ANCIENT NIGHT

In Álvarez and Bowles’ folkloric collaboration, the moon stands alone in the vast night sky, tended by caring Rabbit and envied by clever Opossum.

Amid the stars, the moon—resembling a large, round jug—sits, radiant with a milky white light. Rabbit keeps the moon luminous, journeying up and down the Great Ceiba’s trunk to collect aguamiel, the “precious, glowing nectar that brims in the heart of the first and holy maguey” (an agave plant). When the moon wanes and dims, Rabbit pours aguamiel into it to return its lustrous light. Covetous Opossum strikes, cracking the moon to sap the aguamiel. Observing the darkened night sky, Rabbit finds Opossum drinking the nectar. “Foolish Opossum, what have you done?” Rabbit yells out. Filled with regret, Opossum heads deep into the earth to gather a mighty fire. From there on, the tale of Rabbit and Opossum slips into a cozy truce, altogether expected yet richly gratifying. Bolstered by the ethereal, whimsical text, the plush, incandescent acrylic and oil paint artwork gathers the subtleties and splendors of nighttime and the plant life that surrounds Rabbit and Opossum. Together words and images tug readers along at a measured pace. An excellent authors’ note underscores how common strands and crucial differences from wide-ranging Mesoamerican legends and myths furnish the inspiration at the roots of this tale. Publishes simultaneously in Spanish. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Like a mighty dream recalled from time gone by.