Patrick Oconnell
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been around for a long time, with the earliest record of this notion coming from a medieval Slavic fable about a fox and a wolf. The best-known early citation, however, is from John Heywood's book of proverbs in 1546, where he states, The moon is made of a greene cheese, with greene referring to the youthfulness of the cheese rather than its colour. Over the years, the phrase has been used sarcastically to imply that a person is gullible or ignorant, and it has been referenced in various children's programmes and even by NASA in an April Fool's Day joke. While the idea of the moon being made of cheese may be amusing, it is important to note that there are no dairy products on the moon, and the moon's surface is predominantly grey.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin of the myth | Medieval Slavic fable about a wolf and a fox |
| Earliest record | John Heywood's Proverbs (1546) |
| Colour of cheese | "Greene" refers to the age of the cheese, not its colour |
| Scientific evidence | No evidence supporting the claim |
| Moon's colour | Grey |
| Dairy products on the moon | None |
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What You'll Learn
- The moon is not green, so why would it be made of green cheese
- The origin of the phrase is a medieval Slavic fable about a wolf and a fox
- The phrase was used sarcastically by John Heywood in 1546
- The phrase was used to refer to human gullibility in 1638 by John Wilkins
- The moon is quite dairy-free and will never turn green
The moon is not green, so why would it be made of green cheese?
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been a long-standing notion, with the earliest record of this concept stemming from a medieval Slavic fable. In this tale, a fox tricks a wolf into believing that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, leading to the wolf's demise. However, the notion of the moon being made of "green" cheese specifically can be traced back to the 16th century and the works of John Heywood, Francois Rabelais, and Thomas More.
In 1546, John Heywood wrote in his book of proverbs, "The moon is made of greene cheese," with "greene" referring to the youthfulness or freshness of the cheese rather than its color. This statement was likely intended sarcastically, implying that anyone who believed the moon was made of cheese, green or otherwise, was gullible or ignorant. This interpretation is supported by a later citation from English natural philosopher John Wilkins in 1638, who used the phrase "green cheese" to illustrate the gullibility of "country peasants."
Despite the moon's distinct lack of greenness, the expression has persisted and even evolved over time. The persistence of this phrase may be due to hindsight bias or the Dunning-Kruger effect, leading people in later centuries to believe that it was once considered a genuine possibility. Additionally, the moon's cheese-like appearance, with its craters resembling holes in Swiss cheese, may have contributed to the enduring association.
In conclusion, while the moon is not green, the expression "the moon is made of green cheese" carries a historical and cultural significance. It serves as a reminder of the power of sarcasm, the evolution of language, and the enduring appeal of whimsical ideas, even in the face of scientific advancements and knowledge about the moon's true composition.
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The origin of the phrase is a medieval Slavic fable about a wolf and a fox
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been around for a long time, but it is unlikely that anyone ever believed it to be true. The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" is thought to have originated from a medieval Slavic fable about a wolf and a fox. In the fable, a ravenous wolf chases a seemingly hapless fox, intending to make a meal out of him. However, the fox is clever and tricks the wolf by convincing him that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese floating on the water. The wolf, in his greed, drinks all the water to get the cheese but ends up drinking too much and bursting, leaving the fox to escape. This fable, with its humorous twist, became popular and was passed down through oral tradition.
The earliest known written record of the phrase itself can be found in John Heywood's "Proverbes" (1546), where he states, "The moon is made of a greene cheese," with "greene" referring to the freshness or youthfulness of the cheese rather than its color. Similar quotes can be found in the works of Francois Rabelais and Thomas More. In 1638, English natural philosopher John Wilkins used the phrase sarcastically, implying that one could easily persuade gullible people that the moon was made of green cheese. Over the following century, the phrase became commonly used to mock people who were ignorant or easily fooled.
The phrase has persisted over the centuries, with various works of literature and popular culture referencing it. Despite its enduring presence, it is important to note that the scientific community has never supported the claim that the moon is made of cheese. The joke even made its way to NASA, who played along with the long-running gag by claiming to have "proven" that the moon was made of cheese on April Fool's Day in 2002.
So, while the moon is most certainly not made of green cheese, the phrase has provided entertainment and a way to jokingly poke fun at others' gullibility for generations. The medieval Slavic fable about the wolf and the fox is an excellent example of how a clever story can capture the imagination and become a lasting part of our cultural lexicon.
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The phrase was used sarcastically by John Heywood in 1546
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been around for a long time, but it is doubtful that anyone ever believed it. The earliest record of this notion comes from a medieval Slavic fable about a fox and a wolf. The fox tricks the wolf into thinking that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, and the wolf ends up drinking too much water and bursting.
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" was used sarcastically by John Heywood in his book of proverbs, published in 1546. The relevant passage reads: "Ye fetch circumquaques to make me believe, Or thinke, that the moone is made of greene cheese. And when ye have made me a lout in all these, It seemeth ye would make me goe to bed at noone." Here, "'greene' refers to the cheese's age rather than its color, indicating that it is new and unaged.
Heywood's use of the phrase was likely intended to mock those who would believe such an absurd idea. Similar quotes can be found in the works of Francois Rabelais and Thomas More. Over the following century, the phrase became commonly used to refer to human gullibility. For example, in 1638, English natural philosopher John Wilkins wrote, "You may... soon persuade some country peasants that the moon is made of green cheese."
The scientific community has never supported the claim that the moon is made of cheese, but it has become a popular reference in children's media, such as "Tom and Jerry" and "Wallace and Gromit." Even NASA joined in on the joke, claiming on April Fool's Day in 2002 that they had "proven" the moon was made of cheese.
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The phrase was used to refer to human gullibility in 1638 by John Wilkins
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been a topic of discussion for centuries. The earliest record of this notion can be found in a medieval Slavic fable about a fox and a wolf. The fox tricks the wolf into believing that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, leading to the wolf's demise. This story highlights the crafty nature of the fox and the gullibility of the wolf.
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" first appeared in John Heywood's "Proverbes" in 1546. Heywood, an English playwright and poet, used the phrase sarcastically, implying that anyone who believes the moon is made of cheese is gullible or ignorant. The term "green" in this context refers to the freshness of the cheese rather than its color.
Over the next century, the phrase became commonly used. In 1638, the English natural philosopher John Wilkins wrote, "You may... soon persuade some country peasants that the moon is made of green cheese (as we say)." This statement directly referred to human gullibility, suggesting that one could convince naive individuals of anything, no matter how absurd.
The moon-made-of-cheese concept has persisted in popular culture, with references in children's programs like Tom and Jerry and Wallace and Gromit. Even NASA played a prank on April Fool's Day in 2002, claiming to have "proven" that the moon was made of cheese. However, it is important to note that the scientific community has never supported this claim, and it has always been understood as a figure of speech.
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" has become a lasting expression, used to highlight the gullibility or naivete of individuals who believe outlandish claims without question.
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The moon is quite dairy-free and will never turn green
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been around for a long time, with the earliest record of this notion stemming from a medieval Slavic fable about a fox and a wolf. In the fable, the fox tricks the wolf into believing that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese.
However, the idea that the moon is made specifically of green cheese can be traced back to a 1546 citation from John Heywood's "The Proverbs of John Heywood." In this context, green refers to the cheese's age rather than its color, indicating that the moon is made of fresh, new, or unaged cheese. Similar quotes can be found in the works of Francois Rabelais and Thomas More.
Over the years, the phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" came to be associated with human gullibility. For example, in 1638, English natural philosopher John Wilkins stated, "You may... soon persuade some country peasants that the moon is made of green cheese." The scientific community has never supported the claim that the moon is made of cheese, and it is safe to say that the moon is quite dairy-free.
Furthermore, the moon will never turn green, despite what some viral social media posts may jokingly claim. The color green is often associated with youthfulness and freshness, which is not applicable to the moon, which is approximately 4.5 billion years old. While the moon may appear to have a greenish hue during certain atmospheric conditions or lunar events, it is primarily made of rock and is known for its gray surface, covered in craters and dust.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the moon is not made of green cheese. The moon does not contain any dairy products.
The earliest record of this idea comes from a medieval Slavic fable about a fox and a wolf. The fox tricks the wolf into thinking that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese. The best-known early citation is from John Heywood's Proverbs in 1546, where he states, "The moon is made of a greene cheese," with "greene" referring to the age of the cheese, not its color.
No, it appears that the phrase was used sarcastically or to refer to someone being gullible. The scientific community has never supported the claim.
Yes! On April Fool's Day in 2002, NASA claimed to have "proven" that the moon was made of cheese by releasing a Photoshopped image with an expiration date printed on one of the moon's craters.
The moon's surface is more or less grey, so it does not resemble green cheese in color. However, Swiss cheese, with its holes, could be seen as resembling the moon's craters.
