• Ever wondered why there has to be a moon at night? Aren’t stars enough to light the skies at night? And with today’s technology that can light up whole cities, is there still need for a moon? This Philippine myth tells us why it was decided one time that there ought to be a moon at night.

One day, this myth says, the moon had no light of any kind. It was a silent dark object that orbited the Earth. It looked for ways to be of use to the inhabitants of the earth, but to no avail. At times it even blocked the sun entirely from the planet, frustrating the sun with its job of lighting up the world. The myth says that the sun complained that it could only light up a side of the earth at a time, and the moon even sometimes prevented it from doing this.

But the moon was not abashed. It continued to find a way to serve planet earth. The myth continues that one day, the moon noticed that the sun was very lonely. She wondered and approached the sun to ask what was the matter. The myth says the sun told her that he was again about to go to the other side of the Earth because the people there also needed its heat and light. The myth says the sun worried about the people on the opposite side who would have to suffer a day of darkness again. “If only I could shine both sides!” the sun said wistfully. He didn’t want to leave the other side without light.

So, feeling desperate, the myth says the moon asked the sun if it could be of any help. The sun regarded the moon for a while and noticed that it had rocks and metals about it. The sun, says the myth, tried to shoot a ray of light on the moon and it bounced on the planet Mars. The light reflected was enough to make Mars squint its eyes. So the sun had an idea. According to the myth, it told the moon that it would give part of its light so the moon could shine on a half of the world, and then sun on the other.

This Philippine myth on the shining moon at night talks of a dark moon going around the Earth, eager to be of service to it. A shared light from the sun gave it its meaning.

• Source : http://www.philippinesinsider.com