The Little White Hare
Brittany has its own heritage of folk tales – comparable to the stories collected by the Brothers Grimm in Germany. Like all such stories they contain a blend of adventure and wisdom which has captivated children and adults for centuries.
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Once upon a time
there lived a little girl called Annette. She was warm hearted and as good as
gold, but her parents were dead, and she worked as a shepherdess on a farm near
Théix.
One day she was out grazing her sheep in the
gulf of Morbihan. There, salt streams run through the plains, and the animals
were feeding on the sea grass that grows beside them. Suddenly Annette saw
something moving in a thorn bush. It was a young hare, no bigger than two
clenched fists, with fur as white as January snow.
“Don’t be afraid, little hare,“ said
Annette. “I won’t hurt you.”
She knelt down, lifted the hare into her apron,
and carried it home with her. She was met by the farmer’s wife.
“What have you there?” asked the woman. “It
looks like a hare – what fine white fur! Give it to me and I’ll make it into
the best stew we’ve ever tasted.” Annette drew back in dismay.
“No,” she said, “I’d rather die than
give you my hare.”
“Very well,” said the farmer’s wife. “Then
you can both leave this place. No doubt you’ll find some kind soul, who will
take you in.”
So the little girl left the farm. She walked
and walked, but she found no house where she could ask for shelter. At last she
saw a castle standing in a forest clearing.
“Perhaps the people here will be kind and
give us shelter,” she said. She knocked on the door, and it was opened by a
serving woman.
“Come in my dear,” she said. “You may
stay here tonight, and many other nights, if you wish – on condition you give
me that white hare in your apron. I will make a tasty dish with it – and I
will share it with you.”
“No – I will not part with my treasure,”
said Annette.
“Then you can be on your way,” said the
servant, and slammed the door.
The little girl wiped away the tears that had risen to her eyes, and set
off along a path that led into the forest.
After a while she came to a great oak tree. She
sat down on the moss at its base, and began to stroke the hare and wonder what
she should do. Suddenly, she noticed a gentle rustling amongst the grass and the
branches of the oak. Hundreds and hundreds of tiny figures were coming towards
her. They sat down in a circle about the tree, some on leaves, others on
toadstools, and some clinging to the plants. Annette felt frightened, and was
about to run away when a voice, as sweet as a nightingale’s began to speak.
“Do not be afraid, dear Annette,” said the
chief of the little people. “We are Korrigans of the forest, and we want to
help you. We know all about the troubles you have had, since you found your
hare, and we want to help you care for it. Come and live with us and be our
housekeeper, and we will look after both of you.”
“Thank you,” said the little girl. “I
will gladly come and live with you – especially as you will also take care of
my little hare.”
The Korrigans led Annette to an underground
cave, hidden beneath some great stones in the deepest part of the forest. Each
day they brought the hare wild thyme and garden thyme, and they brought Annette
the sweetest honey, and fruits from orchards and gardens.
Five months passed in this happy way. Annette’s
cheeks grew round and rosy, and the hare’s fur became more sparkling white
than ever.
One day she noticed a great commotion amongst
the Korrigans. They were running hither and thither, forming into ranks, and
each one held a dagger and was mounted on a rabbit.
“We are off to the other end of the land,”
said their chief. “We are going to storm the fortress of the cruel giant,
Diaul Bras, and slay him. You will be more pleased than anyone if we succeed.
Farewell, and do not fear for us.”
The Korrigans set off towards the East. They
passed with ease through the gorse bushes on the heath, and the rows of corn in
the fields, but they stopped in dismay when they reached a large pond.
“Do not fear,” said their chief. He blew a
whistle, and the fish who lived in the pond rose to the surface, and formed a
silvery bridge across the water.
The Korrigans crossed over and rode on until
they reached the giant’s castle. It was very tall, and its walls were smooth
as glass. All the doors were locked and barred – how were they to get in? Once
again their chief blew his whistle. The wood pigeons who live in the forest flew
down and took the Korrigans on their backs. They flew with them over the walls
and into the giant’s castle.
The giant was fast asleep, but he was soon
awoken. Little people filled the courtyard, the rooms, the furniture, even the
kitchen utensils. Although they were not much bigger than wasps, they marched on
the giant from all sides, their daggers held in their hands.
The giant tried to hide, but he could not
escape. He rushed to the castle walls but still he was pursued. He grew
frightened and, losing his head, leapt from the walls and fell dead on the
ground beneath.
Gladdened by their victory, the Korrigans took
the shortest way home, humming joyfully as they went.
“You are avenged Annette,” they cried. “Your
enemy is dead.”
“But who is my enemy?” asked the little
girl. “I have never harmed anyone, and I did not know anyone was angry with
me.”
It was the hare who answered this question. It
had leapt down from Annette’s apron into the midst of the Korrigans, and a
young woman had appeared in its place.
She was beautiful and graceful, and was dressed
in the most magnificent clothes.
“Thank you,” she said to the little folk.
“You have saved two helpless creatures. The cruel giant, Diaul Bras, robbed us
of our castle, and turned me into a white hare. My daughter, Annette, had to
work as a shepherdess for a hard-hearted farmer’s wife. Thanks to her kind
heart I was protected and taken care of. We can now return to our home.
Korrigans of wood and moor, you will always be welcome at the castle of the
white hare.”
Annette was full of joy to have found her
mother and said good bye to her forest friends.
They lived together for many years in their
beautiful castle, and were loved by all the people round about.
The End