The Maya Moon goddess is frequently depicted with her rabbit companion.
CULTURES all around the world have various stories and legends about the moon and many have to do with how it looks or what people think they see when they look at it. Like an international Rorschach test, different cultures have come up with various stories describing the dark markings on the near side of the moon (the side that faces us). They've seen faces, people and even toads but the pareidolia from our part of the world has a distinct “bunny” flavour as folks in East Asia, as well as South-East Asia, say they see a rabbit.
However, East Asia isn't the only place that sees rabbits when they look at the lunar maria and highlands of the moon. Is it true that Native Americans also have tales of a “Moon Rabbit”?
Verdict:
TRUE
In Chinese folklore, the rabbit is seen as a companion of the Moon goddess Chang'e. This rabbit, also known as the Jade Rabbit, so impressed the Jade Emperor when it selflessly tried to sacrifice itself to feed a starving beggar that the deity brought the bunny up to the moon to become the protector and maker of the elixir of life for the gods.
It is said that if you look up at the moon, you can make out the shape of the Jade Rabbit with its pestle and mortar making divine medicine for the immortals.
A similar story is told in Vietnam where the Moon Rabbit is seen as a companion of their Moon goddess, Hằng Nga, and the bunny is also seen as pounding out immortality potions with its mortar and pestle.
The Moon goddess of the Mayas of Chiapas and Guatemala in Central America also seems to have a predilection for the lapine, as she is also frequently depicted having a rabbit as a companion.
According to their folklore, the moon is the grandmother of the Sun god, Kinich Ahau. Kinich Ahau is said to have caught a rabbit in his maize field and he then gave it to his grandmother to be her companion so to this day, you can see it when you look up at the moon.
The Near Side of the moon with the 'Moon Rabbit' highlighted. The rabbit stands by either a cooking pot or a mochi mortar. (CC BY-SA 3.0)
The Aztec of Mexico also have a story about Moon Rabbit. In one of their myths, their chief god Quetzalcoatl was travelling on Earth as a human and during his journey found himself without food or water. Just as he thought he was about to die, a rabbit that was grazing nearby took pity on him and offered herself as food to save his life.
So moved by the rabbit selfless offering, Quetzalcoatl raised the rabbit up to the moon and stamped her silhouette on it before lowering her back to the Earth and told her, "You may just be a rabbit, but everyone will remember you; there is your image in light, for all people and for all times."
The Cree of Canada also have a story about how a rabbit ended up being on the moon. In one of their legends, a young rabbit really wanted to go to the moon to see what was there. As it could not fly, it asked all the animals that flew to get it there.
Of all the animals it asked, only the crane was willing to take it there. So the rabbit grabbed onto the crane's ankles as the crane flew off into the sky. The rip was long and the rabbit was heavy, so it stretched out the crane's legs to what it is now.
When they reached the moon, the rabbit touched the crane's head to thank it, but its paws, which were injured from holding the crane's legs so tightly, left a red mark that it wears to this day. According to Cree legends, you can still see the rabbit up on the moon.
References:
2. https://scootersaigontour.com/
3. https://www.zenger.news/2020/
4. https://www.dl-online.com/
