Hare today...

Ah, the light nights at last. Yes, the clocks have gone back into British summertime and today I have mainly been acting as mad as a March hare. Well, I thought I better, March is almost out and who knows what showers April will bring?

As Alice said, "The March Hare will be much the most interesting, and perhaps as this is May it won't be raving mad – at least not so mad as it was in March." 

It’s been March all month and us hares have all gone mad, boxing at other hares, jumping vertically for no reason other than they can, generally displaying abnormal hareish behaviour, and getting our timing all wrong. Of course, it’s all about mating but I prefer to believe it’s about magic, and I am always looking for the magic.

Hares are so magical despite (or maybe because) of their madness. Fast, frantic creatures that seem to be made of air. I have rarely caught a glimpse of one and have never seen them boxing, although I did once see a hare dash across a field in the light of the moon and halfway across seem to vanish. I have no idea where he went, perhaps down a hole, or maybe into thin air, but gone he was.

If I could shapeshift I can think of no better animal to be than a hare; much better than a wolf or black dog. Here’s a spell if you fancy a turn as a hare - say this three times in the light of the full moon and you just might change into one.

‘I sall goe ane haire, With sorrow and sych, and meikle caire, and I sall goe in the Divellis nam, Ay whill com hom againe.
’
Reverse Spell

‘Hare, hare, God send thee care. I am in a hare’s likeness just now, but I shall be in a man's/woman's likeness even now.’