Rabbit on the Moon

Once upon a time in Japan, there was a tale about rabbits and the moon. This story has been capturing the hearts of people young and old. Are you ready to hear the enchanting story of "The Rabbit on the Moon"?

Long ago, there lived a wise and kind old man named Tsuki no Otoko, which means the Old Man of the Moon. He wanted to test the kindness and generosity of all the animals on Earth. So, he decided to disguise himself as a poor traveler and went on a journey to seek help.

As the Old Man of the Moon traveled, he visited many animals. He asked them for food and shelter, hoping they would offer their assistance. But, unfortunately, each animal he encountered turned him away without a second thought. They didn't show any kindness or generosity.

One day, while walking along a riverbank, the Old Man of the Moon came across three animals: a monkey, a fox, and a rabbit. He approached them and politely asked for their help. The monkey, with its long arms, quickly gathered delicious fruits and nuts, sharing them with the traveler. The fox, known for its quick wit, caught some fish from the river and offered them too.

But the poor little rabbit felt sad and ashamed because it couldn't catch fish or gather fruits like the other animals. It felt like it had nothing to offer the kind traveler. The rabbit wanted to help so badly that it had an idea, a selfless and brave idea.

The rabbit hopped closer to the fire burning nearby. It made a decision to sacrifice itself to provide food for the Old Man of the Moon. Without thinking twice, the rabbit jumped into the fire, ready to cook itself for the traveler.

But just as the flames grew hotter, something amazing happened. The Old Man of the Moon, who was actually a magical being, quickly intervened and saved the rabbit from harm. He revealed his true identity to the astonished little creature.

The Old Man of the Moon was deeply moved by the rabbit's extraordinary act of kindness. He praised the rabbit for its compassion and sacrifice, for being willing to give up its own life to help a stranger. To honor the rabbit's incredible selflessness, the Old Man of the Moon decided to do something special.

He gently lifted the rabbit up into the night sky and placed it on the moon. The rabbit live there happily and had a family there. They live together on the dark side of moon. Now a days the astronauts who visited moon explore moon only from one side, and Japanese still believe that rabbits are living on the dark side of moon where Astronauts still not visited. If you look up at the moon on a clear night, you might see the image of a rabbit, which symbolize the civilization of rabbits on the moon's dark side. It's there, pounding away at something with a mortar and pestle. Can you guess what it's pounding?

It's pounding mochi, a traditional Japanese rice cake! (very yummy). The moon's craters, the little dips and bumps on its surface, are said to look like the rabbit's pounding tools with which rabbit creates pounding mochi.

So, whenever you see the moon, remember the story of the rabbit. That teaches us the importance to be kind and helpful for others, even if we think we can not do anything. Small acts can create big differences. And who knows, maybe someday you'll see that rabbit in the moon, happily pounding away at mochi for everyone to enjoy!