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In Vietnam solar eclipses were though to be caused by a giant frog eating the sun. In Norse mythology it was wolves doing the eating. In China the eater is a dragon. In Korea it is caused by dogs trying to steal the sun. In lots of cultures it is that that the event is caused by demons. People bang pots and pans and make load noises in order to scare the demons away. The Geeks thought the eclipse was caused by the gods being angry and it was a sign that disaster was going to strike. In Italy it is thought that flowers planted during a solar eclipse will be the most colorful and brightest of the year. In Transylvanian folklore the sun gets angry and turns towards darkness because of the bad behavior of mankind. In German folklore a hot sun and cold moon were married. The cold moon seeks companionship with his bride causing the eclipse.

One of my favorite stories comes from India. The deity Raha was beheaded while trying to gain immorality by drinking the gods'nectar. Because his body was still mortal it disappeared but his head remained. He seeks revenge by trying to eat the sun every once in awhile but of course it doesn't stay in his system very long. In some parts of India it is common for fasting to take place during the event because any food cooked during this time is though to be poisonous or impure.