Reach the moon

– Just look at that for me! Exclaimed the Mole as it emerged from the earth one night. – What will it be?

Right in the sky, the moon shone like a silver coin. The Mole thought it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Whatever it is, I’ll have that thing, he thought to himself. “And I know how! I jump and pull her down.”

The Mole was so busy jumping that she didn’t even notice the noise it made, and eventually woke the Rabbit, who slept in the den.

– Mole! What are you doing?

– Hello, Rabbit! I’m trying to pull that shiny thing down.

– Do you mean the moon? Asked the rabbit.

“So that’s her name,” murmured the Mole.

“You won’t be able to bring her down, because she’s not as close as she looks,” said the Rabbit.

But the Mole wasn’t a pet to give up.

– I know. But I’ll get a stick and I pull it here.

He picked up a very long stick and began to give the moon small jerks.

She was so busy pushing the moon that she tripped over a Hedgehog sleeping in her leafy path.

– What are you doing, Mole? Muttered the Hedgehog.

– Hello, Hedgehog! Greeted the Mole. – I’m trying to bring the moon to earth.

“You won’t be able to bring her down, because she’s not as close as she looks,” said the Hedgehog.

But the Mole wouldn’t give up. That I know, he thought. “But I’m going to throw you something that will knock her to the ground.”

And he went to get some acorns to shoot the moon.

– There! Complained the squirrel. – Are you crazy, Mole?

– Hello, Squirrel! Greeted the Mole. – I’m trying to throw the moon to the ground.

“You won’t be able to knock her down because she’s not as close as she looks,” said the Squirrel.

But the Mole wanted the moon so badly that she wouldn’t give up. “I know! I’ll climb a tree and bring it down,” he thought.

The Mole had never climbed a tree. It was a very difficult task and the little animal was afraid when it found itself so far from the ground. But he kept climbing until he saw the moon resting on the leaves, just above his head.

The Mole stretched the patita. But when it seemed to him that he was about to grab the moon… he slipped! He gave a big bump and landed in a puddle. What a penny! I almost grabbed it! He thought.

Suddenly he noticed that something was floating beside him in the little thing. It was a pale, curled thing, but the Mole recognized it immediately.

– It’s the moon! It must have fallen with me.

He reached for it, but barely touched it, the moon crumbled to pieces and disappeared. The Mole sat in the pool… crying. The Rabbit, the Hedgehog and the Chipmunk came to her.

– All right, Mole? Asked the rabbit.

“I am,” she said, sobbing, “but the moon is not all right.” When I pulled for her, I broke her. It was so beautiful! Now I’ll never see her again…

The Rabbit said:

“But still you didn’t lay her down.”

“And you didn’t even break her,” the Hedgehog reassured her.

“And you’ll see her again,” said the Chipmunk. – Look!

High up in the sky, the moon came out from behind a cloud.

– There she is! Muttered the Mole. – Beautiful as always!

The Mole, the Rabbit, the Hedgehog and the Squirrel stared at the moon all together.

– What beautiful! Said the Rabbit.

– If it is! Agreed the Hedgehog.

– Beautiful! Exclaimed the Chipmunk.

“But now I know it’s NOT as close as it looks!” He laughed at Mole. Jonathan Emmett; Vanessa Cabban Bringing Down the Moon London, Walker Books, 2001 (Translation and Adaptation)