| Mother Rabbit watched as Little Rabbit hopped about the yard nibbling on the tender grass and sweet clover. She had never had such a tiny baby before that was why she had named him Little Rabbit. She worried as he hopped farther and farther away from the nest hidden beneath the hedge at the edge of the yard. Mother Rabbit loved Little Rabbit and was so proud of him but she did worry about him. By now he should have learned that he must use his eyes, ears, and nose constantly. He must never stop being alert because a rabbit
has so little protection from his enemies. He was reckless and took unnecessary chances. Just this afternoon he had run across the road and was almost hit by a car. Now as he ate clover he did not even lift his head to sniff the air for danger. So far Mother had always been with him to warn when danger was near but she knew that he must soon learn to care for himself.
She sniffed the air with her sensitive nose. The delightful smell of clover and lilac blossoms filled the air. She lifted her ears to listen. She heard only the pleasant evening sounds, the frogs tuning up for their evening concert and the merry chirp of the crickets. She glanced nervously about; Mr. and Mrs. Mack were sitting in the yard relaxing after a busy day on the farm. All was safe. Suddenly a playful breeze brought the smell of something that made her nose go wrinkle, wrinkle! A CAT WAS NEAR! Little Rabbit must come back to the nest at once. "Little Rabbit, come here,, she whispered. She was so frightened her voice trembled. Little Rabbit paid no attention but hopped nearer to where Mr. and Mrs. Mack were sitting. "Little Rabbit come back." Now Mother was almost shouting. Her heartbeat so hard she could hardly breathe. Still Little Rabbit pretended he didn't hear her. Then she saw Tuffy stalk into the yard and sit at Mr. Mack's feet. Tuffy was a big orange cat that lived on the farm. Now Mother knew what she must do! She must hop into the yard near to Tuffy. He would chase her and she would lead him away from Little Rabbit and the nest. As she hopped past Little Rabbit she would give her warning cry that meant danger was near! Out she hopped past Little Rabbit and very near to Tuffy. He just looked at her, opened his mouth in a big yawn and then snuggled up nearer to Mr. Mack and closed his eyes. Mother hopped a little closer but Tuffy paid no attention to her so she hurried back to the nest. Little Rabbit hopped slowly back to the nest. He felt a bit cross with his mother. He didn't want to worry her but he did think she watched him too closely. After all, he was getting to be a big rabbit- he thought. "I only wanted to see Mr. and Mrs. Mack," he said. "They are my friends. You know they will not hurt me so why do you worry?" "But Little Rabbit, didn't you see Tuffy," gasped Mother. "Of course I saw Tuffy," pouted Little Rabbit, "But he is much too fat and lazy to chase anything. I am not afraid of him!" "Little Rabbit, you don't understand," said Mother sadly, "All cats are natural enemies of rabbits. Tuffy does seem friendly but he is a cat! TUFFY CAN'T BE TRUSTED. My mother taught me to freeze when I see something that may be dangerous so I freeze when I see a cat, even if it seems to be friendly." "Freeze," puzzled Little Rabbit, "What does that mean?" "Freeze means to be very, very still- not to move even one little bit," explained Mother. "It is a rabbit's best protection when danger is near." So that was why Mother had been trying to teach him to be perfectly still! She was trying to teach him to freeze so he would be safe from his enemies! Little Rabbit felt ashamed. He knew he had not tried very hard to learn his lessons. "Freeze-that is a good word," he said, "Tell me once more how to freeze and I'll try very hard to learn. Really I will, Mother." Mother gave a sigh of relief. "This time I'll show you. I'll pretend that danger is near. Watch me carefully and you'll see what freeze means." She crouched low against the ground and did not move-not one little bit! Little Rabbit looked. My, but she was still! She wasn't wrinkling her nose-she wasn't wiggling her whiskers- she wasn't even blinking her eyes! If he hadn't known better he would have thought she was a bunch of grass. "You must learn this lesson well, Little Rabbit, some day it may save your life," said Mother. For the next few days Little Rabbit worked hard at his lessons. His nose learned to sort out odors until he knew if an enemy was near. He could wash himself by stroking his face and whiskers with his paws. He could find the patch with the most tender clover. But learning to freeze was so hard! He practiced it for hours and hours. He would sit very still and Mother would say; "Now I'll go away. When you're not expecting me I'll hop back. Remember-do not move, don't even wrinkle your nose." Off she would hop and Little Rabbit would sit and wait. But always something happened. Once just as Mother hopped near, a butterfly lit on his nose. Wrinkle, wrinkle went his nose. Once a soft little breeze brought the smell of clover. Wiggle, wiggle went his whiskers. Once a meadowlark started to sing from a post near by. He lifted his ears to listen to the sweet song. Then Mother would scold, "I don't think you try! I don't think you will ever learn. " Then the lessons would be over for the day. Early one morning just as the first rays of the sun were creeping over the hills, Little Rabbit and his mother were eating breakfast in Mr. Mack's yard. The clover was delicious while it was still wet with the evening dew. Mother's friend Hulda Rabbit hopped into the yard. They stopped eating and began to visit. Such chattering! First they discussed all their friends on the farm then they started talking about their children. Hulda had a little girl named Susan. Little Rabbit became tired of listening to them and took three hops away and sat down. He sat very still. Soon his mother looked around. She didn't see Little Rabbit! Now where had he gone! She called but he didn't answer. "Oh, dear, something has happened to Little Rabbit. Why didn't he stay beside me! Please, Hulda, help me find him", they hopped here and there calling his name. "Now," thought Little Rabbit, "I'll have some fun " He sat very still Hulda hopped right past him. He didn't move-not one little bit. SHE DIDN'T SEE HIM. Mother Rabbit came so close she almost stepped on him. He didn't even wrinkle his nose. SHE DIDN'T SEE HIM. They hopped in front of him, behind him, all around him! He didn't move one little bit. Then Mother began to cry. "Please, Hulda, go quickly and ask all the animals on the farm to come help me find my little rabbit." Mother was crying big rabbit tears. Then Little Rabbit thumped his foot. "I'm right here, Mother. You're almost stepping on me Then Mother stopped crying and began to laugh. "Oh, Little Rabbit, you've learned to freeze I'm so proud of you! Freezing is the most important lesson you need to learn- "What do you want to do to celebrate? You may do anything you choose." "Wow! Anything I choose." One thing Little Rabbit had always wanted was a different name, because he was called little, his friends teased him. One of his cousins had such a good name. Perhaps he'd ask Mother to call him Jack- like his cousin. But no- his ears weren't long enough, his legs weren't strong enough, his feet weren't big enough and he couldn't jump high enough. No, he couldn't be a Jackrabbit. He has to choose something else, "A GARDEN PARTY," he thought, "that would be fun' "Mother, if I can have anything I choose, I'd like to have a Garden Party, May 1?" "Of course, Little Rabbit, why don't you run right away and invite all your friends?" "I'll ask Susan, Flower, Chippy, Frisky and all of my friends in the forest to come. We'll play games, I'll teach them to freeze and we'll have lunch in Mr. Mack's garden. The lettuce and carrots are delicious. He called bye to his mother and went lippity, lippity, lip down the path to find his friends. |