Possessing the ability to reproduce quickly, the hare has been a symbol of fertility and love since ancient times. Because of this connection with the feminine, it was also considered a lunar animal. In Ancient Greece it was believed that if a woman could not bear a child, she should eat a rabbit. The hare became the animal of the goddess of love Aphrodite, as well as an attribute of the goddess Hecate. Its strong connection with female deities made it a symbol of fertility and the rebirth of life.
Coat of arms of the Belarusian city of Kopys
In ancient China, the rabbit was also a symbol of longevity. The hare is the fourth sign of the Chinese horoscope. Those born in the year of the Hare are good-natured, lucky, prudent, tactful and loving. Buddhists believe that the hare voluntarily jumped into the fire and was roasted to feed the Buddha; the animal's compassion saved him from starvation.
Although today the hare is often considered a symbol of cowardice, in ancient times it also signified vigilance and the ability to run quickly, which is why Roman legionaries often depicted it on their shields. In Christianity, the hare has become a symbol of defenselessness and personifies a person who is forced to rely only on God in everything.
Spring flight of the goddess Ostara. From the name of this goddess in Germanic languages comes the name of the Easter holiday and the country of Austria, which in German sounds like “the country of Ostara.” The rabbit was an attribute of Ostara, and is now an indispensable companion of Easter. According to legend, the Easter bunny brings holiday gifts to children.
The maenads bring a hare to Dionysus as a symbol of autumn. Ancient Greek vase
The riddle of three hares
The mysterious symbol of three hares is found throughout Eurasia from China to England. It is believed that it is somehow connected with fertility and the lunar cycle, but its true nature has not yet been studied.
A. Durer. Holy Family. Below in the engraving the artist depicted three birds with one stone.
Three Hares Symbol
Who is the Easter Bunny
In Western Europe, the USA, and Canada, the cute Easter bunny is as integral a part of the spring holiday as Santa Claus is at Christmas. This image accompanied celebrations back in pagan times, later migrated into Christian customs and turned into a symbol of Easter. At all times, various legends have been associated with it.
Ancient symbolism
In ancient Germanic culture, there was a custom to celebrate the festival of fertility on the day of the vernal equinox, to welcome spring as the beginning of a new agricultural year.
The main object of worship was the goddess Eostra (Ostara), whose name meant 'east'. This deity, according to various sources, either had a hare's head, or was accompanied by a rabbit. The animal was a symbol of fertility.
In Anglo-Saxon legends, hares illuminated the path of this goddess. At the same time, there was a legend according to which the goddess Eostra, in order to save a wounded bird, turned it into a hare. But the bird still has the ability to lay eggs.
This is how these two symbols were intertwined in ancient times. Here lies the logical explanation why the Easter bunny brings beautiful eggs.
By the way, from the name of this ancient goddess came the modern name for Easter in the Western world - Easter.
Easter Bunny: Pxhere
Christian legends
In the new religion, the usual explanations of this image have been preserved:
- The most ancient legend tells how a hare saved Archangel Gabriel from robbers during his visit to the earth.
- Another legend dates back to the time of the Flood: when Noah’s ark sprang a leak, the hare plugged it with his tail.
Much later, in the 17th century, the German medical scientist Georg Frank von Frankenau wrote a treatise on Easter eggs. This was the first written reflection of the legend of a rabbit that lays eggs in the garden.
Why a rabbit and not a chicken? People didn’t want to believe that such beautiful Easter eggs were laid by an ordinary chicken. In different legends, this role was performed by other representatives of the fauna:
- stork;
- fox;
- cuckoo.
However, the rabbit still took root. There is a simpler explanation for the origin of the tradition: in the spring, when Easter is expected, the rabbit damages peasant gardens and vegetable gardens (eats crops). It is believed that by leaving beautiful eggs, he atones for his wrongdoings.
Together with immigrants from Germany, the rabbit - a symbol of Easter - migrated overseas in the 18th century, to America and Canada. By the twentieth century, this symbolism was completely established: Easter bunnies became a great joy for children on this holiday.
The character spread throughout the world, his figures began to appear even in the holiday baskets of Orthodox believers of the Eastern rite.
Easter Bunny: Pixabay
Day and Year of the Rabbit
In the sacred Aztec calendar, Tonalpoguali, the eighth day of each month was called tochli, i.e. rabbit. It was a day of self-sacrifice and selfless service to people. The Aztecs believed that on this day one should strive to merge nature and spirit and in no case should one take actions against other people. The patroness of the day was considered the goddess of the agave plant and fertility Maya Guell, who had 400 rabbit children.
Aztec stone calendar
Rabbit Day Sector
Phrase from the movie “The Matrix”
The phrase “Follow the white rabbit” was spoken by the main character of the film The Matrix. Then Neo received this message by email.
Soon a guy and a girl came to him and gave him a floppy disk. The man suggested that the main character go to a club to have fun. At first Neo refused, but then he noticed the girl had a tattoo of a white rabbit on her shoulder. He immediately remembered the message he had received and agreed to the offer.
In the context of the film The Matrix, the meaning of the phrase “Follow the white rabbit” means pay attention to the secret signs and do what they say.
Moon hare
The Chinese believed that a prophetic jasper hare lived on the moon. The lunar hare Tyuzet meant the cyclical nature of living nature - the rebirth of the living, its flowering, and then decline and decomposition, followed by a new cycle of birth. This symbolism is associated with the lunar meanings of the hare - metaphorically there is a connection with the different stages of the Moon - from young, born to full and then old, passing.
Constellation Hare. 18th century engraving
Chinese character for the year of the Hare
Moon hare. Japanese netsuke
Bunny image in arts and crafts
What do we know about rabbits? These are cute creatures with big ears and fluffy tails, they live in burrows and run fast. But, like other animals close to humans, rabbits also had their own symbolic meaning, and therefore were often found in legends and art.
(Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe)
Because of their fertility, rabbits represent fertility and good fortune. The rabbit was the fleet-footed messenger of Hermes, and was also considered the sacred animal of Aphrodite and Eros, the Greek deities of love. In German-Scandinavian mythology, the hare is the emblem of Freya and Holda, the moon goddess. The Saxon hare-headed goddess of spring, Estra, is the British source of the origin of the Easter bunny and the symbolism of the Easter egg as the renewal of life. The American Indians and Egyptians worshiped the Great Hare, who was considered a demiurge. In Ancient Egypt, the goddess Unut was depicted as a hare.
(Silk painting - moon rabbits)
The rabbit adorned the emblem of the Chinese emperor as a symbol of longevity (moon rabbit).
The white hare, as a guardian and protector of animals, personifies the divine principle, and the red one is a sign of good fortune and prosperity. In the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit is a symbol of femininity and virtue. You can read the legend about the moon hare on the Internet. By the way, the Japanese believed that rabbits lived on the moon, and for a reason, and there they cooked their favorite rice dish.
(Hare from engraving)
Droleri (from the French drolerie - prank, eccentricity) or marginalia are drawings in the margins of medieval manuscripts. Their most interesting feature was that such funny miniature drawings usually had nothing to do with the text.
The beginning of it is considered to be the 13th century: it was then that it became fashionable for artists to give vent to their unbridled imagination, bringing down on the reader a heap of comic stories and absurd sketches. By the way, rabbits in such engravings were depicted as quite warlike
(Titian, Madonna and Child and Saint Catherine)
The rabbit is depicted at the feet of the Virgin Mary as a symbol of the victory of chastity. We can see an example in Titian’s painting “Madonna and Child and St. Catherine,” which was painted for Easter 1530 for the famous Venetian Gonzago family. The Virgin Mary holds the rabbit in a commanding gesture, which shows that her spirit is strong.
(Felix Schlesinger, Germany, 1833-1910 “Feeding the Rabbits”)
People loved to draw rabbits at any time, in any era. Subjects with rabbits and children, and still lifes with rabbits were popular. The plot of the rabbits being fed is quite widely represented.
There are also monuments and sculptures to rabbits.
(Sweden, on the banks of the Iota Canal)
("The Thinker" by Barry Flanagan, Sculpture Garden near the Art Gallery in Washington)
(Yerevan. The hare jumps over the bell)
In fact, there are a lot of rabbit sculptures, all of them are mostly modern, each of them has its own conceptual meaning.
(Illustrations for Tenniel's Alice)
And, of course, literature also did not go unnoticed by the rabbits. Tales of Uncle Remus, Alice in Wonderland. Sir John Tenniel in 1865 created illustrations for Alice in Wonderland, which are classic and most reliable.
(Illustration by Arthur Rackham)
But Arthur Rackham's illustrations are also impressive in their detail and style.
A series of fairy tales by the English writer and artist Beatrix Potter called “Peter Rabbit” is internationally popular. The rabbits in the Potter stories are anthropomorphic and wear human clothing; Peter Rabbit was named after Beatrix Potter's childhood rabbit, Peter Piper. The first Peter Rabbit tale, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, was created in 1893 in a letter to Noel Moore, the five-year-old son of Potter's former governess, Annie Moore. The boy was sick, and Potter wrote the story in a letter.
(Peter Rabbit, illustration by the writer herself)
And, of course, everyone remembers cartoon rabbits - Bugs Bunny, Roger Rabbit, Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh, as well as all the bunnies from Russian folk tales.
(Rabbit from Soviet Winnie the Pooh)
In them, they always personified different character traits - cowardice, defenselessness, hard work.
When talking about rabbits in art, one cannot ignore needlework - now there are a lot of different textile, knitted and other eared designs, including in embroidery.
(Embroidery of the rabbit family)
Everyone likes them for their cute appearance and puts them at ease at first sight. Rabbits are tender and tender creatures, which is why girls love them so much. Many people prefer these toys because they cannot resist their cuteness.
Well, that's all Thank you for your attention, if you have any other interesting facts about rabbits in art - write, it will be interesting for everyone to know
Hare among the Slavs
In Slavic folklore, the image of a hare is associated with eroticism, female fertility, love and even lust. However, along with this, the hare was also considered the personification of dark forces. The hare was caught in connection with a goblin, a devil and a witch. Beliefs tell about his ability to lure into the forest and pursue a hunter. It is a very bad omen if a hare crosses the path of a traveler. A.S. Pushkin, who was heading to the capital to participate in the Decembrist uprising, turned back when he saw a hare crossing the road, which may have saved his life.
Soviet stamp with the image of A.S. Pushkin
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Traditions associated with the Easter Bunny in different countries
Different Christian countries celebrate Great Easter with their own traditions and customs.
America, Canada and Western European countries are considered Catholic believers. It is there that Bright Sunday of Christ is celebrated, according to certain traditions:
- In Germany, Easter is especially revered. Thanks to this event, all schoolchildren go on vacation, which lasts 1-2 weeks. Children really look forward to this day because the Easter Bunny comes to them and brings decorated eggs. Usually the parents dress up in the animal's outfit and place beautiful chicken and chocolate eggs in different areas in the garden.
- In all European countries where Catholic Christianity exists, various holiday attributes and souvenirs appear in all stores within 2-3 days. These include postcards, chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs.
- The tradition of placing decorated eggs in bird nests has been preserved since ancient times. Every parent shared with their children the legend that it is rabbits that bring eggs and decorate them. The guys had to find such gifts; it turned into an interesting and funny game.
- In any part of America, Christ's Sunday is always associated with the arrival of spring and a cheerful mood. Children are given gifts and positive emotions. The main symbol of the holiday, the Easter bunny, came to the country from neighboring countries, namely Western Europe, and quickly spread throughout the territory, becoming an integral part of the celebration.
- Gifts for children and adults are prepared on Easter night. Candies and other sweets, as well as chocolate and simple decorated eggs, are placed in a basket and placed in any place in the garden or simply in the grass. Afterwards, the whole family searches for them, often organizing playful competitions to see who can do it the fastest.
On the eve of the celebration in the West, it is customary to beautifully and brightly decorate houses with various figurines of hares. These can be soft toys, postcards made of cardboard or paper, felt.
2-3 days before Easter, everyone can take a photo with the festive bunny, which can be seen everywhere: on the street, in a store, in a park and in educational institutions.
The phrase “Follow the white rabbit” and the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland”
Most people attribute the phrase “Follow the White Rabbit” to the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland.” This work itself raises many questions, since it is thoroughly imbued with symbolism. Its author, Lewis Carroll, was an Illuminist and transmitted encrypted messages through his work. Therefore, in the fairy tale about Alice you can find more questions than answers.
The girl who ran after the white rabbit, just like in the film “The Matrix,” followed secret signs. At the same time, not knowing what awaited her inside the rabbit hole, she still took a chance and jumped there.
This brings to mind another expression: “The rabbit hole is deep.” Its meaning is that the visible part of an event or fact is very far from reality. This phrase is usually used in cases where some secret is too terrible, and no one can even imagine its scale. This is because from the outside, a rabbit hole looks like a small hole in the ground. In reality, rabbits build real underground tunnels with “halls” and passages.
In the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland,” the phrase “The rabbit hole is deep” is deliberately emphasized. When the girl falls into a hole for an infinitely long time, so that she has time to eat and even sleep, it becomes clear that the secrets of the universe are very far from our understanding.
The far side of the moon and adrenochrome
Now let's try to put together all the facts listed above. Let's start with the fact that in ancient legends the rabbit prepared the elixir of immortality. It may hide a substance called Adrenochrome. You can read more about what it is here. The formula of this substance is an inverted rabbit. Interesting coincidence, isn't it!? Adrenochrome prolongs youth and gives a person unearthly strength and energy.
In all the legends, the rabbit sacrificed itself, exchanging its life for the immortality of others. In the production of Adrenochrome, children are sacrificed. At the cost of their lives, representatives of the world elites extend theirs.
The phrase “Follow the white rabbit” means notice the secret signs. Where are they taking us? Perhaps to the far side of the Moon, which is hidden from human eyes and shrouded in many secrets. After all, it is on the Moon that you can see the outlines of the very rabbit you need to follow.
It is noteworthy that the Chinese space program is aimed primarily at exploring the far side of the Moon. They named their lunar rover in honor of the goddess from ancient myths Chang'e, who lived on the Earth's satellite along with a white rabbit.
Interestingly, the Moon Bunny was the subject of a humorous conversation between NASA Mission Control and the Apollo 11 crew.
Houston: "Among the big headlines regarding Apollo this morning, there's one that asks you to keep an eye out for a lovely girl with a big bunny."
Michael Collins: “Okay. We will keep a close eye on the bunny girl.”
Perhaps this conversation was not a joke at all, but contained an encrypted message. What if there are reptilian bases on the far side of the Moon to which our children are delivered to produce the elixir of immortality - Adrenochrome? Maybe this fact explains why so many “UFOs” are constantly recorded near the Moon?!
"Follow the White Rabbit".
Where does this lead us?
Moon.
Author: Olga Vasilyeva. Photo: Instagram, StarlifeTV, YouTube. If you are the author of one of the photos and do not agree with its publication, contact the administration and we will correct the error.
