The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-11-21
HareS and Easter Eggs.


came the notion that The hares lay the
Easter eggs Queer hares they must be,
indeed, but German children believe it
rs devoutly as they do that the Christ
kind brings their Christmas presents, or
as our own little ones do in Santa Claus.
No one knows exactly whence came this
myth. Many think 1t relic OF heather
worship; but writer named Christoph
Won Schmd, in an interesting story for
children, suggests this much prettieI ori-
gin:
Many hundred years ago, Il good and
noble lady, Duchess Rosilinda Won Lin
denburg, at time when cruel war vas
devastating the land, was obliged to fl :
from her beautiful home in Germany, ac-
companied only by her two children and
one old nan servant.
They found refuge in small mining
village in the mountains, where the sim
pie but contepted and happy inhabitants
did what they could for their comfort,
and placed the best of all they had at the
disposal of the wanderers. Nevertheless,
their fare was miserable; no meat was
ever to be found, seldom fish, and not
even an egg; this last for the very good
reason that there was not single hen in
the village These useful domestic
fowls, now so common everywhere, were
originally brought from the East, and had
net yet found their way to this secluded
place The people had not even heard of
such strange birds" This troubled the
kind duchess, who we'll knew the great
help they are in housekeeping, and she
|,t hot n "a IN a
been 50 kind to her should no longer be
without them.
Accordingly, the next time she sent
forth her faithful old servant to try and
gather news of his master and of the pro
gress of the war, she commissioned him
70 bring back with him coop full OF
fowls This he did, to the great surprise
Of the simple natives, and the village
children were greatly excited few week.
later at the appearance Of brood OF
young chickens. They were 80 pretty
and bright, were covered with such soft
down, were so open-eyed, aud could run
about after their mother 10 pick up food the
very first day, and were altogether such
"A contrast to the blind, bald, unhedged,
helpless, ugly little birds they sometimes
saw in tests in the hedges, that they
could not find words enough to express
bel! admiration.
The good lady now saved up eggs for
some time, then invited all the house
wives OF the village to = feast, when she
set before them eggs cooked in variety
VI WAYS. She then taught them bow to
;rcpuic them for Themselves, and. dis
;rlbu,irga number o. fowls among them,
eeut the DANES home grateful and happy.
When Easter approached, She Was ',IN-
fJus 20 arrange some pleasure tor the
village children, but had nothing to give
,hem, no, even an apple or nut, only
some eg-a; but that, shc concluded was,
uf;,r alt, an appropriate offering, las an
egg !, the first gift Of the reviving
spring. And then it occurred 20 her t.
boil them with MOSES and roots that
wOull give them a variety of brilliant
colors, las the earth" said she, "has Just
laid aside her white mantle, and deco
lated herself with many colors; for the
dear God makes the fruit and berries not
only good 10 eat, but also pleasant to
lock upon and the children's pleasure
would he all the greater.
Accordingly, On Easter sunday, after
thc church service, all the little
ones Of about the age Of her
own met together in a garden and,
when their Kind hostess had talked to
them awhile, she led them into a small
neighboriug wood There she told them
20 make nests of moss, and advised each
70 mark well his or her own. All then
returned t. the garden, where feast of
mix soup with eggs and egg-cakes had
been prepared. Afterward they went
back 10 the wood, and found - their
great JOY in each nest five beautiful col
ored eggs, and on one of these a short
thyme Was written.
The surprise aud delight of the little
ones when they discovered a nest Of the
gsily colored treasures, was very great,
and one Of them exclaimed.
How wonderful the hens must be that
can lay such pretty eggs, How should
like u see them ~
"Oh no hens could lay such beautiful
eggs, answered little girl. II think it
must have been the little hare that sprang
cut of the juniper bush when wanted to
build my nest there"
Then all the children laughed together,
and said, The hares lay the colored eggs.
Yes, yes the dear little hsres lay the
beautiful eggs" And they repeated it
till they began 10 believe it.