Jack and Jill

To  the Scandinavians the Moon was Mani, the mischevious brother of  the  Sun, 
who rode his celestial orb like a chariot.  

One  cold  winter night a cruel, drunken father sent his children,  Hjuki  and 
Bila, to fetch from the mountain a pail of the sacred mead of inspiration that 
flowed  there as a stream.  Mani watched them as they toiled up  the  mountain 
and  lighted their path part way down, carrying the bucket on a  pole  between 
them.  But before they could reach home, He picked them up into the sky, pail, 
pole and all.  Their father tried to snatch them back but was unable.  However 
he was able to steal a little of the mead.  For contending with the god he was 
picked  up  himself  and put into the moon.  His title  is  Svigdur  (Champion 
Drinker) and he is why the moon waxes and wanes like a drunken man. 

To  the  Scandanavians  the shadows on the moon are not a face  but  show  two 
people carrying a bucket on a pole between them.  Hjuki and Bila became Mani's 
companions.  Bila  sometimes sprinkles a little of her song-mead on  the  wind 
that mortals might be inspired, while Hjuki favors skiers that have failed  to 
find their way home before night by illuminating the snowy slopes.  

For  those  of us whose native tongue is English, Hjuki became Jack  and  Bila 
became Jill and their story is remembered, if briefly, as a nursery rhyme.  By 
the way, Hjuki means increasing and Bila, decreasing, so as the children climb 
the mountain ( hill), the moon waxes and as they descend, it wanes.