10 Interesting Myths and Legends About The Moon
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The moon is a powerful force of nature. Just step outside in the middle of the night when the sky is clear and the moon is full and look it for a moment. You won’t be able to deny that it feels magical and intense and amazing. And people over time haven’t been able to deny that either. In fact, the moon has been a central part of many myths and legends across different cultures precisely because of how powerful this part of the sky is. Take a look at the following ten moon myths and legends to get a better sense of how people see its beauty and wonder.
1. Chang'e. There is a very famous Chinese myth about this woman who is said to live on the moon. There are different variations of the myth but the basic story is that she and her husband were once immortal beings who were made mortal because of their bad behavior. They then attempted to achieve immortality again through the use of a pill but Chang'e got greedy and took too much of the pill and ended up floating up to the moon where she remained stuck over time. She is the subject of much Chinese poetry and is one of the central reasons for celebration each Autumn during the Chiense Moon Festival.
2. Moon Rabbit. This is an interesting myth because it crosses across several different cultures. The moon rabbit or jade rabbit is said to be one of the companions that Chang'e eventually was allowed to have with her one the moon. However, it is also a symbol that shows up in myths about the moon in Korea and in Japan.
3. Selene / Luna. These are the names of the Moon Goddess in Greek and Roman mythology respectively. In the myths associated with these goddesses, the goddess is paired with the god of the sun. He travels throughout the day and she takes over the journey at night. She is typically considered to be a passionate goddess who takes many lovers and who represents the desire associated with the moon.
4. Tecciztecatl. Not all of the dieties associated with the moon are goddesses. This is an example of a male god which is associated with the moon. What is interesting about the myths surrounding him are how many of the samy symbols from different moon myths are found in the stories about him. Although he was an Aztec god, there are associations with the Asian cultures (he was a rabbit, for example, associating him with the aforementioned Moon Rabbit) and even associations with modern day moon myths like the story of the “man on the moon”.
5. Anningan. The Inuit people of northern regions like Alaska and Greenland have a rather horrifying myth about the moon. They believe that Anningan, the Moon god, raped his sister, the sun Goddess. Worse, they believe that he is still trying to chase her down to possess her. That’s why he follows her in the sky every day. The waxing and waning of the moon is explained as Anningan chasing her until he is starving and then disappearing for a bit to hunt for food to have the energy to come back to chase her again.
6. Mawu. A much happier couple-based story about the moon is this myth from Africa which says that Mawu is a moon good who is forever linked in unity with the sun goddess Liza. It is believed that lunar and solar eclipses are related to the lovemaking times of the celestial couple. This myth is clearly about the power of the moon, the sun, the sky and love and desire.
7. Soma. This is a Hindu god that is associated with the moon. It’s interesting because of the fact that there are several additional symbols that we see here that are commonly associated with the moon. In Hindu art, Soma is sometimes an embryo and sometimes a bull. Fertility is frequently associated with the moon. The bull is also a symbol that has shown up as related to the moon across cultures. The main thing about Soma though is its link with the moon as an elixir. Soma is the name of a drink said to be consumed by the Gods. Interestingly, the moon rabbit who lives on the moon with Chang’e in the Chinese myth is also an elixir-making symbol.
8. Rona. This is a story that comes from the Maori tribe in New Zealand. The story is about a young woman named Rona who displeased the moon so the moon seized her and took her away. In the myth, she grabs on to a tree and drags it with her to the moon. It is believed by some that the tree is said to represent fertility, further linking the moon with this symbol.
9. Mayan Moon Goddesses. The Mayan people have several stories about different moon goddesses. One goddess frequently associated with the moon is Ixchel who is associated with the moon because she is a fertility goddess. However, it is believed that she may actually be the “grandmother of the moon” and represent aging and the drying up of fertility in old age so she is most commonly linked with the waxing of the moon and not the moon at all times.
10. Werewolves. One of the creatures that we often see depicted in movie myths and legends is the werewolf. This creature is, of course, affiliated with the full moon. Typically it is believed that these are creatures that have human form but that morph into wolf-like (typically violent) creatures when the full moon is in the sky. There are many different variations on this because of all of the books and movies that have been made about werewolves.
Those are just ten examples of some of the powerful stories that people across time and across the world associate with the moon. Using many different forms of symbolism, the moon itself has become a symbol for love, desire, change, passion, fertility, and violence.
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Very well researched. Lots of myths about the moon here that I never knew existed.
thanks for your research - these are great!
that's wonderful, I really enjoyed it. A lot of work, I reckon!
very interesting. I love the information.
Awesome info!! thanx ;-D
Oh I love myths about the moon. But of course, you could have guessed that.
Great hub!!! Thanks for all the info :)
Awesome hub. Loved the information thoroughly.
Great hub .... very original and informative .....
fascinating!
Cool Hub!
Wow - very interesting indeed.
keep on posting. i like your hub.
i love the moon and all wat it can do and the stroys behind it
I'm always fascinated with the legends and myths that have come up in different cultures over the years for the heavenly bodies. Good hub.
I didn't know any of this. Very interesting.
I like the one about the Mawu myth. It is very interesting myth.
Wow Kathryn!!!
I am a moon lover! In fact,
My love poems and some sad poems(Most in Spanish)
are inspired by the moon. Which I choose to
call Selene, just as I choose to call Earth,
Gaia. Yup! I definitely like your writing!
Great hub!
Warm regards,
Mystique1957
Very interesting; never knew that so many legends existed.
Thank you for posting it
it was really interesting legend about moon. Thanks
awsome
Very interesting I love to look at the moon it is amazing Thanks!for the hub
Im A Werewolf :D
Good work
lol love myths bout the moon very intriguing to learn bout.
The moon is so interesting to learn bout. Wish there was a special class for it!!! It's all do very romantic if you think bout it that way!!!
doing a report on moon myths this helped alot thanks bunches !!!!!
Very good stories about the lunar moon.
I must say I had never heard any of them before reading your hub.
Thank you
That was a great hub. Thanks!
not very helpfull.
The moon and sun are one .
that is soooooo cool! lovw all info!
Wow! Who knew?! That is all so facinating, and very helpful for my project! Thanx!:)
This is sooooo awesome!!!! So helpful, and actually very interesting! :)
Nice I love hearing about the moom and myth
These are nice to know interesting things.
very awesome hub! I loved all the stories of the moon gods/goddesses.
Thanks for this interesting read. I always enjoy reading about random myths, legends, and folklore. This particular subject reminds me of when I was researching about the lunar effect (full moon madness), a while back.
Good!! But where are your sources?
it is real or just a cartoon.if we cut the moon,then what it be.i think it will be a mooncake or a eggs.and i dont believe that our moon is not cute, its also have many big hole............bye...dont forget to read it.....
gr8 information.,helped in my thesis
Well done Kathryn! I enjoyed this write very much and shared it on facebook... The topic is one in which all can enjoy.
:] You've done your homework and it shows. Great Hub!
peace - greg z
I love the moon! I'm a Cancer, sooooo a moonchild should love the moon. great info!
The moon is the earth's birthchild, you know. When our gravity was formed, the big "rock" that went to the center sent a spray of earth out into the orbit, which cooled and went to just the right spot, and formed our moon.
Yep. it's a fact, tho' very paraphrased.
im doin a report on teh moon. thx for the info
I keep thinking of something from the movie Moonstruck. The old grandfather tells his friends about the full moon, "La bella luna, the moon brings the woman to the man." I've been searching for a myth that might reflect that belief for something that I'm writing. The closest I've come are some of the myths that focus on sexuality. Do you know of any others?
Very Interesting! I actually linked from my hub to your hub, because I thought it was a really awesome hub! Voted up as well!!
Enjoyed. Thanks!
This ws a good site to get started on a deeper research assignment. Creating a lesson plan with this information will be awesome!
Amazing infomation! Really helped my research! Keep posting!
I love myth and legends! Excellent hub! Thanks!
i love myths
very good for the society
Doin a project, this website realy helped x
good hub but i didn't understand some of them especially moon rabbit.
I like this very much. I needed this to do research for school.
We are soooo involved with the moon. Our love affair is endless. We sing songs about it, write poems, our cows jump over it, we catch moon beams, drink moon shine, flash it now and then, among many others. I think I feel another hub to be written by moon light :). Thanks for your inspiration.
awesome
So very interesting. i have a remedial college knowledge of astronomy in general so this hub is a very welcome resource
Very interesting hub. Thanks.
)O( We all come from the Goddess... Enjoyable read.
there's also a legend in vietnam about the moon. In it a man was sitting on a tree then the tree flew to the moon w/ him on it.
very good information i would love to visit this website again
SO many interesting facts.. I love moon more now. thanks
I love myths. Interesting topic.
This is very interesting thank you for my new use of knowledge
Very interesting. Looking forward to reading more.
Blessings,
Lisa~Rustic Living
thanks for sharing.. (www.punit28.com)
Thats awesome. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for sharing
The moon and the sun chase eachother around and around
stupid
Interesting Myths. Thank you.
I'm fascinated by the lunar/goddess mythology! In my thriller "Silver", one of the lead characters speculates on the moon goddess Ariadne being the Minoan Snake Goddess of ancient Crete. Love this stuff!
Brian January
AMAZING
From romantic outdoor dinners in the moonlight to theatrical plays, the moon and the mysterious aura surrounding it has always had an exotic appeal. These legends and myths about the moon make for an intriguing read.
Princesswithapen
Never heard about those myths before. They seem to be pretty nice stories. Thanks a lot for sharing with us :)
This is interesting stuff.
The Real Tomato 3 years ago
wow - this is facinating stuff, thanks for anwering!