The big boy took out a mouthful, leaving a crescent with
jagged edge. The little boy was not pleased by the change, and began
to whimper; whereupon the big boy pacified him by saying that he would
make the cake into a half-moon. So he nibbled off the horns of the
crescent, and gnawed the edge smooth; but when the half-moon was made,
the little boy perceived that there was hardly any cake left, and he
again began to snivel. The big boy again diverted him by telling him
that, if he did not like so small a moon, he should have one that was
just the size of the real orb. He then took the cake, and explained
that, just before the new moon is seen, the old moon disappears. Then
he swallowed the rest of the cake and ran off, leaving the little boy
waiting for the new moon.
* * * * *
THE LADLE THAT FELL FROM THE MOON
Once there was an old woman who lived on what she got by wile from her
relatives and neighbors. Her husband's brother lived alone with his
only son, in a house near hers, and when the son brought home a wife
the old woman went to call on the bride. During the call she inquired
of the bride whether she had not, since her arrival in the house,
heard a scratching at night among the boxes containing her wedding
outfit.
Pages:
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655