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full moon, stories of the moon |
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Today is full moon which the Wakching people recognise by the observation that the moon rises at the same time (77) as the sun goes down. The moon for the four phases of which there are four terms is considered to be female because she is gentle and mild while the sun is thought to be male because of his strength. In the old times the moon was close to the earth but people threw ashes at her and a dog which did not like her was always barking at her. A little bird (of the tiny sort which pecks the rice from the fields) was [] by the barking and told the moon that she should go further away. Because of this unusual deed this bird has its gizzard not in front but in the back? The dark spots on the moon are huluk monkeys. Once there was a huge darkness, neither sun nor moon or stars were shining. It was so dark that people could not even go to collect water. They burnt the animals skulls which they had in their houses. |
