The Moon and Her Mother
Story by: Aesop
Source: Aesop's Fables
The Moon was admired by all who gazed upon her in the night sky, but she herself was not satisfied with her appearance. She watched how mortals below adorned themselves in beautiful garments and wished she too could have something special to wear.
One evening, as she began her nightly journey across the heavens, the Moon approached her mother with a request.
“Dear Mother,” said the Moon, “I have been thinking about how lovely it would be to have a beautiful cloak made just for me. The mortals below wear such wonderful clothes, and I see how happy it makes them. Could you not make me a cloak that would enhance my beauty as I travel across the sky?”
Her mother, who was wise in the ways of the heavens, looked at her daughter with gentle understanding.
“My dear child,” she replied, “I would love nothing more than to grant your wish. But tell me, what size should this cloak be?”
The Moon was puzzled by the question. “Why, it should fit me perfectly, of course. What kind of question is that?”
“But that is exactly the problem,” explained her mother patiently. “You see, you are never the same size from one day to the next. Sometimes you appear as a thin crescent, so delicate and slender that the smallest cloak would overwhelm you. Other times you grow fuller, becoming a half-moon, and then fuller still.”
The Moon began to understand, but her mother continued.
“And then there are nights when you become completely round and full, shining with such magnificence that you appear larger than ever. After that, you begin to shrink again, becoming smaller and smaller until you nearly disappear altogether before starting the cycle anew.”
The Moon looked down at herself and realized the truth of her mother’s words.
“How could I possibly make a cloak to fit you,” her mother asked gently, “when I never know what size you will be? A cloak that fits you as a crescent would be far too small when you are full. And a cloak made for your full phase would hang like an enormous tent when you are but a sliver in the sky.”
The Moon was quiet for a moment, considering this wisdom.
“I understand now, Mother,” she said thoughtfully. “My changing nature is not something to be covered up or altered. It is who I am.”
“Exactly, my daughter,” her mother replied with pride. “Your beauty lies not in remaining the same, but in your wonderful ability to transform and change. The mortals below do not love you despite your phases – they love you because of them. Your changing face brings wonder and mystery to their nights.”
From that day forward, the Moon embraced her ever-changing nature, understanding that her unique gift was her ability to be different each night, bringing variety and beauty to the darkness in ways that no cloak ever could.
Moral: True beauty often lies in our unique qualities, even those that seem like imperfections. We should embrace what makes us different rather than trying to hide it.
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