In Old Norse culture, wild hares were not directly associated with any one deity in particular, although they were closely associated with natural motifs like fertility and springtime. The proto-Germanic goddess Eostre, from whom the holidays Ostara and Easter are derived, is closely associated with hares and their now-domesticated relatives, rabbits.

Idunn, the Norse goddess of rejuvenation and youth, was responsible for growing the fruit that gifted the Norse gods eternal youth. Without Idunn’s bounty, even the strongest gods would grow frail and weak, which made her an important figure in Norse mythology. Idunn and Eostre have many aspects in common, which has led people to associate hares and rabbits with Idunn as symbols of youth, spring, fecundity and regeneration; but hares are also known for their swiftness and the clever ways they avoid predatory behavior in the wild.