One falls but never breaks; the other breaks but never falls. They are opposites. They cannot coexist, but neither would know where they end or begin without the other.

This clever riddle plays on the common phrases we use to describe the transition between light and darkness. The first part, "one falls but never breaks," refers to nightfall, the gradual descent of darkness as the sun dips below the horizon. While we say night "falls," it's not a physical object that can shatter. Conversely, "the other breaks but never falls" points to daybreak, the moment when the first light appears and "breaks" through the darkness of night. Daybreak signifies the end of night, but light itself doesn't physically fall.

These two phenomena are indeed fundamental opposites, defining the cycles of our planet. They cannot truly coexist in the same place at the same time; as one arrives, the other recedes. This daily dance is a direct result of Earth's continuous rotation, which exposes different parts of the globe to the sun's light. Without night, the concept of day would lose its meaning, and vice versa, as each defines the boundary and existence of the other, creating the rhythm of life on Earth.

Beyond their literal definitions, nightfall and daybreak carry deep symbolic weight across cultures, representing endings and beginnings, rest and activity, mystery and clarity. The brief periods of twilight that bridge these transitions, dawn and dusk, are often seen as magical or reflective times, highlighting the constant, beautiful interplay between these two essential cosmic counterparts.