TSUKI NO USAGI

TSUKI NO USAGI

It is said that a rabbit on the moon makes mochi[1].

There once lived a man on the moon. For many nights he looked to earth with hope in his heart that someday he’d find a friend. On the day his loneliness grew too great the moon man descended to earth. However, fearing the greatness of his power and the hunger it attracted, he chose to conceal himself as an old man. Landing on earth, he found himself in a forest. The old man pondered, “Now what makes a good companion?” He decided it was compassion, and went on to search for a friend. Not long after a wild fox crossed his path.

“Hello old man, what are you doing in the forest?” inquired the fox.

“I’m simply visiting. Do you have anything you could spare?” replied the old man.

“Why yes, just wait a moment,” answered the fox.

Dashing off, the fox quickly returned with a freshly-caught trout. Placing it with the old man, the fox darted away without a second glance.

“Not the fox,” the old man thought to himself.

Next, a monkey swung down from the trees to greet the old man.

“Hello! Are you hungry old man?” prompted the monkey.

“I’m a little famished. Do you have anything you could spare?” asked the old man.

“Why yes, just a moment,” answered the monkey.

Swinging away, the old man watched at the monkey cleverly moved about the trees, gathering fruit and avoiding the draping vines. Coming back quickly, the monkey offered the fruit to the old man.

“Here you are!” proclaimed the monkey, going off into the trees.

        “Not the monkey,” the old man thought to himself.

Farther into the forest, a small voice called out to the old man:

         “What is your name?”

Turning, the old man spotted a rabbit among the lilies. Desiring not to reveal his identity, the old man offered the rabbit a proposal:

         “I will give you my name but I am so tired. Do you have anything you could spare?”

Bouncing up the rabbit set to work immediately. The old man heard rustling in the bushes as the rabbit flashed through the leaves. Sometime later, the old man smelled something aflame. It was the rabbit! Having found nothing to offer but herself, the rabbit tossed herself in as a sacrifice.

“Surely this is the highest form of compassion!” exclaimed the old man.

Pulling the rabbit out of the flames, the old man declared,

“You, Rabbit, shall be my friend.”

1 Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste in a wooden basin and then molded into the desired shape.

Story researched and written by Maxine S.