The Earl of Oxford was travelling over Blackstone Edge during a time when the Black Death gripped England. As he looked out across the moorland, his heart was heavy for the beautiful Blanche, he wished with all his heart his true love would be spared from the plague. The fairies heard his wishes; a pack of cards appeared with new suits of rabbits, roses, pinks and celandine. He chose the rabbit card and a pure white rabbit, wearing a golden band around its neck appeared. The Earl sped to Rochdale to give this preternatural gift to his love, who was suffering in the final throes of illness.

Without delay, the Earl gave her the rabbit and Blanche miraculously regained her strength and recovered. In a cruel twist of fate, the luckless Earl was then struck with plague and died. The White Rabbit stayed in the Baum area, protecting the people of Rochdale. Once the plague was over, the whiter than snow Rabbit vanished as mysteriously as it had appeared.

It was then that it began its nightly haunt around the graves of St. Mary in the Baum. Over the years people were driven mad, instilling fear into the townsfolk as they caught glimpses of the lively Lepus under the moonlight, happily frolicking amongst the graves and munching on lemon balm and white mint herbs which grew in the graveyard. They spoke of his hauntingly taunting qualities and feared to venture that way during the nightly hours.