1116. The Confused Stars

"The joy of sitting on the terrace and chatting has no parallel."

"It's true. But there is the moon today. If it were dark, with the moon not being present, it would be still better."

"Why do you say so? Is it not natural for lovers to love the moonlight?"

"Moonlight is cool and pleasant, no doubt. But sometimes, it can be a hindrance. For example, if I want to touch you, I should be wary of someone from the terrace of a nearby house witnessing it. If it is dark, I can touch you without that fear."

"What a man you are! When you are sitting on the terrace, you should admire the beauty of the sky, the moon, the stars, the space etc. But you are always thinking of..."

"Ok, my dear. Let us study the stars. After all, we have come to the terrace to learn Astronomy, haven't we!"

"I will not be put down by your sarcasm. Even from my childhood days, I have been interested in watching the sky."

"Me too! When I was a boy, I would be looking at the sky, even when I was walking on the road. My friends would tease me, saying 'Hey! Look at the ground, while walking. Otherwise, you may fall into a pit!'"

"You are the one teasing me now. If you keep talking like this, I will leave this place and go down!"

"Sorry, dear. Don't get upset. Hereafter, I will be serious."

"Do you see a group of stars there?"

"Yes. There are seven stars. They call it 'Sapta Rishi Mandala (a gathering of seven sages)', in Indian tradition."

"Oh, you have knowledge about these things!"

"Did I not tell you that even when I was a boy, I would always be looking at the sky?'

"Back to frivolity! Listen to me. Do you see a tail-like structure in that group of stars?"

"Yes, I do."

"If we see the stars after some time, the tail would have turned in a different direction."

"Oh! "

"Yes. I have seen this amazing sight several times."

"But, I have not seen it. Maybe, it won't happen, when I look at the stars!"

"How can it be? You would not have observed it. Maybe, you don't look at the stars long enough."

"No. However long I look at the stars, it won't happen. It will happen only when you look at them."

"How can it be so?"

"Look at the stars. The tail is now on the other side of the moon, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"That means, the stars are facing the moon. The stars are going towards the moon. That is how it appears, doesn't it? Why?"

"It is a naturally occurring phenomenon."

"There is a reason for everything, darling. The stars are attracted by the moon. So, they move towards the moon."

"Good imagination. Go ahead."

"Now, what will happen, if the stars look at another moon?"

"There is only one moon on the sky."

"Yes. There is only one moon on the sky. But, the stars see another moon on the earth. That moon is the beautiful face of you, my lover. The stars are now confused about which moon is the real one. They turn their faces towards the moon on the earth. So, the tail moves to the other side. This can happen, only when you are looking at the sky. How will it happen, when I am looking at the sky?"

"Don't you think that this is a bit too much?"

"Too much! See there! One star is falling towards you after looking at your face and mistaking it to be the moon."

He showed a star that was falling from the sky. She picked up a stalk of a plant that was lying nearby and hit him with it, playfully.

Thirukkural
Section 3

Love

Chapter 112
In Praise of Her Charms

Verse 1114 (in Tamil):
madhiyum madandhai muganum aRiyA
padhiyin kalangiya mIn.

Meaning:

The stars on the sky stray from their course, baffled by their inability to distinguish between the moon and her face.  

(This is the English version of the Tamil story 'viNmIngaLin kuzhappam' by the same author.)

 Verse 1117
Verse 1115