Tufter Rabbit and the Big Flood

Press, 8 July 1976, Page 11

Tufter Rabbit and the Big Flood

Tufter Rabbit looked out of his burrow door anxiously. Rain poured on his head and soaked his long ears, but he scarcely noticed. For down at the bottom of his bank everything had changed. The River Ogle had flooded in the night, and all his feeding grounds were covered in water. Water flowed over the farmlands and over Farmer Robert’s vegetable garden. And it flowed over all the green grass. Even the gorse and fences were hidden. The trees were still there, but they stood like tired soldiers, shaking their wet heads in the wind. Tufter shook his head, too, and sighed. He knew that he would starve if the valley remained flooded. Inside, he searched his kitchen cupboards desper-

ately. The bins were empty, but he discovered some dried grass at the bottom of a tin, and behind the frying pan were a parsley stalk and a carrot. He would make soup out of them for lunch. He did not like to think what would happen after that. It might be days before the flood waters disappeared and animals could venture outside again to search for food. He started preparing his soup, and the pot was just beginning to simmer when the door rattled. Tufter dropped his wooden spoon nervously. He was not expecting visitors. But he hurried to the door and peered round it cautiously. (Who is at the door? You will find out in the second part of the story next week.)