The Children and The Jumpy Rabbit

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful family of husband and wife with three little children. The older boy’s name is “Jack”, the middle girl’s name is “Jackie” and the youngest boy’s name is “Jimmy”. Their ages are nine, seven, and five years old. They live in the countryside, surrounded by beautiful landscapes. The children go to school through a mile-long unpaved road. Jack is now, at an age that his parents thought, he can take care of his brother and sister. The Parents had no choice but to let that happen because they are very busy with their farm. On the left side of the road, there is a slim creek coming from the nearby mountains. On the right of the road is a  forest, that no one dares to enter alone.

Every day Mamma gives them the same advice: Go straight to school, don’t talk to strangers, stay together all the time. The parents were very happy because things were going very well. One morning, as they were going to school, “Jimmy” saw a Jumpy Rabbit playing at the edge of the forest. It was a beautiful Rabbit that was moving its mouth, its nose, and  its ears in such a dramatic fast way that demands instant attention. “It’s a Rabbit, It’s a Rabbit” Jimmy was shouting with excitement and running toward the Rabbit. The jumpy Rabbit didn’t stand still, it immediately ran toward the forest, and disappeared. No one could stop Jimmy from running after the Rabbit, he was chased by his sister Jackie immediately. Jack found himself following them because he had no other choice.

They all entered the forest looking for the Rabbit. The Rabbit was nowhere to be found. The three of them were looking for the jumpy Rabbit, and kept getting deeper and deeper into the forest. The trees started getting taller and thicker. The sky was disappearing, the light became dimmer and dimmer, and bushes became thicker and rougher.

The children started getting more scared by the minute while they heard so many noises from different kinds of species, small birds, eagles, owls, chipmunks, frogs, and squirrels. Suddenly, Jackie’s feet froze, followed by her two brothers. Standing still and terrified as a Forest-man appeared from nowhere. Without thinking, they clustered together, holding each other’s hands shakily but firmly. The forest man looked like a savage caveman. He finally smiled at them, the best he could, and asked them: Are you lost your way? Jack changed his position to be in front of his younger brother and sister, spreading his arms to protect them and answer him: “Yes sir”. “OK, kids, this is not the place for you to be”, said the forest man. “Let me show you the way out”. Although they were scared and skeptical, they had no better choice but to follow him.

Soon they started seeing the sky become brighter and brighter, and their doubt of the Forest man started to vanish little by little. In the end, he told them if they continue in this direction, they will be out of the forest soon. They ran as fast as they could without saying thank you or goodbye and without turning their heads back, till they were safe and sound back to the dirt passage under the blue sky towards their school. That was a day of experience and lesson for life. When they grew up, they retold that story to their children, so they don’t do the same mistakes.