align="center"> The North American phenomenon that enshrines the rabbit in fantasy
Folklore, mythology, and half-truth
have accompanied the rabbit & its
paws, wherever it has gone. From
the outback of Australia where
rabbits are said to be as plentiful
as zebras on the Serengeti, to
Wales where newborn babies are
wished good health with the touch
of a rabbit's foot. To North
America where a cutesy , sugar
coated mythology reigns and
rabbits are ubiquitously associated
with everything from "What's up
Doc?" to Watership Down.
More than any other myth, it is this
cartoon fantasy that has hindered
the rabbit's acceptance as a meat
animal on this continent.
For instance, in asking a friend
why she didn't buy rabbit meat,
she said that every time she sees a
sign in the local butcher shop
which reads "Fresh Rabbits on
ice," all she can think of is
Thumper coaxing Bambi onto the
ice pond.
Although rabbit meat was as
popular as chicken or pork at the
turn of the century, it is only now
gradually overcoming such
sentiments to regain its position as
a meat of choice, especially as
downtown supermarkets begin to
carry it more and rabbit hutches
become ever more popular features
of the backyard.
Meanwhile in the US and Canada,
even the "Easter Bunny" has been
glorified to the extent that children
are encouraged to believe that
bunnies actually lay eggs.
Are rabbits actually responsible for
the Easter eggs that are scattered
for children to find?
In medieval Europe, the origins of
Easter were actually associated
with rabbits because they were
considered the embodiment of
fertility. Easter was after all a
pagan festival to celebrate the
planting season and anything else
that was connected to productivity.
Cartoon characters of rabbits are
endearing and form a lasting
impression on young minds,
which translates into a prejudice
against eating rabbit meat in
adulthood in the US and Canada.
Realistic portrayals of rabbits as
the lowest member of the forest
food chain, and as a source of
protein for any carnivore that
happened along, but also for
human kind fell to the interests of
the politically correct Madison
Avenue crowd. There was far too
much money to be made by
catering to the urban myths of
chocolate bunnies, Easter eggs,
cards and all the paraphanalia
that goes with it.