What the Moon Man Missed

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 18

What the Moon Man Missed

HPHE Moon Man curled himself up in a chair to snatch forty winks, and to,d the little Black Coon not to forget to light the moonlight and the stars. The little Black Coon had been in his service for quite a while now, for tue Moon Man had snatched him from earth on dark night. After watching me Moon Man fall asleep, the little Black Goon grinned wickedly and switched on the moonlight far too early. Then he made his way to the trapdoor which would let him out or moonland into the fleecy clouds. As he tumbled into a cloud he came lace to face with the Rainbow Gnome, who was busily mixing his rainbow c ° lol “ b ’ As the little Black Coon stood watching him he suggested they make tne rainbow a different colour for a change, but the gnome told him angrily that if he didn’t go away he would tell the Moon Man. This annoyed the ntte Black Coon, and he walked off vowing vengeance. He collected his wicked winking companions and told them of the cross Rainbow Gnome and this is the conversation that ensued: “Let us go and put hail in his paintpots.’’ “Let us tip them upside down.” . , “No; let’s mix in some biack and dark green to make his rainbow ugiy, said the little Black Coon. Everyone agreed. The awful deed was done. By this time they were all very hungry, so that crept through the trapdoor and ransacked the sleeping Moon Man’s larder. They ate until they could eat no more. A warning light in the sky told the stars they aught to be going, so the little Black Coon put them out. Then he curled up iu 111 s chair and went to sleep, forgetting all about the moonlight. When the Moon Man awoke he looked out of his window, and saw a strange rainbow of angry red streaks in the sky. He noticed the emptiness of his larder and the roundness of the little Black Coon’s tummy. Leaning forward he stirred the sleeping coon with his finger. The little Black coon was having a very nasty dream and he sprang up with a cry: “Why,” asked the Moon Man, “is the rainbow a strange colour. Anu why is Thunder and Lightning annoyed? And why is my larder emptj . And why is your tummy so round?” “Oh,” sobbed the little Black Coon who (with overeating and the Moon Man’s angriness) had lost his bold spirit, “Oh! I’m so sorry; I will tell 50U all!” ' But all the Moon Man said was: “You bad better work the next 365 play days to get some of the fat off you!” —Flotsam (14), Pahiatua. # # * * * MIGHT softly dropped her mantle over the drowsy earth, and the moon rose silently to take its place in the sky. The Man in the Moon was happy as he sailed along in his beautiful, shining ship, and Jio called fnendlj greetings to the twinkling stars about him. ' Suddenly he yawned and felt very sleepy. He shook himself in an effort to wake up, but Slowly his eyelids closed. In a few minutes he was fast asleep and lying against a fluffy cloud pillow that was on his ® l ‘' G£ chair. The stars had to scurry out of the way of the moon boat for it had nothing to guide it. The Man in the Moon slept on, while the moon meandered on its way. Then, before you could wink an eye, the moon had run straight into a huge grey cloud. The moon began to rock and sway so that the Man iu the Moon awakened. And what a surprise the poor man got. All around him were grey, swirling mists. The cold, damp cloud sullocated him. How (lark and clammy it was! Far below, on the earth, peopie wondered where the moon had gone. Would he never come out? Oh, if only were still twinkling, and everything was as calm and tranquil as before, be had not slept! . . Then, all at once, he was out into the peaceful sky again. Hie stais With a half-ashamed smile, he looked at the earth. He would not sleep again, he promised: never again, and he did not.—Lady Constance (It). Bjeiilieiin.