The Way of the Rabbit by Mark Hawthorne

 The Way of the Rabbit

  by Mark Hawthorne is a new book published by John Hunt Publishing. I was curious to read this book because, I admit, I love rabbits. Having lived most of the time in a countryside, I have always seen rabbits around, although in my part of the world we, ahem, keep them for later killing and eating them. 

Rabbits are very nice, tender and shy and they have many good characterial treats:  friendships,  courage, history, playfulness, spirit,  ability to forgive.

They are fantastically enchanting if you are lucky enough to seeing them around while they are playing all together.

Romans brought rabbits in England and these little animals are associated with spring (see the voice: Easter) the moon, rejuvenation, fertility, so animals in grade to bring good luck: in the past people thought also that they could be signals of bad omen.

A beautiful chapter is completely dedicated to legends associated with rabbits. An example? A Menominee legend tell us that we should thanks for the creation of the world a Rabbit and...a Owl. The rabbit didn't want to live in an undefined world and asked to the owl some advice. The owl thinking that the rabbit was a fool decided of having a contest with him: the winner would have chosen for a perennial day or... night. At the end the winner was the rabbit and decided to alternate night and day because in this way the world would have been more balanced.

Easter is the rabbit-season. For sure the little animal more recognizable and felt as Easter's symbol, dove apart: probably it's in the pagan legends and traditions that we start to see the rabbit as co-protagonist. As you'll understand also the name Easter, maybe is an echo of pagan characters...

And we can't be so sure that Lewis Carroll hasn't been inspired for the creation of the white rabbit by the so-called "pilgrim rabbit" located in the church of St.Mary.

Literature having as main character rabbits is pretty fertile: it is driven by Helen Beatrix Potter, and Richard Adams with Watership Down: a chapter is dedicated to the art associated with rabbits; there was also a vampire rabbit located close to St. Nicholas’s Churchyard. It is still unknown the reason why they built that kind of magical and horrific creature, but maybe they did it because with "his spooky presence was meant to ward off grave robbers" writes the author.

If also filmakers were and are interested in rabbit, with the time was also created a special coktail named after them.

Rabbit in the Home is a special chapter, interesting because describes pretty well the condition of rabbits in a cage or little environment dedicated to them where there is little interaction with people, but also new ideas for keeping them, when as domestic animals, so for a longer time, in a state of much more freedom.

Rabbits are intelligent animals. I remember when we set free two rabbits. They lived indipendently well outside, enjoying the grass and nutriments that they found, and living with joy and happiness at long.

Very interesting book! Sunny, very well-documented and plenty of informations.

Highly recommended.

I thank John Hunt Publishing for the copy o the book.

Anna Maria Polidori