Rabbits

Periodically, a perplexing post has popped up from a Facebook friend. The message simply says, “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit”.

For several years, I would puzzle over the post and then finally concluded that it was a private family joke of some sort. Had I been more observant, I would have noticed that the words always appeared on the first of the month.

The mysterious rabbits were explained recently when I encountered this comment in a blog, “My aunt in England always said ‘rabbit, rabbit, rabbit’ on the first of the month to ensure good luck all month long.”

Being a lover of folklore and language, I decided to find out how all this rabbit business started.

Rabbits being bearers of good luck can be traced back over 2,000 years and in many cultures. For superstitious folks, the rabbit’s ability to jump represented leaping into the future, moving forward in life. Prodigious breeding habits made rabbits a natural fertility totem. They were also symbols of prosperity, supposedly making riches multiply profusely.

The rabbit, rabbit, rabbit superstition originated in England and migrated to the United States where it is most popular in northern New England. Written references to it first appear in the early 1900’s. Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Gilda Ratner were among practitioners of the saying.

rabbitsSince February first is approaching and it is a leap year, you might wish to join the rabbit ranks. The basic formula is to have “rabbit, rabbit, rabbit” be the FIRST WORDS out of your mouth on the first…..not an easy task. Variations are acceptable such as “white rabbit” or “bunny, bunny”. And for those of us who know we will never remember this on rising, luck is not all lost for the month. Say “tibbar, tibbar” right before you go to sleep on the first.

That’s rabbit backwards.

For my personal feeling on the luck of rabbits, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

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3 thoughts on “Rabbits”

  1. Yes, I have a friend or two who always do this–but I didn’t know origins of the “rabbit habit.” Thanks. evie ps: happy birthday, Mozart.

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