If you’ve ever been to Europe, you might have heard of a remote village called Oestravale. In this place, renowned for being “The Eternal Spring,” flowers bloom brighter than anywhere else. Despite its Swiss Alps setting, snow hasn’t descended for centuries, and songbirds serenade the area day and night.

Oestravale decorated their buildings with three wooden rabbits. This tradition honored three rabbits who became central to the community’s folklore. Each morning, they appeared on the horizon of a large hill, then scurried around the town until dusk. They guarded Oestravale by making plants grow, bringing rebirth, and providing sunlight to protect the village and its spring harvest.

The townsfolk respected these animals by giving them space and offering fresh grass and vegetables. In return, they received beautiful, decorated eggs. Most villagers kept these keepsakes, while others sent them to market for sales. The exquisite craftsmanship amazed the buyers.

Long ago, a customer, named Eike Jaeger, was more interested in discovering their source. You see, he was an overzealous hunter in search of all magical beings, from gnomes to fairies. He had remembered tales of Oestravale from boyhood and was determined to find and collect them as trophies.

After one market day, he packed a rifle and stowed away in a delivery wagon. When it returned to town the next morning, he snuck out and waited in silence for the rabbits to arrive.

As the sun rose, the fluffy creatures appeared on the hill. Eike aimed the gun and cocked the trigger.

However, the bunnies noticed him and hopped away. Annoyed but undeterred, Eike chased after them through the fields and dales. Any time he got close, they sped away like lightning bolts. He tried everything from hiding in bushes to setting traps, but the animals were too clever.

This lasted until the afternoon, and when Jaeger was about to give up, he discovered a large hole in the side of an embankment where one bunny had entered.

That must be their home. Because the hole was big enough for an adult to crawl through, he invaded the space.

The burrow was sandy and dry, narrowing as he went deeper. Soon, he could only move his head forward. Finally, a tired Jaeger quit the hunt and tried to move back but found he couldn’t. He struggled and screamed for help, but it was no use. He thought back to each time he caught a mythical being, how scared they looked, and maybe this predicament was penance for those crimes. Tears fell down his cheeks as he bemoaned his fate, and after several hours the hapless hunter fell asleep.

Much later, he heard a scratching noise. Jaeger opened his eyes as something dragged him out of the tunnel and into the sunshine. The warm sun washed over his body like an old friend’s embrace. Elated at his freedom, he stood and performed a jig. Then, he spotted three brown figures in the meadow surrounding a clutch of eggs.

Eike kneeled and thanked the bunnies for their rescue and promised to mend his ways. They remained silent. Nudging a small green egg and a sachet of seeds at his boot, they returned to their burrow.

Eike was as good as his word, not only did he free those magical captives but also performed community services for them. He braided unicorns’ hair and collected dewdrops for gnomes’ gardens. Every spring, he tended to his own garden filled with violet flowers and regaled visitors with the tale of how he came face-to-face with the Rabbits of Oestravale.

Editor: Lucy Cafiero