14 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



is because the doings of wild rabbits or 

 hares, which are most active at night, 

 are visible only in the light of the moon. 

 Perhaps also from a primitive and occult 

 myth which refers to the alleged ability 

 of the rabbit and of the moon to change 

 its sex at will. Exactly what this teach- 

 ing was, it is now difficult to determine. 

 All we know is that ancient literatures 

 contain subtle references to it. 



But, to me, the most probable explan- 

 ation is, that the German or Dutch 

 father considered himself to be an em- 

 blem of the things best fitted for his 

 children's pleasure on the church's prin- 

 cipal holiday — especially from the child's 

 point of view. To that emblematic and 

 idealized self, he gave the name of a 



the claim of no uncleanly habits? 



So the rabbit at Easter represents 

 love. But what about the absurd claim 

 that it lays eggs, and, worse yet, that in 

 one night it lays an enormous quantity 

 of colored eggs ? Easter is a springtime 

 holiday at the very beginning of plant 

 life, when miraculous transformations 

 are made in a short time. The children's 

 interest in these sudden bursts of plant 

 life are chiefly centered in the variously 

 colored flowers. Easter stands at the 

 beginning of a renewed life, and of that 

 there is nothing more emblematic or 

 more realistic than an egg. Easter 

 stands for love to mankind and for a 

 new, sudden, miraculous reappearance of 

 life. Springtime means all this, in the 



"CELESTIAL," A BLUE DUTCH, AND HER FAMILY. 

 Vastly better "display" for Easter than the monstrosities of show windows. 



bishop famous for his kindness toward 

 children. I have often wondered why 

 the father did not allow the mother to be 

 an emblem of good things as a secondary 

 holiday. But it seems clear to me that 

 he wanted no human competition in that 

 child's making of an idol. So he took the 

 other best living thing in the household— 

 the child's favorite pet. For what child 

 anywhere on earth (not alone in Ger- 

 man)' or Holland) doesn't love a "bun- 

 ny?" The rabbit is the ideal of all 

 lovableness among four-footed animals. 

 And rightly so. It stands on its merits. 

 It is always lovable. For what other 

 four- footed pet can you truthfully make 



plant life, with the addition, especially 

 noticeable by the child, of a variety of 

 colors. 



The German and the Dutch mind de- 

 light in absurdity. The bigger "whop- 

 per" the "fader" can tell the children 

 and the more firmly he can make them 

 believe it, when it is for their present en- 

 joyment and future improvement, the 

 more jollity he shakes all over with his 

 laughter. That is why he made St. 

 Nicholas ride in mid-air and not on the 

 ground, and tumble down the chimney 

 instead of walking in at the door. That 

 is why he has a rabbit suddenly lay so 

 many colored eggs in all sorts of places. 



