The Moon Moth

Infobox short story |
name = The Moon Moth
title_orig =
translator =
author = Jack Vance
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Science fiction short story
publisher =
pub_date = 1965
english_pub_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
pages = 36 pp
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Moon Moth" is a science fiction short story by Jack Vance, first published in 1965.

Plot summary

Edwer Thissell, the new consul from Earth to the planet Sirene, has trouble adjusting to the local culture. The Sirenese cover their faces with exquisitely crafted masks that indicate their social status or "strakh". They also communicate by singing, accompanying themselves with one of a dozen musical instruments, selected based on the social situation. Furthermore, errors of etiquette may attract lethal retribution, Sirenians being especially hostile to off-worlders. Having failed to prepare properly for this situation, Thissell is a maladroit musician and lacks confidence in the alien society, so he is forced to wear a lowly Moon Moth mask.

One day, he receives an alert to arrest a notorious assassin named Haxo Angmark, who is due on the next starship. Thissell, however, gets the message too late. He races to the spaceport but Angmark, thoroughly familiar and comfortable with Sirenese customs, has already landed and disappeared. Thissell commits a number of serious social blunders in his hurry to reach the spaceport and in enquiring after Angmark.

The next morning, Thissell is shown the body of an outlander. He concludes that, since the fugitive would be unable to pass himself off as a native, Angmark must have killed and replaced one of a handful of expatriates on the planet. But since even they wear masks, how is Thissell to know which is Angmark?

Eventually, Thissell solves the mystery by borrowing a slave from each of the suspects and determining their masters' mask preferences before and after Angmark's arrival. He succeeds in identifying his quarry, but is captured by Angmark and forced to walk unmasked in public, while Angmark masquerades as Thissell, even wearing his Moon Moth mask. However, the Sirenese turn on Angmark and kill him for removing another man's mask and for Thissell's previous social gaffes.

Thinking quickly, Thissell cleverly represents his humiliation as an act of unsurpassed bravery, asking if any present would be willing to be so shamed in order to destroy his enemy. With his new-found confidence, Thissell receives offers of gifts (the acceptance of which would enhance the prestige of the giver). He first goes with a mask maker to procure a covering more befitting his lofty new "strakh".

Literary significance & criticism

Many of its themes are characteristic of all of Vance's fiction: exotic cultures, criminal detection, application of brains in place of brawn, elaborate verbal style.

Footnotes

References

*cite book | title=The World Between & Other Stories | last=Vance | first=Jack | authorlink=Jack Vance | publisher= | location= | edition=1st ed. | year=1965 | id=