A ban on naming rabbits
In many fishing and yachting harbors in Brittany, the south-west or even the Mediterranean, it's still common to replace the word "rabbit" with periphrases: "the long-eared animal", "the hare's cousin", or "the hairy one that jumps". The word itself is avoided, as it is considered to bring bad luck if uttered on board. It's not just a matter of linguistic coquetry: some sailors categorically refuse to embark if this word is heard before departure.
Uncertain but bloody origins
Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain this age-old aversion. The most common relates to the sailing ships of the 18th and 19th centuries. In those days, ships sometimes carried live rabbits to be eaten fresh. But these animals, renowned for their ability to gnaw through anything they could lay their hands on, were said to have caused serious damage to ropes, sails and even wooden hulls. Some shipwrecks were attributed to their presence.
Another, darker version evokes the convicts convoyed to the colonies: their clothes, made of coarse canvas, were similar to those used for grain sacks... or rabbit sacks. The passage of a sack of rabbit on the docks could have evoked an ominous analogy. Still others evoke legends in which shipwrecked sailors saw rabbits before the tragedy, as an omen of doom.
Humor to ward off fate
Faced with this superstition, some sailors make a mockery of the curse: stickers depicting crossed-out rabbits, stuffed mascots hidden in a trunk... But few would dare display a rabbit on their hull or flag, for fear of provoking the elements. If we don't believe in the curse, we'd rather not tempt it.
A maritime heritage
Like many other maritime superstitions âeuros women on board, green boats or departure Fridays âeuros that of the rabbit bears witness to an ancient and sacred relationship between sailors and the sea. When survival depended on the goodwill of the elements, every sign could become an omen. And even if modern navigation has largely rationalized the practice, certain traditions, like that of the rabbit, remain deeply rooted in maritime culture.
