The Unspeakable Eldritch Horror of Our New Bunny
Posted on October 12, 2011 Posted by John Scalzi 61 Comments
To the surprise of almost exactly no one around here, the name “Cthulhu” took first place in our “Name the Bunny” poll, with “Lord Snuggleston,” coming in a reasonably close second. Athena liked both names, so we’re combining them to give our rabbit the rather grand name of “Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston.” Because if ever there was a noble ruler of Cuddlyshire, it would be the squid-faced lord of insanity, wouldn’t it. So, meet Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston. I imagine for short we’ll call it “Hey, bunny.”
And for those of you no doubt slightly alarmed by the picture above, a somewhat more adorable picture for you:
There, that makes it all better, doesn’t it.
Update: 3:03pm: Please to find Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston’s first fan art, from Dave Branson:
Adorably terrifying? Or terrifyingly adorable?
WELCOME oh Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston! May you enjoy lots of greens and snuggles.
IMHO, the second picture is no more comforting. S/He has spooky eyes. It’s always in the eyes.
Augh! Those ears! Keep it away from me! Keep away!
Are you sure it’s Lord Snuggleston, and not Lady Snuggleston? I know you’ve consistently referred to the rabbit as “he”…but when my brother and I were young, my parents bought us each rabbits one Easter, after having been promised they were both male. After I made a rather unfortunate discovery in the bottom of their cage one day, it was determined that the smaller of the two, my brother’s rabbit, was actually female. As long as it’s just one rabbit, it shouldn’t really matter a whole lot what its gender is, but even so…inquring minds want to know!
:-)
Ia! Ia! Snuggleston Fhtagn!
HE’S SO CUUUUUTE!! WITTLE BUNNYWUNNY AWWWWWW.
It reminds me of the part in “Good Omens” where they’re talking about the Prince of Darkness and how cute his wittle hoofies are. :D
It’s perfect! Great choice, Athena.
That’s the most foul-tempered rodent you ever laid eyes on. Look at the bones!
Lord Snuggleston had best beware. With such a superior establishment and that so very amiable manner, all the matchmaking mamas of the ton will be after him for their button-nosed daughters.
Khaaaaaaaaan!
Sigh, since Captain Hopalot, Zombie Cat Slayer wasn’t chosen, I guess that Cthulu will pass. But you never know when you might need a zombie cat slayer… who might also cross-train as a zombie badger slayer.
Don’t look into the eyes or you’ll be VTq#5Oc0zK%O,NPVZGdD^t?Q………………………………………………..
\
I have friends with bunnies; he looks like a biter to me.
AWESOME name. I just hope he doesn’t grow multiple ears that behave like his eponym’s tentacles. (Did I use that word right? I think I did…)
I can only imagine the bedtime stories…
“Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston, what big tentacles you have!”
“All the better to snuggle with, my child.”
I, for one, welcome our new furry, tentacled overlord.
I hope Athena enjoys her wabbit as much as we enjoy ours! Our Flopsy is a very sociable and entertaining member of the household. She is good friends with both cats and the elder dog, and is making friends with the new puppy quite rapidly.
Wabbits are great fun!
Waiting for Chang who is not Chang…
I think that name may sufficiently deter me from wanting to eat him. Though the first picture might give me the valid excuse of self defense…
You mean after all our hard work you’re going to call him “Hey, Bunny?”
Upgrading soon to a hutch of basalt…
O-Yay, the devourer has come.
Now everyone give me a SAN roll.
Presumably, he is also a poet of the Satanic School of the Romantics? Gordon, Lord Byron; Percy Bysshe Shelley; Mary Gowdin; Samuel Taylor Coleridge…A rich group of poets to be amoungst;).
The shapes and proportions of the first picture are disturbingly awkward and wrong. Did Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston transport you to R’lyeh for part of the photo shoot?
here bunny bunny bunny… here WABBIT!
hm. reimagining Call of Cthulhu with elmer fudd as the main character is … unsettling
That rabbit is, as most rabbits are, very disapproving.
By the way, the House Rabbit Society (http://www.rabbit.org/) has a lot of really good info on rabbit care (according to my friends who do rabbit rescue). There’s a lot of bad information out there on how to properly care for a bun, and they can live a good long life with the right husbandry, so it’s definitely worth looking into.
So I did this on my lunch break…
I hope the img tag works.
Oh my god, its ears are going to eat me.
Dave at 2:37, you are most fabulous and admirable.
Or, as the cats like to call it, Lunch.
Dave Branson:
Promoted your sketch into the main entry.
Awesome! Thanks, John. This made my day. :)
I’ve added that sketch to my Flickr account, and since I can’t edit my original post, here’s the new link.
“In his house at W’lyeh, dwead Cthulhu waits dweaming.
Huh huh huh huh huh huh.”
From the picture it kind of looks like the rabbits cage floor is all wire. That’s really unnecessary and uncomfortable for the rabbit. Rabbits are intelligent and will litter train themselves. A solid surface for the rabbit to live on with a litter box in the corner is pretty standard.
Also, my rabbits love it when I put hay in their litter box so they can munch while they do their business.
Also, not trying to be critical or anything. Just throwing out some info for a new rabbit owner.
I saw this coming…
The elder gods always win.
Bunnithulu, a reimagining of the Bunnicula books.
I smell money…
My God, it’s full of ears!!
@Ben:
I’m kind of hoping for “Call of Cthulhu, Lord Snuggleston” a la “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.”
Hey, did you or any of the other parents of lucky rabbit winners ever find out just who was handing out rabbits? Just curious.
Um…. did I already say he’s going to grow into his ears? He is …. he’s going to be big. Trust me — I live with a 12 pound bunny (she’s the biggest out of the four I have). Have fun!!!
If that were my rabbit’s name it’d be promptly abbreviated to K’snuggles.
Is it so terribly wrong that the first thing that hopped into my brain when I saw this was, “Little Bunny Cthu-lhu, hoppin’ through the for-est…. Scoopin’ up the Old Ones and boppin’ ’em on the head…”
You’ve got great readers John.
Nice work Dave B.
I have slipped the surly bonds of sanity, and touched the snuggly-ugly face of God.
Only thing missing on that name is a military rank to go along with it. Leftenant Commander Cthulu, Lord Snuggleston, perhaps?
And Thena at 7:47, you’re my short-duration personal savior for the Little Bunny Cthu-Lu lyric.
J. Packer… That rank should be Sergeant Cthulu, Lord Snuggleston.
D.A. – Are you implying that his parents lacked the wherewithal to acquire him a commission? Slander and calumny!
Oh, and I’ve decided the song continues “Aaaaand down came Hastur the Unspeakable, and he said…”
Thena, J. Packer – Thank you! ROFLMAO does not begin to describe the merriment…
Ia’ Cthulhu! ia’ Cthulhu! Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu Cuddlyshire wgah’nagl fhtagn!!!
All Hail Eris!
All Hail Discordia!!
Cthulhu-snuggleston ftaghn!!
So is Cuddlyshire anywhere near Watership Down?
A multi-tentacled, bat-winged, leporine deity seems like something that would fit right into Sluggy Freelance. Though with all he’s been through, I don’t see a certain switchblade-wielding lop being sufficiently impressed to start worshipping him or anything….
@J.Packer:
No, it is obvious from his portraits that young Cthulu, Lord Snuggleston would disdain the use of his family’s wealth and prefer to work his way up on his own merits, thus having achieved the much more important rank of Sergeant. Even the Army knows that sergeants run the joint. Officers are there to sign paperwork. :P
I think the Laundry is going to need to dispatch Bob Howard to investigate this bunny. Someone call Charlie Stross!
Agree that he is going to grow into his ears. Also second the House Rabbit Society recommendation. They’re a great source of information. Of course, I’m a licensed educator for them, so I’m a little biased. ;-) Also, if he isn’t neutered, I’d recommend taking care of that soonish. He’ll be easier to litter box train and he won’t follow you around trying to hump your feet all the time. Congratulations on the new addition to your family!
Just look at those tentacles! That’s, like, five times the nibbling power of a normal rabbit!
Well, now I know what Fantasy Flight’s next Arkham Horror expansion will be about. :)
“Bunnies aren’t just cute like everybody supposes, they got them hoppy legs and twitchy little noses.
And what’s with all the carrots? What do they need such good eyesight for anyway?…”
An elder god thats a vegetarian ? The Horror!
oh2, you just made my lunch!
I know a few vegetarians who would be proud –
Check out Binky Bunny, a website where you can learn how best to take care of your new bunny! He’s SO CUTE! We have two, and they have the run of the place because they are litter trained. Definitely good advice about the wire flooring; it can injure their footsies. Also, they need hay as much as they need water. Timothy hay is best, and you can get it at Target!
Congrats!