Week 2 Story: Moon Man, Shine Bright

**Updated and revised version now available here.


One night, a wealthy but lonely man trudged through the abandoned streets. As he had consumed a bit more than his weight in alcohol that night, he thought about his riches at home and blurted to himself, "I am surrounded by gleaming treasures but I am not happy. If only I glimmered like my jewels and gems which everyone adores, maybe then I would feel content."

Unbeknownst to him, a crafty shaman was listening to his outbursts. "To glimmer like your precious stones?" the strange man asked. "Perhaps I may be of assistance." The shaman then changed the man with a swipe of his hand into a precious ruby, so deep and vividly red it would shame the blush of a young virgin.

The rich man, now ruby, collected his thoughts and said, "I would not want to just be admired and to sit behind one's display cabinet, I want to be with people!"

The shaman snapped his fingers and immediately the rich man fell to the ground as a golden chalice, covered in sparkly gems.

Rolling around on the sandy floor, the rich man clamored, "This is not what I wanted!" The shaman explained, "Why, as a goblet you will be used for many feasts and celebrations! You will be surrounded with dozens of people! Why are you not satisfied?"

The rich man expressed, "Perhaps this is a bit too engaged. I would not want a thousand people's mouths upon me, who knows what filth they may carry!" Starting to feel hopeless, he cried, "I want to feel necessary, I want to be with people, I want to shine brightly, and I want to be loved."

The wise shaman smiled to himself and said, "I can make you all these things, but alas my powers have grown worn. Do you wish to take the risk of what I will transform you into? Or will you return to your previous life?" The rich man thought of his life alone and felt that he had nothing left to lose. "I will risk it," he uttered.

And he became the moon.

As the moon, the farmers and fishermen need him to know when to harvest their crop, to know when was best to catch fish. As the moon, he can look down on the world every night, as everyone looks back up at him. As the moon, he gleams so brightly he illuminates the entire night sky. And as the moon, he is loved by all for his power, peace, and beauty.

The rich man's eyes teared up in joy and looked to thank the kind shaman, but in his search for him in the crowd of the world he could not locate him. He felt a warmth in his heart as he looked upon the world and smiled. As the moon, he finally felt fulfilled.

Full Moon. Source: Public Domain Pictures.


Author's Note:
This story is based off The Man in the Moon reading in the anthology. I thought the original was an interesting story but the ending made me kind of sad. I decided to put a happier twist on the ending!

Bibliography:
Source: "The Man in the Moon" from Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson.

Comments

  1. Hi Julia! I think it's really exciting we're in the same class and you were the randomized story and introduction I was given to read and comment on this week c: I like your story! While reading "The Man in the Moon" before, I also thought it was quite sad. It gave a bit of moral thought behind it but overall you end up feeling bad for the man that just wanted to live a life he could be proud of and happy with. It's so cute that you decided to make the man already in a place of assumed happiness by being rich and ending his path being useful and needed by others. It shows that companionship and desire are still things that people yearn for not matter the status! Your writing style is so light and warm and I can't wait to see what else you write about in this class. c:

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  2. Hi Julia, nice story! It really emphasizes the whole “careful what you wish for” saying. I’m glad for the happy ending, and I like the irony that he was a drunk and turned into a chalice that was too close for comfort, and then ended up as the moon too far to touch. This story reminds me of a greek one, where a king wished everything he touched turned to gold - then he ended up turning people and those he loved into gold! This story ended on a happy note though, unlike the original moon man story.

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  3. Hi Julia! I absolutely love that this entire exchange (I assume) is happening while the man is drunk; it definitely is an eye-opener, as people usually don't make great decisions while they're intoxicated. His actions without a doubt fall into that category. However, I was sitting there wondering what would the story have been like had he been sober? Would he have made the same decisions? Would he have risked it at the end like he did, or would he have decided he'd rather return to the life he had before he was transformed? It drives home the fact that money can't buy happiness. I'm also interested in the shaman a little bit, like where he came from and if he knew that the man had these outbursts. It would have been an interesting backstory if the shaman had been following the man and finally grew tired of his constant rambling at night while drunk, and that's why he decided to transform him. Maybe they were that neighbor who got sick of the unnecessary noise outside their window. It was definitely a nice twist that the man was happy as the moon this time!

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