The Moon Is Afraid of the Duck

How it begins

The moon refused to come up because of the duck.

Mrs. Reed learned this at bedtime, when the village rooster knocked on her door carrying a clock.

"I can't work under these conditions."

Outside, the sky was empty.

At the pond, Mr. Duck was shouting at the water.

"Go away!"

His reflection shouted back without making a sound.

Mrs. Reed put on her boots.

"What are you doing?"

"Protecting the pond."

"From whom?"

He pointed.

In the dark water, a pale circle trembled.

The moon was hiding behind the reeds.

"It keeps staring."

Mrs. Reed looked at the small frightened circle.

Above the village, the stars had gathered in an untidy group, unsure whether they should start without it.

"Have you introduced yourself?"

Mr. Duck seemed offended.

"It arrived without asking."

"So did the rain."

"The rain doesn't copy my face."

Mrs. Reed sat on the bank.

The moon moved farther into the reeds.

From behind her, the rooster cleared his throat.

"Could we establish a deadline?"

"Not helpfully."

She asked the duck to stop shouting.

Then she asked the moon whether it wanted to say anything.

The pale circle quivered.

"I thought he was laughing at me."

Mr. Duck lowered his beak.

"I thought you were laughing at me."

For several seconds, the pond held two embarrassed silences.

Mrs. Reed knew this sort of weather.

She had seen it at residents' meetings.

"Perhaps," she said, "we can begin again."

The duck stepped closer to the water.

"My name is Martin."

The moon brightened.

"Nobody asks mine."

"Would you like us to?"

It nodded.

The stars began arranging themselves more neatly.

Mrs. Reed took the rooster's clock and set it aside.

For once, night could be a little late.

Some introductions were worth waiting for.

By the time the moon rose, Mr. Duck had remembered how to say good evening.