WORK FOR THE WHEEMOPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 77

WORK FOR THE WHEEMOPS.

By

Lucie Winn.

✓(lllustrated by Dumble.) (Copyright.—For the Otago Witness.) Mr Rabbit stirred his tea thoughtfully. ‘‘Mother,’’ he said at last, “I think it is time you took the children up. They are quite old enough.”

“I was thinking the same thing this morning,” Mrs Rabbit answered, bending forward to wipe some egg off Bounce’s whiskers. “Now, children,” she went on, "if you are very good I will take you out of the burrow to-day. Bob-tail ! step pulling Fluff s ear or I will leave you behind. Come now, help me clear the breakfast things and tidy up.” They all set to work with a will, and soon the burrow was as neat and tidy as a new mushroom top. “Run away and get your hats,” said Mrs Rabbit at last untying her apron strings. “And now stand in a row while I count you. One, two, three, four, five, ” She pulled the elastic of Bounce’s hat under his little chin. “Flo, Floss, Fluff, Bob-tail, and Bounce. Now, children, do be careful. Don't eat anything unless I say you can, and if I thump my hind legs hard like this, follow me home as fast as you can, for it means danger. Come along, dears.” Mrs Rabbit lead the way upstairs

little nervously, for her children had never been out in the open before. They crowded after her. pushing and jostling, standing on each others heels and giggling. But when Mrs Rabbit opened the door of the burrow and they stepped out into the fresh sunlight, they were suddenly silent. Everything was so lovely. The green fields stretched himpety-hum-pety up hill, down valley, away to the blue sea. The bumble bees were droning round the golden gorse, the little bees were humming over the flat patches of purple penny royal. High up in the sky a lark was singing, and all around the wheemops were playing in the grass that was so cool and soft and sweet smelling. What is a wheemop? Of course, I forgot they all disappeared long before you were born. Well a wheemop was a funny little flurry white thing just like just like a rabbit’s tail.

They were good natured. harmless little things, who lived on nothing but air, and never did any work. They had no legs, and they moved in a series of bounces, a long one—wheem, and then a little one—op. Wheem—op, wheem—op, they travelled all over the fields, and that is why they were called wheemops. They were playing everywhere when the rabbits came out.

“A beautiful day,” said Mrs Rabbit, “a beautiful day. Run away and enjoy yourselves, children.” The little rabbits played all the morning, resting sometimes in the shade of the gorse bushes. They had their lunch —dandelion sandwiches and thistle cake —in a little hollow of bracken. Afterwards they played leapfrog with the wheemops. In the late afternoon, just when the fun was at its height, bumpety bump went Mrs Rabbit’s strong hind legs. Bumpetv bump bump! The little rabbits fumbled breathlessly home tripping on the stairs in their Irnrrv.

‘‘One, two. three, four.” counted Mr* Rabbitt. “Flo. Floss. Fluff. Bob-tail. Oh. dear! oh. dear! Where is “Poor little Ramiro.” Waije' 1 Fhlff dog must'- have Mrs Rabbit

wrung her paws, and the children began to sniffle. At that moment Bounce came running down the stairs.

Mrs Rabbit shook him. “Bounce, why didn’t you come immediately? Didn’t you hear me thump-, ing “Yes,” Bounce sobbed, “I heard you, Ma, only 1 couldn’t see you, and I’d forgotten which way to go. You don’t show up enough, and th—the dog nearly n —ly bit m —me.” “Thers, there,” said Mrs Rabbit hugging him suddenly. “Don't cry. You are quite safe now.” She lit a candle. “Come along and get washed for bed. No you can't go up in the moonlight. You can’t go up any more. It isn’t safe.” When the little rabbits were all tucked up in bed, Mrs Rabbit blew out the caudle and went upstairs. She sat on the front doorstep, and cried quietly to herself. “Woo-hoo, woo-hoo-boo-hoo.” “Hollo, hollo,” said the cheerful voice of Mr Field Mouse, “what’s all this about?”

Mrs Rabbit wiped her eyes with her paw. She was too miserable to bother about a hankey. "Oh ! Mr Mouse, I’m so unhapp. It's the dear children. I can't bring them up to play any more, because they can’t see to follow me when there is any danger. I nearly lost my baby Bounce to-day.” “Teh, Teh,” said Mr Mouse, because he couldn’t think anything else. “If only 1 had a white tail!” sighed Mrs Rabbit. Mr Mouse stuck his bands in his pockets, rocked on his heels, and whistled tunelessly, thinking hard. “Ah !” he said at last, “excuse me a moment,” and he was racing across the fields, his tie flapping, his money jingling in his pockets, before Mrs Rabbit could blink. Presently he came back with a wheemop in his hand. “The very thing,” he puffed, all out of breath. “Pin this on for a tail, and your children will always be able to follow you.” ‘‘But—but won’t the wheemop mind?” “Bless my soul, no. A wheemop never minds anything. Got a pin ? Here, usel my tic pin. Good, it looks lovely. Now go over the field.” Mrs Rabbit went bibbertv-bounee across the field, and her new white tail went bibberty-bounce after her. “Excellent, excellent,” said Mr Mouse when she came ack, “nothin" better.”

Mrs Rabbit crept happily downstairs. She pat on her old red slippers, and went softly up to Mr Rabbit. ‘‘Do you like my new tail?” she asked.. “I'll never lose the children now.”

Mr Rabbit gazed through his glasses. He gazed ove rthem. He dropped his paper and walked all round. ‘‘Beautiful, beautiful,” he murmured. “You look younger and smarter than th® day we were married. Er-—how—er—' much did you say it cost?” “Nothing, it’s a wheemop.” “Oh!” said Mr Rabbit, thoughtfully, and presently he strode silently up the stairs. Mrs Rabbit smiled tenderly when sho heard him trip on the top stair. Sha knew what he was after. Soon he came back looking just like a naughty’ baby, and he bad a white tail, too.

The fashion set hv Mr and Mrs Rabbit grew. Every rabbit saw the smartness and usefulness of a white tail. That is wh.L every, rabbit has a white tail r.<r*,'vnd that is why you never see a wheemop. They are all pinned on the rabbits. And it is a good thing, for it has given the wheemops.■'some work to do.