Why The Moon Has Different Phases

by Robby F.

Many years ago in a valley far far away Little Bear and her mom sat under the shade of an oak tree making baskets out of birch-bark. They could see and hear all the wonders of the forest, but it was growing dark so Little Bear and her mom decided to go back to camp.

When they reached their Wigwam (a single room house) they had deer for supper and went straight to bed. The next morning when Little Bear awoke there was only the moon's light in the sky. This is terrible Little Bear thought. No one can survive without the suns heat and light. With that she put on her moccasins and asked the wise one how to get to the great one's house. If you follow the rocky trail it will lead you to the tallest mountain in the valley. If you were to climb the mountain at the tip-top in the clouds is where the great one lives. Thank you wise one said little bear and off she went. After many hours of traveling she finally reached a huge house. It was the prettiest thing she had ever seen. After she knocked, the huge door opened and there standing in the door way was none other than the great one. He spoke in a low voice and said, "Who is it? And what do you want?"
"It is I, Little Bear An I have come to ask a question."
Little Bear told the great one what the problem was. Then she left heading back to the village. When she got there her mom was weeping outside her wigwam.
" What is the matter Little Bear asked?"
"Today is harvesting day but we can't see so we can't pick the corn."
" Don't worry I just talked to the great one and he said that he would clear everything up."
After three hours of waiting nothing happened. So Little Bear ventured back to the great one's house to see what was going on. When she got there the great one said that the sun and the moon got into a fight about who had the perfect light. So the sun left and now the moon won't let him back.
" Is there anything you can do?" asked Little Bear.
" I'm afraid not," said the great one.
" Can't you punish the moon until he lets the sun back?"
" I never thought of that."
With that the great one took away some of the moon but still the moon would not let the sun back. So the great one took more away and still the moon would not let the sun back. The great one kept doing this until the moon was the size of a thumbnail. Finally the moon let the sun back so the great one returned the moon to it's original state and said, " So that you will never forget what you have done, at the start of every month you return whole and everyday you will get smaller and smaller until you are the size of a thumbnail. Then you will return whole again you will proceed with this process until I say it is O.K.

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