Story) The Moon-Maidens of Everland . . .

     

Another picture book story from my new series:
THE STORYSPINNERS . . .

The Moon-Maidens of Everland

DEEP IN THE HEART of the country of Everland, where the swans fly high over the Fields of Always, seeking their night's rest in its far distant valleys, a wondrous thing is happening. Three girls are walking along the hilltops; or, bending down at the edge of the sea, helping the World through the night. 

   Early, every evening, the three girls can be seen rising from their watery homes in the three little streams in the furthermost valley. They are the moon-maidens: the spinners of moonlight. Their names are, Love, Joy, and Peace; and each has their part in making the night, safe.  

   In the gathering dusk, as day begins its journey into night they are leaving their bright streams to go walking. Their watery feet have made a path through the long, flower-studded grass.

    The girls are walking to the hills; and as they look up to the starry evening sky their steps become as light as air. There is a little fluttering breath and upon the hand of Love, alights the sleepy sparrow. Upon, Joy, the sweet nightingale comes to bless; she sings in the dark. Upon Peace, the grey ringdove, she is whispering, rest. All the feathered creatures of the air are come to help their work.  For as the three maidens make their way along the green hilltops they are spinning. Love, Joy, and Peace each hold a spindle and onto these spindles they are spinning their wool. The birds are helping them catch the light; the mist-white moonbeams reaching down to the earth are their wool. This is why they do not carry a distaff; for their bundle of wool is the Moon, the ball of light in the night.  

   The moon-maidens are spinning the Moon down out of the sky. The Moon is getting less and less. The ball of light waning as it is wound upon the spindles of Love, Joy, and Peace. This is the good work they do for the World. Every night it is their job to see that the World gets its needed hours of darkness . . . less and less light . . . to help the hunted . . . to keep the mouse, safe from the owl. 

    Not until the Moon is all gone have they finished their spinning, for awhile.  The Moon must be spun away, now and then, you know, so that the World might have darkness, and rest.   

   On the darkest night of all, the three girls carry their spindles down to the sea to wash their wool.  

   The wool is sliding from their spindles into the sea; unravelling as the moon-path in long threads of silver-shine rippling across the water. With the first strands of the newly washed wool, there is the New Moon, rising from the sea! The thinnest crescent of light: the faintest light in the dark! 

   Still, the moon-maidens are bending down at the edge of the sea, cleansing and giving out more and more of the washed wool. And the Moon is getting bigger and bigger. Now the girls are giving to the World its needed hours of moonlight in the night . . . more and more light . . . to help the hunter . . . to help the owl, to catch her prey.  

   When all the wool is washed, and wound again into a round ball in the sky, the Moon is full. Now the moon-maidens can begin their spinning, once more; taking the light away . . . little by little . . . to make the night safe for all hunted things.  

   Every night, since Time began, the three maidens-of-the-moon are there, walking the green valleys and hills of Everland . . . making their way through the long flower-studded grass, with their watery feet, and their little lifting birds, making the night safe spinning the light away.

                                

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This story is a retelling of an ancient Greek Legend. The legend has been sourced from Mary Stewart's splendid romance/thriller novel: THE MOONSPINNERS and retold for children and for all the young at heart.