The Woman in the Moon

    Hundreds of years ago lived the Cassini family of Liguria, Italy; Giovanni, the patriarch, was a great mathematician and astronomer. When Giovanni was young and studying abroad in France he fell in love with a beautiful French girl by the name of Iapeta de Laistre and decided to remain there with her. 

    You must know Iapeta was very accustomed to having the attention of so many suitors all at once. Day and night would men approach her father with gifts and livestock as a token of their affection for his daughter and many would he turn away but Iapeta relished in the attention. It was after she spotted Giovanni and asked him about the astronomical drawings in his sketchbook did she fall for the man and they were soon wed. 

    What Iapeta did not realize in her daze of infatuation was that Giovanni's main priority was to his work. After having the attention of so many men to not even get the attention of your own husband Iapeta grew jealous and empty. 

 “I am very lonely, and my husband's work is too time-consuming. I no longer wish to be a wife, I want to be the paper for which he draws on. For there does he spend all his time and does he give attention to detail.”

A wise man, who had power over all things, replied, “Go thou, be the paper.” And she was the paper, first page in his sketchbook.

It so happened that Giovanni that same day busy with his work picked up his sketch and began to draw vigorously.

The paper cried out: “This hurts as he stabs me with his quill and ink. I no longer want to be a piece of paper. The quill I want to be. That would be pleasant for I shall be the instrument he spends all his time with.”

The wise man, humoring her, said, “Be a quill.” Thus she became a quill and, as Giovanni began to use his quill did she grow tired, and her tip worn.

"I grow tired of the constant pressure I've been placed under his hand." She whimpered, “I no longer want to be a quill. I would be the sky for he gazes it always; that would be pleasant.”

The wise man commanded, “Be the sky.” And she was the sun.

But Giovanni did not look up at her but everything passed her. He bore the sky no attention as he gazed through his telescope at the moon beyond her. She complained, “I do not like this. I would be the moon for he spends his time gazing upon her.”

The wise man spake yet again, “Be the moon.” And she was the moon.

“This is lonelier than being his wife,” murmured she, “for how far away my dear Giovanni is as he gazes upon me without the slightest of affection. I do not want to be the moon. I would be a wife again. That, verily, is the best life.”

But the wise man replied, “I am weary of your changing. You wanted to be the moon; the moon you are, and it you will remain.”

And in high heaven lives she to this day.

Iapetus and Saturn

Author's Note:

This was from the origin story of The Man in the Moon which I decided to put a twist on and make it the woman in the moon. Giovanni Cassini was a great mathematician and astronomer who did live and discover the third-largest moon of Saturn for which he named Iapetus. I chose this to be his wife for it would be comical. His wife's actual name was Geneviève de Laistre. I tried incorporating as much background information about Giovanni's real-life as possible while keeping to the true nature of the story.

Bibliography. "The Man in the Moon" from Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson. Web source.