Mother Bunny and her flowers

CHAPTER X.
A FLOWER PLAY FOR ANY DAY.

Old Mother Bun went to her garden bed;

“Pansies are really blooming,” she said.

“Mid sun and shower, in half an hour,

We’ll see many a dainty flower.”

The winter had been hard and long.

Old Mother Bun had patched and mended the Bunnies’ clothes, and Old Father Bun had mended and patched the furniture, and, except for visitors to the Green House, they had seen little of the outside world.

One morning the Pansies lifted their heads and the Crocuses began to grow. Said old Mother Bun, “I sing and sing, For all these flowers are signs of spring.”

Old Father Bun heard the Birds singing and he said,

“All the Birds are on the wing,

Their songs are truly signs of spring.”

It was at this very minute that Healthy Bunny said,

“Hear that noisy clitter-clatter,

What, indeed, can be the matter?”

The March Hare came bounding in the window.

He upset the cups and saucers and spilled the cream from the pitcher.

“I run here, and there, and everywhere;

I am the jolly Mad March Hare.”

He was so noisy it was some time before Old Father Bun’s voice could be heard. He said by and by,

“Can you suggest anything

To help celebrate the spring?”

The March Hare turned two somersaults and said,

“I may be here, I may be away,

But why not give a Flower Play?”

“Hurrah, hurrah,” cried Pretty Bunny.

“Hurrah, hurrah,” cried Happy-Go-Lucky Bunny.

Shadow Bunny said, “I hope you will give the Play on a sunny day, so I can be there.”

The Friendly Tree Toad chirped,

“You will have to buy costumes for your play;

Really Bunnies, I see no other way.”

The Bunnies sat down in a circle and put on their thinking caps, for they had no dimes or pennies with which to buy costumes for the Flower Play.

Suddenly, without any warning whatever, Old Father Bun began to laugh and Old Mother Bun began to laugh, and Healthy Bunny said,

“Old Mother Bun, you never told

What you found in the pot of gold.”

Old Mother Bun got the pot of gold she had found at the rainbow end, and took off the cover. Out rolled more gold pieces than you have ever dreamed of!

She had forgotten all about the pot of gold.

Now, they could buy costumes for the Flower Play.

They began to think about the Play.

The March Hare said he would be the Clown, and the Tree Toad said he would be ticket-seller.

They built a real little stage in Old Mother Bun’s Garden, and they studied their parts until one bright May day when the sun shone warm and bright, the March Hare gave the prologue and the Play began on the day set for it:

“We do not need to beg your pardon

For giving a play in Mother Bun’s Garden;

The sun is bright, the scenery right,

And so our neighbors we invite;

The Flowers we introduce to you,

In their costumes bright and new;

We are a little nervous; this is the reason,

Frost comes sometimes out of season;

We’ve just begun to have much fun

In the Garden of Old Mother Bun.”

The Play then began.

Pansies. “See, we are the Pansies with happy faces and kind thoughts. We do not fear Jack Frost. We do not fear a little snow. We will dance for you and sing for you.”

1st Pansy. “Are any of our enemies about?”

2nd Pansy. “Are there any insects and bugs to worry us?”

3rd Pansy. “There is no sign of our enemy, Hail.”

4th Pansy. “Oh, we must hide; here come real enemies, the Careless Children! Some of them will step on us, some of them will pick us with such short stems we will be useless.”

Careless Children—

“We are Careless Children, oh me, oh my;

To be careful we never try.

We do not mind what any one’s said;

Ha, ha, let’s go to the Pansy bed.”

March Hare—

“Ho, ho, ho, don’t you dare;

I’m the bad little, sad little

Mad March Hare!”

Careless Children—

“We beg your pardon, we beg your pardon;

We see we are in Mother Bun’s Garden!”

Hollyhocks—

“We love the Birds and love the Bees;

We have few enemies, is you please.”

Song, tune “Lightly Row.”

Hollyhocks, hollyhocks,

Growing by the garden walks,

Hollyhocks, hollyhocks

Hear their merry talks,

Red and yellow, pink and white,

Standing in the bright sunlight,

Hollyhocks, hollyhocks,

Growing by the walks.

Insects (humming behind scenes)

“We are insects, if you please,

We destroy Flowers and Trees.”

Tree Toad.

“No, no, no, I beg your pardon;

You’ll not destroy them in Mother Bun’s Garden.

I am a Tree Toad, with work to do;

I will call useful Sparrows too.”

Sparrows—

“We’ll drive the insects all away,

Mother Bun, for you;

We’ll drive the insects all away,

And this is what we’ll do;

We’ll sing and play as well we may,

And enjoy our holiday.”

(The Tree Toads give a little dance).

Daisies (dancing in pairs).

“We’re Daisies who dance,

We lightly advance,

And skip in two’s, if you please;

We’re Daisies who dance, and lightly advance,

We love the Birds and Bees.”

Hail.

“I’m old King Hail, I seldom fail

To give some one a fright;

My hail stones come, a tum, ti, tum,

At morning, noon, or night.”

March Hare.

“I’ll put you to rout, without a doubt;

You’re just a rough old roustabout.”

(They have a battle and Hail goes out.)

Little Elves rise from Tulips at the back of the stage singing to the tune of “Twinkle Little Star.”

“Flowers are blooming everywhere,

Sweet Bird songs are in the air,

See their colors gay unfurled,

Spring has come o’er all the world.”

March Hare.

“I cut up some capers, I do declare,

I am the comical Mad March Hare,

If you like our play, we say,

Call on us another day.”

The little Play was over and all the visitors went home.

Old Father Bun said,

“I’ll sit down now in my arm chair,

And smoke away with never a care.”

“Will you?” said the Scarecrow in the garden.

“Will you?” cried the Sun Dial.

Old Mother Bun said,

“I’ll sit down and knit a heel or toe;

I’ll sit down and knit an hour or so.”

“Will you?” they all cried.

Suddenly such a rapping and tapping was heard, such a stamping of feet that all the Bunnies went to the door to see what was the matter.

There was a surprise party for Mother Bun!

All the Bunnies came trooping in, and Old Father Bun did not have his quiet smoke, and Old Mother Bun did not knit her heel and toe, but they had a merry time, and the most delightful thing was still to happen!

After they had brought in hampers of good things, a great wagon drove up, and in it was a wonderful garden seat.

The Bunnies set up a shout.

“Good bye, good bye, ’till next we meet;

Old Mother Bun, here is a garden seat.

We wish you many happy hours,

In the Garden with your Flowers.”

All the Bunnies went homeward.

Said Old Mother Bun, “Good bye, good bye;

To be happy I always try.”

She looked at Old Father Bun who took a puff at his pipe, saying,

“Good night, but I give all fair warning,

We’ll meet in the Garden to-morrow morning.”

Mother Bun nodded her wise old head

And dreamed of Elves in the Tulip Bed;

She said, “The story is done, my dear,

But I’ll plant a new garden every year.”

Mother Bunny and her flowers

About This Book

CHAPTER X. A FLOWER PLAY FOR ANY DAY.

CHAPTER X.
A FLOWER PLAY FOR ANY DAY.