On a very
gloomy afternoon, Chipmunk and Weasel were playing “catch the tail” in a big hollow log. They would run in circles trying to catch each other’s tail and yell “GOTCHA” if they succeeded. After a while, they sprawled on the floor, panting, and decided they needed to get out and do some exploration.
So, being young and adventurous, they decided to go to the forbidden
“farm” (although they didn’t know what a “farm” was) on the edge of the Valley.
Off they went scampering through the wet undergrowth to the meadow. On the
other side of the meadow they could just see the farm mounds (we call them
houses, but to the animals of the Valley, humans lived in elaborate mounds).
They quickly ran across the meadow and sneaked around one of the mounds that
seemed to be full of large white birds. “What kind of birds are those” asked Chipmunk?
“Don’t know” said Weasel, “I never saw birds like that. All they do is walk
around and peck the ground.” They moved on and saw another structure they
recognized as a cage from some of the storied the grandpas tell on summer
nights under the stars. “Look’, said Weasel, “A cage with a rabbit it in. Let’s
climb up and see if we know him.”
They got up on the cage and sure enough there was a rabbit
inside, sad and lonely. “Hey Rabbit!” called Chipmunk. “How did you get in
there?” “I was born here” said the rabbit. “My mother was a prisoner and had
lots of babies before she died. I am the only one left. The human here is
keeping me to eat me, I think.” “EAT YOU”
cried both of the explores together. “That is terrible! We will get you out if
we can.” And just then they heard a loud noise and a big splinter of wood flew
off the side of the cage. “RUN” said the rabbit. “Here comes the human with his
killing thing.”
But the explorers didn’t run. They hid under the cage in an
old rat burrow and waited until the human left. Then, they crept up to the cage
door and began chewing on the wooden peg holding the door shut. “Hurry” cried
Rabbit, “He may come back any minute”. So they chewed and chewed and finally
the peg dropped out of the hole, and the door swung open. “Quick. Jump down and
run with us. We will hide in the meadow, and then run into the Valley where you
will be safe.”
Off they ran. Chipmunk, Weasel and Rabbit, their new friend.
Later, during the storytelling, they told of their adventure
and introduced their new friend to the others. An old grannie rabbit volunteered
to teach the young rabbit about surviving in the Valley. Chipmunk and Weasel
were in trouble for going to the farm but were praised for their bravery for
rescuing the young rabbit. They were given a one day “Time out”, no play time,
and had to go to bed without their supper.
After the time out day was over, they got together with
their new friend and played all summer. They never went back to the farm, but
often wondered about strange birds that peck the ground and never talk. As they
got older, they decided that some things were just mysteries that didn’t need
to be solved. The rabbit knew better though, and secretly vowed to go back to
the farm to be sure no more animals were caged and eaten. He was a very brave
rabbit, and after a long life had saved many others from a horrible fate.
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