这两天，美国、加拿大等国家的媒体纷纷呼吁大家不要买宠物兔。这是怎么回事？

倒不是宠物兔有什么问题，而是复活节将至，看到商场琳琅满目的复活节兔子周边，很多消费者就冲动了。可事实上，大部分人在领养兔子后不久，就会因为失去新鲜感而决定遗弃它们。这个现象在过去几年变得愈发严重，以致于政府和宠物救援机构忍不住开始发声了。

今天是一年一度的复活节。借此机会，让我们了解一下复活节兔和它背后的故事。

April 1 marks this year’s , the the of Jesus three days after he was on the cross.

对于全世界的基督教徒来讲，复活节是象征重生与希望的重要节日。而在现代，复活节也是孩子们最喜欢的节日之一，因为这一天会有复活节兔( bunny)为他们送去五彩缤纷的糖果和彩蛋( eggs)。

等一下，我怎么不记得兔子是从蛋里面孵出来的？圣经里好像也没有提到这么一只兔子啊？

is also for two – the bunny and eggs. But how much do you know about their ?

那么问题来了，复活节兔子到底是谁？

The exact of the bunny is , so is the of . One that from a pagan to the Anglo-Saxon of and , . to , the was as a as , to that her pet was the of today’s bunny.

很多人也许不知道，复活节兔子的诞生也许早于复活节本身，且起初是异教而非基督教的象征。相传，兔子是盎格鲁-撒克逊人(Anglo-Saxon)所信仰的女神约斯特里()的宠物。约斯特里是代表春天和生育的女神，而复活节也是象征重生和希望的节日。

While the has , many do agree that are for and new life, two also with and .

虽然有学者怀疑这一传说，但他们普遍认同兔子是生育力和新生命的象征。

And why does bunny bring eggs to ?

那复活节兔和彩蛋又有什么关系呢？

In , , or “ Hare,” is said to play a role to that of Santa Claus. At the of the , the hare would if a child has well and would bring with eggs, and toys to those with good .

在德国民间传说中，复活节兔扮演着与圣诞老人相似的角色。每年节日前夕，复活节兔会判断全世界的孩子们是否有好好表现，并为乖宝宝们送去装满彩蛋、糖果和玩具的篮子。

After of to the US in the late 17th , they took with them the and the bunny the world.

Did you know that is not the only with ?

不过，兔子也不是复活节的唯一“吉祥物”。

In , it’s not the bunny but birds that the eggs. In parts of , foxes, , and are said to be the of the . As part of the , some in set up with cute .

在瑞士，杜鹃才是为孩子送彩蛋的使者。而在德国的不同地区，狐狸(fox)、小鸡(chick)、公鸡()、鹳(stork)取代了兔子在复活节中的角色。

作为西方一大重要节日，商家在复活节期间自然会推出一系列吸引家长和小朋友的周边产品，而复活兔更是他们的“吸金法宝”。

As to many , also has and is in ways. The bunny, as a of the , can get busy the .

Every year , sales of , eggs and jelly beans would soar, not to foods like lamb and ham that are for .

有着金色包装、红色丝带和可爱造型的巧克力兔相信大家并不陌生。这款巧克力最初由瑞士百年巧克力商瑞士莲设计生产，并注册造型商标。也就是说，其它公司生产模样相似的巧克力兔子是有可能被瑞士莲告的。而事实上，他们在过去也确实这么做了……

Back in 1952, Swiss maker Lindt the gold bunny with a red . After other with , Lindt their and to go to court with other . News back in 2013 that Lindt’s bunny was in 15 EU .

复活节兔还曾被好莱坞导演相中，出现在大屏幕上。

The bunny can also be a star. Hop, a 3D in 2011, tells a fun story of an bunny who to his and tried to his dream in .

当然，不少宠物商店和个人卖家也不想错过这一商机，在复活节用宠物兔吸引消费者。据《国家地理杂志》去年报道，很多消费者低估了饲养宠物兔所需要的耐心，也对宠物兔好斗、有破坏性的一面毫无头绪。一旦领养宠物的新鲜期过去，人们就开始遗弃这些兔子，而这一现象在复活节后尤其严重。

In years, as pets has also a trend. , not aware of the going into a bunny, some would the once the ends. In the , are the third most as well as the third most pet, last year.

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愚人节快乐！

Happy April Fool's Day!