at his companions. “Throw another log on the fire.”

“There are no more logs,” Amun Ra replied.

“Then move closer,” Freyr advised.

“We are already huddled over the stones,” replied Apollo Helios.

Sol Invictus laughed. “Perhaps we should climb into the fire.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Freyr replied. “There’s not enough room for all of you and the logs.”

“How can you stand the cold?” Amun Ra wrapped his blanket tighter around his shoulders.

Freyr laughed. “I have spent my entire existence in the cold. I’m just used to it.”

Apollo Helios rested his hand on Amun Ra’s shoulder. “Hang in there, pal. It’ll be morning soon.”

Sol Invictus stood up. “Well, that settles it. The most powerful sun god is Freyr. Anyone who can put up with this much cold and hang around for twenty-four hours straight is a true heavyweight.”

“We aren’t here to decide that. It takes all of us and then some to haul that flaming rock across the sky.” Apollo Helios motioned to Sol to sit back down.

“Then why are we here?”

“We are here,” Amun Ra sighed, “because of Thor’s wager with Zeus and the havoc it is causing.”

Freyr came closer to the fire. “It’s time to put an end to this contest before they drown all of our worshippers.”

“How long have they been at it?”

“Thirty-nine days of nothing but thunder showers causing floods everywhere.” Amun Ra shook his head. “All that remains of the deserts are narrow strips of beach.”

“That is where my friend here comes in.” Freyr pointed to a shadowy figure at the edge of the firelight. “Come forward and join us, Loki.”

The Norse god of Mischief and Trickery stepped forward into the circle. Loki smiled at his companions. “I know exactly how to put an end to forty days of rain. It’s a simple plan. I just convince each of them that they have won the wager.”