Moonstrike
Narration
Illustration by Dustin Mater
MOONSTRIKE
Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (Chickasaw)
Narration
ORIGIN OF THE MOON (Kalispel)
Long ago, when the world was very young, the Moon was a plaything of the animal tribe of people. One day, Coyote spoke up loudly to Antelope: “Let our sons go out and learn how to steal the Moon.”
When the eight young sons reached the open space, where the animal people were rolling the great round shining ball, they hid themselves at one end of the play field. The animal people knew that the boys were coming to steal it.
They rolled it toward the boys, certain that it was too heavy for anyone to take away. But the Coyote brothers, one at a time, rolled it home!The owners of the Moon caught up with the Coyote brothers and killed them, one at a time.
Then the Antelope brothers took the Moon from the youngest Coyote, and ran so swiftly, no one could catch them.
When they reached home and told Coyote that his sons has been killed, Coyote cried loudly: “Put that fire out and bring me the Moon!!” They obeyed him, he took the Moon back to its owners, and they gave him his sons, restored to life!
One day, Woodpecker said to his Grandmother: “Let ME go and steal the Moon!” When the Moon people saw him coming, they knew his purpose and began to laugh. “Roll the Moon towards the little Woodpecker,” said one of them. “Let us see what he can do with such a big thing.”
When the Moon reached him, he lifted it with difficulty and staggered off with it. Again, the people laughed. “Let him go as far as that ridge. But if he passes over it, we will kill him.”
They did not know that Woodpecker was very clever. When they reached the top of the ridge, they saw him and the Moon at the top of the next hill. He had rolled the Moon down the first slope, and its momentum carried it almost to the top of the next slope. Woodpecker flew over the valley and pulled the Moon the rest of the way!
The people ran after him until they were tired out and Woodpecker rolled the Moon to his Home!
Sadly, the people started home without the Moon. “Let us make a new Moon,” they said. “And let us place it in the Sky.”
“Who will be the new Moon?” someone asked. They decided that Yellow Fox should be the new Moon and Yellow Fox agreed. They out him in the sky, where he was to shine by day as well as night. But he made the days so hot they took him down.
Then they asked Coyote, “Do you think you would make a good Moon?” “Yes, of course,” he replied.
“I would like to be the moon, for then I can see everything.”
So, they placed Coyote in the Sky. He did not make the days too hot, but he did see everything. And whenever he saw anything wrong being done, he called loudly the name of the person and the wrong thing he was doing! The people who wished to do things in secret demanded that Coyote be taken from the Sky!!
THE MAN WHO MARRIED THE MOON (Isleta Pueblo)
Nah-chu-rú-chu was a leader of his people. He was an expert weaver, wise in medicine, young and tall, and strong and handsome. But he had no interest in the village girls who were in love with him. He was very happy in his weaving.
Two sisters, the Yellow-Corn maidens, were desirous of him, but with evil intentions. They worked very hard to get his attention. “Enough!” said Nah-chu-rú-chu. “In four days, I will marry. I will hang my pearl gourd outside of my home. Any woman who chooses may throw their finest corn meal at the gourd, and she whose meal is so well ground that it sticks to this omate, shall be my wife.”
The village was very excited and got right to work. Before she lived in the sky, Moon was a maiden of the village and was away on an errand when his announcement was made. She did not return until the fourth day and the Yellow-Corn sisters teased her. They were certain they would win the competition.
When the time came, all the maidens, including the Yellow-Corn sisters, tried throwing their corn meal at the omate, but nothing would stick. Then, Moon tossed her corn meal gently against the pearl omate and every tiny grain stayed. Not one fell to the ground.
Nah-chu-rú-chu was so excited. He had already loved Moon and now his life was perfect and complete. He and his sweet Moon-wife were very happy together.
The Yellow-Corn sisters were not happy. They betrayed Moon by tricking her into staring at her reflection in a deep well. They pushed her into the well and buried her alive - killing her.
In his grief, Nah-chu-rú-chu went to her grave and found a white flower growing from the buried well. He took it home and sang and prayed to it five times. His song was so beautiful powerful that Moon arose from the flower and came back to life, as lovely and fair as ever!
Moon then hunted down the Yellow-Corn sisters and turned them into two snakes. Then she came home to her husband and they were very happy together.
RAVEN STEALS THE MOON (Haida)
There once was a village that lived by the sea. They were fisherman and ate fish. There once was a bird, named Raven, who was very lazy. Instead of fishing for himself, he followed the fishermen and ate THEIR fish!
“CAW! CAW! CAW!” he would say. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” He was always hungry. He was insatiable!The people were kind. They continued to throw him fish but it didn’t matter; it was just never enough. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” he yelled. “More! More! More!” It was unbearable!! They grew tired of his begging. “This bird is a pest! He is a nuisance and too overbearing. He will not leave us alone and eats half of our fish! It’s too much!”
“Enough is enough, Raven. No more fish!”
Raven threw a huge tantrum and his eyes grew red with rage. “CAW! CAW! CAW! I’ll get your fish!”
Raven started snatching all the fish from the people. He grabbed them from their nets, from their fishhooks and from their hands. “Ha, ha, ha! I told you!! CAW! CAW! CAW!”
Later, at the end of the new moon, the people were enjoying their fire, telling stories and eating smoked salmon. “I wonder what Raven is up to,” they would ask. “I hope he is far away from us.” “We are afraid,” said the children.
The Chief assured them; "Don' t be afraid. He has forgotten all about us.” Suddenly, they heard a mighty scream and beating of wings! Raven flew in and soared above them. CAW! CAW! I’ll teach you a lesson now!” He soared high into the sky and snatched the bright and beautiful moon, carrying her away - and left the earth in darkness.
“What shall we do? How can we live without the moon?” They were all sad and lonely. But,four days later, they heard a loud cawing and the beating of Ravens wings again.
“CAW! CAW!” he sang. Will you feed me now, if I put the moon back where she belongs? Isn’t that worth a lifetime of fish?”
“So be it!” answered the people. “What else can we do? OK, it’s a bargain.”
Raven pulled the moon from its hiding place, grasping her with his beak. He soared high up into the sky and placed her back where she belonged. Now she could, once again, bathe the night with her silvery light.