The Young Chronicle: For 4th Graders March 20th, 2015 | Page 3

YOUNG CHRONICLE

Superstition has always haunted the moment when Earth, Moon and Sun are perfectly aligned.

China
In ancient China, the eclipse was seen to foretell the future of the emperor. The ancient Chinese believed that
solar eclipses occur when a legendary celestial dragon devours the Sun. It was a tradition in ancient China to bang
drums and pots and make loud noise during eclipses to frighten that dragon away.

India
In Hindu mythology, the two demons Rahu and Ketu are said to ‘swallow’ the sun during eclipses, snuffing out its lifegiving light and causing food to become inedible and water undrinkable.

Muslims
Muslims pray five times daily, but during eclipses they specially perform the "eclipse prayer" to remember the
might and gifts of Allah the Creator.

Greece
The Greeks believed that the solar eclipse was a sign that the gods were angry and death and destruction were on
their way. In fact, eclipse comes from ekleipsis, an ancient Greek word that means obscured, or abandoned.

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