"Xena," said Gabrielle one night, looking up at the night sky, "ever wondered why the moon seems big and full part of the time, then at other times you can only see a portion of it, and then there are other times when you can't see it at all?"
"No, but I'm sure you have a theory."
"Yes, and I'm guessing you want to hear it."
"I'm guessing I'd better want to hear it. What's your theory?"
"Well, my theory is that the sun found the moon sad and alone, and asked the moon what was wrong, and the moon said that she was cold and dead and no one could ever love her. The sun said that was ridiculous, that the moon was very lovable, in fact the moon was beautiful and the moon only needed someone to show the world how beautiful she was. So the sun illuminated the moon with her life-giving rays of sunlight. And all agreed that the moon was beautiful and impressive indeed. But the moon keeps turning away from the sun."
"Because the moon is ashamed," said Xena.
"Ashamed and scared. The moon keeps saying she's not worthy of the sun and the sun's light would be better spent on someone else, and so on. What nonsense. So the moon keeps turning away from the sun, hiding more and more of herself away."
"But the sun won't give up."
"The sun will never give up. The sun will never abandon the moon, because she knows how truly wonderful the moon is, and she wants the world to know. Little by little she'll coax the moon out of hiding her face from the sun, until the moon is once again bright and beautiful in the night sky, so that the sun can say to all around, 'Look how wonderful is my friend, my soulmate, the moon.'"
"And what does the moon say to that?"
"You tell me."
"The moon says, 'Oh, if you only knew some of the things I'm hiding from you, some of the things I can never show even to you, you would turn your face from me and I'd never see you again.'"
"Oh, Xena?" said Gabrielle, and placed her soft, warm hand on Xena's shoulder.
"Tell me another thing," said Xena, "which is more important, the sun or the moon?"
"The moon, of course," said Gabrielle. "The moon shines at night when it's pitch black and we need the light. Whereas the sun, well, the sun shines during the day when there's plenty of light."
Xena smiled and put one arm around Gabrielle's shoulder.
"Tell me something else," said Xena, "why did the powers that be, those that made the sun and the moon, why did they make the night so much more beautiful than the day, when everyone is asleep at night?"
"Oh, Xena, that's the simplest question of all."
She put her hand on Xena's thigh.
"Night is for lovers."