The song Run Rabbit Run written for the show “The Little Dog Laughed” and
originally sung by Flanagan and Allen was very popular during WWII especially
after they changed the lyrics to ‘Run Adolf, Run Adolf, Run, Run, Run.
The lyrics were a dig at the German Luftwaffe whose first raid on Britain had been on flying boats at Sullom Voe
in Scotland.
Supposedly, only two rabbits were killed by the bombs, although they may have
actually come from a butcher’s shop.
As today is Friday perhaps I should remind you of the words:
On the farm, every Friday
On the farm, it's rabbit pie day.
So, every Friday that ever comes
along,
I get up early and sing this
little song
Run rabbit - run rabbit - Run!
Run! Run!
Run rabbit - run rabbit - Run!
Run! Run!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Goes the farmer's gun.
Run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run.
Run rabbit - run rabbit - Run!
Run! Run!
Don't give the farmer his fun!
Fun! Fun!
He'll get by
Without his rabbit pie
So run rabbit - run rabbit - Run!
Run! Run!
However these rabbits in Australia
obviously didn’t run fast enough.
 |
| The Rabbiter - ex The Powerhouse Museum- Tyrell Collection |
(ex flickr)
I wonder why the Australians decided to call their national rugby union
team ‘The Rabbits’ in 1907.
In cricket tail-enders not likely to score runs are also called rabbits.
Still on a sporting theme my golf club used to have a Rabbits section for
golfers with handicaps 18 and above.
Sticking with Australia
I found an idyllic scene,
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| Rabbits around a waterhole at the myxomatosis trial enclosure on Warbang Island 1938 |
National Archives of Australia
Myxomatosis was the disease introduced by man to try and contain the
numbers of rabbits. It was a highly infectious and caused by a virus that leads to
swelling of the mucous membranes and the formation of tumours leading to
blindness and death. I can vouch for the horrific nature of the symptoms as
during the 1950s, as a holiday job, I worked on cleaning out a stretch of the
River Guash for a fishing syndicate. We spent our lunch breaks putting dozens a
day out of their misery.
 |
| 1950s 'portrait' |
Prior to myxomatosis rabbits had been part of our regular meals, especially during WWII when those caught by our dogs supplemented the meat ration.
 |
| Polychronis Lembesis (1848-1913) - Child with Rabbits |
(Oil on canvas - National Gallery of Greece)
Rabbits appear in art, many films and literature; the White Rabbit in
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit stories and in
a favourite of mine, Watership Down by Richard Adams. In American popular
culture there’s Brer Rabbit and Bugs Bunny that have fascinated us for years.
Everyone knows who it is when you hear, “What’s up Doc?”
The "Encyclopedia of
Superstitions" by E. and M.A. Radford, edited and revised by Christina
Hole, Barnes and Noble Books, 1996. First published in 1948 has a lot to say
about rabbits, "In some parts of Lancashire
and the adjacent counties, it is unwise to shoot a black rabbit. This is
because they were once believed to be ancestral spirits returning in that form.
In Somerset,
white rabbits are said to be witches. That anyone really believes this now is
improbable; nevertheless, white rabbits are not popular as children's pets, and
they are usually left severely alone, and are not shot. A luck-bringing custom
found all over Great Britain
is to say 'Rabbits' or 'White Rabbits' once or three times on the first day of
the month. It must be said early in the morning, before any other word has been
uttered, otherwise the charm loses its force. In some districts it is
considered necessary to say 'Hares' or 'Black Rabbits' when going to bed on the
night before, as well as 'Rabbits' or White Rabbits' in the morning. If,
however, the speaker becomes muddled and says 'Black Rabbits' on rising, bad
luck will follow. The looked-for result of all this is variously given as
general good luck during the ensuing four weeks, or the receipt of a gift within
a few days."
Many people believe that carrying a rabbit’s foot in your pocket will
bring you good luck. Because of the rabbit's ability to reproduce, the
rabbit's foot also became a symbol of fertility. Now we find that rabbits are
often used as a symbol of fertility and they have long been associated with
spring and Easter as the Easter Bunny. Additionally they have become Playboy
symbols.
 | |
| Playboy Bunnies |
Attributio
After that I have probably rabbited
on too long. All I can suggest now is that you visit others at Sepia saturday
20 comments:
Oh Bob you are up to your funny tricks again, silly rabbit! What a wide and enjoyable ride this was, so very, extremely sad about the poor bunnies at Warbang...man should learn to leave well enough alone if you ask me..... This was such a treat! Even the last happy bunnies!
Wonderful Bob! A thoroughly enjoyable rabbit-themed post. You managed to give us a good balance of serious and thought-provoking, along with humour and a wee bit of naughtiness! The last picture made me think of Jessica Rabbit in the film 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ All probably surgically enhanced of course, which is a bit of a sore point (or two) at the moment.
Oh my goodness ~ (heehee) You have really RUN with this theme -- certainly to my benefit, anyway. Gosh, but I've learned so much here today. Glad I stopped by (from Sepia Saturday)!
I never realized there were so many things associated with rabbits. I mainly associate them with children's stories and Easter.
I learned a lot reading here, and had some smiles too. I had not known about myxomatosis before. But I suppose rabbits with their expertise in multiplication had to be contained. We have had some show up around our back yard now that our dens of fox have disappeared for the last two years. And I loved the white rabbit sketch...the Run, run Adolph was a new song to me too.
Indeed an entertaining post today. I remember when my dad did hunt back in the 40's when he would use rubber gloves and taught us the proper way to clean them so as not to contract Rabbit Fever, he called it. I never in my life ever cleaned a rabbit. I have eaten it however and enjoy it.
Great post.
QMM
so many dead rabbits today! The plan to get rid of rabbits sounds diabolical. I guess importing foxes or wolves would not have worked out either though.
I've just been reading about the rabbits in Australia, and how there were originally only 24 of them, released to provide sport. What a disaster unravelled!
I learned lots of interesting things about rabbits from your post. I had a rabbit's foot keyring as a child, and had been thinking about it (in a slightly disgusted way) in the last couple of days. I guess I was a superstitious child - fascinating that there are so many superstitions around rabbits. I have heard the ones about hares, but there were new to me :-) Jo
I imagine that, with the speed that wild rabbits helped to decimate colonial Australia, that nothing was considered faster.
Great post. Myxomatosis really was a stupid thing to do.
Another riveting read,Bob. Didn't know myxamitosis was manmade.
What an amazing rabbit themed post. I'm glad I skirted the theme as I can't imagine finding anything more interesting to say. Thanks!
You've written a compendium of rabbit lore and fact. Very interesting. I feel sorry for the rabbits purposefully infected with the virus. That must have been a hard job that summer to put them out of their misery (or at least it would have been for me). Thanks for the interesting post.
Once was unfortunate enough to stay at a Playboy hotel in New Jersey for several unbearable days. Dreadful place with horrid food, tacky decor, and stupid women walking around in those outfits at all hours. It was hard to take them serious. They were as tacky as the rest of the place.
I always thought rabbits were cute until I saw that photo of them around a watering hole. Eew -- kinda creepy -- imagining a plague of rabbits.
By now, Bob, I am getting used to your splendid thematic tours and I look forward to them each week. The only down-side to your post this week is you introducing that tune into my mind : and now it won't go away.
Watership Downs,
another favorite of mine!!
You mentioned rabbits and Australia, and a movie comes to mind:
The Rabbit Fence,
which had quite another connotation...
Cool post!!
Especially at the end...
;)~
HUGZ
Well, I had no idea that song was anything other than a children's tune! Visiting from Jean's Musings
Another splendid riff on a theme. It happens that I am reading a history of Australia, "The Fatal Shore" by Robert Hughes. Importing rabbits is just another of that continent's many bad ideas.
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