Long ago, before time had meaning and before the stars found their places in the night sky, the world was filled with spirits who moved freely between earth and heaven. Among them was Bahloo, the shining spirit of the moon. He was gentle in his light yet powerful in his purpose. His silver glow watched over the sleeping land, guiding travelers and hunters through the darkness.
Bahloo loved to walk among the people, to feel the cool soil under his feet and listen to the songs of the earth. He was always seen with his silent companions, the snakes , who coiled beside him wherever he went. The snakes were sacred to Bahloo, for they carried the wisdom of renewal and change. They shed their skins and were reborn, and so Bahloo loved them as symbols of life’s endless circle.
One night, Bahloo descended from the sky and walked through the land of men. He wandered through the forests and along the great rivers, his snakes gliding at his side. When he reached the wide waters of a river too deep to cross, he called to some men who were fishing nearby.
“Brothers,” he said kindly, “will you help me cross to the other side? Carry my snakes, for they are dear to me.”
The men looked at the shining figure before them and were filled with fear. The snakes moved softly at Bahloo’s feet, their eyes gleaming in the moonlight. The men whispered among themselves.
“He asks us to carry his snakes,” one said.
“We cannot,” another replied. “They will bite us.”
A third man shook his head. “Let him cross alone. We will not touch his creatures.”
Bahloo’s eyes filled with sadness, for he had expected kindness. “I ask only for help,” he said, “not for worship or fear.” But the men turned away, pretending not to hear.
So Bahloo lifted the snakes gently and placed them upon his shoulders. He stepped into the river and crossed it himself. The waters rose and swirled around him, yet they could not harm him. The moonlight followed his steps, and he reached the opposite bank unharmed.
When he turned to look back, the men still stood watching. Bahloo’s voice echoed across the water.
“You refused to help me, though I asked in peace. Because you showed fear and not compassion, you will know the fate of death. When your lives end, you will not return as I do. You will sleep forever beneath the earth.”
Then Bahloo looked to the sky, his face shining like silver. “But I shall rise again,” he declared. “Each month I will return, and my light will renew the night. You will look upon me and remember that you once had a choice.”
From that time, Bahloo returned to the heavens, and the people watched his journey with awe. When he vanished, they said he had gone to the land of spirits. When he reappeared, they rejoiced, knowing he had been reborn. The snakes, too, continued to shed their skins and live anew, reminders of the cycle Bahloo had shown.
The elders taught that Bahloo’s story explains the great mystery of life and death. The moon dies each month, only to be reborn. The people, however, must live and die once, for they refused the path of renewal offered to them.
Yet Bahloo was not cruel. He still loved humankind and continued to send his light to guide them through darkness. His glow touched the waters, the trees, and the sleeping faces of children. Even when unseen, he watched from the spirit world.
In the lands of the Kamilaroi people, Bahloo’s tale was told by the fire under the rising moon. Parents pointed to the sky and reminded their children, “Bahloo walks above us, carrying his snakes. Show kindness to all beings, for fear and refusal bring loss, but compassion gives life.”
When the moon is full, they say Bahloo walks the heavens proudly, his snakes winding in trails of silver light. When it fades and disappears, he is crossing again through the world of spirits, keeping the promise he made to return. His story endures in every rising moon, teaching that the rhythms of life and death belong to all creation.
Moral Lesson
The story of Bahloo the Moon teaches that compassion and respect open the path to renewal, while fear and selfishness lead to separation and loss. The moon’s rebirth reminds us that all life moves in cycles, and each act of kindness keeps that balance alive.
Knowledge Check
1. Who is Bahloo in Aboriginal mythology?
Bahloo is the spirit of the moon who moves between heaven and earth.
2. What creatures always accompany Bahloo?
He walks with snakes, which symbolize renewal and transformation.
3. Why did Bahloo curse the men by the river?
Because they refused to help him carry his snakes and showed fear instead of compassion.
4. What punishment did Bahloo give to humankind?
He declared that humans would die once and not return, unlike the moon which renews itself.
5. What natural cycle does this story explain?
It explains the phases of the moon and the human experience of mortality.
6. What lesson does the story of Bahloo teach?
It teaches the importance of kindness, respect for life, and acceptance of life’s cycles.
Source: Adapted from “Bahloo the Moon” in Aboriginal Myths: Tales of the Dreamtime by A. W. Reed (1978), Terrey Hills, N.S.W.: Reed.
Cultural Origin: Australian Aboriginal (Dreamtime, Kamilaroi / Gamilaraay)
