Fabulista Recollects: The Fingernail Moon.

As a child, like many others I have come to realize, I have a natural and inborn hatred to have my fingernails cut. Consequently, my grandma had always finds it a challenge to do so then. Once though, in a stroke of genius, she decided to turn it into an intriguing magic show.

“This magic, child, requires ten perfectly cut nails from a good boy’s fingers.” I was naturally intrigued. Grandma continued, “I will then toss the nails into air and give them a head start to rise.”

“Rise? Where to?” I was curious.

“Ahhh…” she replied sagely, “watch out for it in the evening – one will rise into the night sky.”

“Really? Will I be able to see it?”

“Of course you can, but you must be good and let me have your nails first…”

That night was a warm evening. Grandma and I went out to the verandah to cool ourselves with a woven fan, away from the warm house that was dissipating its heat from the afternoon sun.

As the twilight gave way to the night sky, grandma’s magic resumed its role. Peeking from behind the crowns of silhouetted tree tops was a brand new fingernail moon.