The moon has always inspired the humans about it and its origin.
The regularity of its cycle has always been fascinating and related to the fertility cycle of human beings and animals (given that the menstrual cycle in women has nearly the same length), to the disease and the health, to the birth and the death.
The period of the decreasing phase of the moon was often feared as carrier of misfortune and bad events.

- Some Chinese legends about the Moon -

But, for unclear reasons, there are various legends about the recurrent idea of the Rabbit living on the moon.
One of them is a Chinese legend, influenced by the Indian Buddhism.

Once, inside a forest, there was a meadow where some saint men used to come and meditate.
There was also a wonderful garden with fruits and flowers and the fresh waters of a nice stream.

In this little natural paradise, a rabbit lived and its virtues were by far greater than those of all the other living beings.
One evening, The Buddha, accompanied by many of his disciples, came to that garden.
The disciples sat down at his feet to listen his recite of the Sutra.

Like this, they spent one night and one day until the hot sun was high in the sky and cicadas started singing.
Every creature was suffering for the hot and was looking for shadow, like every traveller and also the disciples run away to look for some shadow.

The Buddha assumed the shape of a Brahman and shouted:
"I'm alone, my friends have left me and I'm thirsty and hungry. Believers, come and help me!"

The little animals of the forest heard his yell and everybody run close to him.
They prayed him to remain and accept their hospitality, offering him some gifts to convince it.

The otter gave him 7 fish and said:
"Take these fish and stay with us"

The jackal carried part of its prey and asked the Buddha to honour them with his presence and being their teacher.

As the turn of the rabbit come, it modestly made a step forward and said, with its empty paws:
"Master, I was grown up in the woods and my food are herbs; I have only my flesh to feed you, there's nothing else I can give you".

Just in that moment, the rabbit saw some magic coal that was burning without smoke.
He was going to jump into the flames when it suddenly stopped and took away all the little insects among its fur saying:
"I can give my body to the Saint, but I haven't the right to take also your lives!"
He delicately put the insects on the ground and he jumped into the fire to die.

The Buddha took again

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