Many ___ (a long time)

MOONS

Think of how some cultures measure time by the cycles of Earth’s bright nighttime companion.

The phrase "many moons" is an old idiom meaning "a long time," often used in expressions like "many moons ago." Here, the clue plays on that familiar saying by leaving a blank where "moons" fits naturally. The answer isn’t about literal moons but the figurative way we talk about time passing, especially in storytelling or nostalgic contexts. It’s a straightforward fill-in-the-blank based on a common turn of phrase.