Story of the Moon Rabbit

The Moon Rabbit looked at the moon. Moon Rabbit wondered what it was like to live there. The Moon Rabbit watched on for hours as it did every night.

Was there still someone there? A place to return to? Some may have considered the Moon Rabbits naive for still believing this grande place like heaven where they once belonged existed. But not the Kokumuba. The two small bearlike creatures occasionally saw the Moon Rabbit, watching the stars. No, not the stars. The Moon Rabbit specifically stared at one point, the moon. “Do you think it exists? That Moon Rabbit, it puts so much effort and hope… When it doesn’t even know if it exists. What do you think?” The one asked the other, as they watched the Moon Rabbit from behind a tree. “I don’t know… It’s a story they say, but Moon Rabbit believes it’s true.” “If it believes hard enough, does it become true?” The smaller asked the other. The Kokumuba couldn’t immediately answer, though his answer was clearly no. Did it not want to break the smaller Kokumuba its illusion, or perhaps… Did the Moon Rabbit gave him doubts about his own beliefs? He didn’t want to believe the possibility that what the Moon Rabbit wished for didn’t exist. His hope and wish for the Moon Rabbit, fuelled by the Moon Rabbits own hope and wish, making him want to abandon his ideas. 

“Maybe. But it almost makes me want to hope it doesn’t exist, because it brings me comfort to see him looking at the moon every night.” The elder Kokumuba expressed to the younger. “I don’t know if he feels that it exists, when he looks at the moon, but it gives me energy.” 

The Moon Rabbit looked at the moon. Moon Rabbit wondered what it was like to live there. The Moon Rabbit watched on for hours that night.

What was exactly out there, it wasn’t sure. Why it wanted to go there, was because of a feeling. What that feeling was, it wasn’t sure. 
All it knew is that it was strong enough for the Moon Rabbit to look at the moon every night, halting everything else around it to stare at the moon. It wanted to be there, to go back, to find what was there, to die there if it came to it and to live there for even a second if it could. 
The Moon Rabbits talked amongst each other about it, how they all felt this connection and longing. Stories that had been told generations upon generations that would be talked about again the next generations upon generations. Although none of the Moon Rabbits doubted their connection to the moon, giving them sights of coming fortune or misfortune and giving them leadership, not all Moon Rabbits felt the urge to go back. Accepting their role where it was now, some seeing themselves as messengers or some as friends of the moon who carried out the moons wishes. 

The Moon Rabbit looked at the moon, thinking all this over. The stories it had heard a thousand times and would enthusiastically listen to a thousand times more, every time gaining energy and insight from them. But this Moon Rabbit  wished to go back to the moon, to its source. “I’m happy to be alive, I’m happy to be who I am… But I can’t help but wish to be there.”  It thought. The longing had always bothered the Moon Rabbit, while it worked during the day and did its best to repel evil and on the moon its wish bring good to the land. Sprinkling salt in places of misfortune and giving it to those whose steps had led them somewhere that wasn’t good for them. Reminding its surroundings of the good and of hope with its presence. A pillar of protection, security and well-wishes in their shared world. 

The Moon Rabbit its head remained raised at the moon as it wondered. “What is it like there? I hope one day to find out.” 

That night seemed like any other night, with the Moon Rabbit looking at the moon. Longing for the moon. Its belief and faith never faltering like it hadn’t before. Thus, tonight became a night of acceptance. Acceptance of the moon, acceptance and contempt of the Moon Rabbit that continued to strive for its goal when it seemed impossible without doubt. There were no bright lights or sudden thunder, no messengers nor a special sign. Instead, a warm feeling grew from inside the Moon Rabbit. It knew it shouldn’t look away now. It knew. 

The Kokumuba returned from their night journey, talking about the sounds of the night and of the light of the moon, when they passed the open space the Moon Rabbit always sat all night, looking at the moon. “Kokumuba, where is the Moon Rabbit? I only see a heap of salt.”