The rabbit on the Moon.


Note: This has always been one of my favourite legends.


The world is in darkness and it needs a Sun. The Gods have gathered and in their meeting they have decided that a ritual must be performed. A god, must be sacrificed to become the new Sun.

Two gods are volunteers: Nanahuatzin (Bubonic God) y Tecciztecatl (Lord of Snails). Tecciztecatl is powerful and rich. His offerings in prayer are of scented copal incense and blood extracted from his body with coral carved thorns. Nanahuatzin, who is less powerful and is poor and sick, offers spheres of hay as incense and his blood is on thorns of maguey cactus.

They both fasted for four days and at the fifth, all the gods gathered once more. They formed a corridor in between them and leading towards a huge bonfire. It was a sacred fire that should purify the sacrificed god and recreate him as a star.

The powerful god, due to his higher rank, had the right to try first. Three times he attempted and three times he failed to jump into the flames.But Nanahuatzin does not hesitate and he jumps in at the first try. The flames start to consume Nanahuatzin and before the sacrifice is complete Tecciztecatl jumps in, ashamed. The double sacrifice provides the birth of two stars to iluminate the sky.

To prevent the earth to be burn by the heat of two suns, the gods throw a rabbit at one, thus turning its flames off. And ever since the face of the moon, the extinguished sun, has the siluet of a rabbit.



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