The Rabbits’ Revolt

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 124, 18 February 1933, Page 19

The Rabbits’ Revolt

Once upon a time the king of the wild; woods kept his court in the loveliest, leafiest, greenest wood that ever you did see, and at his court dwelt the woodsey animals, little and big. furry and smooth, and the birds and the beetles too. The king loved his subjects, and they loved him, and he took great care of them in every way. One day when the king was visiting the Queen of the Fairies at her palace she said to him: "Oh, King! You are looking a little slimmer;. do you have nourishing meals?” The king shook his head wistfully. "We used to,” he replied, “but our cook left us to travel abroad and see the world, and now we just manage ourselves.” Of course the queen was horrified, so she quickly sent one of her very clever cooks to the king of the wild woods. He was a very French sort of cook, with a real cook’s cap and the most elegant pointed moustaches, of which he was extremely proud. He prepared such delicious meals for the wild folk that they grew sleek and fat, did the moles and the foxes and the beetles and the others, and the robins and the nightingales—all, in fact, except the rabbits. , . „ For the cook-with-the-moustaches was very lazy about one particular dish salads. And, as you all know, that is the rabbit’s very favourite of all things to eat, and they do like variety. For a long time the rabbits ate dull, oh so dull, salads without complaining and then they put their noses together in a wiffly way and decided to ask the. cook politely for bigger and better salads. He simply took no notice! The rabbits’ patience was exhausted. Wiffling determinedly with their noses, they marched* toward the Royal kitchens, which were in a lovely, mossy

CONCERNING SALADS AND WHISKERS

delL They sat determinedly in a ring, round the cook, who was puzzled, and twirled his moustaches.“Ha!” he said, not being able to think of anything bright to say.

“Ho 1 said the rabbits, still very determinedly. “We simply must have nicer salads. We are getting thin and so very tired 'of nothing but lettuce without carrot tops or any of the things you could quite easily add if you cared to, lazy cook-with-the-moustaches.” The cook looked scornful and twirled his precious moustaches again. “And if you don’t,” said the rabbits in the, fiercest tones, quite amazingly fierce for rabbits, “we’ll cut off your whiskers!”

The cook turned pale as a rabbit’s tail, and fell on his knees imploring the rabbits not to carry out this Awful Threat. When he had solemnly promised about the salads, they said they would consider the matter, and decide after the next day’s salads whether or not they , would —well, you. know what the Awful Threat was. And from that day to this the rabbits grew sleeker and sleeker, and happier and happier, and their salads were nicer and nicer, 'and peace and contentment filled the court of the king of the wild woods, Moreover, when the king heard how bravely and determinedly the rabbits had behaved, and how they had managed their own bothers without pestering other people for help, he made them all knights, and all the other animals politely call each of them “Sir Bunny Rabbit” when they met among the trees and flowers in that magic‘wild-wood. — M.M. ' . ■ ' 1 ~