Contents:
-Rabbits on Creation
-Rabbits on Life
-Rabbits on Death
-Lapine folklore
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Rabbits on Creation
Rabbits believe that Frith, the Sun God, created the earth and the
rest of the stars from his droppings. All of the animals lived peacefully
off of grass, until Frith noticed a problem with El-hrairah, the famed
rabbit prince. He had countless wives and even more children. They scampered
all over the Earth eating all the grass as they went.
Frith warned the prince that if he didn't keep his population under control,
he would find ways of doing it. El-hrairah, being slightly stuck up, mouthed
back that his people were the best in the world, and that none could match
them in speed and intelligence.
Frith had the option of killing the prince right off, but instead, he
decided to fool him at his own game. Frith gave each of the animals their
own gift, calling a great meeting. The rabbit prince is at first excited
that he is going to receive a gift (to make him even more wonderful), until
he realizes that animals like the hawk, fox, stoat, and badger (lendri),
have been given a desire to eat rabbit-kind, and the defenses they need to
kill them.
El-hrairah suddenly feels less sure of himself, and burrows in a hole,
leaving only his rear sticking out. Nervously, he insists that his bottom
be blessed, as it sticks out of the hole.
Frith does so, and gives the rabbit the cottony tail, as well as powerful
back legs for running. He tells El-hrairah to watch out, for he has a
thousand enemies.
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Rabbits on Life
Rabbits believe themselves to be strong beings with in their own
society, but nearly helpless to the elements of the world. In the creation
story, Frith tells El-hrairah "All the world will be your enemy, Prince
with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you."
(Adams 37). They also know, however, that with Frith's protection, they
are safe. As Dandelion, the warren's master storyteller puts it, "We come
into the world and we have to go: but we do not go merely to serve the
term of one enemy or another. If that were so, we would all be destroyed
in a day." (Adams 274)
The Black Rabbit of Inelé determines when rabbits die, but also
serves as their protector. (see Rabbits on Death
below)
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Rabbits on Death
Rabbits believe that the Black Rabbit of Inelé determines
fate. He "…knows where the peg is driven; and when the weasel dances,
the Black Rabbit is not too far off…some rabbits seem to just throw their
lives away…their foolishness comes from the Black Rabbit, for it is by
his will that they do not smell the dog or see the gun. The Black Rabbit
brings sickness too." (Adams 274).
If a peaceful death is intended (such as in the case of Hazel as described
in Watership Down but not Tales from Watership Down) "…he
will come at night and call the rabbit by name: and then that rabbit must
go out to him…He goes with the Black Rabbit and leaves no traces." (Adams
274)
If a rabbit is killed without the consent of the Black Rabbit, he will
avenge the death.
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Lapine Folklore
Lapine folklore consists mainly of the trickster stories of El-hrairah.
He is a cunning character, greatly resembling the coyote stories of Native
American folklore. In fact, there is a Ute creation story that suggests
all the animals lived in peace until Coyote started stirring trouble, much
as described here. I also heard storyteller tell a story in which the Great
Spirit gave to all creatures their own gift, and Coyote was excited, but
I am unable to recall the tribe.
Bibliography:
Adams, Richard. Watership Down Rex Collings Ltd. © 1972
Rpt. New York: Avon Books. © 1975
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