[muawiyah]

Presumably Spring festivals have been held since time immemorial.

This is not exactly news.

Not too long ago it finally dawned on me that the story about Moses being pulled from the rushes in the river was the same as the story about Sargon being pulled from the rushes in the river.

One supposes these stories derive from the characteristic of major rivers, e.g. the Nile and the Euphrates, to rise in the Spring due to rains in the uplands.

Or, the stories could be about real events.

I know people who celebrate Easter by killing a baby sheep, roasting it whole, and then eating it. Frankly, I've never appreciated the taste of mutton, nor of rabbit - just keeping my eyes out for a religious subgroup that has some sort of holiday and ceremony focused on fried squirrel.

[DouglasKC]

One supposes these stories derive from the characteristic of major rivers, e.g. the Nile and the Euphrates, to rise in the Spring due to rains in the uplands.
Or, the stories could be about real events.

Personally I believe that the biblical stories are true and that the pagan myths and legands that are similar are counterfeits created to discredit these events.