
Loading summary
A
Hello.
B
Welcome to Stories Podcast.
A
I'm your host, Amanda Weldon.
B
Today's story is a throwback episode.
C
Tune in to hear one of our.
B
Classic stories from the archive that you.
C
Might have missed the first time around.
B
We have Stories Podcast merch, available@storiespodcast.com shop.
C
We're also on cameo for all of your personalized video message needs.
B
And don't forget to follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast.
C
If you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed.
B
Now, here's a word from our sponsors. The New Year is here. One of my resolutions was to finally get my house fully organized and beautiful. And Wayfair has everything I need to do just that. From storage solutions for every room in the house, to bedding to couches and even kitchen appliances, Wayfair is your one stop shop. One of the rooms we were really hoping to spruce up this year is my daughter's bedroom. She moved into a big kid bed not that long ago and we've had her sleeping on a mattress on the floor. This was a good idea for safety reasons. She can't fall out of the bed and hurt herself too badly when she's already on the floor, but it really didn't look that great. Thanks to Wayfair, we were able to do a huge upgrade. Birdie's bed is still low to the ground, but now it's on a beautiful bed frame that looks like a little house. It has a canopy and everything and it's so cute. I would have loved something like this in my room when I was a little girl and I'm so excited to give it to my daughter now. She loves it and I love it too because her bedroom looks so much better. Someday maybe we'll replace all the furniture in her room and when we do, Wayfair has everything we need. Get organized, refreshed and back on track this new year. For way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home. That's W A Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair Every style, every home quince is all about elevated essentials that feel effortless. Designed for layering and mixing, each piece helps build a timeless wardrobe made to last with versatile silhouettes and thoughtful details. They're the kind of styles you wear again and again. They've got the wardrobe staples with quality that's made to last 100%. Organic cotton sweaters, premium denim made with stretch for all day comfort luxe cotton cashmere blends perfect for the changing seasons. Everything you need for a wardrobe that actually lasts. And Quince works directly with safe ethical factories and cuts out the middlemen. So you're not paying for brand markup, just high quality clothing. Don't tell my husband, but I'm getting him a Mongolian cashmere classic cable sweater from Quince for Valentine's Day. He's gonna love it. It's so soft and so pretty and so expensive seeming, but actually very reasonably priced. And it'll be perfect for him to wear out to our Valentine's Day dinner. I can't wait to give it to him. Refresh your wardrobe with quince. Go to quince.comstories for free shipping on your order and and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's quince.comstories to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comstories thanks.
C
Enjoy the episode.
A
The Moon Rabbit Once upon a time, in a sprawling forest in China, the moon rose full and bright like enchanted silver or a tear from the fae. It shone with glistening magic. It seemed bigger than normal, the glow stronger, the shine steadier. Its fairy light moved through the forest like a song, making the river sparkle and the trees dapple with shadow. It was the first full moon of the year, and all the animals looked on with wonder. This is a special moon, said the monkey sitting in his tree. A giant special moon. Don't you think so, friends?
C
Oh, it's a beautiful moon.
A
Sang the otter from her river below.
C
A wondrous moon, a loony lunar moon, a mooner mooney moon. A lunar loony mooner mooney moon, to be sure. Look how it makes my water shiny finey.
A
She spun in the stream, splashing her flippers and flashing her belly. The water sloshed into the nearby bush and a little rabbit came out shaking herself dry.
C
And the water on the leaves looks.
A
Like little crystals, the little rabbit said, sitting by her bush.
C
It's so pretty.
A
I just love it. They all looked up together, enjoying the moon's gentle glow. After a minute of peaceful silence, the monkey stood up on his branch. We should honor the Moon Spirits, he said. Let's gather some food and bring it to the lucky rock. Wouldn't that be good? Oh, that sounds perfect, said the otter, splashing playfully in the water.
C
Some food for the moon. Some yummy tummy food for the mooney mooney moon. Yummy tummy loony moony. We'll honor you soony suny.
A
All right, sure, said the little rabbit without much enthusiasm the monkey could get bananas all over the forest and the otter could always find her fill of fish. But the little rabbit wasn't so lucky. Small as she was, she usually just stayed out of the way and ate grass. And grass, even a lot of grass, was no kind of tribute for such a lovely moon. Of course, the monkey knew that since he had so much, he always seemed to think it was funny to make fun of the rabbit for having so little. It made her feel terrible, but she was too embarrassed to say anything about it.
C
Maybe we could do something instead of.
A
Food, though, the little rabbit ventured, hoping to change the plan to something she could actually help with.
C
Like maybe we could do a dance or we could sing a song. Maybe we could do some art or, I don't know, something.
A
No way. Shouted the monkey hanging from his tail to stare at the little rabbit upside down. It needs to be food. Get what you can and meet us at the little rock. He grinned a mean little grin and then swung and leapt from the tree. He disappeared, swinging from vine to vine deeper into the forest.
C
Oh, see you there, little hare.
A
Said the otter, flipping over with a splash and disappearing into the silver shining river. The little rabbit kicked at the ground, looking around at the waving moonlit grass. See you there, she said to herself, heaving a sigh.
C
I guess I'll see what I can find.
A
She hopped through the forest looking for something to give as tribute to the beautiful full moon. As she looked, she thought about the.
B
Carrot she had back at her burrow.
A
It was small and withered, but it was the only one she had managed to find.
C
Truth be told, she had been looking.
A
Forward to eating it for weeks. It would make a better tribute than grass. But it was all she had, so she was determined to find something else to share. She hopped through the berry patches, but they had already been busheled. She dug in the mud, but there were no more carrots to be found. She waded near the river's edge, but the clams had all been claimed. The mountains and the meadows, the basins and the bamboo, all of it was picked clean or guarded by bigger, tougher, meaner animals. In the end, the little rabbit came up empty handed, and all she could find was the sweet grass she ate most days to fill her belly.
C
A poor gift for such a lovely moon.
A
She said to herself sadly. Such beauty deserves better.
C
But what more can I do?
A
There's no food I can find. There's no gift that really shows how much I care.
C
Oh, I would just do a dance.
A
But the monkey will never stop teasing me.
C
I need food.
A
She looked up at the moon.
C
I wish I could give you all.
A
The fruit like monkey or all the fish like otter, but all I eat is grass and carrots. She looked to the little carrot she had been so carefully saving. Inside, she was torn. On the one hand, she wanted to save the carrot for herself. It was her only special treat. On the other hand, she wanted to give something nice to the moon, the gorgeous silver moon that lit up her world and let her move about at night. She wrestled with the thoughts in her burrow, tossing and turning so badly her ears were all tied up in knots. When she was through, she combed them free again and headed out to the lucky rock to meet the monkey and the otter. Now for a quick ad break.
B
We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other.
A
Favorite kid podcasts ad free.
B
Subscribe to Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts February can be a tough stretch for homeschool families. Shorter days, busy schedules, and motivation that starts to dip. IXL helps keep learning consistent, focused and moving forward without stress. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling. It offers interactive practice across math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. IXL personalizes learning for each child, keeps them engaged, and gives parents clear insight into progress. IXL's interactive practice and clear explanations make it easy to reinforce learning during the winter months without burning kids out. Everything is organized by grade and subject, so you can quickly find what each child needs without juggling multiple resources. Over 15 million students use IXL and more than 75 research studies show it delivers real results. Peace of mind for homeschool parents make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and stories. Podcast listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at www.ixl.comdragon. visit www.ixl.comdragon to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price have you ever had a time when your kid is screaming and crying, throwing up and running a fever and you just realized you're completely out of Baby Tylenol and Pedialyte? I have, and that's why I use DoorDash. Being a person is hard enough these days, let alone a parent. No matter how hard you plan or how prepared you try to be, sometimes life with kids gets a little chaotic. Real life needs real relief. That's why doordash is there for whatever you need whenever you need it for those days when everyone is sick and you're completely out of tissues and NyQuil. Or the days when your kid lets you know at the last minute that they have a project due tomorrow and you can't find any glue sticks in the entire house.
A
Or.
B
Or when you've been running from gymnastics to play rehearsal to hockey practice and everyone is exhausted and needs a little treat. Doordash is there when life happens.
A
Get a little order delivered with doordash order now it's about time you showed up, the monkey said when she arrived. We've already brought our food for the moon.
C
Oh, we've brought foodie. Foodies for the Mooney Wooney, sang the.
A
Otter from the water.
C
Fill its belly welly, make it swelly, swelly. What?
A
What did you bring? Asked the little rabbit, afraid of the answer. Well, said the monkey, moving a branch to let the moonlight shine on the pile of food at his feet, as you can see, I've brought all the bananas I could carry. They're bright yellow and so creamy you can almost drink them. He crossed his arms, a smug smile on his face. And what did you bring?
C
Um, I, uh.
A
The little rabbit stammered, but luckily the otter jumped in.
C
Oh, I brought fishy wishies for the loony Moony.
A
She said, flapping at a pile of wriggling fish by the lucky rock.
C
They're so wriggly giggly.
B
I know.
C
I'll eat them soony, soony.
A
They look great, said the monkey, before turning back to the little rabbit. He smiled the same mean little smile from earlier. And what did you bring, little rabbit? Some grass, I'm guessing. The little rabbit flushed, angry and embarrassed but determined to keep her cool. No, I didn't bring grass, she said, stepping forward.
C
I brought this.
A
She reached out and laid half a carrot on the ground. It was a sad and withered thing, barely as big as the little rabbit's paw.
B
Still, it was the best she could do.
C
Oh, a carrot werret.
A
The otter sang with a smile.
C
What a nice treat for the Mooney wooney. Oh, loony, loony, mooney, mooney.
A
The monkey, though, he just snorted a laugh, that's all. You brought half a dinky little carrot? He shook his head. Look at all the bananas I brought. It's practically a feast. You should be ashamed of yourself. Hey, the little rabbit said.
C
This was the best I could do.
A
Well then, said the monkey, it's pretty clear who will be the Moon spirit's favorite.
C
Oh, yes, pretty cleary, deary. Wait, who would be the favorite again?
A
The monkey started to talk, pointing proudly at himself, when there was a strange twinkling light just above the lucky rock. What in the world? The monkey said. The twinkling turned to an unearthly glow which seemed to bend and flow into the shape of a person. A person hooded in a deep robe of pure silver moonlight. The Moon Spirit, the monkey said. The animals all bowed their heads, awash in her radiant glow. Thank you, my friends, the spirit said, shimmering like an opal. When she moved, the air rang with musical chimes and smelled clean and cool. Your generosity is appreciated, and one of you has been generous. Above all, such generosity must be rewarded. The little rabbit hung her head. She was so embarrassed that she'd only brought half her little carrot. The monkey had a pile of fruit, the otter a pile of fish. She could at least have brought the whole carrot. Now she had to watch the mean old monkey get a reward. Tears stung at her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Thank you for noticing, Moon Spirit, said the monkey, dusting off his shoulders. I did bring quite a lot of bananas, didn't I? Now, about my reward. I was thinking. Not you, said the Moon Spirit sternly. You have so much.
C
All the bananas you can eat.
A
And instead of being nice to the little rabbit, you make her feel bad about what she has just to make yourself feel better. The Moon Spirit shook her head. No. The true generosity is from the Little Rabbit.
B
What?
A
But she only brought half a carrot. I brought a whole load of bananas. Yes, but you have endless bananas. The little rabbit only had a single carrot in the whole world, and even.
C
Then she gave me half.
A
Would you be that generous, monkey?
C
Would you give me half of everything you own?
A
The monkey looked down at his tail, embarrassed. No, he said slowly. I suppose I wouldn't. The spirit nodded and then knelt down to look at the little rabbit in her little eyes. I'm sorry you struggled. It was sweet of you to think of me. You didn't have to go to any trouble. But I appreciate the carrot. I know it can't be easy to be so little. Thank you, the little rabbit said.
C
I'm really happy you liked it.
A
I think your moonlight is very beautiful.
C
You do?
A
Would you like to come and see it up close? The little rabbit gasped.
C
Really? I would love that.
A
The Moon Spirit held out her arms and the little rabbit hopped into the glowing robe.
C
You're not all bad, monkey.
A
Just remember, not everyone has a forest full of bananas to choose from. You need to remember not everyone is as fortunate as you are. I'll remember, said the monkey seriously. I promise I will. I believe you, said the moon spirit. But just in case, the moon spirit held up the little rabbit and they both sparkled and seemed to glow with a silver light that was both bright and cool like concentrated stars above them. The moon sparkled in the same way, and as the animals watched on part of the full moon, the shape of the little rabbit shimmered on the surface.
C
Oh, is that what I think it is?
A
Said the otter.
C
Yes.
A
I put the shape of the little rabbit on the moon for everyone to see. Tell them what happened, look up at the moon rabbit and remember to be kind. She held the little rabbit close and turned to leave. Oh, I almost forgot. She stopped and turned to the otter in the river, flashing a wide smile and speaking in a sing songy voice. Thank you for the fish, my ottery ottery, she said with a wink. The otter beamed back at her, smiling from whisker to whisker.
C
Oh, my pleasure, Loony Wooney. Spooney Mooney.
A
She called. And then the spirit and the little rabbit were drenched in a wash of moonlight. It grew brighter and brighter and then rose in a flash. When Monkey and Otter looked again, the spirit and the little rabbit were gone. And that's why some people say if you look at the moon when it's full and bright, you can still see the shape of the little rabbit living happy, bright and shining on the surface of the moon. The End Today's Story the Moon Rabbit was an adaptation of the Asian folk tale written for you by Daniel Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon.
B
If you would like to support Stories podcast, you can leave us a five.
A
Star review on iTunes.
B
Check out all of our merch available@storiespodcast.com.
C
Shop Commission a special video on Cameo.
B
Follow us on Instagram oriespodcast or or simply tell your friends about us.
A
Thanks for listening.
Podcast: Stories Podcast: A Bedtime Show for Kids of All Ages
Episode: Throwback: The Moon Rabbit
Date: February 12, 2026
Host: Amanda Weldon
Story Author: Daniel Hines
This episode is a retelling of "The Moon Rabbit," an adaptation of a classic Asian folk tale. Set in a magical forest, it follows the story of a humble rabbit who, despite her own lack, offers a heartfelt gift to the Moon Spirit. The tale touches on themes of kindness, generosity, humility, and the idea that true gifts are those given with the most heart.
"The moon rose full and bright like enchanted silver or a tear from the fae. It shone with glistening magic."
— Narrator (Amanda Weldon), 03:04
"No way... It needs to be food. Get what you can and meet us at the little rock."
— Monkey, 06:04
"This was the best I could do."
— Little Rabbit, 13:44
"The little rabbit only had a single carrot in the whole world, and even then she gave me half. Would you be that generous, monkey?"
— Moon Spirit, 16:21
"Tell them what happened, look up at the moon rabbit and remember to be kind."
— Moon Spirit, 18:29
"Oh, a carrot werret! What a nice treat for the Mooney wooney!"
— Otter (singing), 13:14
"The Moon Rabbit" reminds listeners that generosity is greatest when it comes from the heart, not from abundance. Even the smallest gift, if sincerely offered, shines the brightest.