In modern fairy tales, there are many fantastical animals, whereas in classic tales, the animals come from real life. This is true for all the bears, dogs, and rabbits.
Recently, we were joined by a very interesting rabbit from Kate DiCamillo's "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane." Our special rabbit, Edward Tulane, is made of porcelain. Created in 2006, he hails from a time when girls from wealthy families loved playing with large dolls. Upon finding himself among ordinary people, Edward experiences nearly all the bitter and sweet trials of life.
Next is the Velveteen Rabbit, gifted to a little boy in 1922. After a long journey, he arrived at "Zangak" Publishing House in 2021. Every time he is given to a child, the rabbit dreams of great companionship and mutual love, as that is how he can become a real rabbit.
Our other rabbit comes from Beatrix Potter's family farm. As a little girl, Potter cared for the rabbits, drew them, and as she grew up, she began writing stories about them. Peter Rabbit and the other farm animals entered the world of fairy tales in 1901. Translator Alvard Jivanyan has Armenianized their names to sound just as amusing in Armenian.
Our final, but actually first, rabbit is Alice's White Rabbit. This is the very rabbit who officially pulled Alice down his hole in 1865, leading her to Wonderland. The White Rabbit, who was always late, had a pocket watch (incidentally, the porcelain Edward Rabbit also had a (gold) watch), and outside the fairy tale, he had his own separate rabbit fame.
So, three of our rabbits hail from 18th-19th century Britain, and the era of the porcelain Edward is roughly the same. Shall we follow in their tracks to Victorian England (1837-1901)?
Rabbit breeding was indeed widespread in England during that period. Special rabbit hutches were used to raise these animals for their fur and dietetic meat, but they were also kept as pets. Little boys would catch wild rabbits, build nests for them, and take care of them. The wealthy, who were obsessed with exotic animals and establishing their own zoos, also kept trained rabbits.
Specially bred rabbits participated in exhibitions and fairs, winning prizes. The plump rabbits, living for 7-10 years, were very popular during the years they appeared in English fairy tales, and the companionship of rabbits and children became well-known around the world.
Rabbits truly make good friends. Have you ever kept a rabbit? Share your stories with us by writing on our Facebook page.