Sacred Texts  Sky Lore 
still from A Journey to the Moon, by G. Melies [1902] -- public domain image

Moon Lore

by Rev. Timothy Harley

[1885]

Written just eighty-four years before Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon, this is a Victorian collection of moon lore: myths, folklore, superstitions and just plain whimsy from all lands. Although contemporary astronomers had fairly well wrapped up the question of whether there was water and air on the moon, Harley still suspected that the moon was inhabited. However, there was still much that was unknown about the moon until the first probes were crash-landed on it (for instance, whether the surface was covered with vast, deep layers of dust). So we shouldn't feel too smug, even though we've played golf there. The universe will continue to surprise us.

Title Page
Quotations
Table of Contents
Preface
List of Illustrations

Moon Spots

I. Introduction
II. The Man in the Moon
III. The Woman in the Moon
IV. The Hare in the Moon
V. The Toad in the Moon
VI. Other Moon Myths

Moon Worship

I. Introduction
II. The Moon Mostly a Male Deity
III. The Moon a World-Wide Deity
IV. The Moon a Water-Deity

Moon Superstitions

I. Introduction
II. Lunar Fancies
III. Lunar Eclipses
IV. Lunar Influences

Moon Inhabitation

Moon Inhabitation

 

Appendix
Notes