Hurdy-gurdy Hungarian lowlands, but was the normal term for the instrument on Csepel island directly south of Budapest. The equivalent names "ninera" and "niněra" are used in Slovakia and the Czech Republic respectively. In Russian and Ukrainian the instrument is called "wheel lyre" ("колёсная лира", "колісна ліра"). In Poland it is called "cranked lyre" (lira korbowa). "Leier", "lant", and related terms today are generally used to refer to members of the lute or lyre family, but historically had a broader range of meaning and were used for many types of stringed instruments. In her overview of the instrument's history, Palmer recorded
Hurdy-Gurdy Hare noting to the audience: "I sure hope Petrillo doesn't hear about this!" (a then-topical gag referencing the president of the American Federation of Musicians, which was on strike in 1948 when the short was copyrighted). Hurdy-Gurdy Hare Hurdy-Gurdy Hare is a Merrie Melodies cartoon short, copyrighted in 1948 and released in 1950 and re-issued in 1961 as a Blue Ribbon, which is directed by Robert McKimson and written by Warren Foster. Bugs has to deal with Grusome Gorilla while trying to make some money playing a street organ. While Bugs is sitting in Central Park, he looks through the wanted