The Moon Singer

The Moon Singer
Clyde Robert Bulla ~ Trina Hyman
Thomas Y. Crowell, 1969

Long ago, in a far country, there lived a miller and his wife. One day a woman came to the mill, leading a child by the hand.

"Take this boy," she said. "I can no longer care for him."

"Another mouth to feed? Oh, no," said the miller.

"Then," said the woman, "at least give us a place to rest tonight."

The miller gave them a bed of straw in the mill shed.
In the morning the woman was gone. The child was left behind.

So begins the tale of a strange, distractable boy who loves to sing to the moon. Singing late in the woods, deep into the night, he hides from the miller who does not like his voice, and becomes a secret joy for all the nearby villagers to eavesdrop upon. When the queen hears of the boy's vocal talents, she summons for him, but in the confides of her chambers, the boy finds he has no voice and is cast out.

Later, when the queen hears that the boy has begun singing in the forest again, she goes to hear him and realizes his place is in the woods, in the night, alone, and that is when the music comes to him. So she sneaks, that night and many nights after, to secretly listen to him sing.

A magical take on inner beauty, and the wonderful talents we keep to ourselves.

Also by:
How Six Found Christmas
King Stork

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