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Narrator: It’s Story Time at the Met, a special podcast series for kids and their families. This podcast tells a story called “How the Rabbit Got to the Moon.” Have you ever seen the rabbit in the moon? You’ve probably seen the man in the moon. But in Japan, children see a rabbit with long ears. Each autumn the Japanese people celebrate a moon-viewing festival. Families gather to look at the moon. When children ask how the rabbit got to the moon, their parents tell this ancient tale. Once upon a time, a monkey, a fox, and a rabbit became the best of friends. The spirit of loving kindness filled them and they decided to live in peace with each other. Every evening these three friends met to share their dinner and talk about their day. The monkey told of swinging through the treetops, looking for fruit. The fox talked about stealing food from farms at the edge of the forest. The rabbit spoke very little. All the food he ever found was a few blades of grass. But the three shared whatever they had. One evening, a god looked down from the heavens and saw them sharing a meal. “I can’t believe this!” said the god. “Everywhere, people fight and quarrel. Can three animals be so wise? I will test their kindness. Let’s see if they share their food with a stranger.” Next evening the god came down to earth disguised as a poor man. The three friends found him in the clearing where they had dinner. “Help me,” moaned |
