It’s children’s storytime - The Unhappy Rabbit
Nov 16th, 2007 by Birdy Trish
I’s Children’s Story Time - The Unhappy Rabbit
“Mummy,” said the baby rabbit, “I want to be a bird and fly high in the sky.”
“Silly little rabbit,” said his mummy, laughing. “Why do you want to be a bird? It’s luvverrly being a rabbit. You are Benky the rabbit, you are.”
“I do want to fly,” Benky said. “I hate being a rabbit,” and he burst into floods of rabbit tears.
“Now, now. Don’t be a silly little rabbit. You are Benky the rabbit and rabbits hop they do. Now hop along and brush your teeth.”
Benky muttered to himself “‘brush your teeth, eat your greens, wash behind your ears’. That’s all she ever says to me. Won’t go and brush my teeth,” whispered Benky.
“After you’ve brushed your teeth, go and play with your brothers and sisters in the grass,” his mother suggested.
Benky shouted back at his mother “no. No, I won’t go and play. I get so fed up with running about all day. My legs get very, very tired. I am only a very little rabbit. If I was a bird I could fly across the fields so gracefully and get places so quickly. Instead I have to hop, hop, hop. I hop everywhere. I am fed up of it. I’m fed up with all of you.”
Baby Benky rabbit started hopping away.
“Remember to look both ways if you hop across the road,” Mummy rabbit shouted after him, laughing at him at the same time.
Benky cried all day long. Benky cried all night long. Deep in the burrow, curled round his sleeping brothers and sisters he cried because he was not a bird.
When Benky did fall asleep he dreamt he was a beautiful bird flying over miles of land and he was happy. He was only happy when he was dreaming.
He spoilt the whole of spring and summer for his family. His smallest brother, Kep, had never known one really happy day because of Benky’s moaning and complaining. All his brothers and sisters - Sudd, Beff, Keev, Jodee, Alaz, Een and Kep called him ‘Bonkers Benky’.
One day a Crow flew by and saw Benky sitting on his own crying. This was Clumsy Crow and with a whoosh of his wings, he flew down towards Benky.
TO BE CONTINUED
