43 THE LITTLE RABBIT WHO WANTED RED WINGS

Once a little white rabbit lived in a warm hole at the foot of an old tree. He had everything a little rabbit could need, but he was always wishing for something more.

One day when Bobbie Squirrel went by, White Rabbit said to his mother, “Oh, I wish I had a tail like Bobbie Squirrel's! ”

When Mr. Porcupine went by, he said, “Oh, I wish I had needles on my back like Mr. Porcupine's! ”

When Mrs. Duck went by, he said, “Oh, I wish I had feathers like Mrs. Duck's! ”

His mother grew very tired of hearing him always wishing for something.

One day old Mr. Ground Hog came by and heard White Rabbit saying, “I wish, I wish, I wish.”

“Why don't you go down to the Wishing Pond? ”said old Mr. Ground Hog. “If you look at yourself in the water and then turn around three times, you will get what you wish for.”

Without even saying good-bye to his mother, White Rabbit hopped away to look for the Wishing Pond. He hopped and hopped, until at last he found it in the cool green woods.

There he saw a little red bird sitting by the Pond, drinking some water.

As soon as White Rabbit saw the bird he began to wish again. “Oh, I wish I had red wings! ”he said. Just then he looked in the Wishing Pond and saw himself in the water. Then he turned around three times, and something queer happened. Two long red wings grew out from his shoulders!

He started at once for home to show them to his mother. But when he reached his home it was nearly dark, and the door was tight shut.

He knocked at the door, and his mother peeped out and saw him, but she would not let him come in. She did not know him, for she had never before seen a rabbit with red wings. So he had to look for some other place to sleep.

He went to many animal holes, but no one would let him come in. Nobody wanted such a queer-looking rabbit in his house.

At last he went to old Mr. Ground Hog's house. Mr. Ground Hog knew him at once, and let him come in. White Rabbit slept on the hard floor that night. It was not at all like his own soft, warm bed.

In the morning old Mr. Ground Hog said, “Don't you like red wings, White Rabbit? ”

“No, no, no! ”said little White Rabbit. “Well, ”said old Mr. Ground Hog, “why don't you go to the Wishing Pond, and wish them off again? ”

Away went White Rabbit to the Wishing Pond as fast as he could hop. He made a wish, and looked at himself in the water. He turned around three times, and off went his red wings.

How happy he was! He hopped home to his mother like the wind. She knew him this time, and let him come in at once.

White Rabbit was so happy that he never again wished for anything he did not have.

(Carolyn S. Bailey)

Word list

porcupine: a mammal that has stiff, sharp spines mingled with its hair

hog: a pig

You Practice

A) Answer the following questions.

1) Where did the little white rabbit live?

2) How did White Rabbit's mother feel about him always wishing for something?

3) Why did old Mr. Groundhog tell White Rabbit about the Wishing Pond?

4) Where did White Rabbit find the Wishing Pond?

5) Why do you think White Rabbit wished for wings like the little red bird?

B) What's the word? Using the clues, write the correct words from the story.

1) the bottom part of a tree: f _ _ _

2) these are very sharp: n _ _ _ _ _ _

3) another word for jumped: h _ _ _ _ _

4) this means strange: q _ _ _ _

5) not hard: s _ _ _

C) True or false? Read these sentences carefully. Write true or false for each one.

1) _____ Little White Rabbit wished for many things.

2) _____ Little White Rabbit was happy with his red wings.

3) _____ Little White Rabbit flew away.

4) _____ Little White Rabbit's mother got red wings as well.

5) _____ Little White Rabbit was happy to get rid of his red wings.