Moth meets the Man in the Moon (youngsters:adventure, 4054 words)
Author: Neville	Added: Dec 11 2002	Views/Reads: 5200/3278	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
The story of a boy who travels to the moon, where he discovers the secret of the Man in the Moon.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

the engine and lots of rocket fuel. Nail comes into the room and sees 
Moth busy writing. 

"What are you doing?" he asks. 

"I am going to build a rocket ship and travel to the moon," replies his
brother. 

"Can I help?" 

"Yes, but you will have to do what I say." 

"Then I will go to the moon with you," says Nail. 

"We will see. I will have to think about that." 

Moth and Nail go out to their father's workshop, to see what they can
use to build the rocket. 

"The first thing we have to do is build a frame and find something to
cover the frame." says Moth. 

The boys look around the workshop and Nail notices a stack of wood in
the corner. "There is lots of wood that we can use to make the rocket." 


Moth thinks about this, but he remembers the book on rockets. It
describes what happens when rockets return from space. When they come 
back down into the air, the rockets travel so fast that they get very 
hot. Moth thinks that if he makes his space ship out of wood, it might 
get so hot that it bursts into flames. A burning rocket ship makes a 
good bonfire in the sky, but no one wants to be in one when that 
happens. Moth explains that building a rocket out of wood is not a good 
idea. 

"What shall we do instead?" 

"Metal does not burn, so we shall build it out of metal." 

Nail looks around the workshop, but cannot see very much metal that
might be used for a rocket ship. "I can't see anything here, but the 
garden shed and the caravan are both made out of metal. We can use them 
to make the rocket." 

"I don't think that is a very good idea. Mum and Dad will be very cross
if we use the shed or the caravan." 

"Then what can we do?". 

"We will go down to the junkyard and see if there is anything there that
we can borrow" says Moth and the two boys set off down the street. 

As the boys walk down the street they meet Moth's best friend Mite. 

"Where are you going?" he asks. 

"We are going to the junkyard to get some metal to build a rocket ship,"
replies Moth. 

"I have got to do an errand for my mother," says Mite, "but I think I
will come and help you, just for a little while." 

When they arrive at the junkyard they see Mr Demo the junkman sitting in
his office by the gate. "What can I do for you, boys?" 

"We are looking for some metal girders and some sheet metal," says Moth.


Mr Demo points the boys towards the far side of the junkyard where they
can find what they are looking for. Moth and Nail collect steel struts, 
steel girders, steel bars, steel rods and sheet metal and take it back 
to Mr Demo. 

"We need all of this," says Moth. "May we borrow it?" 

"I am sorry, but I cannot loan out things, I have to sell them to make a
living." 

"How much does it cost? We have only got $8.25." 

Mr Demo looks carefully at the pile of metal. "There are a few jobs
around the yard you could do for me." 

"I have to go and do that errand for my mother," says Mite and he
hurries away. 

Moth and Nail agree to come back on Saturday to sweep out the office and
to wash the office windows. The floor is covered in dirt and paper and 
old apple cores, while the windows are so covered in dirt and dust and 
spiders' webs and dead flies that you can hardly see through them. They 
borrow a trolley to load on all of the metal and return home just in 
time for dinner. 

Every day after school Moth and Nail work on the rocket ship. There is
lots of hanging and banging and clanging and other loud noises as the 
boys build the frame and attach the metal skin. Sometimes Mite comes 
and helps and sometimes Mite comes and does not help. Sometimes Mite 
comes and just helps eat the biscuits and drink the juice that the 
brothers have for afternoon tea. 

Finally the rocket is finished and Nail climbs up into the control room.


"It is dark up here," he says. 

"That is alright,' replies Moth. "I shall take a torch with me." 

"But it is dark because there are no windows, and with no windows how
are you going to know where you are going?" 

"Oh, I did not think of that." 

So Moth and Nail and Mite go back to Mr Demo's junkyard to look for a
window. 

"Hello boys. It is nice to see you again so soon." 

"Hello Mr Demo," replies Moth. "We need a car windscreen." 

Mr Demo sends the boys over to the wrecked car section. They find what
they are looking for and take it back to the office. Mr Demo is waiting 
for them, and so is a bucket of water and some old rags. 

"My car needs a good clean inside and a good wash outside," he says. 

Mite remembers that he has to do his homework and he hurries off home.
Moth and Nail clean and wash and polish the car until it is spick and 
span inside and out. 

Chapter 3  Moth Gets an Engine 

Moth and Nail install the window in the space ship. They stand in the
cabin and look at the view outside. They see Mite walking up the path 
towards them, looking hungry and thirsty and they climb out of the 
rocket to meet him. 

"What do we do next?" asks Nail. 

"Now we need an engine," answers Moth. 

The boys search through the shed looking for an engine that they can
use. Nail finds an old model aeroplane in a dark corner. It has a 
broken wing and so does not fly any more. 

Nail holds the plane up in the air. "We can use the engine from this to
make our rocket fly." 

"That is much too small," says Moth. "It does not have enough power to
make the rocket take off." 

Mite goes into the garden shed and sees the lawnmower. "What about this?
Why not use the motor from the lawnmower?" 

Moth looks at the motor, but does not think that it would be powerful
enough either. 

"I know," says Nail. "I have a great idea. We could use the motor from
Dad's tractor. That has got plenty of power." 

The boys look carefully at the tractor motor. Moth agrees that it has
enough power, but thinks that it is not a very good idea after all as 
his father might need the tractor for work. 

"We will just have to go back to Mr Demo's junkyard," says Moth. He
looks at Mite. "Are you coming with us, or is there something that you 
have to do?' 

"I think there is something I have to do, but I cannot remember what it
is. I will go to the junkyard with you and perhaps that will remind 
me." 

"Good afternoon, boys," says Mr Demo at the junkyard. "What can I do for
you today?" 

"We are looking for an engine," says Moth. "Do you have any?" 

"Of course I have engines. "What sort of engine are you looking for?" 

"We are looking for a rocket engine that can go whoosh into the sky,"
says Nail. 

"I'm afraid that I am fresh out of rocket engines. But I do have an old
jet boat engine. Will that do the job?" 

The boys agree that a jet engine will do the job very nicely, thank you.


"Now what about payment?" 

"Your office looks old and horrible as the paint is peeling off the
walls," says Nail. "Perhaps we could paint it for you." 

"So you think my office looks horrible, do you?. "Well, perhaps you are
right and it does need a good paint." 

Moth and Nail agree to paint Mr Demo's office in the weekend, but Mite
remembers that he has to help his mother in the garden, so he cannot 
help with the painting. 

Chapter 4  Moth finds some Fuel 

Moth and Nail and Mite work very hard and install the engine into the
rocket. 

"Now we need some rocket fuel," says Moth. "Let's go to the junkyard and
get some from Mr Demo. But are you going to help us this time, Mite?" 

"I would really like to," he replies, "but I have to go into town and
help Mum choose some material for her new curtains." And Mite goes 
home. 

Moth and Nail walk down to the junkyard to see Mr Demo. 

"I am glad to see you, boys. My front fence is falling down and needs
re-building. Now what can I get for you?" 

"We need some rocket fuel," says Moth. 

"Rocket fuel? What do you want rocket fuel for?. That is dangerous
stuff. You will be much better off with a big load of wood. I happen to 
have a load that came in just today." 

"No, I don't think so. We really must have rocket fuel." 

"I am sorry, but I don't have any rocket fuel. I used to have some, but
I sold it last week to some boys who are building a submarine to go to 
the bottom of the sea." 

Moth and Nail are very sad to hear this and they leave the junkyard. 

"But who is going to fix my fence?" Mr Demo calls after them. "Are you
sure you don't want some wood? It would make a great present for your 
parents." 

The boys hurry away. 

Moth and Nail take a shortcut through the park on their way home. A
small dog with black shaggy hair runs towards them. It runs around 
their legs and rolls on the grass with its feet up in the air. Nail 
bends down to pat the dog. 

"It has got something in its mouth," says Nail, and he grabs hold of it.
The dog growls fiercely and shakes its head from side to side. 

Nail pulls the object free and looks at it closely. "It is a wallet. I
wonder whose it is and how the dog got it?" 

"Let me see," and Moth grabs the wallet. 

Nail shakes his head in protest and holds on tight, but his older
brother pulls it out of his hand. Moth opens the wallet and looks 
inside. 

"Look, money," he says and he counts it. "There is $200 in here! That is
enough to buy all the rocket fuel we need." 

"We can't take the money. It doesn't belong to us." 

"I know," says Moth with a sigh. "We will take the wallet to the police,
or there might be an address inside." 

Moth searches through all of the pockets in the wallet. "Yes, here is
the address. It is not far from here and we can go there on the way 
home." 

Moth and Nail walk to the address found inside the wallet and the dog
runs in front, and behind, and sometimes even alongside. 

They ring the doorbell and Mr Brown answers the door. "So there is
Blackie. What a naughty dog for running away like that." 

"Blackie took your wallet too," says Moth, as he hands it back to Mr
Brown. 

"Thank you very much. You deserve a reward for returning Blackie and my
wallet." 

"Oh, that is alright. 'We don't need a reward. We are just glad to
help." 

"But surely there is something that you would like?" 

"What we really need is some rocket fuel," says Nail. 

"Rocket fuel!" exclaims Mr Brown. "It just so happens that I am a rocket
scientist and I have some rocket fuel that I don't need. It is 
perfectly good, but is past its use-by date, so I have to get rid of 
it. I will load it on a truck and bring it to your house in the 
weekend." 

"Thank you very much," say Moth and Nail. Now they have everything that
they need to make the spaceship take off. 

Chapter 5  Moth takes Off 

At last the big day has arrived and the space ship is ready to take off
into space. Moth and Nail and Mite stand looking up at the spaceship. 

"We are ready to go," says Moth. "It is time to go on board." 

Mite looks at the spaceship and looks at Moth. "I think I might have to
mow the lawn. I think I had better go and see." And Mite hurries off 
home. 

Nail looks at the spaceship and up at the sky. "Is the spaceship is
going a long way up in the sky?" 

"Yes of course," replies Moth. "It is going all the way to the Moon." 

"Oh, I think I will stay behind and read a book." 

"What sort of book?" 

"I don't know yet." And Nail goes to find something to read. 

"I don't understand why they are not coming. It will be a splendid
adventure." Moth climbs into the spaceship and gets ready for the 
journey. 

With a roar and a rattle and a shake the spaceship takes off. It climbs
into the sky. leaving a trail of steam and smoke behind it. As the ship 
gets higher and higher, it goes faster and faster until it disappears 
out of sight into the clouds above. 

Chapter 6  Moth Meets the Man in the Moon 

When  Moth looks out the window he stars shining all around him. He made
it into space! Moth sees New Zealand down on the Earth below and he 
sees the moon in the sky way ahead. 

"Now it is time to meet the Man in the Moon," he says. 

Moth turns the rocket towards the moon and chases after it. But when he
gets to where the moon was, it has moved away. So he chases after it 
some more, but it keeps moving away from him. No matter how hard Moth 
tries he cannot catch up to the moon. When Moth looks down at the Earth 
he sees New Zealand again, and again, and again. Moth goes round and 
round the Earth in circles, but cannot catch up to the Moon. 

"This is no good. I am just going around in circles and not getting
anywhere." 

Then Moth has an idea. He turns the rocket around and goes in the
opposite direction, away from the Moon. Moth is now going in one 
direction around the Earth and the Moon is going in the other direction 
around the Earth.  And very soon, there is the Moon, coming towards 
him. 

Moth can see the Man in the Moon and lands on the ground close to him.
Moth gets out of the space ship and looks at the Man in the Moon, but 
all he sees are two enormous feet. Moth looks up and sees two enormous 
knees. He looks up some more and sees a gigantic belly. And when he 
looks up even more he sees a huge head. The Man in the Moon is a giant 
who is hundreds of meters tall from the top of his head to the bottom 
of his feet. Flying all around the Man in the Moon are millions and 
millions of moths. They circle around and around the Man in the Moon 
and when they are tired they land on him and have a rest. And then they 
take off to circle around again. There are so many moths, the Man in 
the Moon is completely covered in them. 

"Hello Mr Man in the Moon," Moth calls up to the giant. 

The Man in the Moon looks down in surprise. "What do we have here?" The
Man in the Moon lies down on his belly so that he can talk to Moth. 
"What sort of creature are  you?" 

"I'm just a boy." 

"Well I never. I never seen anything like you before. I'm very pleased
to meet you, Just-a-Boy." 

"No, my name is not Just-a-Boy. I am just a boy whose name is Moth." 

"Your name is Moth!" exclaims the Man in the Moon. "Well, well, how
amazing. I am the King of the moths and you can see all my friends 
around me." 

And he laughs so loud that the ground shakes, Moth falls over, and
thousands of moths fly into the air in alarm. 

"It is very nice meeting you, Mr Man in the Moon, but I have to leave
now because I am late for dinner.' 

"Don't go. I have some food you can eat if you are hungry." The Man in
the Moon reaches into his pocket and pulls out an enormous piece of 
green cheese. 

Moth looks at the piece of green cheese and shakes his head. "No, I
don't think so. My Mum and Dad are expecting me for dinner back home." 

"I am not going to let you go, just a boy whose name is Moth. I am the
king of the moths and I am going to add you to my collection of moths. 
You are a most peculiar moth and you will be the prize of my 
collection." And he reaches out to grab hold of Moth. 

Moth turns and runs for his rocket ship as fast as he can. Luckily the
Man in the Moon is so large and clumsy it takes him a long time to 
climb to his feet. But when he does get to his feet he can run very 
fast indeed. Moth climbs into the rocket ship and into the driving 
seat. He takes off and as the rocket slowly climbs into the sky Moth 
looks out the window. He sees the Man in the Moon running towards him 
and stretching his arms towards the rocket. As the rockets climbs 
higher and higher the Man in the Moon's arms get longer and longer and 
stretch further and further. Thousands of moths take off from the Man 
in the Moon's body and fly in a stream towards the spaceship. As more 
and more moths take off and chase after the spaceship, the Man in the 
Moon's body gets thinner and thinner. Then all the moths have taken off 
and are flying in the air, and there is nothing left behind at all. 
There is no more Man in the Moon to be seen. The Man in the Moon is 
completely made up of moths and now they are chasing after Moth. Moth 
points the spaceship towards the Earth and makes it go as fast as it 
can, while all the moths trail along after him like the tail of a 
shooting star. 

Chapter 7  Moth comes down to Earth 

The spaceship is too fast for all the moths chasing Moth and they get
left far behind. 

"I am glad that is all over," says Moth and he aims the rocket down
towards New Zealand. 

But as he dives into the air the spaceship starts to shake and shudder
and judder and rattle and Moth is thrown all around the cabin. 

"Now I know what I forgot," he says as he gets back into the driving
seat. "I should have got a seatbelt to wear." 

The spaceship goes faster and faster through the air, until it is going
so fast that it starts to get very hot. The metal outside gets hotter 
and hotter until it starts to glow red and the cabin inside starts to 
become warmer and warmer. Then the metal outside becomes so hot it is 
white-hot and starts to melt. The cabin inside becomes so hot that Moth 
feels like he is in a pot on a stove and he is starting to cook. 

Then with an enormous crash the spaceship hits the ground and Moth is
thrown to the floor and everything is quiet. Moth picks himself off the 
floor and crawls out of the spaceship. It is half buried in the dirt 
and half melted, and half broken into tiny pieces. 

Moth shakes his head. "This rocket ship is never going to fly again. In
fact, it is not a rocket ship any more, it is just a pile of junk." 

Moth hears his mother calling him to dinner and he runs inside the
house. 

"You are late for dinner," she says. "Were have you been?" 

"Just playing," replies Moth as he sits down at the table. Moth looks
very carefully at the food on his plate but cannot see any green cheese 
anywhere. He starts to eat. 

And now we know why the Man in the Moon is very hard to see and why the
moths try to fly up to the moon at night. It is because all the moths 
flew to Earth and they are trying to get back home so that they can 
become the Man in the Moon once again. 


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