Patrick Oconnell
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been a popular notion for centuries, appearing in folklore, literature, and popular culture. One of the earliest records of this idea can be found in a medieval Slavic fable, where a fox tricks a wolf into believing that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese. The phrase the moon is made of green cheese became a common proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, often used to refer to human gullibility. While it is unlikely that anyone academically believed the moon was made of cheese, the notion has persisted and continues to capture the imagination of people of all ages.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Origin of the myth | A medieval Slavic fable about a ravenous wolf chasing a fox. The fox tricks the wolf into thinking the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese. |
| Earliest record | 1546, in The Proverbs of John Heywood |
| Popularised by | Petrus Alphonsi, a Spanish Jewish convert to Christianity, in his collection Disciplina Clericalis |
| Variations | The Moon is made of green cheese; the Moon is made of cheese; Il veut prendre la lune avec les dents (He wants to take the moon with his teeth) |
| Cultural references | Children's programs like Tom and Jerry and Wallace and Gromit; NASA's April Fool's Day joke in 2002; the Middle Scots The Fox, the Wolf and the Husbandman; the French classic Le Roman de Renart; the German tale The Wolf and the Fox in Grimm |
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What You'll Learn
- The Moon is made of green cheese: A popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature
- The Moon/cheese element: A tale featuring a fox, a wolf, and a well
- Moon's reflection mistaken for cheese: A facet of the Aarne–Thompson classification of folk tales
- Moon made of cheese a hoax: John Wilkins' book, 'The Discovery of a World in the Moone'
- Moon not made of cheese: Theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll says the hypothesis is absurd
The Moon is made of green cheese: A popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature
The Moon being made of green cheese is a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature. The earliest record of this notion comes from a medieval Slavic fable featuring a ravenous wolf and a crafty fox. In the story, the fox convinces the wolf that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese, and the wolf ends up drinking too much water and bursting. This tale was later adapted into English as "þe Vox and þe Wolf" and appeared in Chaucer's "The Nun's Priest's Tale".
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" first appeared in John Heywood's "The Proverbs of John Heywood", published in 1546. It was used as a metaphor for credulity, referring to the perception of a simpleton who mistakes the moon's reflection in water for a round cheese wheel. The idea that the moon is made of green cheese has been a widespread folkloric motif among many cultures and has also found its way into children's folklore and modern popular culture.
The phrase "green cheese" in the proverb refers to a young, unripe cheese, although modern interpretations may take it to mean cheese with a greenish tint. It is important to note that there was never an actual historical belief that the Moon is made of green cheese. Instead, it was used as an example of extreme credulity, with the meaning clear and commonly understood as early as 1638.
The notion of the Moon being made of cheese has been referenced in various works of literature and popular culture. Petrus Alphonsi, a Spanish Jewish convert to Christianity, included a version of the fox and wolf tale in his collection "Disciplina Clericalis". The French classic "Le Roman de Renart" features a variation of the story, in which the Moon/cheese element is replaced by a promise of Paradise. The Middle Scots "The Fox, the Wolf and the Husbandman" also includes the Moon/cheese element.
The Moon being made of cheese has also been referenced in modern children's programs such as "Tom and Jerry" and "Wallace and Gromit". Even NASA joined in on the joke, claiming on April Fool's Day 2002 that they had "proven" the Moon was made of cheese by releasing a Photoshopped image with an expiration date on one of the moon’s craters.
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The Moon/cheese element: A tale featuring a fox, a wolf, and a well
The Moon has long been a source of fascination for humans, and its mysterious appearance has sparked many legends and tales. One of the most enduring and whimsical beliefs is that the Moon is made of cheese. This notion has appeared in folklore, literature, and even popular culture, often accompanied by a cunning fox, a hungry wolf, and a well.
The earliest known record of the Moon-as-cheese idea is found in a medieval Slavic fable. In this tale, a hungry wolf chases a fox, intending to make a meal of him. However, the quick-witted fox diverts the wolf's attention to a well, where the Moon's reflection on the water resembles a floating block of cheese. Greedily, the wolf begins to drink the water, intending to reach the "cheese." He drinks and drinks until he bursts, leaving the fox to escape unscathed.
This tale, with its unique combination of elements, has since been adapted and retold across different cultures and languages. One notable variation is the French classic "Le Roman de Renart," where the Moon/cheese element is replaced by a promise of paradise at the bottom of the well. The story's popularity spread across Europe, with the Spanish Jewish convert Petrus Alphonsi including it in his collection "Disciplina Clericalis."
The Moon-made-of-cheese concept gained further traction in the 16th and 17th centuries, becoming a popular proverb in English literature. John Heywood's "The Proverbs of John Heywood" (1546) is often cited as the earliest written record of this notion. Over time, the phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" became synonymous with gullibility and naivete, as seen in John Wilkins' work in 1638.
The Moon-cheese trope has persisted in modern times, with references in children's programs like "Tom and Jerry" and "Wallace and Gromit." Even NASA played along, releasing a photoshopped image of the Moon with an expiration date on April Fool's Day in 2002. While we may laugh at the absurdity of the idea, it serves as a reminder of our enduring fascination with the Moon and our capacity for imaginative storytelling.
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Moon's reflection mistaken for cheese: A facet of the Aarne–Thompson classification of folk tales
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been a popular notion for millennia, with the earliest record of this idea coming from a medieval Slavic fable. In the fable, a fox convinces a wolf that the moon's reflection on a pond is actually a block of cheese floating on the water's surface. The wolf drinks all the water in an attempt to get to the cheese and eventually bursts, leaving the fox victorious. This tale, known as "The Wolf Dives into the Water for Reflected Cheese", is one of the facets of morphology grouped as Type 34 of the Aarne–Thompson classification of folk tales.
The Aarne–Thompson tale type index, first published in 1910, is a system for classifying folk tales based on identifying motifs and repeated narrative ideas. The index was developed by folklorist Antti Aarne, who was a student of Julius Krohn, and later revised by the American folklorist Stith Thompson in 1928. Thompson's revisions enlarged the scope of the index and translated it from German into English. The Aarne–Thompson system has been praised as one of the "most valuable tools in the professional folklorist's arsenal of aids for analysis".
The moon-cheese motif has appeared in various forms throughout history, including in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, where it was used to refer to human gullibility. The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" became commonly used, with the word "greene" referring to the age of the cheese rather than its color. This phrase was often used to hoax or trick someone, as in the aforementioned Slavic fable.
The notion that the moon is made of cheese has also been used in humorous contexts, such as in children's popular culture and adult references. For example, on April Fool's Day 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. This joke played on the long-standing association between the moon and cheese in popular culture.
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Moon made of cheese a hoax: John Wilkins' book, 'The Discovery of a World in the Moone'
The idea that the moon is made of cheese has been a long-standing joke, appearing in popular culture and folklore for centuries. The earliest record of this notion comes from a medieval Slavic fable, in which a fox convinces a wolf that the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese. The wolf drinks all the water, hoping to get to the cheese, and bursts. The idea also appears in the French classic "Le Roman de Renart" and the Middle Scots "The Fox, the Wolf, and the Husbandman".
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" was a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature. It likely originated in 1546, in "The Proverbs of John Heywood". A variation at the time was "to make one believe the Moon is made of green cheese", as seen in John Wilkins' book "The Discovery of a World in the Moone", published in 1638. In this book, Wilkins defended the theories about the nature of the Earth and solar system proposed by the likes of Johannes Kepler and Galileo. He encouraged readers to keep an open mind, explaining that many seemingly ridiculous ideas may one day be proven accurate.
Wilkins also wrote about the possibility of humans journeying to the Moon, which did come true 331 years later in 1969. However, despite his influence and impact in other areas, Wilkins was incorrect in perpetuating the idea that the moon was made of cheese. This notion has been debunked by the scientific community, including theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll, who called the hypothesis "absurd".
NASA also joined in on the joke, claiming on April Fool's Day 2002 that they had "proven" the moon was made of cheese by releasing a Photoshopped image with an expiration date printed on one of the moon's craters.
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Moon not made of cheese: Theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll says the hypothesis is absurd
The Moon's cheese-like appearance has been a topic of fascination for centuries, with references in folklore, literature, and popular culture. The notion that the Moon is made of cheese has been around for a long time, but it is mostly used as a humorous concept. At a Science Writers' conference, theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll addressed this topic, stating that the hypothesis that the Moon is made of cheese is "absurd".
The idea that the Moon resembles cheese can be traced back to medieval times, with the earliest known record being a medieval Slavic fable. In this tale, a cunning fox tricks a hungry wolf by convincing him that the Moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese. This story element later appeared in the Middle English "þe Vox and þe Wolf" and was popularized in Europe by Petrus Alphonsi in his collection "Disciplina Clericalis". The Moon-cheese motif also features in the French classic "Le Roman de Renart".
The phrase "the moon is made of green cheese" became a popular proverb in 16th- and 17th-century English literature, with its earliest known citation in John Heywood's "The Proverbs of John Heywood" from 1546. The phrase was often used to refer to gullibility, as seen in John Wilkins' book "The Discovery of a World in the Moone" and his later statement in 1638. Despite its enduring presence in popular culture, the scientific community has never supported the claim that the Moon is made of cheese.
The Moon's composition is, in fact, quite different from that of cheese. It is primarily composed of rock, including minerals like plagioclase feldspar, pyroxenes, olivine, and ilmenite. The Moon's surface is covered in regolith, a layer of loose rock and dust formed by the constant bombardment of meteorites and asteroids over billions of years. While the Moon may have a cheese-like appearance to some, its geological makeup is distinctly non-dairy.
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Frequently asked questions
The idea that the moon is made of cheese likely originated from a medieval Slavic fable about a fox and a wolf. The fox tricks the wolf into thinking the moon's reflection on a pond is a block of cheese.
No. The scientific community has never supported the claim. Theoretical physicist Sean M. Carroll has stated that there is no need to "sample the moon to know it's not made of cheese."
Yes. The idea has appeared in children's shows like Tom and Jerry and Wallace and Gromit, as well as in adult references.
No. To date, no Apollo astronaut or scientist on Earth has deliberately tasted moon dust. However, on April Fool's Day in 2002, NASA claimed to have "proven" the moon was made of cheese by releasing a Photoshopped image with an expiration date printed on one of the moon's craters.
One variation suggests that the moon is green cheese because the "man in the moon" fed on green grass. Another variation, recorded in the Middle Scots "The Fox, the Wolf, and the Husbandman," features the fox and wolf characters from the original story.
