Get ready to learn about the origins of the infamous Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog! This iconic scene from the 1975 classic film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, features King Arthur and his knights facing off against a seemingly harmless bunny who turns out to be a fierce opponent. But did you know that killer rabbits were actually a common theme in medieval literature? They were often depicted in marginal illustrations and even mentioned in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.
According to recent research by Cambridge University’s James Wade, killer rabbits may have been a popular trope among traveling minstrels in the Middle Ages. Wade stumbled upon a 15th century manuscript while doing research in the National Library of Scotland, which included low-brow nonsense verse, a mock sermon, and a burlesque romance. The scribe, Richard Heege, identified himself as a household cleric and tutor to the Sherbrooke family of Derbyshire. Wade believes that the manuscript was either a transcript of a live minstrel performance or copied from a minstrel’s now-lost written notes.
While there are many medieval works with “oral” or “minstrel” tags, Wade notes that “No single text survives that we can confidently tether to a medieval minstrel, as composer, owner, or performer.” This makes the Heege manuscript a rare and valuable glimpse into a medieval world rich in oral storytelling and popular entertainments. So next time you watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail, remember that the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog has a long and storied history in medieval literature and entertainment.
On Friday, April 9th, a 15th century manuscript describing a killer rabbit similar to the one featured in Monty Python and the Holy Grail was discovered. This manuscript, a treatise for a hunting trip in 1490 written by a Swiss writer called Tschudi, describes an elusive creature called the Bunny of Mark/Marca.
Tschuchi’s recount of the Bunny of Mark/Marca indicates that it was a strong and dangerous creature that hunted at night. It is believed that the Bunny of Mark/Marca was a hare due to its larger ears and longer legs than an average rabbit. Tschuchi took particular note of the Bunny of Mark/Marca’s strength, speed, and vicious attacking tactics, likening it to a lion cub.
While the Bunny of Mark/Marca has not been seen since the 15th century manuscript, the description roughly matches that of the killer rabbit of Caerbannog featured in the 1975 Monty Python film The Holy Grail. In both cases, the creature is described as a large and dangerous bunny with impressive attack skills.
As of now, researchers are not sure if the Bunny of Mark/Marca was a real animal or a fictional creature present in local folklore. However, the discovery of the 15th century manuscript has certainly provoked interest in the killer rabbit’s history. It will be exciting to see what further information about the Bunny of Mark/Marca can be gleaned from this ancient document.
