How the Moon Got to Look Like
That
This is a totally unscientific story. But then, most stories are, aren't they?
You know very well that what we see on the moon are those big empty spaces, called "seas."
However, centuries ago all that was not known, and in different lands there were very different legends of how the moon got its spots. Here is an old one from India, where, unlike you and me, they see not a man-in-the-moon, but a rabbit! In India he is called a hare.
The hare in our story was a great soul in disguise: he was none other than that one who would one day be born as the Buddha. Living in the woods with his friends, Monkey, Jackal and Otter, Hare seemed to know about his future life, since he lived and preached good behavior, self-sacrifice and all sorts of righteousness. He observed days of fasting, too, when he ate no grasses at all.
Now one day when Monkey was out climbing trees for mangoes, and Otter was diving for fish and Jackal looking for meat, Hare was on a fast day. He got to thinking, "Well, if any beggar comes by, he must certainly be fed and not scorned; that is the rule. And today, if any beggar comes, I cannot give him grass and I have nothing else. So what to do? Let me sacrifice my own body for him."
As you have read in other stories, when any wonderful vow like this is heard on earth, it rises to the heavens and the king of the gods gets a hot seat. His throne becomes quite hot and uncomfortable. (He is afraid of being replaced.) So now, the king of the gods learning what the hare had vowed to do, decided to test this fellow. He came down to earth and took the form of a man who was begging. First he went to Otter and asked for food. Otter offered him a fresh fish. Next he saw Jackal who had just found some meat and offered that. Of course when he came to Monkey, a mango was held out to him. The king refused them all, and said he would return the next day.
Then he approached Hare, who without a murmur told the beggar to gather some wood and build a fire, and promised him he would soon have a freshly cooked delicious meal. This the "beggar" did. As soon as the fire became live coals, moved by pity for the beggar's hunger, Hare, hopping to the place, sprang into the fire. Strange to say, the fire did not burn him -- it was as cold as the air above the clouds. Hare was astounded, and stared, questioning, at the beggar. "What does this mean?" he exclaimed. His guest then revealed that he was no beggar, not human; he had come from heaven to test his sincerity and virtue.
"You have wasted your time," said Hare, "I would give my body for the need of any creature who asked me."
Then the king of the gods replied: "Such a spirit of self-sacrifice as yours is not found anywhere; people must be reminded of it till the end of time. I will draw your profile on the moon, so that no one will forget it." And so he did.
Can you find Hare in the moon??
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists
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