#harelore — Public Fediverse posts

Spot the winter hare.

Brown hares are common here; I usually see several on my walks, and in the snow their tracks are everywhere. Unlike mountain hares, they don't turn white in winter, so they're easily spotted in the frost.

Hares feature heavily in British folklore. Appearing mostly at dusk, with their big ears and eyes, and their gangling legs, there's something otherworldly about them as they slip along the hedgerows on their secret paths.

Several tales tell of witches able to transform themselves into hares; this belief seems to go back at least as far as the 17th century, as it was told in the Somerset witchcraft trial of Julian Cox in 1663. The Northumbrian story of Nancy Scott of Acklington is similar, except that in Nancy's case, she outwitted the huntsman and survived.

Was Nancy, a folkloric figure for whom no evidence exists, based on Julian? Or was the story used to convict Julian simply based on popular beliefs about shapeshifting witches and hares of the time?

Another Border tale tells us of the time the great wizard, Michael Scot, was turned into a hare against his will by an old farmer's wife practising witchcraft.

So treat the big-eyed hare with respect, for you never know who you're dealing with!

#Northumberland #ScottishBorders #Folklore #Lore #Folktales #Stories #Storytelling #Witchcraft #HareLore #BrownHare #Winter #Magic @folklore