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9
Mrs Rabbit’s New Buck
by Jim Kitchingman
T
h
e
B urrow,
Under The Fir Tree
Dear Eartha,
I am worried about Peter. Yesterday he came home in a terrible state. He’d lost his lovely blue coat, and his shoes.
After some shilly-shallying Peter finally admitted that he had been to THAT
garden, where we lost his poor dear father. It seems he barely escaped with his life.
I think Peter needs to prove he is as good a rabbit as his late father.
He was upset and ill, so I put him to bed with a cup of chamomile tea. After the girls had settled, I am not ashamed to say that I sat and cried. Eartha, I had never felt so alone and helpless.
Today we had a visitor. Buck from the Clump dropped by. He brought some nice tender shoots and leaves for the girls. Then he took Peter aside, and had a serious rabbit to rabbit talk with him. I don’t know what was said, but afterwards Peter apolo-gised to me very humbly for disobeying and upsetting me. He promised to be more obedient in future. I was flabbergasted!
Then Buck asked me to come for a stroll round the meadow with him. He sternly instructed Peter to look after his sisters.
As we walked, Buck made me a Certain Proposal.
Now Eartha, I can hear your gasp, and see your look of disapproval. Our mother always told us to stay away from the Clump rabbits, we thought them lower class, with dirty habits. Buck himself is the first to admit he is not an educated or cultured rabbit. I however, think he is one of nature’s gentlemen. He is kind to the girls, absolutely proper with me, and, of course, Peter worships him. It would certainly make life easier.
And oh Eartha, a doe has certain needs of her own. Since my late husband was so tragically killed, there has been a gap in my life. So, I accepted his offer. We told the children, the girls were happy, and, as you might guess, Peter was ecstatic.
Please Eartha, do not think ill of me, I have always valued your good opinion .
When we are settled at the Clump, I will write again, and tell you how we are getting on.
Your Sister,