The Moon Rabbit's Friend

The Moon Rabbit's Friend Jane MEADOW

Far away in the sky, the moon glowed like a round silver lantern. On the moon lived a little rabbit with soft silver-white fur that shimmered with a faint pearly light. Its long ears stood up tall, with pale pink tips, and its round dark blue eyes sparkled like little night skies. The rabbit had a tiny woven star charm tied around one ear with a thin golden thread. Every night, it looked down at the Earth and wondered what it would be like to have a friend. 1

One clear night, the rabbit saw a small girl in a window far below. She had warm light-brown skin, two short black braids with a red ribbon, and big brown eyes full of wonder. She wore a soft yellow nightgown with tiny white stars and fuzzy blue slippers. The girl waved at the moon and smiled a gap-toothed smile. The rabbit felt a happy flutter in its chest. "I wish I could say hello," it whispered. 2

The rabbit remembered what Moon Grandmother had told it: moonbeams can carry messages if you send them with love. Moon Grandmother was tall and gently stooped, with long flowing silver hair and a kind, wrinkled face. She wore a lavender robe with silver crescent patterns and carried a lantern made of glowing moonstone. "Try it, little one," she said with a twinkle in her small grey eyes. "Send a happy thought down a moonbeam." 3

The rabbit hopped to the edge of the moon and chose the brightest moonbeam. It sent a gentle message: "Hello, friend. I see you every night. My name is Rabbit." The message floated down like a silver feather. Down on Earth, the girl was just about to close her curtains when a tiny sparkle landed on her windowsill. It shimmered and spelled out the words. Her eyes grew wide. "A moon rabbit?" she gasped. "How wonderful!" 4

The girl's name was Luna. She clapped her hands and ran to find a way to send a message back. She whispered into the moonlight: "Hello, Rabbit! I'm Luna. I see you too. I'm so glad you wrote to me!" The words floated up the moonbeam like tiny fireflies. The rabbit caught them in its paws and read them with delight. "She can see me!" it cheered, its fluffy round tail wiggling with joy. 5

From that night on, Luna waited by her window every evening. She would send up a happy message: "I had pancakes for breakfast!" or "I learned a new song today." The rabbit would reply: "I bounced on a moon crater!" or "I found a star that twinkles twice." They laughed and shared their days. The rabbit never missed a night of replying. Even when the moon was slim and the moonbeams were thin, it sent its messages with care. 6

Sometimes the moonbeams grew faint, and the messages took a long time to travel. Luna would wait and worry. "Are you still there, Rabbit?" she would whisper. The rabbit would send back: "Always here, Luna. Always your friend." On cloudy nights, Luna could not see the moon at all. She would sit by her window and hum a little tune, hoping the rabbit could hear it. The rabbit, up in the sky, hummed back, and somehow the tune traveled on the wind. 7

One evening, Moon Grandmother came to the rabbit with a smile. "The lunar festival is coming," she said, her moonstone lantern glowing warmly. "It is a magical night when the moonbeams grow bright and strong. If you wish very hard, you might be able to visit your friend." The rabbit's dark blue eyes grew round. "Truly?" it asked. "Truly," said Moon Grandmother. "But you must both believe." 8

The rabbit sent an urgent message down the brightest moonbeam: "Luna! The lunar festival is coming. On that night, the moonbeams will be strong. Maybe we can meet!" Luna read the message and jumped up and down. "Oh, I hope so!" she cried. She told her parents about the moon rabbit, and they smiled and said, "We will help you get ready." Luna began to count the days until the festival. 9

On the night of the lunar festival, the moon rose huge and golden. Moon Grandmother hummed a gentle song, and the moonbeams grew brighter and stronger than ever before. They shimmered like silver ribbons, wide enough to walk on. "Now, little one," said Moon Grandmother. "Follow the brightest beam down to your friend." The rabbit took a deep breath and stepped onto the glowing beam. 10

Down on Earth, Luna waited by her window. The moonbeams were so bright they lit up her whole room. Suddenly, she saw a tiny shape coming down the beam. It was the rabbit! Its silverwhite fur glowed, and its long ears with pink tips stood up straight. Luna opened her window wide. "You came!" she shouted. The rabbit landed softly on her windowsill. "I came!" it squeaked. "Hello, Luna!" 11

Luna gently picked up the rabbit and held it close. It was about the size of her hand, and its fur was warm and soft. "You're even lovelier than I imagined," she said. The rabbit nuzzled her cheek. "So are you," it replied. They shared a joyful night together, dancing in the moonlight and telling stories. Luna gave the rabbit a tiny cookie, and the rabbit gave Luna a moonstone pebble that sparkled like a star.