CHAPTER 4

Please Pick Me

The mooncakes basked under the silvery moon while Pecan Pie told the story of a mysterious goddess who lived on it:

"Chang'e was sent as a punishment for stealing, from her husband - Hou Yi - a warrior god. Many years ago, when Earth had ten suns, Hou Yi shot down nine of them with magical arrows. People worshipped him.

The heavenly emperor was pleased, so pleased he ordered the couple to complete more heroic acts on Earth. But Chang'e became bored and jealous of her husband's success. One day, she stole his magic potion of everlasting life, drank it and floated back to heaven. The heavenly emperor was angry, so angry he banished Chang'e to the moon, where she has lived since."

Moony looked skyward, and shivered. Suddenly the moon seemed cold, aloof, very far away. "Isn't Chang'e lonely up there?"

"Not with Jade Rabbit to keep her company," said a Shanghai Pink, who'd heard the myth before.

"To feed her carrots?" joked Nutty, who hadn't.

"No. Mooncakes!" said a Pink.

"Picked by moon fairies," said another.

Moon fairies? Moony stared in wonder. Because Pecan Pie said he'd seen a flock of them, three times! Every Mid-autumn festival they chose one mooncake for their goddess! Cake-decoration-tall fairies with filo-pastry-thin wings flew down in a tinkle-iced chariot. "Who knows? Maybe this year they'll pick you."

Moony gazed at the starry sky and his big heart glowed with hope. Not only had he seen the moon but maybe he'd soon take a trip there!

Meanwhile, the Pinks were excitedly spinning and twisting in their icy world. "The fairies are sure to pick me. I'm so pretty!" squealed one.

Moony's Traditional friends were pastry-heads together, talking.

Surely a goddess would prefer one of them?

Please, please pick me, Moony murmured.

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