The History of the Hare and Good Fortune

Rub a rabbit's foot for good luck. Make a repetition of the word rabbit your first words on the first day of the month and give good luck the whole month through. The rabbit and the hare are connected to good fortune throughout history and across cultures. Often connected to the moon (due to the shadows appearing to show a hare on the moon) and fertility, rabbits and hares feature in myth and celebration around the world other than just the Easter Bunny. Though the rabbit and the hare are two different animals, they are usually interchangeable in symbolism, mythology, and superstition.

The Rabbit/Hare in East Asian Cultures

Many cultures in eastern Asia have hare and rabbit mythology, especially associated with the moon. Looking at the shadows and markings, many people saw a hare pounding with a mortar and pestle. Though pareidolia (assigning patterns we see in inanimate objects human or animal features) is often the scientific reason behind so many cultures creating similar myths, the association of the hare and moon (plus good fortune and fertility) has persisted.

Japanese

The hare is a sign of good fortune because of his generous and noble spirit. It is said that long ago, the Old Man in the Moon was looking down upon the forest animals and saw the fox, monkey, and hare all living together as friends. In a desire to know them more, he disguised himself as a beggar and happened upon the three friends. He told them he was poor and hungry and begged for help. They quickly agreed, always ready to help a new friend. The three scattered into the forest and the Old Man sat back, waiting to see who would be the most generous. The monkey came back with armfuls of fresh fruit.

The fox returned with a freshly caught fish in his mouth. But though the hare darted quickly around, he could find nothing. He asked his friends to build a big fire, ready to offer himself as something to eat so the beggar wouldn't go hungry. As the hare prepared to jump, the Old Man revealed himself and told the hare he was more than generous and would bring him home with him to the moon to make sure no harm ever came to him. Now, when you look at the brightest full moon, you will see the Old Man with the hare resting in his arms. The hare's willingness to sacrifice himself and high place in the moon makes seeing a hare a good omen.

Chinese

Associated with the Moon Goddess Chang’e, the moon rabbit pounds the elixir of life with his mortar and pestle. The full moon in August is the best time to see the moon rabbit at work on the face of the moon. Legend says that the moon rabbit saved the city of Beijing and its surrounding areas from a deadly plague. From their home on the moon, Chang’e and the moon rabbit saw the suffering of the people in Beijing from a terrible sickness. So Chang’e sent the moon rabbit down to earth with the elixir of life he had made with his pestle. He saved every family from the plague and was rewarded by Chang’e with armor and clothes. The moon rabbit’s good deeds are one of the reasons rabbits are seen as good luck.

Red rabbits are the luckiest of rabbits in Chinese culture, and to see one is to have the highest good fortune. White rabbits are also considered lucky, but not quite as lucky as red rabbits. White rabbits were caught when spotted and brought to the emperor to spread the good fortune to all.

The Rabbit/Hare in Native American Cultures

Several Native peoples from Mexico up through Canada have mythology surrounding the rabbit, many also involving the moon. What is incredible is that some are similar to mythologies from the other side of the world, even though there is no evidence the cultures ever had any contact at all. Because of the rabbit’s association with cleverness, they are often seen as a good omen. Several Native American peoples viewed the rabbit as a symbol of fertility as well.

Aztec

Not just one rabbit, but a pantheon of four hundred rabbit gods known as Centzon Totochtin, can be found in Aztec mythology. These rabbits are led by Ometotchtli or Two Rabbit, and represent fertility, parties, and drunkenness. In addition to fertility, they are most closely associated with the drink pulque.

Ojibwe

Manabozho, or Great Hare, is the ultimate symbol of fertility because he created the world. Though many First Nations tribes saw the rabbit as a trickster, their cleverness was respected. The rabbit is also seen as a fertility symbol because of its natural ability to procreate quickly and in large numbers.

The Rabbit/Hare in Modern Western Cultures

In modern Wiccan and pagan practices, the rabbit is associated with good fortune, fertility magic and sexual energy. But the symbolism of the rabbit extends beyond neopagan practices. As early as 600 B.C.E, there are writings showing that carrying a rabbit's foot was thought to bring good luck. There used to be many rules about what made a rabbit's foot lucky -- the rabbit had to be killed by a crossed-eyed person, in a graveyard, preferably on Friday the 13th. Those traditions quickly faded, however, and a rabbit's foot was seen as lucky no matter how it was procured.

A superstition that began in England but spread to other Western cultures is that uttering the words “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” on the first day of the month will bring you luck that lasts all month long. The words need to be the first thing you say and must be said aloud. For even more luck, make “hare” the last word you say before bed on the last day of the month, then begin the next day with thrice repeating “rabbit.”

Rabbits have long been connected to the underworld and magickal creatures, because they easily move from underground to above. Their connection to magickal creatures are another reason they are viewed as good luck in Western cultures.