THE EASTER BUNNY OR THE EASTERN BUNNY?

Pic.: Nachiket Jeurkar

“Sir, I like Easter Eggs,” a ten-year-old said to me with excitement, “The neighbor aunty gives us every year.”

Then, he asked me, “Sir, you like Easter Eggs?”

“Oh yes, dear, I like them,” I caressed the little head, “Easter Bunny brings them to us, every year.”

“Who is Easter Bunny, sir,” the little fellow asked me.

“The good Rabbit, who comes, every Easter, from the far away land, carrying those colorful eggs in his basket for all of us,” I narrated to my little friend. I added, “Just as the Santa Claus, who comes every Christmas carrying gifts for you kids.”

The little-one thought for a while, and, then, said in even more excitement, “Sir is he the same good rabbit who lives in the Moon?”

Now, I knew the Rabbit who lived in the Moon and the Bunny who came with Easter Eggs in his basket were both legends... just as the Santa was. They, always, fired our imagination... and, we all accepted the legends without questioning them... Because, they were something nice, something that made all of us happy, excited and even hopeful... So, I replied to my little friend, “Yes dear... He is the same good rabbit.”

“Do you know the story of the Rabbit who lives in the Moon,” I asked my little friend.

“Yes sir, our school teacher has told us the story.”

“Can you tell me that story?”

“Sure.”

“One Full-moon night, a monkey, an otter, a jackal and a rabbit decided to do something nice to please God. So, when a hungry old-man came to them begging for food, the monkey plucked some sweet fruits from a nearby tree and the otter picked some fresh fish and gave them to the hungry old-man to eat... The jackal, as usual cheated: he stole a pot of curd-milk and offered it to the old-man. The rabbit only ate grass. How could he give grass to the hungry old-man to eat? He felt sad about it. So, he decided to offer himself to the poor man. Immediately, he jumped into the fire the old-man had made to keep himself warm on that cold full-moon-night.”

“Rabbit was burnt?” I asked curiously.

“No, no... He was not burnt,” my little friend explained to me, “Because, the hungry old-man was God.”

“So, what happened then?” I asked.

“God was very happy with what rabbit did. He immediately drew the image of this good rabbit on the Moon, so that all people in this world could remember his noble act,” I was told.

“Yes dear, it is the same rabbit – the good Bunny – who comes from the Moon, every Easter morning, carrying for us those lovely eggs in his basket,” I hatched my own Easter-Egg story...

So what if the story was cooked-up? My little friend was happy, I was happy... The Bunny was happy... And God?

Be good like the Bunny. God will bless you for your goodness. There is new life – a beautiful promise – hidden in each Easter Egg... When it comes out, you will find only the empty shell left behind...

Just as the risen Jesus’ empty-tomb!

A happy Easter in advance...

GERALD D’CUNHA