Myths and Legends of British North America/Moon (Thompson River)

by Katharine Berry Judson

MOON

Thompson River

MOON used to be an Indian. He would be as bright as Sun if his sister Frog did not sit upon him. At one time when Moon had invited the Stars to his house, it was so crowded there was no room for his sister Frog to sit down. She jumped on his face and stuck there.

Whenever it threatens to snow or rain, Moon builds a house and enters it. White men call it a halo. The cirrus clouds are the smoke of his pipe, and he always holds his pipe in his hand. You can see it in the moon today, and the basket which he uses as a hat. Moon seems to change from night to night, sometimes being larger and sometimes smaller, but that is all because of Frog's shadow.