THE BATTLE OF THE BUNNIES at FOUND IN THE FOOTNOTES
This story was inspired by by sharing 'The Count of Monte Cristo' in its entirety recently at 1001 Stories For The Road Podcast. If you want a great cllassic romance/adventure story- this is it!
THE BATTLE OF THE BUNNIES
It sounds like a tall tale, but this actually happened! In July 1807, after signing the Treaties of Tilsit, Napoleon Bonaparte decided to celebrate with a grand imperial rabbit hunt.
The event didn't go exactly as planned:
The Setup: Napoleon’s chief of staff, Alexandre Berthier, was in charge of the festivities. To ensure a "successful" hunt, he didn't trap wild hares; instead, he reportedly bought roughly 3,000 domesticated rabbits from local farmers.
The Ambush: When the cages were opened, the rabbits didn't hop away in fear. Because they were farm-raised, they saw Napoleon and his men as providers of food. Instead of fleeing, the massive swarm charged toward Napoleon in a fluffy wave.
The Retreat: Thousands of rabbits swarmed the Emperor’s legs, climbed his silk jacket, and reportedly even hopped into his imperial carriage. The "Greatest Military Mind in History" was forced to beat a hasty retreat, using his riding crop and coat to shoo away the persistent bunnies.
Join us at our new website at www.bestof1001stories.com and browse all 12 1001 podcasts for stories and old time radio.
