There are many different legends from India, Asia, and the Americas of a rabbit in the Moon. This version is from the ancient Aztec peoples of Mexico. Check out this song on YouTube by "Aztec Two-Step" about the Rabbit in the Moon.
Olga Loya is a nationally recognized bilingual Latina storyteller, as well as an author, performance artist, keynote speaker, and teacher. Loya tells bilingual Latin-American folklore and colorful and sometimes magical stories from Africa, India, Asia, the Antilles, and Europe.
Long ago, the gods tried four times to get the Sun in the sky but each time the Sun disappeared. All the world was cold and in darkness. The Aztec gods came together and tried to think of a way to get the Sun to stay in the sky.
One of the gods said, "We must build a big fire and one of us must throw ourselves into the fire. Well, they all thought it was good idea -- for someone else.
Finally a god named Tecuiziztecatl said, "Yo lo hare, I will do it, yo so poderoso, I am powerful.
Then Nanahautzin was chosen. He said, "Yo no soy poderosa. I am not powerful. It is true that I have been sick and my body is covered with sores but I am a good man."
So the gods built a huge fire and danced and drummed around the fire for four days and nights. On the fourth night, all the gods arranged themselves into two lines. Tecuiziztecatl was chosen first. He ran toward the fire but when he got to it, he stopped. Then he looked around and said, "Tengo miedo. I am afraid." This happened three more times.
Then it was Nanahuatzin's turn. He stood at the beginning of the lines, determined. He ran down between the gods and when he got to the edge, he jumped into the fire with a shout of joy. He went into the sky and became the Sun. Tecuiziztecatl was so ashamed that he too leaped into the fire and another huge flaming Sun was in the sky.
The gods looked up and said, "Ah, this is good. Now we have two Suns." One of the gods said, "Wait, Tecuitziztecatl has no right to shine as bright as brave Nanahautizin!"
The god picked up a round-eared rabbit and threw it at Tecuitziztecatl. It went flying, spinning across the sky and landed hard against him and knocked some of the light from him. Tecuiziztecatl became the Moon, la luna. Nanahautzin became the Sun, la sol.
When there is a full Moon, an outline of the rabbit the god threw that night can still be seen.
tecuizistecatl (teh-cui-ziz -teh-CAH -tl ) accent on cah
nanahautizin (nah-nah-HAU-tzin) accent on hau