by ST, 1991
Mother Bunny, in her flow’ry Baking-Day Dress and apron, raised both her mitted paws and shrieked. Out the kitchen window she saw Robbie Rabbit running with the third of the Nummy-Yummy Carrot pies she’d baked today. Off he ran, Mother watching and scolding. This time “a little birdie” didn’t have to tell Mother anything.
“He’s going to get it now,” said Buster Bunny to Grandpa Rabbit, his paw guarding his words from Mother’s long ears.
“Looks to me like he’s already got it,” Grandpa answered with a wink.
On the window ledge sat the other 2 Nummy-Yummy Carrot pies so freshly from the oven. But two would not do! Leaves were budding, it was time for inviting Everybunny home for the annual Family Dinner. All kinds of Cousins and Kindred would be coming, and all were looking forward to Mother’s special recipe for Nummy-Yummy Carrot Pie.
“That Robbie!” Mother exclaimed, and she pounced her paws upon her hips to emphasize her perturbation and peevery. “When is he going to start thinking of others?”
Robbie ran on to his favorite Buckleberry Bush hideout, laughing all the way. How he loved to tease!
Just then he tripped. Splat! He fell flat, with his face in the pie. He lifted his face out of the pie with tears, not twinkles, in his eye.
“Owww! My nose!” he said, then with alarm, “I think it’s bleeding!” His head hurt, too. He started to get up to go wash his face in the pond, but he felt dizzy and fell down again. A fly flew about his face, looking for a good spot for a licking.
“Go away!” Robbie cried. He didn’t feel good at all. He didn’t want a fly buzzing about in his business, with his face covered in carrot pie and blood. His dizzy head was aching. He laid down and began to sob. The fly did not go away. It kept buzzing around, sneaking in a lick here and a dab there.
Robbie got angry. “Stop teasing me!” he yelled at the fly. The yelling made his head hurt more.
“But I love to tease!” laughed the fly.
“Well it’s not nice!” Robbie cried.
“But I thought you loved to tease,” mocked the fly. “I saw you take the pie and run laughing. I thought I’d follow and join the fun!”
“Well I’m not having any fun,” Robbie returned.
“But I am!” the fly laughed again, and teased even more as Robbie swiped at him with a left paw, and a right paw, and a left again.
“Just go away and leave me alone,” yelled Robbie.
“You go away, and leave me alone–with the pie!” grinned the fly.
“I will not,” said Robbie. He got up and picked up what was left of Mother’s beautiful pie. “I’m taking it back to Mother, and I’m going to help her bake another,” Robbie said firmly. His head still hurt, but it was full of decision. He knew teasing wasn’t fun for the one getting teased. He was not going to tease Mother any more. He was going to help her.
Mother Bunny, in her flow’ry Baking-Day Dress and apron, raised both her flour-y paws and shrieked. Out the kitchen window she saw Robbie Rabbit with the third of the Nummy-Yummy Carrot pies she’d baked today–at least what was left of it. It was all over his face and front–and his nose was bleeding!
Mother ran out of the kitchen and put one paw around Robbie, and with the other used her apron to wipe his face.
“Oh, Robbie, what happened?” she hugged him.
Tears kind of trickled from Robbie’s eyes as he told her the story.
“Mother, may I help you make another pie?” he asked. “And I won’t tease you any more.”
“Oh, Robbie,” Mother cried, “of course you can.”
Robbie began to think of other pies, and other people.
My Stories 