Moonstruck: A Peruvian Myth of Celestial Love & Retribution

Why is the Moon a vigilant guardian against deceit?

The following tale of lunar vengeance comes from the rich folkloric traditions of northern Peru, collected and preserved by Augusto León Barandiarán (1895-1950).

A dentist by profession but a folklorist at heart, León Barandiarán dedicated much of his life to gathering the myths and legends of his native Lambayeque region.

In his seminal work “Mitos, Leyendas y Tradiciones Lambayecanas” (1938), he captured stories that had been passed down through generations. This is our favorite:

The Moon’s Revenge

The Moon had fallen in love with a noble Mochica sorcerer, for whom she transformed herself into a woman, but was spurned by him despite her persistent advances, as he wished to dedicate himself entirely to the activities of his craft.

However, such was the Moon’s patience, whose true celestial nature the sorcerer did not know, that he, in order to rid himself of her and deceive her, pretended to accept her love, leading to the performance of the marriage ceremony.

To sanctify the act, as was ritual, a new clay vessel containing corn flour was placed between both betrothed. Then a bonfire was lit, which both bride and groom kindled by blowing, and once the fire had cooked the cake, the eldest among those attending the ceremony, which was to be witnessed by all inhabitants of the region, spoke, ritualizing the act:

“Now you are married and form a single couple. You are bound to the same affection and to share, equally, sorrows and joys; just as you have both together stoked this bonfire, which reflects your love, one shall not rejoice when the other does not, nor shall one remain indifferent when the other is inflamed by the flames of love of this bonfire, for between you there shall be the bond of a single affection.”

And the matrimonial ritual was complete, waiting only for the corn cake to cool so it could be divided and distributed between both newlyweds and the elder who performed the ceremony.

But since the Mochica sorcerer had attended the ceremony with the deliberate intention of not fulfilling it, he made the cake retain its heat so it could not be distributed, due to which impediment the marriage, in reality, did not have the required legality.

When the Moon realized the spell affecting the corn cake and read in her consort’s mind his most hidden thoughts, she punished the Mochica as a thief, for having stolen her love, and placed him in the Sky, in the constellation of the Three Marys.

Of the three stars that form this constellation, the middle one represents the Mochica sorcerer, whom the Moon, in order to punish him, had seized by the other two stars, those at the ends, which do not let him escape.

But foreseeing that he might evade them, she placed four more guardians, which are the other four stars, those found to the south of said constellation and which are in reality four vultures with the mission of devouring the unfortunate sorcerer, should he manage to escape from his guardians.

These seven stars were placed in the firmament by the Moon, who thus wrote, permanently, this event in the Sky so that there would be a constant reminder of the deed, something like an eternal Penal Code, that would perpetuate the theft and symbolize the punishment.

And from then on, the Moon never again transformed into a woman; and from then on, the Moon never again fell in love; and from then on, the Moon became a pursuer of thieves and a punisher of wrongdoers.

(According to the account of Mr. Marco A. Cabero)

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