Easter Hare

During our morning hunt for chocolate eggs and bunnies, it struck me again how very confusing the iconography of Easter is.

We know that eggs and rabbits are associated with fertility, and that in the Northern Hemisphere it is a time when life awakens from winter slumber. I had a read of this interesting summary:
https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2016/04/ostara-and-the-hare/

and the associated discussion here:
https://www.danishcanadianmuseum.com/post/the-goddess-of-easter

and here:
https://familychristmasonline.com/other_holidays/easter/grimm.htm

Other than a mention by Bede and the supposition in this book by Jacob Grimm (in German, but Google Translate does a good job):
https://archive.org/details/deutschemytholo08grimgoog/page/184/mode/thumb?q=ostara

there is very little evidence for a Teutonic/Germanic/Celtic/Nordic Goddess of the Spring called Ostara.

This was also prompted by watching the movie Hop last night, and a discussion about Hares and Rabbits with Ali Hammond about her beautiful hare paintings, which you can see here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFD10blVNWo

The tune is roughly based on Daoiri Farrell's (@Daoiri Farrell ) interpretation of Creggan White Hare, based on Andy Irvine/Paddy Tunney's recording of the song by James Molloy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPI_tHNjS78

Interesting that in the song lyrics the hare is compared to a swallow.

Lyrics here:
https://www.folklounge.org/portfolio/easter-hare/

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