What the Moon looks like today
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Gypsy Moon
Gypsies, a nomadic, dark-complected people with a rich heritage of magic and superstition, have honoured the moon since ancient times. Little is known about the origins of gypsies. They migrated from India, perhaps as early as the tenth century, for unknown reasons and spread throughout Europe and eventually America. According to one of their legends, they are cursed to wander the earth forever because of the moon. The story goes that the sun, who originally was a gypsy chief, constantly tries to seduce his sister, the moon, who forever evades him, thus forcing sun, moon and Gypsies to wander.
Evidence exists of the extensive moon worship among the gypsies, though the practice has all but vanished in modern times. In the past, gypsies recognised the moon as Alako, a male deity whose powers where greatest at the time of the new moon. Alako was protector and saviour of the gypsy people. In myth, Alako once was Dundra, the son of god. Long ago, when the gypsies still lived in the original homeland, god sent Dundra to earth as human being to teach humans law. While on earth, Dundra helped the gypsies and became their protector. When he was finished, he ascended to the moon and became Alako. He watches over gypsies and takes their souls to the moon when they die. At some time in the future, Alako will return and lead the gypsies back to their lost homeland.
Alako was worshipped as late as the nineteenth century. Small idols carved of stone show him as a man holding a quill in his right hand and a sword in his left. Worshippers would gather once a year under a full moon, set up his idols, and offer hymns and prayers to him. The rites were followed by feasting. Alako also was honoured in rites of passage: children baptised in his name, and newlyweds were consecrated to him.
Gypsies of Transylvania recognised a Moon-King, the brother of the Sun-King. According to myth, the Sun-King married a beautiful woman with golden hair, and the Moon-King married a beautiful woman with silver hair. Both couples had so many children - the stars - that the cosmos became overcrowded. The Sun-King proposed that they eat their children to solve the problem. The Moon-King agreed. When the Sun-King ate his children, however, his wife died of shock. Horrified, the Moon-King reneged on his promise, fearful of killing his own wife. The angry Sun-King began chasing the Moon-King and his children around the sky, which he continues to do to this ay.
The Moon-King myth also explains the gypsy belief that the moon governs fertility and child bearing. Rumanian gypsy women who had trouble conceiving made animal sacrifices to the moon by burying two male and two female four-footed animals on a mountain in the light of the full moon. Libations were then poured over the graves. Slavic gypsies believed that during full moons, magical plants could be found on certain mountains. The plants gave off a scent which, when inhaled, would cause pregnancy.