Today’s story, The Moon Rabbit, is a Jataka story from Japan. It’s a story about selflessness and how the full moon has a shape of a rabbit on it.Free activity sheet available at www.rituvaish.com/the-moon-rabbitSend your artwork to [email protected] monkey, an otter, a jackal, and a rabbit resolved to practise charity on the day of the full moon.On the following full moon night, they saw a very old beggar who was begging for food. “Poor beggar,”  they thought. “He looks hungry and has no food. Let us give him some food.”First, the monkey plucked some fruit from the trees. He brought the fruits and let them in front of the old beggar.Next, the otter was looking for something to offer the beggar.Children, what do you think he would offer?Yes! Fish indeed.Otter collected some fish and brought it to the old beggar.The jackal was too lazy to find something that the beggar could eat so he caught the first animal he could. He saw a lizard and grabbed and placed it in front of the old beggar along with some water.Children, who is left now?It’s the rabbit indeed.The rabbit did not know what to get for the old beggar. He was not good at catching animals or fish, nor could he scale trees and get fruits. He only knew how to gather grass, but humans didn't eat grass. He sat in a corner unhappily.Children, can you suggest something to the rabbit that he can offer the beggar.Nice! Let’s listen ahead.Suddenly he remembered that many humans like to eat rabbit meat. So he got up happily prepared a fire and jumped into it.Children, what do you think will happen to the rabbit? Would he die or get saved somehow?Let’s see.Oh! But what was this! The fire did not burn the rabbit!At that very moment, the old man revealed himself to be Sacre, the ruler of the gods, “You have been very kind and selfless,” he said to the rabbit.Touched by the rabbit's selflessness and virtue, he drew the rabbit on the moon.“Henceforth, all through the ages, all those who will look at the moon, will see your shape on it and remember your kindness. They will be inspired by you.” He said. And children, do check out if you can see a rabbit shape on the next full moon night.  

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