Fionnáin reviewed Why the Moon Travels by Oein DeBhairduin
Stories for the listener
4 stars
Oein DeBhairduin retells a short stories, mostly parables, in succinct and enjoyable prose. Each is told without wasted words, delivered in print as it might be told around a fire, with clear language and poetic descriptions. The stories are all from the Mincéirí/Traveller community in Ireland, some blended with other Irish folklore, and wonderfully illustrated with ink drawings by Leanne McDonagh.
Why The Moon Travels is then both an important documentation of an oral tradition, as well as an enjoyable and insightful book of stories. The tales are variously dark, funny, silly, sharp, and moralistic or satirical as suits the specific telling. They are also largely concerned with nature, from the nomadic eye. The only qualm is that they could have been longer, with more illustrations, to bite into the meat of each even more. But this is a small complaint in a great book.