As the Runaway Bunny hopped along, it began to rain very hard.
He heard a voice singing:
The voice came from a wee house in the woods. The Runaway Bunny stopped and knocked politely at the door.
His little heart went thump, for he did not know what he should find inside.
The door opened a little and a very old Rabbit peeped out and said:
The Runaway Bunny hung his head, for he had never been generous enough to give away anything in all his life. But as the rain was falling fast, he wanted to go in and dry his fur and whiskers.
So he said:
In answer to this, the door was opened wide and he hopped inside.
My, what a wonderful sight he saw!
There were Easter eggs on the table and Easter eggs on the floor, Easter eggs on the window-sill and Easter eggs in baskets! They were painted in gay colors—red, blue, and gold.
Old Mother Give-Away said:
“Painting piles and piles of Easter eggs”
Then she told him how she and Father Give-Away had spent many days painting piles and piles of Easter eggs.
She said she wanted every Rabbit in the world to have an Easter egg on Easter morning. She wanted the eggs well hidden, so it would be fun to hunt for them.
“Splashing the colors upon them”
She went on painting the eggs, dashing and splashing the colors upon them. The Runaway Bunny planned where he would hide the Easter eggs in every wee house he visited.
He thought he would put them back of books and in vases and back of clocks and in cups and bowls and baskets. There are so many good places to hide wee Easter eggs.
By and by the two Bunnies curled up on the rug and fell asleep.
Very early next day the Runaway Bunny woke up.
He said:
To his surprise Old Mother Give-Away answered, as though she were half asleep:
The Runaway Bunny laughed and slipped four little Rubbers on his four little feet to keep them dry, this misty, moisty morning.
Then he asked again:
Then the Rubbers piped up to answer him:
“The Umbrella was in a very good humor”
The Umbrella was in a very good humor and, as the Runaway Bunny opened it, said:
The Runaway Bunny chuckled as he slipped on the Raincoat that hung on a nail.
He asked as before:
The Raincoat replied:
The Runaway Bunny knew they were happy to get out in the rain. But he asked again:
The Rain Cap replied:
Then the Runaway Bunny ran out into the yard and said to the Wheelbarrow:
And the Wheelbarrow said, “I am ready to start this very minute.”
“About 246 Easter eggs in the Wheelbarrow”
Then Mother Give-Away came out and helped the Runaway Bunny pile about 246 Easter eggs in the Wheelbarrow. She covered them well to keep them dry.
The Runaway Bunny remarked:
“Who is Grandmother Bun?” asked Old Mother Give-Away.
The wind whistled so hard that the Runaway Bunny did not hear the question. But he went rolling the Wheelbarrow merrily along, singing:
“He left eggs at every Rabbit house”
He left eggs at every Rabbit house he passed, and by and by the Wheel-barrow was empty.
He left it in the road and went hippety-hop along, singing: