Of Moon and Spirits
or the story of moonraking with pictures
The full moon shone down on the canal bridge in Slaithwaite.
Two men were crouching down near the water, wearing dark clothes.
Two men were crouching down near the water, wearing dark clothes.
They had a rake and were trying to get something out of the water.
Shortly another group of men came on the scene, dressed in the uniform of the excise patrol.
"They look up to no good!" said one to the other. "Go down and ask what they are doing"
Shortly another group of men came on the scene, dressed in the uniform of the excise patrol.
"They look up to no good!" said one to the other. "Go down and ask what they are doing"
His partner did, and on hearing their reply, he burst out laughing and quickly rejoined his friends.
"What was that all about?" asked one of them. His reply was greeted by great guffaws of laughter.
"They think that the moon has fallen in the water as they can see it reflected on the surface, so they are raking it out like the end of the world was coming".
The excise men strode away shaking their heads at the silly men of Slaithwaite
"What was that all about?" asked one of them. His reply was greeted by great guffaws of laughter.
"They think that the moon has fallen in the water as they can see it reflected on the surface, so they are raking it out like the end of the world was coming".
The excise men strode away shaking their heads at the silly men of Slaithwaite
Just then, a cloud came over the moon.
The Slaithwaite smugglers cast a quick glance in the direction of the retreating excise men, raked their contraband spirits out of the canal and were on their way.
The Slaithwaite smugglers cast a quick glance in the direction of the retreating excise men, raked their contraband spirits out of the canal and were on their way.
And so it is that on the third Saturday in February
to this day, the villagers of Slaithwaite celebrate the craftiness
of their ancestors by parading the Moon through the village, followed
by a host of children (of all ages) bearing candle lit lanterns.
The graphics used in this story are reproduced by courtesy of Kati Cox
from her book
'The Moonrakers
A Colne Valley Legend'
