The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE MOON REVEALS THE TRUTH

AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR, THERE WERE MANY HARDSHIPS
IN THE COUNTRY OF POLAND.
THERE WAS A WIDOW WHO OWNED A FEW ACRES OF LAND, A
HORSE, MILK COW, SOME CHICKENS AND A FEW GEESE. HER
TAX BILL CAME IN EARLY SPRING. SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE
MONEY TO PAY, SO SHE DECIDED TO SELL HER COW AT THE
MARKET.
SHE RECEIVED A GOOD PRICE FOR THE COW, BUT SHE HAD TO
WALK A COUPLE OF MILES THROUGH BUSH COUNTRY.
AFTER SHE CROSSED A LITTLE RIVER, SHE WAS APPROACHED
BY A YOUNG MAN THAT SHE KNEW WHO WANTED ALL HER MONEY.
SHE GAVE HIM THE MONEY AND HE TOLD HER THAT BECAUSE
SHE KNEW HIM, HE WOULD HAVE TO KILL HER. THE WOMAN
SAID THAT SHE WOULD NOT TELL ANYONE WHO ROBBED HER. BE-
FORE SHE DIED, THE WOMAN TOLD THE MAN THAT THE MOON
WOULD TELL EVERYONE ABOUT IT. THE MAN DIDN'T PAY
ANY ATTENTION AND KILLED HER.
THE NEXT MORNING, HER BODY WAS FOUND BY THE RIVER BED.
THE POLICE COULDN'T TRACE THE KILLER EVEN THOUGH
THEY HAD TRIED VERY HARD.
YEARS WENT BY AND THE YOUNG MAN GOT MARRIED. ONE NIGHT
HE WAS RESTING ON A COUCH AND THE MOON WAS SHINING.
HE STARTED TO LAUGH. HIS WIFE BECAME VERY CURIOUS
AND SHE TRIED TO COAX HER HUSBAND TO TELL HER AOBUT IT.
HE ANSWERED HER BY SAYING THAT HE COULDN'T TELL HER.
THE WIFE INSISTED THAT HE TELL HER AND HE FINALLY TOLD
HER THE STORY ABOUT THE WOMAN HE KILLED, WHO HAD MADE
THE REMARK THAT THE MOON WOULD TELL.
THE NEXT MORNING, HIS WIFE REPORTED TO THE POLICE
WHAT HER HUSBAND HAD TOLD HER. UPON INVESTIGATION,
THE POLICE CONFIRMED THAT HE WAS THE KILLER. THE
MOON REVEALED THE TRUTH LIKE THE WOMAN HAD PREDICTED.

Where learned: POLAND

Date learned: 00-00-1935