rabbit

Hares and rabbits are fertility symbols of antiquity. Since they give birth to large litters in the early spring, they became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the vernal equinox and thus they are Christian Easter rebirth symbol. In European literature, we see a white rabbit portrayed in Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. This nervous rabbit begins the story by holding a timepiece and muttering the unforgettable words, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" In African and American oral tradition, the rabbit is an archetypal, always lovable trickster. Likewise in Japanese lore, the white rabbit proves too clever and arrogant for its own good, meeting disastrous ends. In the Chinese zodiac, the rabbit is the happiest of the twelve symbols, being kind, popular, affectionate and obliging. Native American legend holds the rabbit as a spirit guide, reminding those of us who are physically vulnerable to seek safety in numbers and to "leap over obstacles in your path." It also counsels one to remain calm in times of danger, much like the rabbit "freezes" when a predator approaches, relying first on its camouflage color to hide in plain sight before fleeing when absolutely necessary!

Example of known uses of rabbit

The coat of arms of the town of Harjager

The salient hare in the arms of this town in southern Sweden is a canting emblem - the Swedish and English words for hare are the same. The first recorded use of the arms was in a county seal dated 1524.

Peter Rabbit symbol

English writer and illustrator Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit is familiar to children everywhere.