Ota's Tales

About the daughter who wanted to be a king

We all have a role to play in life. Some are born with oratory and become a lawyer or a businessman. Others are born into the royal family and take the throne. Different people choose their occupations, and some never know what to do with their lives until they die. But what is important? Doing something. Trying is always rewarding. And that is what our beloved Moon knows.

Once upon a time, before there were any human occupations, there lived the goddess Terra. She tried to have harmony on Earth, a perfect balance. Everything was going well for her, but she told herself she wanted to have a daughter. Not that she didn't enjoy mending, but she didn't have all that much to do. But she had no idea where to find such a daughter. So she went to ask Saturn, who already had many children.

"Saturn, you have so many children, and I have none. How do I make a daughter?" she asked.
Saturn said, "Dear sister, a small thought is enough. Continue to live in joy and wish to have a daughter. If you wish long enough, your wish will come true."
Terra thanked and heeded Saturn's words. Each day she wished more and more to have a daughter.

So many Earth years had passed that could not be counted before her wish was answered. Terra not only had a small thought; she thought of her daughter constantly. What's more, she began to cry out of it all, for her daughter was still not there. Mars then heard her grief. He had not wanted to listen to her sobs all his life, so he decided to make her a daughter. Mars, the god of war, had no good intentions at all. He had met Terra so savagely that part of her body had fallen off.
"Behold, this will be your daughter in a while. And don't sob any more! I want peace!" he commanded after the shameful act.
Terra recovered quickly from the encounter and stopped crying. And she was glad that her wish had been granted, despite the great pain Mars had caused her.

The daughter, whom her mother had named Luna, had come to life in a few years. Luna was a naughty little scamp. No wonder, since her father had been such a brute. She often didn't listen to her mother; she hid from her. Her mother was always worried about her. She was afraid she would wander off, but Luna only teased her like that. She loved her mother very much. She was always close to her.

When Luna was at the age of her studies, her mother began to teach her how to manage. All sorts of definitions, information, concepts were hammered into her head, but Luna was unable to learn them. She didn't want to be a caretaker and protector like her mother. She always wanted to be like King Sol. The others fussed over him, bowed to him, and he gave them life in return. She wanted to be the Sun.

Of course her mother wasn't happy. But once she had a daughter, she wanted to grant her every wish, no matter what. So she asked the king if he could teach her daughter. But Sol said, "There can only be one king at a time. I'm sorry."

Luna was very sad about it. If she couldn't learn from the king, she at least imitated him. She always reflected the king's rays to her mother, who praised her skill. But she helped her mother with other matters, not that she didn't.

But Luna was never fully satisfied. She didn't just want to copy the king. She wanted to be as good as he was.

"Be content with what you have. The king is huge and strong compared to us. You can't do anything against him," her mother advised.

Luna was desperate for a long time. And then, finally, a thought occurred to her. She would try to impress the king with something, so that he would ask her to marry him. Then she would become a queen, and she would be able to use his privileges. That was her brilliant idea.

Since then, Luna has tried in vain to charm the sun. And as time passes, she counts everything in the full moons. And as she gets older, she moves further and further away from her mother. We humans can't see into such things. For us, Luna, our moon, is a queen one way or another. Because of her, we can live at all. Who knows what things would be like if she wasn't here with us. So let us love not only her, but her mother, our country, which cares not only for her daughter, but for us most of all. Children who still have to grow up a lot to be sensible and not mean to their mother.