Exile of the Stars

Cover art created by Instagram Artist Han Yijie (hanyijiee)
Above art created by DeviantArt Artist AnBro-95

        One warm summer evening, a little Samoan girl was lying down with her grandmother in a hammock outside of their bungalow. They were waiting for everyone on the island to turn out their lights for bed, so that they could see the stars as clearly as possible. Although such stars were still some ways off, the moon was as big and beautiful as ever, shining softly in the sky above the tall twin mountains. The little girl gazed at it silently, taking notice of the dark splotches along its surface.

        She recalled something she'd heard a friend say, and asked quietly, "Tinamatua?"

        "Yes suamalie?" her grandmother replied just as quietly.

        "...Is there really a man in the moon?"

        "Of course suamalie. Can't you see him there?"

        "Yes, but...how did he get up there? Do you know?"

        Her grandmother smiled, and wrapped her arms around the little girl. "Well..." she started, "It's a long story. But by the time I'm through, all these people will have finally put their lights out, and we'll be able to see the stars. The stars are a very important part of the story. Now, the man in the moon was one of us of course, and he lived down on the earth a long, long time ago.

        "He lived on an island very much like this one, warm and beautiful, except there was only one mountain. The people on the island were simple people, with simple wants. They lived in their bungalows on the beaches and along the roots of the great mountain. They named the mountain Le Tagata Talie, 'the laughing man' because of the way it seemed to throw its head back and clutch its stomach. All up and down the mountain, big fruits and sweet roots grew. The people took their food from the mountain and the wild pigs, and made clothes from the trees and flowers. There were fresh water springs everywhere, and so the island provided every simple need the people had.

        "Except for light. For that, the islanders relied on the sun in the day, and the moon and stars at night. Just like us, they made a favourite of the night light. Maybe because the sun is so very generous with its light, that it is impossible to look at. Maybe because of the divine beauty of a star-lit sky.

        "Either way, the people worked all throughout the day, and at night there were festivals. These people looked for any excuse to celebrate. Harvest time, planting time, a birthday or budding flowers, every night there was laughter and music and food, all under the beauty of the stars and the moon. Iosefa, was a resident of the island."

        "Is he the man in the moon?" the granddaughter interrupted.

        "He will be soon suamalie, but not just yet." Her grandmother answered.

        "His was one of the families who all lived up on the sides of the mountain above the main village, and picked the fruit for everyone. Back in those days, giant birds roosted high up on the mountain, and the tame ones lived with these families. Their wings were as long as a tall man, and their feathers were all the colours of the rainbow and patterned like the aute flower.

        "The families flew up and down the mountain everyday to gather the best fruits. Fana, they were called, because they flew so high. Iosefa's bird was the strongest out of them all, and he explored the mountain's every crevasse, and sought out all the secrets of the sky."