Long ago, when the humans were beginning to walk with confidence over the land, there was a time in which the gods were worshiped. Delighted with the earnest praise of the humans, the gods strove to bring them ever more grand gifts. Fire was harnessed from the Sun, who gave his warmth gladly. Ocean filled herself with teeming life so that the humans might look upon her with wonder. Earth grew and nourished and gave the humans sustenance and shelter.

Many gods fought for the attention and love of the humans, but there were also some who simply did not care about them. Among those were the distant Stars and the pale goddess that the people called Moon. 

Moon's true name was Selene, and she danced across the sky every night, glowing silver with her power. During the day, she slept in the cradle of the Heavens, far beyond the sight of mortals. Her gaze only swept over the world below her on occasion; the worries and hopes of the mortals who lived there meant nothing from so far away. Especially when Selene could not communicate with them. 

Unlike most of the gods, Selene had awoken without a Voice. In the distant night sky, she found that she neither wanted nor had use for a Voice, and did not mourn her lack of one. Until she fell in love.

It was on a night like any other that her eyes, cast down to Earth, caught on the sight of him: the brunette with wildly curly hair who was laying on a soft bed of grass. At his fingertips was a well worn wooden staff of the kind sheep herders used to guide their flocks. In his mouth was a piece of straw that he seemed to be idly chewing, and his eyes were closed. His lips were curved slightly upwards as though he were preparing himself to have a nice dream or thinking of a warm memory in his heart.

For the first time, Selene paused in her graceful dance over the arch of the sky and simply stared. time froze for her until the deep blue sky that she rested in turned pearly gray; the first sign that her counterpart was well on his way into the sky. 

Sun would shove her to the side whether Selene was done watching the world or not, so she hurriedly left the sky. All during the sunlight hours, Selene wished Sun would hurry up and get done with the day. Then she might find this young man once more on the edge of dreams and imagine what it was he was dreaming of.

The pale goddess rose into the sky the next evening, earlier than was normal, and cast her eyes immediately upon the world below. When she found the young shepherd once more, it was all she could do to watch him as he laid down to rest. Though Selene had risen early, the mortal never once raised his eyes to the sky. After a long night of staring, she left the sky still longing to see his eyes turned up to her.

Again, Sun set and Moon rose. Again, the shepherd passed into dreams without looking up. 

Each night she rose into the sky, the goddess shone brighter and brighter in attempts to gain his attention. Each night, the shepherd hid his face from her light and dreamed. Selene danced ever more sadly as the longing inside of her found no outlet. As time passed, the Moon began to fade, growing smaller and darker with despair. 

Finally, the night came when Selene rose...and cast no light at all. 

Stars cried out to the Moon, wishing for her glow in the vast darkness of night. Ocean looked upwards, reflecting the yawning void where once there had been soft silver light. Below the horizon, gods of all nature looked upwards and grew alarmed for their sister.

In her darkness, the pale goddess wept the tears of the broken hearted, oblivious to those who looked to her because they were not her shepherd. If only she had a Voice! With a Voice, she might call to him and speak with him before he fell into dreams where she could not follow. With a Voice, Selene might finally come to know the shepherd who had captured her heart.

And while she wept her silent tears, a Song rose into the sky: the Song that would change her fate.

Selene turned her attention downward to see a pair of mer-creatures splashing about in the ocean waves. Mer-creatures were one of Ocean's newest creations, inspired by an admiration of the human form. There were very few of them yet, and they were young and wild dreamers.

Each creature was distinguished by the color of its tail, giving it identity and power. One was a golden tailed merman, the first of its kind that Selene had ever seen, and the other was a silver tailed mermaid. Their arms stretched out to one another so that they swam fingertip to fingertip and moved in lazy circles with one another.

It seemed to Selene that they were in the early stages of a deep love, a new beginning growing between them. More than the flirtatious looks and anxious movements, it was their melodious voices raised in song that let her know of their budding affection. Not the words, for the language of the mer creatures was not yet fully developed into a civilized tongue, but the sheer emotion of their voices. 

For a moment, Selene's breath stopped at this vision of easy love. What wouldn't she give to have a love like theirs? An idea sparked in the goddess' mind and suddenly she knew what she had to do. Selene dipped close to the lapping waves, startling the pair of lovers in the ocean. How easy it was to get anyone's attention who was not this elusive shepherd in her heart. 

The goddess smiled upon them to set them at ease and lifted her hands in supplication. Silver light flowed from her palms and between her fingers, cascading down to the water in thin beams. Carefully, she moved her hands, nudging the beams until they combined and formed shapes in the dark night. In her right hand, a likeness of herself, and in her left hand, a likeness of her sleeping shepherd. With each motion of her fingers, the light moved and shadows played until she could show them the story in her heart: Selene was in love with this mortal, and though she hoped and wished night after night, he did not see her.

The pair watched the show of light and shadow, enraptured and charmed. By the end, the golden tail had his arm wrapped around the silver tail's shoulders as they cried for the Moon together. Selene shook her hands, untangling the light that was her and her mortal. 

Slowly, she reformed the light and used it to show why she had come to them. The Moon asked them for their Song so that she might catch her shepherd's eye and finally see if he would belong to her as she belonged to him.

Cautiously, the mer-creatures made eye contact with one another, their faces showing disbelief and also uncertainty. The silver tail slowly backed away from the Moon, shaking her head and keeping her Song for herself, but the golden tail did not retreat with her. 

The Moon's plight had resonated in his heart because he knew the pain of being alone; he was the only golden tail in all the oceans. So he lifted his head to her and nodded.

For her, he would give up his Song and hope that she would find love to end her sadness. Selene was overjoyed that the merman would help and gestured for him to Sing for her; so that she might take his Song and make her own from it. 

Obligingly, the golden tail sang of love and two hearts beating as one while the silver tail watched, sad and captivated at the same time. As the music lifted to the Heavens, Selene caught it and wove it about her, changing the sound of it until it seemed to emanate from herself rather than from the golden tail.

Though she had tried to be quick about it, the process took too long. The golden tail faltered and the Song was drained from him, not a drop left for him to give to his love. His hand lifted to his raw throat and he cried silent tears for that which he had now lost.

Mortified, Selene reached into the ocean and pulled a shining Pearl from the water. "For you," she told him with her new Voice, "When you call, the Ocean shall rise to your aid." 

Reaching up, Selene cut off a lock of her glowing silver hair and offered it to him as well. "This I give to you for your sacrifice. Whenever you need it, you shall have use of the Moon's grace and power."

Then she leaned forward and pressed the gifts into his heart until they had filled the void inside of him where before his Song had been. "I cannot return what I have taken, but I shall watch over you and those who come from you forever." Selene laid a cool kiss to his brow and he wept no more, feeling that her touch would be upon him forever.

"Thank you, golden one." Selene whispered as the gates of Heaven opened to bring her home and release the Sun unto the sky. With the gift of the merman's Song, Selene Sang to the shepherd the very next evening, and at last his eyes looked to her. 

At last, he saw her. 

When their eyes met, his heart leaped from his chest and into her hands to rest forevermore. Thus Selene and Endymion the Shepherd fell in love.

So it was that the very first of the golden tails gained the power and grace of the Moon, and lost his Song forever. All who descended from him knew his name and carried his power: the power of Triton, first of the golden tails, friend to the Moon.