Jirí Mahen (1882-1939) was one of the most astute and witty authors of Czech literature, who wrote with both irony and poetry against the disillusionment of existence. His prose fantasy "The Moon" consists of thirty short dialogues assigned to the various phases of the moon, from the waning crescent and the new moon to the waxing phase and finally the full moon. It features witty anecdotes, philosophical discussions, absurd dialogues, and tales about the futility of human life. Literature is addressed, but also politics, history, the apocalypse, artistic existence, and love. Mahen extracts a striking punchline, a compelling insight, and an unusual perspective from each of these themes—delicately, precisely, and sharply. Mahen engages in a poetic literary endeavor.