This week, like every month, it is the time of the Rabbit Moon. There’s a full moon on May 27 – the last several nights have been bright enough to cast shadows in my Ajijic garden.
Since the days of the ancients, when the residents of this great country have gazed at the moon, they’ve seen not the face of a grinning man – they’ve studied the profile form of a great rabbit.
Aztec legends of the creation of mythology’s second and fifth sun gods Nanahuatzin and Tecciztecatl relate how they became the sun and moon.
The story tells of the brave and noble sacrifice of Nanahuatzin during the creation of the fifth sun. Humble Nanahuatzin easily and willingly sacrificed himself in fire to become the new sun.
The wealthy Tecciztecatl, proud and ambitious, is consumed by fear until after hesitating four times, pride forces him to follow Nanahuatzin’s example by jumping into a vast pyre. Both rise as suns, but due to Tecciztecatl's cowardice, the gods felt that the moon should not be as bright as the sun, so one of the gods threw a rabbit at his face to diminish his light. Some versions of this story tell that Tecciztecatl was in the form of a rabbit when he sacrificed himself and so forever casts the shadow of a rabbit. across the night’s dimmer “sun."
Another version – with Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent
There’s another legend in Mexican folklore, one a little more akin to the legends and myths we know and recount. This story also evolves from pre-Hispanic legends, and it tells of a time when the great god of the Sun, the Plumed Serpent Quetzalcoatl lived on Earth as a man.
One time so long ago that no one is left to remember, he started on a difficult journey. After walking for a long time, he became hungry and tired.
With no food or water around, he thought he would die. Then, a rabbit grazing nearby offered himself as food to save the God’s life.
Quetzalcoatl, moved by the rabbit's noble offering, elevated the rabbit to the moon, then lowered him back to Earth, and told him, "You may be just a rabbit, but everyone will remember you; there is your image in light, for all men and for all times." And so it was and so it has been.
The Rabbit is in the moon for all men and all times
Indeed Mexico isn’t the only place where you’ll see a rabbit in the moon or hear the legend of the moon and the hare. The Chinese, Japanese, Maya, some residents of South American and Pacific Island cultures also see the famous hare.
Here in Mexico the image is so common that there’s even a favorite saying about infrequent occurrences. Perhaps you think these things happen…once in a blue moon. In Mexico, It happens only once in a rabbit moon.
Apollo11’s Encounter with the Rabbit in the Moon
The moon rabbit was mentioned in the conversation between Houston and the Apollo 11 crew just before the first moon landing.
Houston advised the astronauts: “Among the large headlines concerning Apollo this morning there's one asking that you watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit.
“An ancient legend says a beautiful Chinese girl called Chang-o has been living there for 4000 years. It seems she was banished to the moon because she stole the pill for immortality from her husband.
“You might also look for her companion, a large Chinese rabbit, who is easy to spot since he is only standing on his hind feet in the shade of a cinnamon tree. The name of the rabbit is not recorded.
Apollo 11 Member Collins replied, “Okay, we'll keep a close eye for the bunny girl.”
Look up to the Rabbit Moon
We’re not promising you’ll se a Chinese bunny girl, but it you look closely, we think that forever more when you cast your eyes up to the full moon, you’ll see that Mexican Rabbit Moon.
Here are the upcoming full moon (Rabbit Moon) dates for the rest of 2010:
May 27, June 26, July 26, August 24, September 23, October 23, November 21, December 21
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