BUNNY TALE 12
THE RESCUE
“Here we are,” exclaimed the Circus Elephant, taking down the bars and stepping into the Sunny Meadow, “here we are, safe home at last.”
But Little Jack Rabbit never answered a word.
“He must be asleep,” thought the kind Circus Elephant. “I won’t wake him up,” and off he trotted to the Old Bramble Patch. There stood Lady Love and Mr. Rabbit at the gate, anxiously waiting for the return of their little bunny son.
“Here he is,” laughed the big animal.
“Where?” asked Lady Love.
“Why, on my back, of course,” answered the Circus Elephant.
“I don’t see him,” said Mr. Rabbit.
“Nor I,” cried Lady Love, tearfully.
“Not on my back?” shouted the big kind circus beast, stretching around his big trunk to feel behind his great ears. But the little rabbit wasn’t there.
“Oh, dear, oh, dear!” cried Lady Love, “he’s lost.”
“Don’t cry,” begged Mr. Rabbit. “We’ll find him, never fear,” and hopping back into the little bungalow, he came out in a minute or two with a lantern. At once they all set out for the Shady Forest. All of a sudden Old Barney Owl tooted his horn.
“I don’t like that,” cried Mr. Rabbit; “owls are fond of little rabbits.”
“Come on, let’s run,” whispered the big Elephant. “Maybe we can scare the old bird,” and off he trotted at a rapid rate, the little bunnies hopping along, clipperty clip, lipperty lip, and the big circus animal bumperty bump, bumperty bump on his four large feet.
Pretty soon again from a big tall tree sounded the old owl’s toot! toot! toot! Quick as a wink the Circus Elephant pushed his trunk up into the branches and the next minute down came Old Barney Owl. The Elephant, you see, had grabbed him before he could fly away.
“What have you done with Little Jack Rabbit?” he asked, shaking the old bird until his teeth—I beg pardon, I mean his feathers—almost fell out.
“I haven’t done anything with him.”
“Yes, you have,” shouted the two little rabbits.
“Of course you have,” said the elephant, “now confess.”
But Old Barney Owl answered: “No, no, no! I haven’t even seen Little Jack Rabbit!”
“Well, you come along and help us find him,” said the Circus Elephant, and off they started again, the two little bunnies ahead, then the big Elephant and Old Barney Owl.
By and by whom should they meet but Old Man Weasel. He tried not to show himself, but before the old four-footed, tip-toey thief could hide he was made to answer a lot of questions.
“What have you done with Little Jack Rabbit?” asked the big Circus Elephant.
“What have you done with our little son?” demanded Mr. Rabbit and Lady Love.
“I haven’t seen him,” answered Old Man Weasel.
“Are you telling the truth?” asked the Elephant.
“I certainly am,” answered the old weasel. “I wouldn’t be hanging around here if I had caught a nice fat little bunny.”
“Well, you come along with us. That will keep you out of mischief. When we’ve found Little Jack Rabbit you can go home to your wife,” answered the big Elephant.
So off again started the party, Old Barney Owl ahead, next the two little rabbits, then the big Elephant and Old Man Weasel.
All of a sudden, just like that, there sounded a mournful howl. Oh, dear me! but it was a hair-raising, teeth-chattering, goosey-flesh kind of a cry.
“What’s that?” asked Lady Love, with a shiver.
“Mr. Wicked Wolf,” replied the big Elephant, with a loud trumpet. At once Mr. Wicked Wolf answered with a dismal howl. Then the Elephant trumpeted again.
whispered Old Barney Owl, as a dark shadow crept in and out among the trees.
“What have you done with Little Jack Rabbit?” demanded the big Circus Elephant.
“I haven’t seen him,” answered Mr. Wicked Wolf.
“Yes, you have,” cried Lady Love.
“What do you know about it?” snarled the old wolf. “If the big Elephant weren’t around I’d make you keep quiet.”
“That’s enough,” said the Elephant, reaching out his trunk to tweak Mr. Wicked Wolf’s ear. “Don’t get gay around here. You come along and help find the little rabbit. You’ll be out of mischief while with us and if we don’t find him pretty soon, I’ll put you and Old Man Weasel and Old Barney Owl in a big bag and shake you up and down and all around till your bones rattle!”
Then off again started the party, Old Barney Owl in the lead, Mr. Wicked Wolf and Old Man Weasel next, then Mr. Rabbit and Lady Love, and last of all, the big Circus Elephant. Every once in a while he’d swing his long lasso, cow-boy fashion, around Mr. Wicked Wolf, or pull up Old Man Weasel with a sharp jerk. And now and then, so’s not to let Old Barney Owl feel lonesome, he’d drop the noose around that old night bird’s head and yank him over backwards. This kept these three bad people mighty well behaved, let me tell you, while looking for Little Jack Rabbit—or pretending to look for him.
All of a sudden Danny Fox was seen sneaking behind a pile of brush.
“Come here, you old chicken thief,” shouted the Elephant, and without waiting for the old fox to decide whether he would or not, the big Elephant threw the lasso over his head, pulling him in as nicely as you please.
“Tell me what you’ve done with Little Jack Rabbit?” demanded the big circus animal, giving the rope a jerk to make the old fox answer quickly.
“I haven’t seen him,” replied Danny Fox, with a whine. “I haven’t seen him for a long time.”
“Yes, you have,” shouted the two little rabbits.
“What have you done with Little Jack Rabbit?” once more demanded the Elephant, although he’d already twice asked Danny Fox that very same question.
“I haven’t seen the little bunny,” again whined the old fox, “indeed, I am telling the truth.”
“What’s that?” asked Lady Love.
“You never told the truth in your life,” cried the big Elephant. “You’re an old chicken thief!”
“Please, please, don’t jerk that rope,” begged Danny Fox. “It hurts my neck.”
“Well, come along with us,” said the big circus animal, “you may help us find Little Jack Rabbit. At any rate, we’ll know where you are,” and he made the old fox join the party.
By and by, after a while, as they marched through the Shady Forest, looking here and peeking there, up and down and all around, they heard a little voice say;
“I know where Little Jack Rabbit is.”
“Where?” cried Lady Love.
“Where?” shouted Mr. Rabbit.
“Tell us quick,” cried the big Circus Elephant, holding up his ears to catch the faint whisper.
Then the little voice came again, only a little louder than before.
“Thank you, little voice,” cried Lady Love, and away she hopped to the shady nook, followed by Mr. Rabbit and the rest—only the rest didn’t hop, they all ran, except Old Barney Owl, who flew.
Pretty soon, not so very far, they reached the Bubbling Brook and, following it along, they hurried on until, all of a sudden, they heard Little Jack Rabbit calling for help.
“Cheer up, my baby rabbit,” shouted Lady Love.
Goodness me! how fast Lady Love hopped along until, quicker than a wink, she came to the two little trees.
“Oh, my little bunny,” she sobbed. “Are you hurt?”
“Maybe,” answered Little Jack Rabbit. “I’m not quite sure.”
Just then up came the big Circus Elephant. Bending apart the two trees with his great strong trunk, he shouted:
“Pull him out! pull him out!”
But Little Jack Rabbit didn’t need any help. No, sireemam. No sooner were the trees pushed apart than out he hopped all by himself right into Lady Love’s arms. And I guess that’s the nicest place to be when you’re hurt—right in mother’s arms.
“Now all you old robbers can go home,” said the big circus animal.
“Good-by,” said Old Man Weasel.
“Good-by,” cried Mr. Wicked Wolf.
“So long,” whined Danny Fox.
“Tooty fruiti!” cried Old Barney Owl, and the next minute there was no one left but the three little rabbits and the big Circus Elephant.
“Come here,” said the big kind animal and carefully picking up Little Jack Rabbit with his strong trunk, lifted him up on his back.
“Now we’ll go home to the Old Bramble Patch,” and off he trotted, followed by Mr. Rabbit and Lady Love.
By and by, after a while, and many a mile, they came to the Rail Fence. Crossing the Sunny Meadow, although of course it wasn’t sunny at this hour—night time, you know,—they soon reached the Old Bramble Patch.
“Oh, I’m so happy,” laughed Lady Love, as the big elephant placed her little rabbit on the ground, “I’m so happy I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Don’t,” replied the big kind animal. “Just let me know the next time you bake an Angel Cake—that’s all,” and off he trotted to the Shady Forest.
“Good-by, old friend,” called Mr. Rabbit.
“I’ll see you all again,” replied the Elephant. “But I must hurry, for to-morrow the circus closes in Turnip City, and I must be there to help take down the big tent.”
It wasn’t long before all three little bunnies were sound asleep. Mr. Rabbit and Lady Love were tired out from their long search and Little Jack Rabbit,—well, he was tired and sleepy, anyway, as all small bunnies should be.