|
Mother Rabbit watched as Little Rabbit hopped about the yard nibbling on the tender grass and sweet clo- ver. 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 their cozy 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 be- cause 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. Every evening just before the purple shadows crept over the yard Johnny and his mother and his grandma took a walk up the road. They passed the nest where the rabbits were hiding. Little Rabbit was oh, so quiet but he did want to go with them. They were always laughing and singing and having so much fun! He wished Mother would let him follow them but he knew how frightened she would be so he didn't even ask if he could The long sum- mer day was beginning to fade into the shadows and the evening hush was falling over the farm. Mother spoke softly to Little Rabbit; "Hulda Rabbit told me today that Susan is not feeling well. I have some lovely black- berries from Mr. Mack's patch I want to take to her. Soon Johnny and his mother and grandma will walk past. "Now, be very still-do not even wrinkle your nose. I will be home before they return from their walk. Do not leave the nest for any reason." "I'll stay right here," promised Little Rabbit. Mother kissed him and hopped away taking the basket of berries with her. He hoped the berries would make Susan feel better. Sure enough, laughing and singing, Johnny and his mother and grandma soon walked past. Little Rabbit was very still-he didn't even wrinkle his nose. But he DID want to see why they were having so much fun. HE JUST HAD TO FIND OUT. He would follow them to the top of the hill where the road curved to the east and then he would hurry home. Mother wouldn't even know he had left the nest. Carefully he hopped behind them. They stopped-he stopped. "Sh," said Johnny's Grandma. "Listen, the vesper sparrow is singing his evening song. Isn't it lovely'?" Little Rabbit listened too. It was a pretty song! He had heard it many times before but he didn't know it was the vesper sparrow. Now Johnny was playing he was a cowboy. "Yippie-yi-oh," he shouted as he rode his imaginary horse up the road. Then he turned around and ran back to his mother. She caught him and swung him round and round. It looked like SO much fun. Little Rabbit wished he had someone to play with. The friendly shadows were beginning to creep farther and farther over the countryside and twilight was changing to dusk. Johnny's mother was pointing toward the sky. "Look, Johnny, see the evening star. Isn't it bright tonight? Soon millions of stars will twinkle in the blue, velvet sky and the night will sparkle with their light." Little Rabbit looked up. Yes, the sky did look beautiful. So those lights up there were called stars! He hadn't known that before. They reminded him of the dew on Mr. Mack's lawn. Early in the mornin- when the first rays of the sun touched the drops of dew they changed to sparkling diamonds and glistening red an orange and yellow jewels! Yes, the sky was beautiful like the early morning dew. In the distance Little Rabbit heard the call of the whippoorwill and with a start he remembered that he should be home. He looked around. Oh dear, he was much farther from home than he had meant to go. He was way past the corner. He hoped Mother wouldn't be cross. Lippity, lippity, lip he started for home. His eyes caught a glimpse of something at the side of the road. He stopped-he sniffed the air. His nose smelled an enemy! Then he saw what that something was. IT WAS TUFFY THE CAT. Now he didn't look gentle and friendly as did when he lay purring at Mr. Mack's feet. He was crouched down and his eyes gleamed in the darkness. His long tail went swish, swish slowly in the grass. Little Rabbit's legs would not stay still. He gave a big jump and then Tuffy pounced! His sharp paws dug into Little Rabbit's back and his sharp teeth caught the fur around his neck. Little Rabbit kicked and screamed but it did no good. Tuffy started to walk away dragging Little Rabbit with him. Then Little Rabbit heard a big noise. Johnny had seen Tuffy pounce and had heard Little Rabbit scream. Running and shouting he came down the road. "Tuffy, drop that little rabbit. Let him go-let him go!" He picked up a stick and threw it at Tuffy. Now Tuffy was scared. No one had ever thrown anything at him before. But then he had never been naughty like this before. He dropped Little Rabbit and ran off into the dusk. Little Rabbit felt himself being lifted from the ground. He trembled with fright. "This is the end of me," he sobbed. "A little boy has caught me. I want my mother!" But all the time Johnny was saying, "Nice little rabbit, poor little rabbit." Then he called, "Mother, Grandma, come see what Tuffy caught." Mother and Grandma hurried to Johnny. "Oh, poor little rabbit," exclaimed Johnny's mother "Wasn't it lucky you were here to save him?" She looked Little Rabbit over carefully. "He doesn't seem to be hurt, Johnny. I think if you put him down in the road he will run home to his mother." Johnny stroked Little Rabbit's ears gently. "Now you run home, little rabbit. I'll watch Tuffy so he can't follow you." He put Little Rabbit down. "Run, little rabbit run!" And Little Rabbit did run. He didn't know he could run so fast. Straight home he went, lippity, lippity, lip. He stumbled into the nest breathing so hard he couldn't speak. Mother Rabbit was home. She rushed to her little rabbit. "Whatever is the matter, Little Rabbit? Do tell me what happened!" Mother was quivering all over. When Little Rabbit could get his breath he whispered to his mother. "I did a naughty thing. I left the nest when you told me not to. I saw Tuffy by the roadside. He was crouched down and his tail went swish, swish in the grass. I was so frightened I forgot to freeze. He caught me in his sharp claws and started to carry me away but Johnny came and made him let me go. Mother, you are right about cats. Cats are our worst enemies. We can't trust even a friendly cat like Tuffy. But you are wrong about little boys. Not all little boys are our enemies. Little boys like Johnny are our best friends." He snuggled up close against Mother. "Yes, Little Rabbit, you are right," crooned Mother. "All little boys are not naughty and now you know even a friendly cat will sometimes catch a rabbit. It is not safe for a little rabbit to go alone so far from the nest. You have learned a very important lesson tonight." Then Mother gently carried Little Rabbit to his bed and tucked him in. "Now you are safe in the nest with me. Go to steep Little Rabbit, go to sleep." It was so nice to be safe in bed with Mother sitting beside him. Little Rabbit suddenly felt tired and sleepy. He yawned and his eyes began to feel heavy. Soon Mother heard a sleepy little voice say, "I wish all little boys were kind to animals, don't you Mother?" But before Mother could answer Little Rabbit snuggled down in his soft bed, gave a contented little sigh and fell sound asleep. |