Folk Tales/The Rabbit in the Moon

The Rabbit in the Moon appeared as a text based story on the Purple Moon Place website. It was featured on Ginger’s secret pouch page. On the link to the story Ginger says, “This story shows both determination and responsibility, I think!”

The Story
The Rabbit in the Moon

Instead of a man in the moon, many Chinese children see a rabbit in the moon! Here is the reason why:

Once upon a time there was a rabbit, a monkey, and a fox who were friends. They played together all day in the meadows and forests, and at night they curled up next to one another and went to sleep. So unusual was this friendship that word of it reached the ears of the Emperor of Heaven. He decided he would go down to earth to see if it was true.

Disguised as an old man in a cloth coat and rice paper hat, he limped slowly into the clearing where the three creatures sat by a small fire, warming themselves.

“Oh, I am weary,” sighed the Emperor. “I have traveled far this day with no tea or rice. Can you give me something to eat?”

The monkey bounded off at once and returned with a handful of cherries, picked from a nearby tree.

The fox splashed into the water and came back with a fat, wiggling trout.

But the rabbit could only run through the fields, bringing back no more than a mouthful of grass.

The monkey and the fox both laughed at him. “What good is grass to a hungry old man? You are certainly useless as a hunter!” they cried.

The rabbit laid back his ears in shame at his failure. He bowed before the old man. “Please, eat me!” he said, and threw himself into the fire. The monkey and fox stood amazed and silent.

The Emperor was touched deeply by this sacrifice. He looked at the fox and the monkey and said, “Each of you has a generous heart, but Rabbit’s was the most loving. When he had nothing to give, he gave of himself – and that is the best gift of all.” Then he revealed himself as the ruler of Heaven, dressed in silks made of rainbows and clouds, with buttons made of stars.

He waved his hands and restored the little rabbit to his former self, unhurt. Then he took the rabbit up to the Heavens with him, to live in the Palace of the Moon.

And there you can see him, threshing his rice on the full moon.