Hello one and all!
Yesterday I did a Twitter post about the white hare in Celtic folklore, for the Folklore Thursday hashtag, and the response was overwhelming. It even became one of the trending posts in the hashtag. Needless to say, this was the first time it happened. Maybe it resonated because it is something I really enjoy researching about. Because of the interest I decided to share more information that I uncovered about the white hare.
As I stated before, according to Celtic folklore if a woman dies broke-hearted then she reappears as a white hare. This ghostly creature then proceeds to haunt her deceiver and ultimately causes their death. This legend was also connected with a larger story, that I couldn't mention because of it would've gone waaaaay over the word count. I'll regale you with it here.
Story of the White Hare
Once upon a time there was a young man who was hired to manage a vast farm. This young man was handsome, clever and ambitious, ready to climb up the social hierarchy. One day his employer brought a pretty, young peasant girl to work as a milkmaid on the farm. The young farm manager and milk maid were instantly attracted to each other, and a passionate romance ensued.
The owner of the farm became aware of this budding romance, and he banished the milk maid from the farm. This did not dim the couple's love for each other though. They continued to see each other. The farm manager's family did not like the match, and married the young man to a woman that they thought was more suitable. It broke the heart of the milk maid.
The milk maid found out that she was begotten with child shortly afterwards and rumours were spreading throughout the village. One morning a new born baby was found dead in the field and the village's rumours turned malicious and they accused the milk maid of murder. Her former lover came to confess that he was the father, and largely through his testimony, she was found guilty and executed.
After her death things started to go awry for the young farm manager. The farm suddenly became unproductive, and everywhere where he stepped he found a white hare flitting underneath his feet. he soon found that each time the hare appeared bad luck ensued. Try as he might he could not kill it; it just dissipated into thin air when the young man had it cornered.
The farm manager was sacked from his job. He tried moving, to put distance between him and the hare, but it followed him everywhere, and each time he was just about to succeed in a venture the white hare appeared, bringing about a calamity.
One morning the man's horse was found wandering alone along a road. There had been especially heavy snowfall but his broken body was found nearby. And trailing around it the paw prints of a hare.
Thanks for reading, hope everyone enjoyed this story!
Feel free to comment if you feel like it!
Yesterday I did a Twitter post about the white hare in Celtic folklore, for the Folklore Thursday hashtag, and the response was overwhelming. It even became one of the trending posts in the hashtag. Needless to say, this was the first time it happened. Maybe it resonated because it is something I really enjoy researching about. Because of the interest I decided to share more information that I uncovered about the white hare.
As I stated before, according to Celtic folklore if a woman dies broke-hearted then she reappears as a white hare. This ghostly creature then proceeds to haunt her deceiver and ultimately causes their death. This legend was also connected with a larger story, that I couldn't mention because of it would've gone waaaaay over the word count. I'll regale you with it here.
Story of the White Hare
Once upon a time there was a young man who was hired to manage a vast farm. This young man was handsome, clever and ambitious, ready to climb up the social hierarchy. One day his employer brought a pretty, young peasant girl to work as a milkmaid on the farm. The young farm manager and milk maid were instantly attracted to each other, and a passionate romance ensued.
The owner of the farm became aware of this budding romance, and he banished the milk maid from the farm. This did not dim the couple's love for each other though. They continued to see each other. The farm manager's family did not like the match, and married the young man to a woman that they thought was more suitable. It broke the heart of the milk maid.
The milk maid found out that she was begotten with child shortly afterwards and rumours were spreading throughout the village. One morning a new born baby was found dead in the field and the village's rumours turned malicious and they accused the milk maid of murder. Her former lover came to confess that he was the father, and largely through his testimony, she was found guilty and executed.
After her death things started to go awry for the young farm manager. The farm suddenly became unproductive, and everywhere where he stepped he found a white hare flitting underneath his feet. he soon found that each time the hare appeared bad luck ensued. Try as he might he could not kill it; it just dissipated into thin air when the young man had it cornered.
The farm manager was sacked from his job. He tried moving, to put distance between him and the hare, but it followed him everywhere, and each time he was just about to succeed in a venture the white hare appeared, bringing about a calamity.
One morning the man's horse was found wandering alone along a road. There had been especially heavy snowfall but his broken body was found nearby. And trailing around it the paw prints of a hare.
Thanks for reading, hope everyone enjoyed this story!
Feel free to comment if you feel like it!
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