The Rabbit In The Moon

photograph by Albert Watson

Rabbits and the moon, now that’s a nice combination. There’s a little story about this combo to read below. Or better still get somebody to read it to you while you loll about. But first I want to show you a painting of Mr Rabbit that I’ve made this week. No not the one above, I'm not at that stage yet, the one below. It fits nicely I think with the Three Muses Challenge for this week - You are what you eat. Chosen for a couple of reasons. One because strangely, as I get older, my shape is moving more towards a rabbit one, and two I’m mostly vegetarian. I say mostly because I am vegetarian except when I visit my Mother who believes that if you don’t have meat or chicken it’s not a proper meal. I love her so I eat.

Yes we have another incognito character. It didn’t start out that way. Mr Rabbit had eyes, but his eyes looked scarey, so the idea of the sunglasses seemed an easy solution. Mr Rabbit doesn’t have the glam of Miss Redhead but he knows he’s bigger. Gosh he was hard work tho. I’d paint in the black lines, then I’d have to repair with white, then the white would be crooked so I’d have to repair with the black. And on and on it went. Hour after hour. Simple things aren’t always the easiest are they?

photograph via deviantart

And now for your little bedtime story. Once upon a time, the Old-Man-of-the-Moon looked down into a big forest on the earth. He saw a rabbit and a monkey and a fox all living there together in the forest as very good friends."Now, I wonder which of them is the kindest," he said to himself. "I think I'll go down and see." So the old man changed himself into a beggar and came down from the moon to the forest where the three animals were. "Please help me," he said to them. "I'm very hungry." "Oh! What a poor old beggar!" they said, and then they went hurrying off to find some food for the beggar. The monkey brought a lot of fruit. And the fox caught a big fish. But the rabbit couldn't find anything at all to bring. "Oh my! oh my! what shall I do?" the rabbit cried. But just then he got an idea. "Please, Mr. Monkey," the rabbit said, "you gather some firewood for me. And you, Mr. Fox, please make a big fire with the wood." They did as the rabbit asked, and when the fire was burning very brightly, the rabbit said to the beggar: "I don't have anything to give you. So I'll put myself in this fire, and then when I'm cooked you can eat me." The rabbit was about to jump into the fire and cook himself. But just then the beggar suddenly changed himself back into the Old-Man-of-the-Moon. "You are very kind, Mr. Rabbit," the Old Man said. "But you should never do anything to harm yourself. Since you are the kindest, of all, I'll take you home to live with me." Then the Old-Man-of-the-Moon took the rabbit in his arms and carried him up to the moon. Just look and see! If you look carefully at the moon when it is shining brightly, you can still see the rabbit there where the Old Man put him so very long ago.

photograph at Tucson AZ

I’m heading off for a week or so over Easter so it’ll be a bit quiet around here until I return. I hope you all have a happy holiday. I appreciate you so very much. When I think of blogging I’m overcome with warm loving supportive feelings. Thank you all.