El-Ahrairah and the Black Rabbit of Inle

In the tale, El-Ahrairah's people are threatened with starvation and he journeys to the land of the dead to make a deal with the Black Rabbit, who is associated with the moon ("Inlé" means "the moon" but also carries the association of darkness and death; "Fu Inlé" means "after moonrise"). The deal offered is as old as time — his life in exchange for that of his people. The Black Rabbit refuses, but El-Ahrairah challenges him to contests. If he wins, the Black Rabbit would take the enemies that are warring against the rabbits. However, he loses both contests, and this costs El-Ahrairah his tail, whiskers, and ears.   El-Ahrairah then tries to infect himself with a disease called the White Blindness (possibly Myxomatosis) and return to the living world to inflict it upon the army his people are at war against. However, this, too, fails, because White Blindness is spread by fleas that infest rabbit ears, and by then, El-Ahrairah has no ears.   When El-Ahrairah finally gives up, the Black Rabbit takes mercy on him, saying that he is "a nuisance," and sends him home, telling him that his people are already saved. Returning proves similar to tales of going to Faerie — generations have passed, and El-Ahrairah and his companion Rabscuttle, captain of his Owsla, who made the journey with him, are no longer remembered. But, his people have indeed survived, as promised.   Frith, the Creator deity, then comes to El-Ahrairah, and replaces his missing ears, whiskers, and tail, which glow with starlight from that point on.

The tale of El-Ahrairah's visit to the land of the dead may have inspiration in the original event that inspired the Avisalia myth shared by House Lapin and House Avis, and it may also have some link to tales of Rabbits in the Moon — if, indeed, that myth was inspired by certain Voidtouched wererabbits. A descent into The Void could certainly be seen as a journey to Inlé, and time can be odd in the Void, which might lead to exactly the scenario described in the story.

While this specific tale only became widely known through the version captured in Adams' novel, as interpreted by the Lapinites, there are many variations of living heroes and tricksters descending to the underworld or the land of the dead and returning, changed forever by the journey, bringing life to the world through their actions.

Perhaps especially because House Lapin is dedicated to defending the Realm against the Undead Horde, this tale is widely known and respected in the Lapin Protectorate.