WISE OLD HARE

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 47, 18 November 1933, Page 23

WISE OLD HARE

* ¥ * HIS ADVICE TO HEDGEHOG

One day as Wise Old Hare sat on the top of the hill reading his Book he heard a panting sound coming up the hill. As he looked over his spectacles he saw Hedgehog running up the hill as fast as she could.

”Oh, "Wise Old Hare,” gasped Hedgehog, "what shall I do? My Poor little son Spikes is being worried by a terrier.”

“Tut-tut,” said Wise Old Hare, and he pretended to look for the right place in his Book. “There is nothing to get alarmed about,” he read. “The hedgehog will worry the dog more than the dog will worry the hedgehog; but if you do get alarmed, then climb on the top of the hill, get into a ball, and roll past them into the rabbit warren." • <

“Climb to the top of the hill, get into a ball, roll past them, oh, dear, I shall never remember everything” panted Hedgehog, turning away. “What about my dandelion leaves?” shouted Hare.

Hedgehog promised to bring them later, and hurried off. There didn't seem any sense in what Hare had told her, and she hated rolling down-hill, but still, the Book said so, so it must be all right. Below her she could hear the terrier barking shrilly at poor little Spikes, so she rolled herself up into a ball, and gave a push off down the hill.

Down she went, bumping over the ground, faster and faster, getting giddier every: minute. When she reached the bottom she lay quite still and waited, feeling very frightened, and after a long time she unrolled herself and found Spikes sitting beside her. “You see,” explained Spikes, “the dog chased you right into the rabbit warrpn. and then forgot about yon and went off to chase rabbits.” That evening as they gathered dandelion leaves Hedgehog said: “How true is the book ! How clever is Wise Old Hare!” and Spikes nodded his head thoughtfully and picked a few extra dandelions to bring to Wise Old Hare.