As well as being a symbol for spring, hares have a rich association with myth and legend. Our Easter Hare Hunt is inspired by a popular Somerset folktale…
In folklore, hares have long been associated with myth and magic. Whether this ‘shapeshifter’ or white hare myth is rooted in Somerset, Dorset or Cornwall is up for a *little* debate, but the story remains largely the same.
The White Hare
Four farm workers took their long dogs hunting to forage and hunt for food for the family. While out hunting, they got in the habit of leaving their farming tools by the house of an old woman, who some in the village believed to be a witch and others a respected healer.
One evening, when the friends were out, they glimpsed an enchanting white hare and tried unsuccessfully to catch her. Catching the white hare became an obsession for the group and one night they were almost successful. The hare was cornered and caught by the dogs but still the hare managed to escape.
When the workers went to collect their tools, they found the old lady lying on the floor in her cottage, badly injured with her clothes ripped and bloody. Most of the friends fled quickly, filled with fear and guilt, except for one who stayed to nurse the old lady back to health. From that day forward, they vowed never to hunt white hares again.
The legendary tale forms the starting point for this year’s Easter Trail, where young adventurers are tasked with joining a group of friends to search for the elusive magical hare and play their own part in the story. With a nod to rural Somerset tradition and a nice moral to takeaway (along with a hard-earned chocolate reward) we hope you enjoy our Hare Hunt as much as we enjoyed creating it!
• Our Hare Hunt Easter Trail runs throughout the Easter Holidays, from 4 – 21 April. Collect your trail sheet from the Threshing Barn and solve the clues around the garden to find the hiding hares, spell out a word, and claim your sweet prize at the end.
