Bedtime Stories For Littles

The Bunny That Couldn't Hop

For EthanClarke8 and Jade

There once lived a family of rabbits in a burrow on a farm. There was mummy, daddy and their 4 children: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton Tail and Jade.

Jade was the youngest of her brothers and sisters and hadn't been outside the burrow before. Today was the day that she would see the outside world for the first time.

"Ready to go, Jade?" Asked Cotton Tail as he patted his fluffy fur on his face "You'll love it out there!"

"Oh yes, Cotton Tail!" Jade replied, feet patting on the ground in excitement "I can't wait to go!"

"Now you three, take very good care of Jade, okay?" Daddy warned, waggling his finger at the children.

"Don't worry dad!" Flopsy smiled "As the eldest I will look after everyone!"

"That's my girl, Flopsy. Take care and don't stray too far from the burrow."

"We won't dad!" Mopsy looked at his twin sister and poked her ears "Last one outside is a rotten carrot!"

The twins raced out the burrow and left Cotton Tail to help Jade make her way outside. Jade's eyes twinkled as she saw the daylight come closer.

Cotton Tail pushed his little sister out the burrow and watched as Jade tumbled over like a little fluffball.

"Come on Jade! There's so much to see!" Mopsy called, playing with Flopsy in the dirt.

"I'm coming!" Jade called back, standing up on her feet and ready to take her first hop. But nothing happened.

Instead, the littlest rabbit fell over. Cotton Tail hopped over to Jade's side and lifted her up "Are you okay?"

Jade sniffled "I can't hop, Cotton Tail!" She cried "I can't hop like you and Flopsy and Mopsy can!"

"Hey that's not true! We all learned to hop in our own way!" Flopsy sat next to Jade and cuddled her.

"Yeah. I learned by jumping forward, the more I jumped the more it became a hop!" Mopsy smiled, pulling a funny face to get Jade to stop crying.

"See? You're out here for the first time, it'll take some time getting used to!" Cotton Tail patted Jade's ears as the little bunny giggled "You can do this!"

"Thank you guys but... Where do I start?" Jade asked. Just then, the sound of boots coming towards the bunnies made them all freeze.

Coming out the grass, the farmer who owned the land was out planting seeds for harvest.

"Oh! It's just farmer Ethan!" Flopsy sighed in relief and waved her paws about "Farmer Ethan! Farmer Ethan!" She cried.

The Farmer looked around, hearing his name be shouted and turned around. He looked down as saw the little rabbits "Well! If it isn't Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton Tail! How are you today?"

"We're okay, Farmer Ethan! Our sister isn't though..." Mopsy looked down with a sad look on his fluffy face.

"Oh dear, whatever is the matter?" Farmer Ethan sat down in front of the little bunnies.

"Our sister can't hop so she can't go on adventures with us around the farm! Can you help her, Farmer Ethan?" Cotton Tail asked, his big eyes looking up at the Farmer.

Ethan thought for a moment and nodded "I think I can. Does she mind if I pick her up?"

Jade looked up at Ethan, and nodded, lifting up her paws as he scooped her up and petted her fur.

"Maybe if I hold her while she learns, she'll be hopping in no time!" Ethan smiled.

"You sound like you've helped an animal learn things before, is that true?" Flopsy hopped around Ethan's feet.

"Why yes it is. I helped my dog Max learn to swim. It took a whole but he is a fine swimmer now!"

Ethan gently held Jade and lowered her to the ground "Okay, just copy Cotton Tail, I won't let you go."

Jade looked at her brother and watched as he showed her how to hop slowly. Jade then copied Cotton Tail and moved forward a little.

"That's it. You're doing great! Just keep copying Cotton Tail, okay?" Ethan told Jade, his hands still holding her steady.

Cotton Tail hopped a little faster this time. Jade copied. They kept going back and forth until Jade was ready for Ethan to let her go.

"Okay, I'll let you go now! I believe in you! Give it all you've got!" Ethan cheered, lifting Jade up to his face and kissing her on the nose before he gently put her on the ground.

Jade took a step back and wiggled her little tail before taking a bound and...

She hopped! She didn't fall over! She really did it!

"Wow! Look at me! Look at me! I'm hopping! I'm hopping Cotton Tail!" Jade cried, happily hopping about.

"Yay! I knew you could do it!" Cotton Tail laughed, hopping around with Jade.

"Thank you, Ethan!" Jade smiled "You really helped me today!"

"No problem, Jade, anytime. Here, take this with you for being so brave!" Ethan reached into his pocket and pulled out a carrot, giving it to the little bunny who munched away at it.

"What are we waiting for?" Jade looked at her brothers and sister as she finished eating her carrot "Let's go explore!"

"Okay!" Everyone cheered. Farmer Ethan watched as the bunnies hopped away to explore the farm altogether. Guess that little bunny could hop after all!