- A Short Story
One day Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit decided to go for awalk in the country bordering his cosy little home inthe ground. He peered out his front bay window, a small almost invisible projection from the amorphous mound which was his home. The weather seemed to be quite amenable to such an activity. He popped his little head out his front door to double check with his whiskers. Yes indeed… the weather was perfect.
He hurried back inside to change out of his lounging suit and into more appropriate attire: trousers, shirt, jacket, hat and sunglasses. Suitably dressed for the day Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit hopped out of his home and bounced merrily outside enjoying the sun, wind, and the beautiful earth. Now Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit was quite a silly little rabbit who thought he was the height of sagaciousness. As he was bouncing along, he came along a grasshopper. He stopped to look inquisitivelyat this hail fellow well met on his jaunt. He doffed his hat in greeting and said “Hello LittleGrasshopper! How are you doing today? Is there some advice you are seeking to live a more fruitful life?”
Now Mister Greene Grasshopper was taken aback by this question but knowing Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit’s proclivity for asking outrageous questions he was soon able to gather himself and respond suitably: “No! Nothing of the sort ails me today! But IF and when it does I will certainly search you out to get some advice.” He decided to overlook Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit fondly addressing him as "Little Grasshopper". Usually he really took exception to being called"little" Grasshopper. He certainly didn't think of himself as being little and the truth of his puny size had been a matter of secret lifelong concern for him. But in Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit's presence all such concerns lost their power; moreover, he knew it was pointless to insist on details that would be lost onMister Ostara Bunny Rabbit or even attempt to be on formal terms with someone so silly and friendly and desirous of being helpful. But he did have a question of his own which had nothing to do with philosophy.
“Bunny Rabbit have you seen my cane? It really is quite unbelievable! I misplaced my beloved cane! Alas, woe is my unfortunate state bereft of my cane.” Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit wrinkled his nose as he thought. This seemed to him one of THOSE occasions –occasions requiring his full thoughtful participation. He asked very quietly and carefully: “Where did you last see your cane Little Grasshopper?” “That isprecisely the problem!!!,” wailed Mister Green Grasshopper, “I can’t seem to remember!!!!” This looked like a tailor-made situation requiring the sagacious services of our ever ready Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit. And so without further wasting time Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit started warming to the problem as someone might to a pot of hot soup on a cold snowy evening. “Don’t worry Little Grasshopper. I’m here to help you through this difficult time. Let’s go back to my home and think about this problem over a cup of mint tisane.” “Why thank you Bunny Rabbit. I think I will take you up on your offer. I am feeling a bit parched and a cup of mint tisane with a friend would be just the thing to lift my mood.” So the two friends set off for Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit’s home.
As they were making their somber way, each lost in thought over the predicament of the cane, a butterfly happened to flit across Mister OstaraBunny Rabbit’s nose. This immediately required a response from our hero so he promptly darted off afterMistress Buttercup Butterfly. Mistress Buttercup Butterfly was a playful sort filled to the brim with high spirits and couldn’t be bothered with mundane matters most of the time. All she cared about was playing all the livelong day and she was in need of a playmate as her last playmate had to get back to work. Of all the creatures in Happy Valley, Mister OstaraBunny Rabbit was her favorite playmate (although hedid not know it) – most especially because his dear face was always so serious as he came bouncing along after her. His earnest little face as he tried to catch up to converse with her filled her with so much delight and made her laugh so hard that she sometimes found herself almost being caught by him. At such times she would have to exert herself especially hard to escape his furry little paw. Poor little Mister Greene Grasshopper, he could do nothing but follow along in the merry chase until it was over. And over finally did happen. As all three sat together huffing and puffing and gathering themselves after their rousing, heart thumping scamper around the meadow, the issue of the missing cane came up again. Now although Mistress Buttercup Butterfly was not the sort to be troubled by lost things, the suffering of her fellow playmate was not lost on her. She promptly decided to assist in the search. MisterGreene Grasshopper couldn’t help but feel rejuvenated at the prospect of yet another helper in his search and became quite optimistic. Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit now found himself with another guest to his home for a cup of mint tisane.
The three of them setof together in the best possible spirits given the sadness of the situation with the cane missing. Upon reaching Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit’s home, the two guests took up comfortable positions suiting each creature’s disposition in view of the kitchen so they could watch while Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit put on a kettle of water for the tisane. He took out some honey cake for his guests and prepared other comestibles that his guests might enjoy nibbling on as they sipped their tisane. Mistress Buttercup Butterfly shortly thought of a question pertinent to the missing cane: “Mister Greene, could you please describe your missing cane for me? Since I have decided to help you locate your missing cane, it just is AB-SO-LUTE-LY essential that I know what your cane looked like.” “Why thank you for asking Mistress Buttercup. It is indeed a most pertinent question. Let me see. How can I best describe it?” And Mister Greene Grasshopper was lost in thought for a while. Mistress Buttercup waited patiently for Mister Greene Grasshopper’s response. She knew how difficult it was to describe something that became so much a part of one’s life that one didn’t even see it anymore. Soon enough, Mister Greene Grasshopper began describing his missing cane. “It was made of the stem of a cherry blossom – pru-nus-su-bhir-tel-la pen-du-la-ple-na-ro-se-a to be precise. It was skinny, spindly and brown. Most importantly, it had grown quite smooth over the years of accompanying me on my walks about the countryside.” To Mister Greene Grasshopper, the foregoing description was the summum bonum of descriptions possible of his beloved useful little cane.
To his listeners, this was the most obscure description they had ever heard. Each wondered how best to tease a more useful description for themselves. Mistress Buttercup was first as Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit was deep in thought formulating his method to discover a fuller description. “Exactly how long was your cane,Mister Greene?” “What? How long was my cane you ask? My, I never thought of such a thing. But I supposeit was as tall as this…” as he used his hand to pointto a distance of maybe a quarter of an inch from theground beside him. “Hmmmm. I see…” said Mistress Buttercup Butterfly. Although this indeed was more information it still did not help her in getting a picture of the lost article’s physical appearance. At this vexing point for the other two Mister OstaraBunny Rabbit asked a question that startled both of his listeners. “Little Grasshopper could you tell me how a Bunny Rabbit could recognize your cane? I surmise even our little Mistress Buttercup would benefit from discovering how a Butterfly would recognize your cane.”
Now his listeners knew immediately that Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit had switched to full philosopher mode. But lacking a better alternative they both sat silently, with MisterGreene Grasshopper thinking quickly and furiously about possibilities and questions he had hitherto never contemplated - something he was not wont to do often in his life. “Weeeelll this is a most peculiar situation. I don’t quite know how a Bunny Rabbit sees. How would a BunnyRabbit recognize a grasshopper’s cane? And for that matter, how would a Butterfly?” replied Mister Greene Grasshopper after some thought. Everyone heaved a deep sigh as they collectively sank deep into thought until slowly one by one each came forward with how they saw things. Mistress Buttercup Butterfly was first: "I always head for flowers which are beautifully colored to help myself to a delightful meal." Mister OstaraBunny Rabbit came forward next: "I too look for yummy things to eat! I love soft green leaves above ground and succulent orange carrots below ground and well....everything delicious growing in the farmer's garden and in the meadows." Finally Mister Greene Grasshopper contributed how he saw: "I too look for tasty leaves and.... and....and tasty morsels to eat."
At this point, Mistress Buttercup Butterfly piped in urgently "But sometimes I have to watch out for things that are dangerous - things that will eat me." Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit couldn't help but shake his head sagaciously as Mister Greene Grasshopper chirped excitedly in agreement. Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit at this point made an entry into the conversation by way of pointing out: "It looks like our eyes function to direct us to things that are good while also directing us away from things that are bad." Mister Greene Grasshopper couldn't help but say "How true! How true! How true!" while Mistress Buttercup Butterfly nodded her head pertly up and down, up and down. Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit continued: "Well it looks like then Mister GreeneGrasshopper's cane should be easy to find. We just have to look for something good that belongs to Mister Greene Grasshopper." All of a sudden everyone gave a great shout of glee and happiness as understanding dawned on them and the possibility of recovering the lost cane came in sight. Of course, they just have to look for Mister Greene Grasshopper's favorite, beloved cane. This breakthrough helped them get a lock on the cane. They would just have to, all three of them, put out feelers to detect the missing piece of Mister Greene Grasshopper - namely his cane. Because the cane had been so long a part of Mister GreeneGrasshopper, they would just have to look for a lost piece of Mister Greene Grasshopper which needed to be reunited with Mister Greene Grasshopper himself. The cane was so imbued with Mister Greene Grasshopper after so many years of faithful service it would be easy to find.
So after the little repast was finished all three separated to look for the cane. And truly enough, they succeeded in finding Mister GreeneGrasshopper's cane. Mistress Buttercup Butterfly located the cane at the bottom of a birch tree and brought the other two to it. It came to light that Mister Greene Grasshopper had helped himself to a nap here yesterday afternoon. Mister Greene Grasshopper was overjoyed at finding his cane again and thanked the two most deeply and graciously for their help. "Thank you very very much Mistress Buttercup Butterfly. Thank you very very much Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit. I would be most happy if the two of you could join me for supper at my home. Please do say yes." And of course his invitation was met with utmost eagerness and so the troop made their way to Mister Greene Grasshopper's home where they enjoyed themselves merrily for the rest of the evening until it was time for Mistress Buttercup Butterfly and Mister Ostara Bunny Rabbit to return home to go to sleep.
