# The Dreadful Rabbits explained — Short Fiction

> Chapter companion for Short Fiction by Manly Wade Wellman.

## What happens

Judge Keith Pursuivant travels to Crispinville to investigate the local custom of greeting rabbits. He lodges with Morgan Pitts and meets his friend Ransome, who is recovering from a nervous breakdown. Ransome challenges the superstition by threatening to hunt a rabbit, but Pursuivant dissuades him and walks to town to examine historical records. The township clerk, Simmons, reluctantly retrieves an ancient chest of documents, revealing the deep roots of the rabbit-greeting tradition, which Pursuivant connects to folklore and early missionary practices.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Power of Belief and Ritual

The rabbit-greeting custom is a local ritual with deep roots, observed as a township ordinance and connected to folklore and superstition.

### Fear and Control

Ransome's challenge to the superstition and the community's enforcement of the custom reflect the tension between fear of the unknown and the desire to maintain control.

## Character check-ins

### Keith Pursuivant

Investigates the rabbit-greeting custom in Crispinville; walks to town to examine historical records.

### Mr. Pitts

Driver and landlord; explains the local custom and mentions the township ordinance against hunting rabbits.

### Ransome

Pursuivant's friend; recovering from a nervous breakdown; challenges the superstition by threatening to hunt a rabbit.

## Key lines

> Howdy, Mister Rabbit!

Morgan Pitts greets a rabbit as it crosses the road, demonstrating the local custom.

_Illustrates the ritualistic greeting that Pursuivant has come to study._

> I thought that rabbit legend would fetch you when I wrote to you about it.

Ransome knew the rabbit-greeting legend would interest Pursuivant enough to bring him to Crispinville.

_Highlights Pursuivant's reputation as a collector of folklore._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters/the-dreadful-rabbits
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_37_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/short_fiction_37_se/chapters