The Wolf-donkey

Chun Chun hated carrots. He felt his anger rise as he heard his mother speak.

“How will you grow if you don’t eat your vegetables?” scolded Mama Rabbit. “You won’t have the strength to say BOO to a goose!”

“But I eat so many things!” protested Chun Chun angrily. “Just because I hate carrots, you scold me every day!”

Mama Rabbit sighed.

“How many times have I told you — carrots will improve your eyesight?” she said.

“But I can see quite well!” said Chun Chun.

“Carrots,” warned Mama Rabbit, “will help you see better even at night.”

“I sleep at night!” retorted the naughty little rabbit. “Why do I need to SEE better if my eyes are always closed at night?”

“CHUN CHUN!” Mama Rabbit frowned sternly.

Chun Chun hopped away quickly before his mother could force him to eat that horrid carrot soup again. He recognized that determined gleam in his Mama’s eyes!

“UGH!” he grimaced. “How could anyone like that stuff!”

Chun Chun sat under the apple tree feeling angry and a little hungry as well!

Meanwhile, Mama Rabbit was wondering how to make her obstinate little son eat carrots. Carrots and green leafy vegetables would help to improve his eyesight and keep his vision clear even as he aged. By eating carrots he would easily be able to spot the big, bad wolf.

So, Mama Rabbit visited Mama Owl.

“I think I know the answer to your problem!” grinned Mama Owl.

She told Mama Rabbit what to do.

Mama Rabbit went to Dum Dum Donkey.

“Can you please come to my burrow tomorrow night and pretend to be a wolf?” she asked.

“HEE HAW! HEE HAW!” brayed Dum Dum. “I love pranks!”

Mama Rabbit then went to see Mama Squirrel.

“Please pretend to be scared when you see Dum Dum tomorrow night near my burrow!” she requested Mama Squirrel.

Next, she visited Mama Sparrow.

Please pretend to be scared when you see Dum Dum snarl tomorrow night!” said Mama Rabbit to Mama Sparrow.

“I will! I will!” chirped Mama Sparrow.

The next day Chun Chun was surprised that carrot was not served for breakfast. Nor was it there on the lunch table. Even teatime passed without carrot cake.

“Very, very peculiar!” thought the little rabbit.

He hopped out of his burrow. Outside, the sun was about to set. Darkness was creeping in.

Suddenly, Dum Dum Donkey trotted in. “I am going to eat you up!” he snarled, baring his big teeth.

“Chun Chun! Run! It’s the big, bad wolf!” screeched Mama Squirrel. “Run! Run!”

“It’s only Dum Dum Donkey!” exclaimed Chun Chun, puzzled.

“Run Chun Chun! Run! It’s the big, bad wolf!” chirped Mama Sparrow, flapping her wings frantically.

“But…!” began Chun Chun only to be yanked back into his burrow by a very angry Mama Rabbit.

“Do you want to be gobbled up by the big, bad wolf?” she yelled.

“It’s only Dum Dum Donkey!” protested Chun Chun.

“Did you hear him bray?” asked his mother sarcastically.

“No. But it was Dum Dum Donkey! I know it!” insisted Chun Chun.

“You can’t SEE properly and now you can’t HEAR properly!” scolded Mama Rabbit. “That’s what happens to rabbits who don’t eat all their vegetables! Weak eyes! Bad ears!”

Chun Chun was now really scared! How could he have mistaken a wolf to be a donkey? He saw Dum Dum Donkey everyday. He knew what a donkey looked like.

But he still hadn’t met the mean, old wolf!

“Was that really a wolf?” he asked in a small voice.

“Were Mama Squirrel and Mama Sparrow scared?” asked his mother. Chun Chun nodded his head.

“Then it was the wolf! They hate him!” said his mother.

Chun Chun rubbed his eyes. Maybe his eyes WERE becoming weak! Imagine mistaking the wolf for a donkey! Chun Chun went off to tell Dum Dum Donkey how closely he resembled a wolf! He also wanted to know if they were related!

Next day saw a miracle! Chun Chun was eating carrots!

677 words | 6 minutes
Readability: Grade 3 (8-9 year old children)
Based on Flesch–Kincaid readability scores

Filed under: stories
Tags: #sparrows, #donkey, #rabbits, #squirrels

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