THE TENTH TALE OF THE MERRY MEN OF GOTHAM
There was a man of Gotham who was wandering home from the inn one night. As he passed the village pond he saw the reflection of the moon shining in the still water. He was convinced that this was an enormous cheese and so he waded into the water to get it - but as he got close, the ripples made the image disappear.
Determined to get the cheese he woke up the other villagers and they all came out and looked at the pond, debating how they could get the cheese without it disappearing.
They had the bright idea of using their rakes as they had long handles and could reach the cheese without disturbing the water. So the villagers fetched their rakes and combed the surface of the pond, trying to catch the cheese - which always sank away whenever their rakes grew near.
After some time, a cloud covered the moon and it's image disappeared from the water. The 'moonrakers' assumed the giant cheese had sunk beyond their reach to the bottom of the pool. Sadly, they shouldered their rakes and returned to their beds, dreaming of the giant cheese that they had almost 'caught'