A Forest Story/Hare's Birthday Party

by Josef Kožíšek

Layout 2

HARE’S BIRTHDAY PARTY.

 

Hare loved his home, and really, he had a right to. He had the cosiest little house built under the wild brier bush on the edge of the poppy and cyclamen meadow. Such a convenient place! When Fox came sniffing along, the tall meadow grasses hid Hare’s escape. When Buzzard circled above him, the convenient forest sheltered him. When Owl hunted him in the forest, a few great leaps took him under the bramble bush where he lay like a length of shadow. Above all, when he felt like an outing with his friends, he could reach the clearing in half a dozen great hops.

Hare loved his friends, and his friends loved Hare. They went to him for everything. He always seemed to know just what to say and do, though there were times when Hare loved to play a good joke on them all.

One morning, on his birthday, he called the bird concert troupe together and told them to be ready to entertain, for he was going to have a surprise party for his friends. He didn’t wish to bother them with present-bringing, but he had managed to arrange to have them all come, one after the other, to see him. Even as he was speaking, Rabbit was scurrying along, wondering what Hare wished to ask of him.

As Rabbit passed the mushroom circle, he heard shrill crying. Surely that was Mouse! He peeped under a toadstool, and there he saw her, the bright tears running down her sharp little grey nose.

»Little Friend Mouse, why do you weep?« asked Rabbit.

»I weep because of my loss,« cried Mouse. »Yesterday my sister Long Tail walked with me among the mushrooms, but to-day I walk alone. She went out before me this morning, and I have looked everywhere for her. I know Owl has eaten her up by this.«

»Perhaps yes, perhaps no,« said Rabbit. »Two are better than one. We’ll search for her together.«

They walked on until they came to Squirrel, crying into her handkerchief.

»Little Friend Squirrel, why do you weep?« asked Rabbit.

»I weep because of my loss,« cried Squirrel. »Yesterday my sister Quick

Feet ran with me through the nut trees, but to-day I run alone. She went out before me this morning, and I have looked everywhere for her. I know Buzzard has eaten her up by this!«

»Perhaps yes, perhaps no,« said Rabbit. »Three are better than two, and two are better than one. We’ll search for her and Long Tail together.«

The three walked on until they came to Badger, wiping his eyes with his clumsy paws.

»Big Friend Badger, why do you weep?« asked Rabbit.

»I weep because of my loss,« cried Badger. »Yesterday my Lady Badger nibbled with me among the green twigs, but to-day I nibble alone. She went out before me this morning, and I have looked everywhere for her. I know Wolf has eaten her up by this.«

»Perhaps yes, perhaps no,« said Rabbit. »Four are better than three; three are better than two; two are better than one. We’ll search for her and Quick Feet and Long Tail together.«

The four walked on till they met Hedgehog, who was carrying a great basketful of things. Rabbit spied a bunch of carrots, and at once burst into tears. The animals all stared at him amazed.

»Little Friend Rabbit, why do YOU weep?« they all asked.

»I weep because of my loss,« cried Rabbit. »Yesterday my brother Bunny rooted carrots with me in the garden, but to-day I root carrots alone. He went out before me this morning, and I forgot all about him, for I was on my way to Hare’s to see what he wanted of me. When I saw those carrots, I remembered that he left early. I know Fox has eaten him by this time.«

»Perhaps yes, perhaps no,« chuckled Hedgehog. »Five are better than four; four are better than three; three are better than two; two are better than one. Let’s search for them all together. But first, let’s stop in and see Hare a minute. It’s his birthday, and I’ve some fine presents for him.«

The animals dried their eyes, and Hedgehog went on: »Rabbit, just take this cabbage. Mouse, you gather some four-leaf clovers to wish him good luck. Squirrel, you bring a nice bouquet of cyclamens and poppies. Badger, bring a lettuce from my garden. I’ve this big bunch of carrots. We’ll congratulate Hare first, give him our fine gifts, and then ask him about our lost friends. Come.«

When they neared the brier patch, there they saw Hare sitting before his door, smoking sweetgrass. Little Friend Mouse was the first to greet him, and he looked so friendly she burst out crying as she handed him the four-leaf clovers.

»Take these for luck,« she cried. »May you never be eaten up by Owl as Sister Long Tail was this morning, when I was too lazy to hurry out with her.«

»Oh, good Friend Hare,« wept Squirrel, »take these flowers with my best wishes, and may you never have to gather more in memory of some loved one, as I must do this very day for Sister Quick Feet who has been eaten up by Buzzard, and all because I stole her nuts last night.«

»Here’s a lettuce, green and tender,« sniffed clumsy Badger. »And may you live to share many with Lady Hare, as I may never again hope to share one with Lady Badger, who has been eaten by Wolf, and all because I wouldn’t share green twigs with her yesterday.«

Then up stepped poor little Rabbit, trying to be brave, but sniffing for all that. »Nice Uncle Hare,« he said, »here’s a wonderful cabbage for your birthday, and may you divide it with all my little cousins as I may never divide one with my brother. He has been eaten by Fox, I know, and I never even missed

him till I met Hedgehog. Oh, I didn’t mean to forget him, Uncle Hare, I truly didn’t!«

»Neighbor Hare,« chuckled old Hedgehog, winking slyly, »here are carrots enough for four and four and a dozen more. Congratulations. And perhaps in exchange, you can give us a bit of advice or help to make us merry.«

»Perhaps I can,« laughed Hare, and twitched his left ear at an oriole sitting above him. Immediately the bird concert tuned up, and as the merry melodies filled the bramble-bush cottage, its door swung open wide, and the five visitors looked in to see a wondrous birthday feast spread upon a snowy cloth. But more wondrous still were the merry guests, for with Wife Hare were Lady Badger, Brother Bunny, Long Tail and Quick Feet. Hedgehog and Hare shook with laughter at the joke played by Hare, but Mouse, Squirrel, Badger and Rabbit looked a bit ashamed as they slipped into the empty chairs about the table.

As soon as Hare took his place at the head of the table, however, and holding a four-leaf clover in his hand, wished them all luck for the rest of the year, they fell to giggling and joking and eating with never a memory of sigh or tear.

At last Hedgehog sprang to his feet and cried out, »Hurrah for Neighbor Hare, who has made us remember certain things we owe our families. And hurrah for our families, who would rather find each other than all the birthday presents in the world.«

»Hurrah for friend Hedgehog,« answered Hare modestly. »If we had to get along without that gallant knight, where would we be? Fox, Buzzard, Owl, Wolf; he protects us from them all, marching through the forest and over the clearing, fighting our battles and helping us solve our troubles.«

»Hurrah for Hedgehog and Hare,« they all shouted.

»And for birthdays,« squeaked Mouse.

»And birthday parties,« squealed Squirrel.

»Hurrah for everything and all of us,« whispered the tiny wee brother Bunny. And with that they ended the feast of the Hare’s birthday party.