Monday, March 29, 2010

Easter Traditions


The next Sunday is Easter and we ask if there will be an Easter Egg Hunt?
 What kind of treats does the Easter Bunny bring? 
The Easter Bunny? 
You know, chocolate easter eggs, yellow marshmallow pips, stuffed bunnies? 
In France there is no Easter Bunny.  How could petit Pierre and jolie Julianne eat rabbit stew on Saturday knowing that doing so might ruin any hope of an Easter Sunday with goodies from this furry little hopping chocolate dispenser?
The kids still get chocolate eggs.  But in France, the Easter goodies are brought by the Easter bells.  When he first heard this, an incredulous Tom pointed out to a French friend that this was absurd-- bells can’t lay eggs!  “But, Tom,” replied our friend, “Do you think that bunnies lay eggs?”  No, like all American kids, Tom never stopped to puzzle over this aspect of the bunny myth.
To Americans, rabbits are cute little lawn accessories and stars of animation and children’s books.  To the French, rabbits are food.  Period.  This was horrifyingly illustrated to Tom one day.  He came in from the garden white as creme fraiche. It seems that Madame Our Neighbor and her friend were skinning all the cute bunnies that Tom had gone out to paint.  “There are two neighbors out there violently yanking on opposite ends of a dead rabbit until the skin peels off!”  Yes, it’s not a pretty sight.  Oh, but the wonderful taste of rabbit stew awaits a lucky family.
Bells, Bunnies, all any of us really want is the chocolate.

2 comments:

Steve Mease said...

That's a strategically placed clapper on the egg delivery woman in the middle. Funny story. Love the new pictures on the side.

susan said...

I wondered who would be the first the comment on that risque competitor. I confess to being speechless this morning when I saw this weeks cartoon.