Tales of the Moon
Selected and annotated by Jennifer Wharton
Adler, Naomi.
“The rabbit in the moon.” The Dial book of animal tales from around the world. Penguin, 1996. Gr. 4-6.
An Indian tale of the wise and generous rabbit who urges her friends to emulate the generosity of the moon and while she herself gives the greatest gift. As a reward and an example, the heavenly being places her in the moon that all might see and be generous and kind.
Aesop.
“The moon and her mother.” Aesop’s fables. Ill. by Lisbeth Zwerger. Picture Book St udio, 1989. Gr. 3-5.
“Nothing ever suits one who is always changing” is the moral of this brief and witty fable of the moon who wants a dress. Lisbeth Zwerger’s illustrations show the frustration of the moon’s mother with cloth, patterns, and sewing implements floating about the sky.
Belting, Natalia. Calendar Moon. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964. Age 10-14.
A selection of poetic legends and beliefs from around the world connecting the moon and the seasons. Each month of the Western calendar is matched with a poem of that season and a moon, such as the the friendly moon (February) from Japan, and the grumbling moon (May-June) from the Maori.
Belting, Natalia. “Moon was tired of walking on air,” “The traveling sky baskets,” “Why sun has a headdress and moon has none.” Moon was tired of walking on air : origin myths of South American Indians. Houghton Mifflin, 1992. Gr. 3-6.
In the first tale, moon creates the earth. In the second, sun and moon protect the earth from their travels across the sky by making traveling baskets. The third tale, “Why sun has a headdress” explains the shape of the sun and moon; both are given headdresses by the woodpeckers, but only sun can hold the fiery decoration until it cools.
Bruchac, Joseph and Gayle Ross. “The girl who married the moon.” The girl who married the moon : tales from Native North America. Bridgewater Books, 1994. Gr. 4-7.
Through her patience, a young girl wins the moon as her husband. But when she disobeys him, he realizes she is bored and, like him, needs work to do so he shares his duties with her.
Crossley-Holland, Kevin. “The dead moon.” The dead moon and other tales from East Anglia and the Fen Country. Andre Deutsch, 1991. Gr. 5-.
This tale is a version of “The Bogles and the Moon” or “The Buried Moon”. When the moon comes down to see what is happening while her face is turned away, the moon is trapped and must be released before she can once again light the dangerous fens. Creepy and gruesome descriptions of the creatures dwelling in the fen.
De Gerez, Toni. Louhi, witch of North Farm. Viking, 1986. Age 5-7.
From the Finnish Kalevala, this is the story of how Louhi the witch stole the sun and moon. The language is rhythmic and the gentle illustrations by Barbara Cooney make this edition an excellent read-aloud.
Doherty, Berlie. “The bogles and the moon.” Tales of wonder and magic. Candlewick Press, 1997. Gr. 4-8.
This tale is a another version of the Anglian tale, “The Buried Moon” or “The Dead Moon.” Coming down to inspect the earth, the moon is trapped in the swamp by the wicked and mischievious creatures that dwell there. There is darkness and fear in the fens until she is released by a band of brave villagers.
Ehlert, Lois. Moon rope : Un lazo a la luna. Harcourt, 1992. Age 2-5.
This bilingual retelling of a Peruvian folktale relates the story of how Fox and Mole attempt to climb to the moon. Mole is unsuccessful, but using a rope of grass and with the help of the birds fox achieves his dream. The pictures are strongly geometrical and brightly colored.
Garland, Sherry. “ Chu Cuoi – the Man in the Moon.” Children of the dragon : selected tales from Vietnam. Ill. by Trina Schart Hyman. Harcourt, 2001. Gr. 3-6.
Chu Cuoi has everything he could wish for; the magical leaves he discovered have won the princess and made him wealthy. But his beautiful wife disobeys him and disturbs the roots of the tree which has brought him his fortune and Chu Cuoi is swept up into the sky to become the Man in the Moon.
Johnston, Tony. The tale of rabbit and coyote. Ill. by Tomie dePaola. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1994. Age 3-6.
This Mexican folktale from Juchitan, Oaxaca, blends a variety of elements from various folktales. The rabbit is a Brer Rabbit-like trickster who talks coyote into taking his punishment for devouring the farmer’s chiles. Fleeing from the enraged coyote, the rabbit escapes to the moon and coyote is left howling at the moon in frustration.
Kimmel, Eric A. A cloak for the moon. Holiday House, 2001. Age 5-9.
This story is a retelling of a mystical tale by Rabbi Nachman (1772-1811). Haskel the tailor dreams his beloved moon is cold and sets out on a journey to make her a cloak. He finally achieves his goal and his love and devotion are rewarded when he climbs a ladder of moonbeams to present his gift.
McCaughrean, Geraldine. “The men in the moon.” The silver treasure : myths and legends of the world. Simon and Schuster, 1996. Gr. 4-6.
This myth from Kenya tells the story of a boy who travels to the moon. Murilay, constantly compared to the wonderful and perfect boys of the moon, travels there on a magic stool and discovers that perhaps they are not so lucky after all. He eventually returns to earth wealthy and successful by crossing the causeway between the moon and the earth.
McCaughrean, Geraldine. “The raven and the moon.” The silver treasure : myths and legends of the world. Simon and Schuster, 1996. Gr. 4-6.
This Alaskan myth explains how the moon came to be in the sky. A miser and his daughter have hidden the moon, but Raven tricks them out of it by causing the daughter to give birth to him as a baby and then crying for the moon. When he steals the moon and escapes into the night, the reflection of its light distracts him and he releases the moon into the sky to chase the shiny specks of light on the water and trees.
Riordan, James. “The woman in the moon.” The woman in the moon and other tales of forgotten heroines. Penguin, 1985. Gr. 4-6.
The Chippewa Indian maid, Lone Bird, is courted by many warriors and hunters, but she wants only to stay with her parents and care for them. Her father sets tests for her suitors, but the Good Spirit causes them to tie in each competition and Lone Bird is allowed to remain single. However, as her parents age she sees a lonely life ahead of her and falls in love with the moon, who takes her up into the sky.
Vuong, Lynette Dyer. “How the moon became ivory,” “The moon fairy.” Sky legends of Vietnam. HarperCollins, 1993. Gr. 4-6.
In the first tale, the moon learns that the people love her for her softer light, not her brilliance or beauty. In the second, the moon fairy joins the brave and generous hunter Hau Nghe to destroy nine evil spirits. But when he is made king, he is corrupted by evil counselors and power. Finally, when he attempts to sacrifice children for immortality, the moon fairy transforms their daughter into a rabbit and carries her back to the moon, while the angry people destroy Hau Nghe.
Washington, Donna L. “The boy who wanted the moon.” A pride of African tales. HarperCollins, 2004. Gr. 3-6.
In this pourquoi tale from the Congo, a selfish young prince is given everything he desires – until he asks for the moon. His foolish father and subjects attempt to fulfil his wish, but when they climb to the moon and the prince seizes it, they are cast back to earth. To save the foolish people and warn others, the gods turn them into monkeys.
Wolkstein, Diane. White wave : a Chinese tale. Ill. by Ed Young. Harcourt, 1996. Age 8-14.
A lonely farmer cares for a beautiful snail found in his fields and is amazed to discover a mysterious being is caring for him in return. He discovers that it is the moon goddess, White Wave, and they live together happily until he breaks the rules of their existence. As she returns to the sky, she leaves him gifts, which enable him to become prosperous and happy, although he never forgets the beautiful goddess.
