Baby Bunny!

On a beautiful Fall day a rabbit family was working hard together, tending their garden and helping one another. Mr. Rabbit was very ill and every member of the family had to help and give up something they wanted dearly to help their Daddy . All the rabbit's had other plans with rabbit friends and games to play. Each of the bunnies wanted to be doing something else but the Mama rabbit reminded them of the importance of helping each other out. As the rabbit mother softly asked each to think hard about their sick Daddy rabbit, the tiniest of the bunnies became entranced by chasing the butterflies and looking towards the sky.

After hours of frolicking and playing in the woods, night began to fall. Then the little bunny started to pay attention to think about more than just himself and his immediate pleasures. He realized in his hours of personal escape and joy he had become lost and scared. He thought to himself of how pretty everything was and what adventures he had taken but how little comfort they gave him at this time. He found himself alone and wondering how his Daddy rabbit was doing.

As the night grew louder and colder the adventurous bunny shuddered behind a bush becoming terrified and timid. Froze by the big shadows and scary sounds of the night. His tummy ached and all he wanted was to nestled next to his mothers whiskers. To here her stories and feel the security of his Daddy, brothers and sister nestled around him.

Every night his Mama would tell him a story. A beautiful story, about a boy and a beautiful Christmas bell. How the bell would only ring once a true gift was brought to the church. How all the most expensive gifts could not make the bell ring, even the riches of the king. Once again the bells would chime, by a boy desperate to see the Christmas eve service who stayed with an injured women on the roadside. It was not the value of the boys coin placed on the church plate by his brother that soared the musical bells through the church . It was that the boy had given up his dearest wish of seeing the service to help someone.

The rabbit glanced up through the brush into the dark night sky and thought about what his family had done today. His brother would help get water and blankets for Daddy rabbit instead of playing hide and seek. His older sister would help Mama cook some vegetable broth instead of playing dress up. His older brother bunny would help find sticks for a fire to keep their Daddy warm on a cool evening. He had done all he planned to do that day, but he felt alone and sad. That scary evening the bunny realized something very important.

As the stars twinkled above, almost talking back at him as his thoughts drifted into the clouds, there was a crack. Suddenly he heard a rustling of the bush and loud noises behind. Then he heard calls," Baby bunny where are you?" His whole family was looking for him. He leaped from the bush to be standing at the feet of his Father. His Father still looking weak and tired but his face had a sort of glow, knowing he found his baby bunny. The mother swept the bunny up in her arms with a tear than ran like a winding river down her cheek , glistening in the moon light. Soon the bunny melted into his mothers arms into a sound tired sleep.

That night his brothers and sister helped the Daddy back to his bed and tucked in the little bunny that learned a great lesson. The next night Mama bunny nestled the baby bunny in her whiskers and told him the story of the beautiful Christmas bell once more.

BY
Reva Carpenter