Fantasy: March 31, 2021 Issue [#10691]
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 This week: Here Comes Peter Cottontail!
  Edited by: eyestar~* Author IconMail Icon
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Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

*Egg1* Happy Spring everyone! I am happy to be this week's editor for a bit of fun and the magic of Easter!
Anyone remember this tune?


*Music1*

*Rabbit*
Here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppin', Easter's on its way

Bringin' every girl and boy
Baskets full of Easter joy
Things to make your Easter bright and gay

He's got jelly beans for Tommy
Colored eggs for sister Sue
There's an orchid for your mommy
And an Easter bonnet too

Oh, here comes Peter Cottontail
Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity, happy Easter Day
Here comes Peter Cottontail

Hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppin', Easter's on its way
Try to do the things you should
Maybe if you're extra good
He'll roll lots of Easter eggs your way…



This tale has been around a long time, first written in 1949, by Steve Nelson and Jack Rollins and made popular by Gene Autry!

Now just how did this cute and popular Easter Bunny dressed in clothes, carrying Easter baskets of decorated eggs come into being?



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Letter from the editor


*Delight*This week's topic was inspired by a young friend of mine asking about the Easter bunny laying eggs, when she knows they have live bunnies. She is crossing from the fantasy to the reality. *Wink*

We know bunnies and eggs both represent new life, fertility, spring and have long been symbols in the Christian Easter tradition. But how did the whole Easter bunny mythology begin?

*Rabbit3* There is a theory, hard to prove historically that the rabbit was a symbol used in the pagan tradition, the celebration of Eostre, which honoured the saxon goddess of fertility and spring. Truly rabbits suit the idea of fertility as they bear many live young. Still, no laying eggs.

*Egg3* Now egg decorating may have begun in the 13th c, when eggs were forbidden as a food during the church's Lent season. People would keep their eggs and decorate them to eat them for Easter celebrations. Still, no rabbit deliveries. *Smile*

*Rabbit2*In the 1700's German immigrants in Pennsylvania brought over their tradition of the Osterhase", a hare who laid colourful eggs to give to good children. Children would make nests for the eggs and come back to collect them. The Easter hare originally played a judge to ascertain behaviours of children at Eastertide.
another tradition in Germany was that children were often given toy rabbits or hares made of canton flannel stuffed with cotton Easter morning and were told this Osterhase laid the Easter eggs.

*Eggr* Now this takes us back to the deeper goddess tradition relayed above... Ostara was a popular goddess in folklore as a spring time goddess. One story goes that her hare was originally a bird. There are several renditions: Ostara finding a frozen bird turned it to a rabbit, who kept the ability to lay eggs. Or Ostara had a bird who pulled her chariot across the sky but could not endure all the changes so was changed into this furry little creature who then became a symbol of fertility. In honour of its old bird existence, she allowed the bunny to lay eggs one day a year. *Shock2*

So... there is the mythical tidbit we were searching for *Delight*

In any case, the tradition became popular in the US and has expanded in its scope to include gifting chocolate, toys, books, gifts etc at Easter time. The Easter egg hunt is always popular.

*Rabbit*In other countries it is not always an Easter Bunny! In Australia, watch for the Easter Bilby, an endangered rabbit-like marsupial, In Switzerland, an Easter Cuckoo. Easter foxes and Easter Roosters have been seen out there as well in parts of Germany. No real bunnies laid eggs! Must be magical.*Wand*

*Rabbit2* So all you young at hearts, there is always magic. Enjoy your Spring festivals and keep your eyes peeled! You never know! *Rabbit3*


Thanks for reading my bit of fun!
eyestar


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G6F0pyaT7c


https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2016/04/ostara-and-the-hare/





Editor's Picks

*Rabbit3*We still love Easter bunnies!

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Oh Joyful Day Open in new Window. (E)
No one believed, but the bunny had faith. Double Quill Winner!
#2188765 by Carol St.Ann Author IconMail Icon

 
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Lost Holiday  Open in new Window. (E)
Egg White tells his eggs the hunt is off—Easter is cancelled.
#2218961 by Jatog the Green Author IconMail Icon

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Bo Bunny, Sprinkles The Unicorn, Poppies Open in new Window. (E)
Bo Bunny and Sprinkles the Unicorn get in more trouble delivering Easter goodies.
#2199644 by Princess Megan Snow Rose Author IconMail Icon

 
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No Easter Bunny Open in new Window. (E)
The Food Police versus the Easter bunny
#1926518 by Prosperous Snow celebrating Author IconMail Icon

 
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Woes of the Wolpertinger Open in new Window. (13+)
Get woke, ya'll. The real story behind the Easter Bunny myth.
#2187569 by Krista Author IconMail Icon


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Magic Words Contest  Open in new Window. (13+)
A fantasy short story contest. Fantastic Prizes. Closed
#1871010 by A E Willcox Author IconMail Icon

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