Saule (Lithuanian mythology)
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Saulė is Sun in Lithuanian, treated as a feminine deity in Lithuanian mythology. Some mythologists reconstruct her as one of most powerful deities. According to it, Saulė is goddess of life and prolificacy. Saulė provides the warmth of nature, and fertility. As well, Saulė is patroness of all misfortunates, especially orphans, since she is the only substitute of a mother’s warmth. The word for “world” is “pasaulis” and it is translated as “under the sun”. She is the universal mother. Souls of died people goes with Saulė to the underworld. People believed that underworld is behind the horizon. That’s why people were waking up valetudinarian and dying people in the sunset. People couldn’t show to the Moon, Sun or other deities by finger. Bad spirits are sleaping, when Saulė is shinning.
Saulė and Mėnulis were husband and wife and their daughter was Žemė, the Earth. The two were divorced, over the Moon’s inability to stay faithful to his wife. Mėnulis felt in love with daughter of Saulė and Perkūnas — Aušrinė. This is why the Sun shines during the day and the Moon at night. Though divorced, both want to see their daughter. Saulė's daughters: Aušrinė (Aušrinė (the Morning star) who burnt the fire for Saulė and made her ready for another day's journey. Aušrinė was a maiden of remarkable beauty with golden hair and an image of the Saulė on her crown. She wore a starry mantle with a moon-shaped brooch on her shoulder and was often considered to be even more beautiful than the Sun herself), Vakarinė (the evening Venus), Indraja (Jupiter), Sėlija (Saturn), Žiezdrė (Mars), Vaivora (Mercury), Vakarinė (who makes the bed for Saulė). They were 6 eldest daughters. 3 of them were living between people and 3 were shining in the sky (look Žvaigždės). Ašvieniai, sons of Dievas, spooned to Saulė. One of them was black horse — sunrise, and one afterglow. Saulė borns at the winter matures all the years and becomes young girl again in the winter. In folk songs Saulė is associated with stag that has nine horns. Saulė’s motive is frequent in folk art, clothing and ornamentation.
Alternative: Saulužė motinėlė, Saulelė, Saulytė, Saulutė, Motė Saulė…