Life, 1919-04-03 · page 42 of 60
Life — April 3, 1919 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes the Easter Bunny myth through two contrasting pieces: **Upper cartoon ("Sinn Féin")**: A political allegory depicting Irish independence fighters using maritime/military imagery. The title suggests commentary on Irish nationalism during the independence struggle. **Lower poem and illustration**: A humorous debunking of Easter Bunny folklore. The text mocks the fantastical tradition—that a rabbit lays decorated eggs and supposedly hatches them into "little Cherubim" (babies). It references naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton and ornithologist William Beebe as authorities, sarcastically suggesting the Easter Bunny might plagiarize from actual barnyard hens. The accompanying illustration shows adults and children in a domestic setting, with a caption ("Mamma, did Aunt Ella give you that hat for keeps?") suggesting confusion about gift-giving customs—perhaps implying the Easter Bunny tradition creates similar confusion about where gifts actually come from. The satire targets both literal belief in the Easter Bunny and broader gullibility about inherited traditions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
RQ, a EAS a , A eS ; Bs lo \ The Easter Bunny ‘ ; r a = , ' FREAKISH Rabbit comes from Wales, > Mad March Hare is also funny; ff aberration pales “ } y A t Compared with that of Easter’s . Bunny She lays, Tradition advertises, \ dozen eggs, or maybe ten— Though Beebe thinks she plagiarizes From some untutored barnyard Hen But then, unless an ancient Bard Has thrust upon us Fancy’s figments, The eggs she lays are boiled quite hard And camouflaged in brilliant pig- ments. Upon those eggs in rainbow batches k i She sits, this Bun of strangest whim, sa) bi = Till, Thompson-Seton says, she hatches A brood of little Cherubim! “ MAMMA, DID AUNT ELLA GIVE YOU THAT HAT FoR KEEPS?” comicbooks.com