Those Poor Moon People!

 NOVEMBER IS DINOSAURS IN THE PULPS MONTH!

cover art by Frank R. Paul

Well, I already knew that dinosaurs once saved Earth from the Martians. Today, I discovered a tale in Amazing Stories (February 1929) that tells us Earth was saved from the Insect People of Mars by the last living Tyrannosaurus Rex. "Death of the Moon" was written by Alexander Phillips. 

The poor Lunarians were running out of the resources they need to maintain a liveable atmosphere on the moon. Fortunately, they have a Jor-El-level genius among them who has a plan. Build a space ship; fly to Earth; make sure Earth is habitable; return to the moon; build a lot of space ships and move everyone to Earth.

It's not a bad plan, if only because it represents the only way the Lunarians can survive. If successful, it means mankind will never show up, because the Lunarians will be filling that ecological niche already. But--well, you can't really blame the Lunarians for not knowing about humanity before humanity existed.

The Lunarian scientist and his crew take off and arrive on Earth. They explore and like what they see. Well, at least until they see a hungry Tyrannosaur...

The story is a short, fun bit of science fantasy. Phillips, though, also manages to insert a bit of meloncholy at the story's end, as the last T-Rex, dying from raygun wounds after unknowingly saving mankind, passes on. The following quote is a spoiler, so jump to the link at the bottom of this post to read the story yourself before continuing:

The sinking sun bathed the saurian’s grim visage in a soft, warm light and as he gazed into the last sunset he would ever see, across far spaces into the mellow glory of the Life-giver, Tyranosaurus’ eyes softened and he was vested with a dim, far-away dignity as one whose purpose is accomplished. Gradually the harsh sobbing diminished and finally ceased and Tyranosaurus Rex, King of the Giant Lizards, most terrible of all carnivores, and most feared, had gone forever from earth.

The sun was gone. Far along the west stretched a streak of amber light, all else the night had claimed. High above the canyon, showing through a space in the leaves, sailed the round, full moon throwing her pure, white light, like a protecting mantle, over the broken, pathetic body of her perished son, the inventor, while deep below her surface she hid a race awaiting his triumphal return. Long would they wait — Long.

Poor Moon People. Poor T-Rex. -sigh-

The story is available to read online HERE.