Gather around everyone,
Today's story is about a kind rabbit whose compassion was so great it was honored in the sky for all to see.
This tale has roots in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions and is often told to remind us that selflessness and kindness are among the greatest virtues.
So let's begin.
Long ago there was a peaceful forest filled with tall trees,
Chirping birds,
And a gentle breeze that rustled the leaves day and night.
In the forest lived four close friends,
A monkey,
A fox,
An otter,
And a rabbit.
They looked after one another,
Shared food,
And enjoyed each other's company.
Everyone admired how the four friends cared for the forest,
Never wasting its gifts and always showing kindness to the other creatures.
Among these four,
The rabbit was especially gentle and caring.
Soft and fluffy,
He had big curious eyes and was always ready to lend a helping paw.
He believed that if someone was in need,
It was his duty to help them.
Unknown to the friends,
A celestial being,
Some say a god in disguise,
Had been watching them from above.
This divine figure was curious to see which of the four was truly the kindest.
So the god decided to visit the forest disguised as a hungry beggar.
His plan was to test their compassion by asking each friend for food when he appeared before them.
So early one morning,
A bright star seemed to flicker more than usual in the sky,
Hinting that something special was about to happen.
The forest animals felt an extra spark in the air,
Even though they couldn't really explain why.
Later that day,
When the sun was high,
A ragged,
Tired stranger wandered into the forest.
He had torn clothes,
Dusty feet,
And a face that showed hunger.
Of course he was very tired.
First he met the monkey by a tree filled with ripe fruit.
Excuse me,
The stranger said quietly.
I'm so hungry and weak,
Could you please help me?
The monkey felt bad and replied.
Of course,
I have plenty of fruit.
The monkey gathered some bananas and offered them to the stranger.
The stranger thanked him and then moved on.
Next,
The beggar found the fox near a cave.
Kind fox,
He said.
Could you spare a bite to eat?
The fox was clever and had stored away some scraps of meat.
He quickly brought them out,
Offered them with a smile,
And the stranger thanked the fox and continued on his journey.
Soon,
The beggar spotted the otter near a riverbank.
I'm so hungry,
He pleaded.
Could you please spare some food?
The otter dove into the stream,
Found a few fish,
And happily shared them.
The stranger thanked the otter and resumed walking along.
Finally,
The beggar came upon the rabbit,
Who was nibbling on a patch of grass.
The stranger approached with the same sad look.
Dear rabbit,
He whispered,
I'm tired,
Hungry,
And I have no strength left.
Can you help me?
The rabbit's nose twitched.
He said,
I'm happy to help,
But all I eat is grass,
Which you can't really enjoy.
I have nothing else to give.
Let me think of a way to feed you.
The rabbit glanced around,
But there was no fruit,
No fish,
And no stored food for him to even offer.
He felt his heart sink,
But then he had an idea.
Even though it frightened him,
He decided it was the only way.
The rabbit hopped over to a small fire that the beggar had built to keep himself warm.
Gently and calmly,
The rabbit spoke,
I have no fruit or fish or even meat.
If you are truly starving,
I offer you myself.
And with that,
He prepared to leap into the fire so that the beggar could be saved from hunger.
But right at that moment,
The rabbit was about to jump.
Something miraculous happened.
The god in disguise revealed his true form.
With a wave of his hand,
He prevented the rabbit from leaping into the flames.
Astonished,
The rabbit blinked in confusion.
The beggar was no longer ragged and tired.
Instead,
He now appeared radiant,
Surrounded by a gentle glow.
The rabbit stared in awe,
Realizing that this was no ordinary traveler.
Sweet rabbit,
The celestial being said with kindness in his voice,
Your generosity has touched me.
I wore this disguise to see who among you was truly compassionate.
Your willingness to give up everything,
Even your own life,
To save another is beyond my gift.
Such selflessness must be honored.
The rabbit's eyes glistened.
He felt relieved that he hadn't actually needed to sacrifice himself.
But he had been ready to.
His heart still pounded from the thought of leaping into the flames.
Smiling gently,
The god raised his hand toward the night sky.
The world must remember your kindness,
He declared.
From this day on,
Your shape will be seen upon the moon,
So that all who gaze at it will remember the power of selflessness.
And with those words,
A soft glow surrounded the rabbit,
And in an instant,
An image of the rabbit was placed on the moon for everyone below to see.
Even now,
When the moon is full and bright,
Many people say you can glimpse an outline of a rabbit just in the shadows,
Reminding us of his heroic story of kindness.
So when the monkey and the fox and the otter found out what happened,
They were utterly stunned.
Each of them had given up food to the beggar,
But only the rabbit had offered everything he had,
Even his own life,
Without a second thought.
The animals rejoiced together,
Celebrating the rabbit's courage and love for others.
Soon,
The news spread beyond the forest.
People traveling through heard the tale,
Told their children,
And those children shared it with their children.
So over many generations,
The story traveled far and wide,
Becoming a favorite bedtime tale that reminds everyone to be helpful,
Caring,
And unselfish.
So the next time you look up at the moon,
Especially when it's full,
Try to spot the rabbit's shape.
Maybe you'll see its ears or its gentle outline.
Think of that brave rabbit,
Prepared to give everything so someone else could survive.
Remember the rabbit's pure heart,
And let it inspire you to be a little kinder,
A little more generous,
Each and every day.
Thanks for listening,
And namaste.
