The legend of New Moon
A legend from Malo
Long ago there was very little to do
on the tiny island of Malo.
Every month the men gathered at Nangarai,
where the river and sea meet.
There, they cooked their food and
told stories while they waited for New Moon to visit.
Every month they watched quietly as New Moon slipped
down
down
out of the sky
until gently she dipped
into the water at Nangarai.
New Moon came to wash.
New Moon was very close to the men.
She smiled brightly on Nangarai and the men.
They watched New Moon leave.
Silently, slowly,
up
up
up
high into the sky she climbed.
Now there was one bad man who lived on the island of Malo.
He boasted to his friends,
“One day I will catch New Moon.”
“No!” they all cried.
“Don't do that!
You must never touch New Moon.”
One month all the men went to Nangarai.
They all collected yams and taro to cook.
They all fetched wood for the fire.
They all sang and laughed.
All?
No, not everyone!
No one saw the bad man creep away and hide.
No one saw him waiting.
He waited until New Moon slowly slipped,
lower and lower.
He waited until she dipped,
gently into the water.
Then he jumped.
And caught New Moon with his dirty hands.
New Moon was quick.
She slipped from his dirty hands
and rushed high up into the sky.
The bad man did not catch New Moon.
But you can still see his two big dirty hand prints on the moon.
And New Moon has never slipped down to wash
and smile brightly on Nangarai and the men again.
on the tiny island of Malo.
Every month the men gathered at Nangarai,
where the river and sea meet.
There, they cooked their food and
told stories while they waited for New Moon to visit.
Every month they watched quietly as New Moon slipped
down
down
out of the sky
until gently she dipped
into the water at Nangarai.
New Moon came to wash.
New Moon was very close to the men.
She smiled brightly on Nangarai and the men.
They watched New Moon leave.
Silently, slowly,
up
up
up
high into the sky she climbed.
Now there was one bad man who lived on the island of Malo.
He boasted to his friends,
“One day I will catch New Moon.”
“No!” they all cried.
“Don't do that!
You must never touch New Moon.”
One month all the men went to Nangarai.
They all collected yams and taro to cook.
They all fetched wood for the fire.
They all sang and laughed.
All?
No, not everyone!
No one saw the bad man creep away and hide.
No one saw him waiting.
He waited until New Moon slowly slipped,
lower and lower.
He waited until she dipped,
gently into the water.
Then he jumped.
And caught New Moon with his dirty hands.
New Moon was quick.
She slipped from his dirty hands
and rushed high up into the sky.
The bad man did not catch New Moon.
But you can still see his two big dirty hand prints on the moon.
And New Moon has never slipped down to wash
and smile brightly on Nangarai and the men again.
