Four Tragedies of Moon (Terran myth)

The **Four Tragedies of Moon** are concepts in Proto-Terran myth and its associated religions. They explain key aspects of salticid life and rules for Terran society through the character of Moon and her tribulations and sins, centered on her mistreatment of the Great Flower.

## History

As with most religions throughout time, many of the foundational aspects of Terran myth are attempts to explain natural phenomena, discuss observations about life and society, and establish a social order with rules. For instance, the characters of Sky, Moon, and Ground establish the gender hierarchy of most Terran societies. The Four Tragedies of Moon cement the Pliant gender designation as lower in the hierarchy than the Vital designation, and explain why this is taken to be truth. They also offer explanations for the phenomena of thirst/hunger, the natural occurrence of water, the tree-dwelling lifestyle of salticids, and the presence of parasites.

## In context

This is an excerpt from the Document, Last Portian Edition, written circa 381 PT. It covers Moon's journey to retrieve the Great Flower, the four tragedies in order, and the aftermath, which includes the creation of Moon's parasite Moonbluster:

*It came to be that Moon grew jealous of Sky. Sky, Moon saw, received all of Ground’s attentions, and made many thousands of slings from his gifts of sperm. So she ventured into the trees of the highest world to find something to present to Ground so that she might attract his favor and use his sperm to create her own slings.*

*Now, the journey back into the highest world from which Sky and Moon were born took many days, for it was a holy place not meant to be returned to or violated. But Moon made the journey anyway, so strong was her desire to visit Ground and create slings, just as any spider eventually feels the need to descend and court Viriles and breathe life into her own offspring.*

*Moon searched the highest world for days and eventually, on the highest canopy, she found a flowering vine, wrapped around a strong branch. All of its flowers were beautiful, but one was larger and more brilliant than any other. She ripped this flower from the vine and decided to present it to Ground.*

*But Moon did not foresee the Flower’s needs, and on the journey back down to Ground’s forest it began to grow pale.*

*“Flower,” said Moon, “where have your colors gone?”*

*“I have grown thirsty and unable to provide for them, so they have fled into Ground’s forest and become fruit.” This is why flowers eventually give way to fruit, because their forms remember the thirst of their progenitor from the highest world and manifest its colors.*

*Moon continued on her journey to meet Ground. But just as she reached the halfway point, Moon looked at the Flower and saw it had wilted.*

*“Flower,” said Moon, “where has your strength gone?”*

*“I have grown thirsty and my strength has fled into the leaves,” answered the Flower. That is why some leaves are broad, flat and strong, and these leaves are preferred by spiders for binding with silk and making their homes, for they are dedicated to providing what the Flower had lost.*

*By the time Moon reached Ground’s forest, the Flower had dried, and its petals were close to falling.*

*“Moon,” the Flower said, “I am close to death.”*

*“Flower,” said Moon, “where has your moisture gone?”*

*“It has fled from me and created the ocean,” Flower answered, “and with it the lakes and streams.”*

*Now all the children of Sky and Ground saw Moon and the Flower, and they saw that the Flower was suffering. And so they dried up and lost their moisture in sympathy with the Flower, so strong was the sway of its lost beauty over them. To this day, spiders feel an echo of that sympathy in their spirits, and need to drink from the streams and lakes lest they wither away too. This is called thirst, and is the first need of spiders.*

*The animals of Ground’s forest did not feel the same sympathy, and for their callousness they were cursed to have their moisture stolen from them by the children of Sky and Ground, who would forever hunt and farm and puncture their insides in search of their moisture. This is called feeding, and is the second need of spiders.*

*Finally, Moon reached Ground, but before she could offer her gift to him the Flower died, and its petals disappeared.*

*"Flower,” said Moon, “why do you die?”*

*“I am without my vine,” answered the Flower.*

*“Where have your petals gone?”*

*“They have fallen into the lakes and streams,” the Flower answered, “and my bitterness and rage toward you for stealing me away from my vine has caused them to fester and become parasites. Forever those parasites will torment the children of Sky, Moon, and Ground, and drain them of life as you have caused to happen to me.”*

*And so Moon had no gift with which to court Ground, and was unable to draw his attention away from Sky. Instead Moon used her prowess to court the Virile children of Sky and Ground, who gave her sperm that she used to create many slings. But being only half divine, they were weaker than the children of Sky and Ground, with smaller eyes, weaker legs, more deformities, and slower reaction to threats. So any spider that bears the traits of the children of Moon is called Pliant, and must stay in her nest with the other Pliants of her canopy while the Vitals of her canopy hunt, fight, and create many eggs for the Pliants to watch over. A Pliant herself should lay eggs and create slings, just as Moon was driven to do, but they should not bear the glory of her name nor recognize her as their mother. Instead they belong to Moon, and will wander the forest to become part of other nests.*

*Moon knew that she had not prospered as Sky and Ground had. In her sorrow, Moon threw herself into the ocean. Her moisture fled from her and her despair poisoned the waters. This is why spiders must never drink from the ocean and instead rely on the streams and lakes which are untainted by the sorrow of Moon.*

*A parasite found Moon in the ocean, and it caused her behavior to change. She became violent and uncontrollable, and in her rage attacked Sky who she envied. Though Sky was stronger, Moon’s viciousness took her by surprise, and Moon destroyed all of her eyes but one. This one eye remains and is called the Sun, and during the day bathes spiders in light. But since the day is poisoned by the violence of Moon, Sky’s gaze is dangerous, and the Sun threatens to blind or drain the moisture from any spider that stays in its light for too long.*

*When the parasite fled Moon and she saw what she had done, she gathered up what was left of the Flower and fled back into the trees of the highest world, as Sky and Ground did not wish to see her anymore. She placed the Flower back onto its vine, where it returned to life, spreading its pollen as stars across the heavens. Spiders call it the Great Flower, and it can be seen still in the nighttime when Sky’s gaze is no longer fixed on Ground.*

*As for Moon, she created a resting sac for herself in the branches of the highest world, and she can still be seen within it, but especially during the night since Sky’s gaze is not there to drown out the sight of it.*