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Portlanders, as they would proudly admit, have aways been a race apart. Separated fom the mainland by a narrow causeway and before that, by just a ferry, it's understandable that they developed their own distinct traditions.
One of these refers to mentioning the word 'rabbit' or rather, in this case, not mentioning the word rabbit.
No one is certain how the taboo first arose, though one explanation surmises that appearance of fleeing rabbits in large numbers was a sure portent of lethal rockfalls in the quarries for which Portland was famous. Consequently, over time, the cuddly critters gradually became associated with bad luck in general.
As a small aside, Portlanders seem to have been suspicious of everything, even their fellow men.
In a hobbit-like fashion the population arranged themselves into three distinct communities; Tophillers (who, obviously lived at the top of the island, Underhillers (I'll let you work that one out...) and finally Kimberlins (the rest)...as for Weymouth folk...best draw a veil at this point...
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