THE STORY OF THE EASTER RABBIT Once upon a time, many years ago, the winter had been long and cold.
What makes spring so late? asked all the children.
Let us go to the woods and see if she has come.
But when they came to the woods, they could find no birds or wild flowers.
The cold north wind still roared through the branches of the trees.
The children were sad because spring had not come, and they went home.
But spring did come at last, and the north wind no longer roared through the branches of the trees.
The birds began building their nests, the wild flowers were peeping out of the ground and tiny new leaves were on the trees.
"'Where are the children?' asked spring.
"'They always come to play with the birds and flowers and animals.'
They came a few weeks ago, said the chickadee.
They saw that you were not here, and so they went home.
Aren't they coming back soon? asked the wildflowers.
Our pretty colors will not last many days longer.
The rabbits and squirrels said, We love the children.
We like to peep out from our holes and watch them.
Perhaps the children do not know we are here, said Spring.
Robin, will you tell them?
I am too busy building a nest for my little ones, said the robin.
Send the fox.
She has finished making her home.
Will you go, red fox? asked Spring.
Don't send me, said the fox.
The people will think I have come to kill their chickens.
That is true, said Spring.
We cannot send you.
Black bear, couldn't you go?
I am so big, said the bear, and I look so fierce that I would frighten the children.
Besides, I am thin and hungry after my long winter's sleep.
I must hunt for food so that I will be fat again.
What shall we do? said Spring.
Why not send the rabbit? said the bear.
Children all love rabbits.
The rabbit was proud to hear that all the children loved him, and he promised to go.
Then he remembered the dogs.
Oh, he cried, I nearly forgot about the dogs.
Perhaps you should send someone else.
You can go tonight when all the dogs are asleep, said Spring.
You will be safe if you are careful.
All right, said the bunny.
I'll go.
The animals made a basket of straw and sticks and covered the bottom with soft grass.
Then each bird brought an egg from her nest until the basket was nearly full.
There were blue eggs and spotted eggs, green eggs and pink eggs.
The animals and birds trimmed the basket with wildflowers and tied it on the bunny's back.
When evening came, the rabbit crept quietly into the town.
He was very careful not to make a sound.
At first he felt afraid, but when he saw that the dogs were really sleepy, he became brave.
How strange and quiet it seemed when everyone was in bed.
Bunny went to the first house where a child lived.
He made a little nest of soft green grass and put into it one pretty egg and one wildflower.
Then he put the nest on the doorstep and hopped along to the next house and the next and the next.
He left a nest for every child in the town.
Before morning he finished all his work and he hopped back to the woods, a happy little bunny.
Why, spring is here!
Spring is here, cried the children on Easter morning, when they saw the pretty nests.
One little child said I was awake very early and I saw a rabbit with a basket running along the street.
Someone must have sent him to tell us that spring has come, said another child.
So off they ran to the woods, shouting with joy.
Spring is here at last, they cried.
The Easter rabbit came to tell us that spring has come.
