V orzeiten it was a land where the nights were always dark and the sky like a black cloth spread over it, because it was never there on the moon and no star shone in the darkness. At the creation of the world the light at night had been sufficient. From this country only four boys went on their travels and arrived in another kingdom, where the evening, if the sun had disappeared behind the mountains, standing on an oak tree, a shining ball that far and wide, soft light poured out. You could see it all well and distinguish if it was not as bright as the sun. The travelers stopped and asked a countryman who was driving past in his car, what it was for a light. "That's the moon," he answered, "our mayor bought it for three dollars and attached to the oak tree. He has to pour oil a day and keep it clean, so he always burn bright. He receives a dollar a week from us. "
A hen the farmer was driven away, "said one" of them this light we might need, we have at home, an oak tree that is just as great, and we could hang them. What a joy when we grope in the dark at night! You know "what?" Said the second, "we will fetch a cart and horses and carry away the moon. You can buy themselves another. "" I can climb well, "said the third," I will bring it down, "The fourth brought a wagon with horses, and the third climbed the tree, bored a hole in the Moon drew a rope through it and let it down. When the shining ball on the wagon was, they covered it with a cloth, so no one noticed the theft. They conveyed it safely to their country and placed it on a tall oak. Old and young rejoiced when the new lamp let its light over all the fields and offices and was filled with it. The dwarfs came forth from the rock caves, and the tiny elves in their little red coats danced in the meadows the grass dance.
D he four moon-served with oil, cleaned the wick, and received their weekly dollars. But they were old men, and fell ill as the one and foresaw his death, he ordered that the fourth part of the moon as his property, he should be given to the grave. When he died, the mayor climbed the tree and cut off the tail with scissors a quarter, this was placed in the coffin. The light of the moon decreased, but not significantly. When the second died, was buried with him the second quarter, and the light diminished. It grew weaker still after the death of the third, who also took his share, and when the fourth came in the grave, went the old darkness again. When people went out at night without a lantern, they met with the heads.
A ls but the pieces of the moon in the underworld are reunited, so there were, wherever Darkness had prevailed, the dead became restless and awoke from their sleep. They were astonished when they could see again, the moonlight was sufficient for them, because their eyes had become so weak that they would not have the luster of the sun bear. They rose up and were merry, and took their old ways again. Some of them went to the game and dance, others were in the taverns, where they asked for wine, got drunk, brawled, quarreled, and finally took up cudgels and belabored. The noise became greater and greater, and at last reached the sky.
D it St. Peter, who guards the gate of heaven, believed that the underworld would be get in an uproar, and summoned the heavenly hosts, the Evil One when he wanted his associates storm the residence of the blessed drive back should. Since they not come, he mounted his horse and rode through the heaven, down to the underworld. Then he brought the dead to rest, she was returned to lie down in their graves and took the moon with him, and hung up in the sky.
