Moon Lore

Folklore About the Moon

The moon has lit the paths of many night travelers for centuries.  It is the closest heavenly body to earth and has fascinated us all with its multiple cycles.  Many cultures believe that the moon’s cycles can predict the future.  Whether the moon is crescent or full, there is folklore behind it.

Lunatic comes from the world luna and it is believed that people’s behavior becomes the most strange during a full moon.  Robert Louis Stevenson’s book, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, was inspired by this idea that people’s personalities change when there is a full moon in the sky.   Some cultures believe that they can predict the weather based on the moons cycles.  British legend says that if Christmas falls on the day of a dark moon, the following season’s harvest will be bountiful.  On the other hand, a waning moon means that the harvest will fail.

Here are more examples of moon folklore:

-A halo around the moon means bad weather is on its way

-In Chinese cultures, the night of the full moon is when offerings are made to the ancestors

-The waxing phases of the moon are believed to be a sign of fertility

-A blue moon symbolizes loneliness & despair

Let us know if you have any of your own moon lore to share.