The Rabbit and the Moon
Long, long ago, deep in a forest, a rabbit, a fox, and a monkey were the closest of friends. Each of them wished, more than anything, to do one truly good deed in their lives.
One evening, a poor, hungry old traveler passed through the forest and asked the three friends for food. The fox hurried off and brought back a fish, while the monkey climbed a tree and gathered ripe fruit to offer him.
The rabbit had nothing at all to give. But it was determined to help the old man nonetheless, so it gathered dry grass and built a small fire, ready to offer its own body as food so the old traveler would not go hungry.
Just as the rabbit leapt toward the flames, the old man revealed his true form as the spirit of the moon. He gently reached out and put out the fire, deeply moved by the rabbit's pure and selfless kindness.
To honor the rabbit's goodness forever, the moon spirit painted the rabbit's image onto the face of the moon. And that is why, on a clear night, you can still look up and see the shape of the rabbit on the moon to this very day.
Moral of the story
True generosity isn't measured by how much you give, but by a heart willing to give without expecting anything in return.
The original plot is in the public domain. Copyright is reserved in the Hoot Tales retelling, translation, illustrations, and presentation.
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