This week on Myths and Legends, it's the story of Princess Moonlight from Japanese folklore,

where we'll see that true love means going to war with the Moon,

but also, if to even start dating someone, they make you go on a year's long dangerous quest,

I'm gonna go out on a limb. Maybe they're not that into you.

The greats of this week is a Greek fox, a dangerous animal from Greek mythology that,

for once, isn't Zeus.

This is Myths and Legends, episode 199, Moonlight.

This is a podcast where I tell stories from mythology and folklore.

Some are incredibly popular stories you might think you know, but with surprising origins,

and other stories that might be new to you, but are definitely worth listen.

Today's story is a literary fairy tale, from 10th century Japan,

though the earliest surviving copy is from the 15th century.

I say literary fairy tale, but it's also been described as a folk tale,

and I can't really seem to find an author, anyway.

I won't bore you with the details, only to say that the story is set medieval Japan,

and like so many fairy tales begins with a woodcutter.

The old man picked up the bamboo shoot from the ground. It took longer to straighten,

longer to rise. I can't do better than the translation on this one.

And the story says that the old man and his wife had no child to cheer them in their old age.

There was no hope for rest from work until they died, and were laid, side by side, and quiet graves.

That happy thought on his mind each morning, when it was more and more difficult to get out of bed,

the old man kissed his wife goodbye and set out to the mountains.

...