is very widely prevalent in South Africa, the moon sends the hare to men to preach this Easter gospel: "Like as I die and rise to life again, so you also shall die and rise to life again." But the hare went to men and said: "Like as I die and do not rise again, so you shall also die and not rise again." Then the hare returned and told the moon what he had done; and the moon struck at him with a hatchet, and slit his lip, as it has remained ever since.[1]
There is a similarity also between the customs of the great Chinese Moon Festival and those which are still observed in England and Germany at the season of Easter, "This festival, known as the Yue-Ping (loaves of the moon), dates from the remotest antiquity. Its original purpose was to honour the moon with superstitious rites. On this solemn day all labour is suspended; the workmen receive from their employers a present of money; every person puts on his best clothes; and there is merry-making in every family. Relations and friends interchange cakes of various sizes, on which is stamped the image of the moon; that is to say, a hare couching amid a small group of trees."[2]
Last Easter, most of the toy and confectioners' shops in Berlin were filled with imitation hares and rabbits. These animals also figured largely on the Easter cards.[3] If the resemblance of these German and Chinese customs is not a pure coincidence—for borrowing is almost out of the question—into what remote strata of the world's life must we delve in order to find their common ancestor!
XI. I may briefly mention some characteristics attributed to the hare in folk-tales, which seem to confirm the theory of this animal's extreme importance in prehistoric religion.
