Moths on a Limb

Moths on a Limb - Grades 3-6. A juvenile fiction folk tale with illustrations.

Moths on a Limb is a folk tale about moths -- and the condition of wanting, desiring, maybe too much, and maybe wanting the wrong thing. The story emphasizes the precariousness and dangers of young people's lives. The tale begins with two luna moths on an oak limb and ends with the two, alighting at separate times, on the same branch when they return from their distant journeys.

A young male Luna moth wants the moon -- an entity that reflects light but has no light to give of its own, except for the pull on his emotions. His friend, a beautiful, young lady Luna, tries to convince him to stay and not fly off to a dangerous, unknown world. He doesn't listen.

She follows him, despite warnings of danger by the elder moth under the porch light who schools an "eclipse" (or moth group) of newly reborn moths about allurement---about desire--and not being satisfied with the lot in life you are given and wanting more. But more of what?

The story explores the pull of young people's restlessness and desire for exploration along with a confusing jumble of emotions they don't understand, pitted against life's many pitfalls and dangers ahead on the wrong path. But how does one know which path is the right one? The safe way? Or the adventurous way. Which desire is the legitimate one that aligns with dreams and ambitions to venture forth and be successful and happy?

The calling is the name for the Luna moth's desire to attract a mate, lay eggs, and then die, all within 7-10 days of emerging from a cocoon. The moon is a distraction to that call, and the two young moths go astray from their mission of bringing new life into the world. They ignore their "call" and are pulled to a larger light that cannot give salvation or satisfy their mission. Beautiful things can be dangerous because they lure us away from a call that is larger and more important than the attraction that causes confusion with distractions brought on by delight. Moths, like people, may forget their mission and their call-to bring forth life and more of their kind into the world.

It's a morality tale that warns youngsters to examine sudden desires and impulses, and to proceed with caution, and to make good decisions based on reflective thought and principle and faith. Life is precious. Try not to squander the time you are given, is a suggestion that children may pull away from the tale. The story subtly trains children to think about life at a somewhat elevated, philosophical level.

Mary Sexton, artist, is the illustrator.