Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-08
The aare in the Noon.


The following is an extract from lee
ture of the Rev. Timothy Harley, F. R.
A. S., of London, who VIII be remembered
as resident of this city not very long
ago:
When the silvery satellite of our sys-
TEN is about full, as it was on the night
which divided the past from the present
year, it requires no very vivid imagina-
tion to descry upon its luminous surface
patch which strikingly resembles a
rabbit or hare. In India the common
people think the moon spots look like
hare, hence the moon is called in Sanskrit
SdSdRkd, hare mark or spot. And this
remembrance of the sacred language of
the Hindus affords an opportunity of in
PRODUCING one of the most beautiful
legends of the East. 1t is a Buddhist
tract, but in the lesson which it embOdies
it will compare very favorably with many
a tract mere Ostensibly Christian.
In former days, hare, a monkey, a
coOt, and fox, became hermits, and lived
in a wilderness together, after having
sworn not to kill any living thing. The
god Sakkria having seen this through his
divine power, thought to try their faith,
and accordingly took upon him the form
Of q Brahmin, and appearing before the
monkey, begged Of him aims, who imme-
diately brought to him a bunch of man.
goes, aud presented it to him. The pre-
tended Brahmin, having left the monkey,
went to the cOot and made the same re-
quest who presented him a row of fish
which he had Just found on the bank
of a river, evidently forgotten by a
fisherman. The Brahmin then went
to the fox, who Immediately went
in search of food, and soon, re-
turned with a pot of milk and a dried
liguan, which he had found in a plain,
where, apparently, they had been left by
a herdsman. The Brahmin at last went
to the hare and begged aims of him. The
hare said: Friend, l eat nothing but
grass, which think is Of no use to you"
Then the pretended Brahmin replied:
E'Why. friend, if you are true hermit
you can give me your own flesh in nope OF
future happiness" The hare directly con-
scented to it, and said to the supposed Brab-
min: 81 have granted your request, and
you may do whatever you please with
me-" The Brahmin then replied ''Since
you are willing to grant my request
| will kindle a fire at the foot Of the
rock, from which you may jump into the
fire, which VIII save me the trouble Of
killing you and dressing your flesh" The
hare readily agreed to it, and jumped
from the top of the rock into the fire
which the supposed Brahmin had kindled;
but before he reached the fire it was eX-
tinguished, and the Brahmin, appearing
in his natural shape of the God Sakkria,
| took the hare in his arms, and Immediate
| " drew it's figure in the moon, in order
| that every living thing of every part of
! the world might see it,
/ All will acknowledge that this is a very
| beautiful allegOry. How many in Eng
! land, as well as IN CeylOn, are described
! by the monkey, the coOt and the fox
| willing to bring their God any Oblation
which cost them nothing; but how few
are like the hare, ready to present them
selves as a Giving sacrifice" to be con-
sumed as burnt Offering in the Divine
service. Those. however, who lose their
] lives in such self-sacriice shall find them.
and be caught up to 'shine as the bright.
ness of the armament and as the stars fol-
ever and ever"
*"The Sacred and Historical Books OF Cey-
/ lon," edited by Edward Upham, London, lS53
! iii, 300,