The Lithuanian tale explaining why the Moon has spots provides a fascinating example of a sakmė, a type of folk narrative used to explain natural phenomena through mythological frameworks. This particular story belongs to the category of Lithuanian etiological legends, which address the origins of the world and its features.

According to the tale, the spots on the Moon represent a girl carrying water, who was once an orphan mistreated by her stepmother, a witch. Subjected to endless tasks, including fetching water, the girl ultimately became the victim of her stepmother's rage and was cursed and sent to the Moon. There, she was condemned to carry a yoke and buckets eternally, her silhouette forming the dark spots visible on the lunar surface.

This narrative exemplifies how celestial observations were integrated into cultural explanations before scientific understanding was widespread. The Moon's distinctive markings, visible to all, invited storytelling that connected cosmic phenomena with human experiences of hardship, cruelty, and injustice.

The tale incorporates common motifs found in folk narratives across cultures: the mistreated orphan, the wicked stepmother, and supernatural punishment. However, its specific attachment to lunar features gives it a distinctly Lithuanian character, reflecting how universal storytelling patterns adapt to local contexts and natural observations.

Compiled and edited by Norbertas Vėlius, a prominent Lithuanian folklorist, in How the Earth Came to Be: Lithuanian Etiological Legends (Kaip atsirado žemė: lietuvių etiologinės sakmės), this tale demonstrates how mythological explanations serve not only to account for natural phenomena but also to articulate moral lessons about human relationships and behaviour.