Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-02-11
THE FOLKS IN THE MOON.

MAT Different Peoples Have Seen and
the stories Thew Have Invented.
Every little boy and girl who has
boxed upon the face of the full moon,
6ss seen there the outline of a human
brm. Many think it is the image of a
han, whom they call the IMAM of the
\ DON" venerable, benevolent fellow
4hose dear face they have stared at,
<ondered about, and almost talked to.
but some very prosaic people, peering
Hly through glasses and long tubes,
kry learnedly protest that there is no
d an there, and that the outlines which
<e see are only mountains of scorched
Nd blackened rocks, deep and gloomy
averns, where neither life nor verdure
h found. suppose we must believe
ese wise people, however unpleasant
ii is to have our ideas confused about
Rmething we have long regarded as a
ked fact.
Still it is difficult to believe that the
ID tronomers, for all they look through
4yeral thicknesses of glass, can see
trther than the clear eyes of the shep-
Hrd. the Indian, or even those of some
hung folks, and that the lunar spots
BE only meaningless specks. Singu-
lSrly wise as we have grown within a
Nv years, it would not be curious, if
1bw and then we should make some
Mistakes. Just for the fun of the thing
8eare going to imagine that the wise
ren are all wrong, and that the moon
Il inhabited. and that these specks are
nally representations of human be-
hgs.
n Some way, all the nations have a diff
Brent way of seeing things, and so the
frsons they see in the moon are di-
]erse from each other. Not few of
bese are very amusing, and some are
Aally laughable. Others are quite
1fave and solemn. 1t is really wonder
d to think of all the diverse figures
fheh mankind have pictured in the
Road full moon, and no doubt you will
u interested to learn what some of
hem are.
4 First, we will peep at the queer pic
pre that the boys aud girls of the min
De ages thought they saw in the moon.
i is that of a little, solemn, old mau
Nth bundle of sticks on his back. In
be old prints of the time, he is repre-.
fnted with short, stubby figure, like
hes idea of Dutch Santa Claus, and
4 face ugly, sour and forlorn, the fea-
pres all askew, and long, black tear
Tickling from the right eye. He clasps
fs clumsy arms over huge staff, and
IS broad back is bowed down under
|eavy bundle of fagots.
h The following is the story of this
fuare-b built, solemn-faced individual,
fhich the children. and the old folks
b. that matter, believed as much as
Hey did the Bible four and five hun
bed years ago in Europe.
S Ages ago, there went one Sunday
8orning an old man into the woods to
zRw sticks He cut fagot, and slung
on stout staff over his shoulder, and
tent trudging home with his burden.
a his way he met handsome man in
4hnday suit, walking towards the
kurch, who stopped and asked him:
% you know that it is Sunday on
birth, when all must rest from their
Nbor?"
Sunday on earth, or Monday in
feaven, it is all one to me-" laughed
e woodcutter.
4 Then bear your bundle forever"
ID the stranger, land as you value
n Sunday on earth, yours shall be a
Hrpetual Monday in Heaven; and you
Hall stand for eternity in the moon,
Farming to all Sabbath breakers"
Whereupon the stranger vanished,
\ the man was caught up with his
*ah and his fagot into the moon.
here he stands yet.
Many of the poets refer to this per-
mage. Dante calls him Cain. CHANGER
|eaks of him as undergoing punish
ent up there for theft.
ing bush of thorns on his backe,
niche for his theft might cline so near the
heaven
An ancient song of the time of Ed
Aro IL, the poor king who, you re-
ember was barbarously murdered by
mobiles, is addressed to the man in
moon. This is the first stanza in
pc modern spelling:
N the moon. stand and slit,
~ lat fark, his burden he beneath,
much wonder that he do ma down slit,
uouot lest be fan. be shuddereth and shiv-
ereth
shakespeare speaks of this forlorn
llVidusl in one of his most beautiful
Ays and introduces a dog as his COM
mon. According to the nursery
gme, the man in the moon once Wis
this earth, and took a fancy to
ne pease porridge, which he was in
g hurry to devour he scalded his
4ounth.
me nan in the moon
sme turnbling down
Ana asked the way to Norwich
whether he ever reached this des-
-Anon we are not told.
ne peasants of Swabis and Bohemia
two folks stand in the moon, a man
woman. The man carries q
81