“The Story of A Candy Rabbit” 4 - A Classic Children's Story

Hi,

This is Stefania,

And here we are at the end of the story of a candy rabbit.

This is the last part.

When we last were with the candy rabbit,

The candy rabbit had fallen from the bathtub window into the grass into Patrick's wheelbarrow.

And now is time for the party.

At the party,

Patrick the gardener has set his wheelbarrow down to rest just as he came under the bathroom window of Madeleine's house.

And Patrick had his back turned and was looking at Carlo,

The little dog,

Chasing his tail just when the candy rabbit fell into the grass.

So Patrick did not see what happened.

But I know what has happened,

Said the sweet chap to himself.

Only for the soft grass I would have broken all to pieces.

I wish I dared call out and tell Patrick I am here,

But I dare not.

I must keep still and say nothing.

Well,

I must hurry along and give this grass to the pony,

Said the gardener after he has seen Calico catch his tail.

The pony must be hungry.

Over across Madeleine's yard,

To the yard where the pony lived in a little stable,

Went Patrick with the wheelbarrow full of grass and the candy rabbit.

Only of course Patrick did not know he had the sugary fellow.

Well,

How are you little pony?

Cried the jolly Patrick when he reached the stable.

The pony gave a soft little whinny an answer.

I have some nice grass for you,

Went on Patrick.

Nice sweet grass that I myself cut off the lawn.

You shall eat it all up.

Once again,

The little horse talked in the only way he could make Patrick understand,

Which was by whinnying.

He meant that he will be glad to eat the grass.

But I hope he doesn't eat me,

Thought the candy rabbit.

It is lucky I can speak and understand animal talk.

When I get in the pony's stall,

I'll call out and ask him not to chew me up with the grass.

But the candy rabbit did not have to do this.

For when Patrick began to take from the wheelbarrow the grass he had gathered for the pony,

The gardener saw something gleaming in the sunshine amid the green stems.

Hello,

What's this?

Cried Patrick leaning over to take a better look.

What's this in my grass?

Can it be a glass bottle?

If it is,

It's a good thing I didn't give it to the pony or he might have cut himself on it.

Patrick took the shining object from the middle of the grass.

In an instant he saw what it was.

A candy rabbit,

Madeline's candy rabbit,

Cried the gardener.

He knew it very well,

Just as he knew the sawdust doll,

The lamb on wheels,

And the bold tin soldier.

Madeline had often shown Patrick her candy rabbit.

The pony was soon fed and then with the candy rabbit in his pocket and slowly wheeling the empty barrel,

Patrick made his way to Madeline's house.

He knocked at the back door and the cook with a dab of flour on her nose answered.

What have you been doing to yourself,

Cook?

Asked the gardener with a laugh.

Why,

Is anything wrong?

She asked rather surprised.

Your nose,

Your nose is covered with flour,

Went on Patrick.

Oh,

That laughed the cook.

You see,

Madeline is going to have a party and I'm so busy making cookies and cakes that it's a wonder flour isn't all over my face as well as on my nose.

But what have you there?

She asked seeing the bunny in Patrick's hand.

Madeline's candy rabbit,

Answered the gardener.

I don't know how it got in my barrel of grass,

But I brought him back.

Is Madeline in?

Yes,

I'll call her,

Said the cook.

And when the little girl came running out and saw her bunny,

She was much surprised.

Why,

Why?

How did you get him,

Patrick?

She asked.

I left him up on the bathroom window sill to dry after he fell into the bathtub.

Oh,

That accounts for it then,

Laughed the gardener.

The wind,

The wind must have blown him out of the window.

And he fell into my barrel just as I set it down to rest.

Well,

It's lucky I had grass in the barrel instead of stones.

If your rabbit had fallen on them,

He might have broken off his ears.

Oh,

That would have been dreadful,

Exclaimed Madeline.

Oh,

Thank you so much,

Patrick,

For bringing my bunny back to me.

Well,

Keep him safe now that you have him,

Advised Patrick.

Then he went off whistling and trundling his empty wheelbarrow.

And once more,

The candy rabbit was back with Madeline where he belonged and thankful to be there.

You're all nice and dry now,

Said the little girl as she looked over her Easter toy.

And you didn't get any more grass stains on you when you fell out of the window.

Your ear is still a little bent,

But that only makes you look more stylish.

Now,

I am going to put a new pink ribbon on your neck cuz the one I took off when I was going to wash you is all dirty.

I'll put a new ribbon on you and then you may come to the party tomorrow.

Madeline told her mother how the rabbit had fallen out of the window.

Then the little girl got a pretty pink ribbon and after tying it on his neck,

She again showed her Easter present to Mirabelle and Dorothy.

He looks as good as new,

Said Mirabelle.

Yes,

Agreed Dorothy.

I guess falling into the bathtub and the wheelbarrow of grass did him good.

And we'll have lots of fun at the party,

Said Madeline.

Now I will put my rabbit away and we'll get ready for a good time.

The rabbit was set on a shelf in a dark closet.

Well,

Goodness knows I am glad to be by myself for a while and keep quiet,

Thought the sugary shop as he sat down on the shelf in the dark.

I have had enough adventures for a day or two.

I wonder,

Is there anyone here to whom I can talk?

I wish the sawdust doll or the bald ten soldier or the calico clown were here.

They would love to hear me tell of what happened.

Madeline and her girlfriends spent the rest of that day and part of the next getting ready for the party.

And at last,

The time came to have it.

Madeline was all dressed up and she brought her candy rabbit out of the closet and smoothed the ribbon on his neck.

Tinkle,

Tinkle,

Tinkle,

Rang the doorbell.

Here come Dorothy and Dick to the party,

Cried Marilyn running to meet her friends.

She carried the candy rabbit with her.

Dorothy had her sawdust doll,

But the white rocking horse was too large for Dick to bring over.

One after another,

More children came to the party,

Among them Mirabelle and Arnold.

Mirabelle did not bring her lamb on wheels for the same reason that Dick left his horse at home.

The lamb was a little too large for a house party,

Though she would have fit very well on the lawn.

But Arnold,

Who was Mirabelle's brother,

Brought something to the party.

It was the bold tin soldier,

The captain of the ten soldiers of whom Arnold had a whole box.

And while the little girls who had come to Madeline's party were smoothing out their dresses and looking at their dolls and talking to one another,

Arnold walked off with Dick to a corner of the room.

Look what I have,

Whispered Arnold,

Showing the bold ten soldier.

Why did you bring him,

Dick wanted to know.

So if we don't like the games the girls play,

We can go off in a room by ourselves and have fun with my soldier,

Was the answer.

But maybe we'll have some fun anyhow.

Let me hold your soldier for a while,

Begged Dick,

And Arnold handed over the captain.

After a while,

The little boys went back to where the other children were and all began to play games.

Madeline set her candy rabbit on a table near Dorothy's sawdust doll and the two toys looked at each other.

All sorts of games were played,

One was hide and seek,

Hide the thimble.

And when it was Madeline's turn to hide it,

She put it right between the front legs of her candy rabbit as he sat on the table.

Not one of the boys or girls thought of looking for it there,

So they had to give up.

And it was Madeline's turn to hide it again.

This time,

She put the thimble on top of the head of Dorothy's sawdust doll,

Who had on a new blue ribbon in honor of the party.

It was a gold thimble that the children were playing with.

And the sawdust doll,

Catching sight of her reflection in the glass over one of the pictures in the room,

Noted this fact.

That golden gleam against the blue of my ribbon is certainly very pretty and becoming,

She thought.

I hope Dorothy will notice it and will get a gold ornament for my hair.

I like to be a toy,

But sometimes it is a great nuisance not to be able to tell your little boy that he's a toy.

It's not to be able to tell your little girl and boy parents what you would like them to do.

All this time,

The children were hunting for the thimble.

And though it was in plain sight,

It was not until some time afterward that Mirror Ball saw it.

After the thimble game,

The children played lots more different kinds of fun games.

Then,

Pretty soon,

It was time to eat ice cream and cake.

This is one of the nicest times at a party,

I think.

And Dick and Arnold and Herbert,

As well as all the other boys and girls,

Thought the same thing,

I am sure.

While they were in another room,

Eating the good things,

The candy rabbit and the sawdust doll were left to themselves.

I have been wanting to talk to you for the longest time,

Said the sawdust doll.

And I have so many things to tell you,

Said the candy rabbit,

Such remarkable adventures.

He started to hop across the table to get nearer to the sawdust doll,

But he did not see the thimble which the children had been playing with and which had been left on the table.

The candy rabbit jumped on the thimble,

Which rolled out from under his paws.

Look out,

You're going to fall,

Cried the sawdust doll,

And down fell the candy rabbit.

In a boy's pocket.

Are you hurt?

Asked the sawdust doll anxiously,

Looking with sympathy at the candy rabbit.

Let me help you up.

Well,

Thank you,

I can get up myself,

Answered this sugary chap.

And I am not at all hurt,

The tablecloth was soft.

He was just going to get up and hop over to the sawdust doll,

When all at once the sawdust doll cried,

Be quiet,

The children are coming back.

And into the room came the boys and girls,

Having finished eating the ice cream and cake.

Look at my bunny,

Cried Madeleine.

Someone jiggled him over on his side.

She set him up straight again near the sawdust doll,

And then she helped the other children to have fun in more games.

After a while,

Dick and Arnold went off into a corner by themselves and began playing with Arnold's bold tin soldier.

While they were doing this,

A boy named Tom saw them.

I wonder what are they doing?

But Tom,

I wonder what are they looking at?

It's something Arnold has in his pocket.

I wish I had something in my pocket to play with.

Maybe I can find something.

I'm sorry to say,

Tom was not always a good boy.

Sometimes he was a bit unpleasant,

And he liked to tease the little girls.

I don't think he meant to hurt him,

But he liked to tease them.

Tom saw Madeleine's candy rabbit on the table.

And as all the other boys and girls were just then in another room,

No one saw what Tom did,

Sneaking up to the table.

Tom reached over,

Took the candy rabbit,

And put him in his pocket.

Now I have something to play with,

Whispered Tom to himself.

Tom had many other things in his pocket.

There was a small rubber ball,

Some pieces of string,

Broken knife,

Two or three nails,

Some round,

Shiny pieces of tin,

A whistle that wouldn't whistle,

A red stone,

A yellow stone,

And many other odd son-ins.

Down among these objects,

The candy rabbit was pushed and jammed.

The only ones who saw Tom hurry away with the candy rabbit were the little girls' dolls,

The sawdust doll,

A celluloid doll,

And an old wooden doll that Madeleine brought down from the abbey.

They were on the table when Tom took the rabbit away in his pocket.

Oh,

Exclaimed the sawdust doll,

Look at him.

Isn't he terrible,

Said the wooden doll.

If we could only do something to stop him,

Sighed the celluloid doll.

But they could do nothing.

Watching his chance,

Tom hurried out of Madeleine's house,

Carrying with him the Easter present,

And as for the poor candy rabbit,

He did not know what to do.

He could not get out of that boy's pocket no matter how hard he tried.

I'll show this candy rabbit to Sam and Pete,

Said Tom to himself as he hurried down the street.

We'll have some fun with it.

Sam and Pete were two boys with whom Tom played.

Tom looked for them as he ran down the street,

The candy rabbit jiggling around among the things in his pocket.

I hope my ears aren't broken off,

Sighed the poor bunny.

This is the most dreadful and cramped place I was ever in.

Suddenly,

Tom spied his two chums.

Hi there,

He called to them.

Look what I got.

What?

He took the candy rabbit from his pocket and held him up.

That's a dandy,

Exclaimed Pete.

Where'd you get him?

Asked Sam.

I borrowed him at a party,

Tom answered.

Let's see it closer,

Begged Sam,

And Tom handed over the candy rabbit.

Boy,

He's good to eat,

Cried Sam when he had the rabbit in his hands.

He's made of sugar,

And he's good to eat.

Tom looked at Sam,

And then at Pete.

Then all three of the boys looked at each other.

I'm sort of hungry for candy,

Said Pete in a low voice.

Sure my,

Admitted Sam.

And I guess I am too,

Declared Tom.

I didn't know this rabbit was good to eat.

But as long as he is,

We'll divide him up and have a regular party.

Come on over to my porch,

Fellas,

And we'll eat the candy rabbit.

Now,

When the sweet chap heard this,

He was very much frightened.

Of all his adventures,

This seemed the very worst.

Over to Tom's porch went the three boys,

And they sat down.

We'll divide this candy rabbit into three pieces,

Said Tom.

He was just going to break off one of the ears.

When someone came out of the house,

End up behind the boys as they sat on the steps.

What have you there,

Tom?

Asked a voice suddenly,

The three chums turned around.

It was Tom's mother who had spoken.

Is just a candy rabbit,

Tom answered.

We are going to eat him.

Where'd you get him?

Asked Tom's mother.

Let me see.

And when she saw the candy rabbit,

Tom's mother knew at once that it was no common rabbit,

Such as you may buy in the five and ten cent store.

The candy rabbit was a very fancy fellow indeed.

Why,

Tom,

Exclaimed his mother,

This rabbit belongs to Madeleine.

I saw it over at her house when I called there the other day.

Did you take Madeleine's rabbit when you were in her house at the party?

Tom,

What a naughty boy.

I am so sorry.

She reached over and took the candy rabbit just in time for Tom had been going to break off the ears.

Why did you take it?

Asked Tom's mother.

Just because,

He answered,

Squirming around.

Dick and Arnold had something and I wanted something in my pocket.

So I took the rabbit.

I must take it back and tell Madeleine you are sorry.

And you must tell her so yourself the next time you see her,

Said Tom's mother.

Tom's mother took the Easter toy back to Madeleine,

Who had just missed him.

And she and all the boys and girls still left at the party while hunting for him.

Please forgive Tom for being so naughty as to take your candy rabbit,

Begged the boy's mother.

And Madeleine said she would.

I am so glad to have you back,

Cried Madeleine,

Hugging her candy rabbit.

And I am glad to get back,

Said the rabbit,

Though of course he dared not speak aloud.

Then Madeleine straightened out the pink ribbon on the bunny's neck,

Which got crumpled in Tom's pocket.

And then the little girl put her rabbit away on a shelf in a closet,

While she helped her mother and the cook clear away things after the party.

Dear me,

I wonder what will happen next,

Said the candy rabbit out loud,

For he knew no one could hear him in there.

Why,

Has anything happened to you?

Asked a voice.

I should say so,

Exclaimed the candy rabbit.

But who are you,

If I may ask?

Ow,

I'm a match safe cat,

Was the answer.

And then,

His eyes having become used to the dark,

The candy rabbit saw that he was sitting near a hollow porcelain cat,

Used to hold burnt matches.

Dear me,

How strange,

Murmured the bunny.

It's no stranger to see a cat full of burnt matches,

Than it is to see a candy rabbit with pink glass eyes,

Was the answer.

I suppose not,

Agreed the candy bunny.

Then the rabbit and the cat became good friends and told each other stories there in the dark closet.

My,

You certainly have had some adventures,

Knew the cat when she heard about the bunny's trip on the tail of a kite.

Did nothing exciting ever happen to you,

The rabbit wanted to know?

Yes,

Once,

Replied the cat.

I am hollow,

As you see,

And I am generally filled with burnt wooden matches.

Well,

One day,

Somebody put a blazing match in me by mistake.

And in an instant,

All the partly burnt matches were on fire.

There I was,

All burning up inside.

That must have been dreadful,

Cried the candy rabbit.

It was,

Until Madeleine's mother threw a glass of water over me and put out the fire,

Said the cat.

Then I was all right,

Except for being blackened and smoked.

But of course,

It doesn't show in the dark,

So,

But it's there all the same.

The candy rabbit stayed in the closet with the porcelain cat all night,

And the two were company for one another.

The next day,

Madeleine took her Easter toy for a ride in the doll carriage,

And Dorothy had her sawdust pet with her.

The little girls talked about the party.

Wouldn't it have been dreadful if Tom had eaten your rabbit,

Asked Dorothy.

Terribly dreadful,

Said Madeleine.

I am glad it didn't happen.

I'm glad too,

Thought the rabbit.

I hope my adventures are over now.

But they were not,

Though I have no room to tell you anymore.

But I'll mention just a few.

Once,

Herbert and Dick took the candy rabbit and gave him a ride in Herbert's toy train of cars.

But the engine went so fast that the train ran off the track.

The candy rabbit was thrown off and a little piece of sugar was chipped off one of his paws,

But that did not hurt,

Didn't hurt very much.

And another time,

The candy rabbit was almost run over by Dick,

Who was gliding around on roller skates.

Only that Patrick the Gardener caught the bunny out of the way just in time.

One day,

Herbert called to Madeleine and said,

Daddy is going to bring me a present from the store today.

Is he?

What kind,

Asked Madeleine.

Is it going to be a jumping jack?

That or something just as funny,

Herbert answered.

I want something that moves and jumps.

Candy rabbits are very nice,

But I want something livelier.

Will you let me see it when you get it,

Asked his sister.

Yes,

Promised her.

And as for the candy rabbit,

I might add that he grew sweeter and sweeter each day and that he and Madeleine lived happily ever after.

Though one of his ears was bent and a piece was chipped off one paw,

That did not matter,

Madeleine loved her bunny very much.

And that's the end of the story of a candy rabbit.

Candy rabbit survived every adventure that came his way and he and Madeleine lived happily forever after.

We'll be back soon with another story.

Bye for now.