Mon was the lord of the night. His white steeds galloped across the great vault of heaven pulling his shining wain. The god and his chariot gleamed so brightly that they lit the steps of travelers, fishermen and shepherds and shone accusing gleaming rays on the work of thieves. Mon loved the brisk chill air in his hair and delighted in the view of Middle Earth far below bathed in his silver glow.
One night he saw a vision of loveliness that made him painfully aware of how alone he was forever riding the starry skies. A beautiful maiden stood beside a pool near her village. The hour was late and believing herself alone she cast off her gown and waded out into the water to bathe. Mon leaned far over the side of his wain to admire her, looking longingly at her glistening white flesh.
The next night Mon saw her again, passion now filling his being with pain. He wept with joy to see her again but the horses raced onwards and she was soon lost to sight. For two more nights he was delighted to see her bathing but after that to his horror she did not come to the pool. Mon felt empty without a sight of his beloved.
After two nights of disappointment he became so distressed that he pulled his blue cloak over his head and hid himself from the world below. Soon he had wrapped himself up so tight that the silver rays no longer lit middle earth. The farmers and fishwives, the bondsmen and blacksmiths were greatly afraid and sung songs for the moon's return, lit fires in the high places and burnt sweet smelling herbs to entice him back.
No one can be miserable forever. Mon found the courage to open his cloak a crack and gaze down upon the pool, after a few more nights he saw her, delighted he flung aside his cloak and revealed his full brilliance. The maiden look up and smiled to see the moon whole again. Mon was struck even deeper by her beauty. For four nights Mon enjoyed admiring his beloved and then she was gone again and the pool empty but for the silver of Mon's reflection.
Distraught Mon hid himself again. All that summer proceeded the same. Occasionally the maiden would come out and Mon would shine but then she would not appear for days on end and Mon would hide himself in grief. The people of middle earth became accustomed to Mon's changing appearance and started to think of what they would do in the next moon or speak of what they had done in the last one.
But this was not enough for Mon he wanted to met with his beloved, unreachable as she was in the low valley in which she lived. As he set over the western mountains one night he called out to Mother Earth to help him. Earth was eager to assist and said she would make sure the girl would climb a hill where Mon could take here.
The very next day Earth sprinkled heather, yarrow and hops in the wells and
streams of the village where the maiden lived. The villagers and their
cattle tried to drink the water but it was so bitter that they spat it out
again. By evening the villager's plight was desparate, the children
were crying, the dogs were howling and the cattle were mournfully lowing.
An old woman who had been searching for fresh water returned joyfully saying
that the well on the old hill fort above the village was still fresh but she
hadn't the strength to carry the water down.
Bil, the daughter of
Vidfinn and her young brother Hiuki happily agreed to fetch some and took a huge
carved bucket their family called 'Saeg' up to the hillfort. Darkness fell
as they climbed the steep slope and the moon rose as the hauled on the rope to
bring up the water. Mon was delighted to see his beloved and reached down his
arms to her. Bil looked up at the hansome god and her heart quivered in
joy. Young Hiuki bounced with excitement to see the silver wain and the
shining white horses. They both seized Mon's hands together and were drawn up
into the heavens.
Half the village had seized their water buckets and made their way up hill the after the siblings but when they reached the top there was no sign of Bil and Hiuki. Concerned farmers and thirsty children forgot them in the relief of having fresh water again. Hiuki was very worried about his missing children, he searched the village that night, calling everywhere for them. He tried the old fortress hill and walked up to the well. Bil and Hiuki's footprints were still clear in the mud by the well head. The moon was blazing overhead casting light amost as bring at day. He looked up sadly at the moon and was surprised to see a pattern on the bright silver circle. There was his daughter and his son and between them the bucket Saeg.
A flash of light caught his eye and he saw a shining object tumbling from the sky. It rang dully as it bounced on the grass before him and he stooped to pick it up. It was a silver arm ring so heavy and beautifully wrought it was a prize fit for a king. Horses galloped along its edge above clouds of knotwork. Vidfinn smiled understanding that he held his daughters bride price.
Far above the delighted Mon wrapped his bride in his blue cloak and hid her from prying eyes so that he could make her very happy. The delighted Hiuki took the reigns of the horses and urged them on their course across the sky. As much as she liked her new husband Bil delighted in watching the world below, happy to please her Mon would throw back the cloak and they would both drop silver coins from the wain for mortals to find. After nine moons by the new reckoning Bil gave birth to a shining daughter,destined the ride that same road on a snow white mare.
Many kings have come and gone on Middle Earth since Vidfinn tilled its green fields, and time has blurred the picture Mon made for him, but Bil and Hjacki and their bucket can still be seen today.
Snorri gives this myth in the Edda, descibing how Bil and Hiuki were taken up by the moon when fetching water. This is also a later Scandinavian folktale and also may survive in the English rhyme 'Jack and Jill went up the hill'. The other details of this retelling are modern. .)