Le Lapin de la Lune
le lapin de jade au mortier
aetherLe lapin de jade pile l'élixir de vie sur la lune, récompensé pour s'être offert en nourriture à un étranger affamé ; rêver du lapin, c'est découvrir que le plus petit acte désintéressé résonne le plus longtemps, et que le travail silencieux survit à la gloire.
Three immortals begged food of the animals, and only the rabbit, having nothing, offered itself; the moon was its reward for the smallest, largest gift.
On full-moon nights you can still see him at his mortar, pounding, pounding; the medicine of heaven is made by the humblest pharmacist.
Children are told to find him in the moon before they eat their cakes, and the quickest eye gets the first bite; he still feeds the quick-eyed.
He keeps Chang'e company in the Cold Palace, thump of pestle, thump of pestle; even eternity is easier with a task and a friend.