For my children, Nen, Zita and UnUn.
You are the wind beneath my wings.
The Two Boys and The Moon
One day, two boys who lived in Takland were playing on their swings under the huge oak tree. This was their favourite spot to watch the moonlight.
That evening, they planned to climb up the tree to get closer to the moon. One of them took his jar with him as he’d decided to reach out for the moon from the topmost branch, fetch it and pack it neatly into the jar and take it home.
“That’s a good idea, if we capture the moon, make it our own, we can enjoy it from our house daily” said one boy, “Yes, imagine that for a second, that wonderful, big bright orange light shining in and around our house daily” said the other.
“That would be awesome,” he chuckled. “Day and night, we could marvel at the moon’s beauty – if we managed to keep it in this jar.” So, they climbed to the highest branch, stretching out toward the glowing sky. But in their eagerness, the boy who had climbed the furthest slipped. The other reached out to catch him – but lost his balance too. They tumbled down together. And just when it seemed they’d hit the ground, a peculiar-looking cushion appeared beneath them – soft, strange, and waiting – catching them as they fell.
As the cushion soared through the night sky with the two boys clinging to it, one of them gasped, “Wait a minute… this feels just like the magic carpet they talk about in stories!” The other boy, wide-eyed, looked around nervously. “Do you think… this cushion talks?” he asked, unsure if he should actually speak to it.
But before they could figure it out, the cushion began drifting farther and farther from home. “That’s not the way home!” the smaller boy exclaimed. “Where are you taking us?” Worried now, the bigger boy sat up and called out, “Excuse me! Excuse me! Our home is way beyond that cloud – on the other side. Where on earth are you taking us?” To their surprise, the cushion replied in a calm, cheerful voice, “Well boys, I was sent for you. I’m taking you to my boss.” The little boy blinked and sat up straighter. “Wait a minute… who’s your boss?”
“You’ll see very soon – we’re almost there,” said the pillow as they flew through the thick sky. One of the boys looked out and exclaimed, “I think it’s taking us to the moon!” Suddenly, he slipped. “Oh no! I dropped the jar!” he cried. “How are we going to capture the moon now?” As they approached the glowing surface, a grand Moon Castle came into view. From it stepped a kind-looking man who greeted them warmly. “Hello, boys,” he said. The cushion floated up and added, “That’s my boss, Mr. Luna.” “Oh – hello, sir,” the boys replied in unison. “Yes, I heard you were trying to capture the moon,” Mr. Luna said with a gentle smile. “That’s why I sent the cushion to bring you here.” “Uh, yeah… we just wanted to, you know… keep it,” one boy admitted sheepishly. “Do you know why the moon comes out at night?” Mr. Luna asked. “I think so,” one of them replied. “Is it to keep the sky lit? It gets really dark without it.” “Exactly,” Mr. Luna nodded. “So tell me – why would you want to take it away and keep it for yourselves?”
“Well, we just thought it would be beautiful to keep it in our room,” one of the boys said. “That way, we could enjoy the moon all the time.” Mr. Luna nodded thoughtfully, then said, “But have you considered how many others need the moon at night? The hunters of the dark – foxes, badgers, owls, and all the creatures that rely on moonlight to find their next meal.” He looked at them kindly but firmly. “If you take the moon just for yourselves… what happens to all the rest who depend on it?” Then one of the boys spoke up. “Oh… we never thought about that. I guess it’s not such a good idea to take the moon just for ourselves.” “That’s right,” Mr. Luna said with a warm smile. “But before you go, I have a little something for you.” He disappeared into the castle and returned holding two small keyrings, each with a tiny silver moon dangling from it. “This is the best piece of the moon I can give you, as a reminder – something to take home.” The cushion gently lifted the boys and began to carry them back through the night sky. Mr. Luna waved as they drifted away. “Goodbye!” he called. “Sleep well.” The boys arrived home just in time for bed, the moon still shining brightly above.
The End.
impspired 