Chapter IIIA LOAD OF EASTER EGGS
As the Runaway Bunny hopped along, it began to rain very hard.
He heard a voice singing:
“I like the thunderstorm and rain;Just why I do I can’t explain.”
“I like the thunderstorm and rain;Just why I do I can’t explain.”
“I like the thunderstorm and rain;Just why I do I can’t explain.”
“I like the thunderstorm and rain;
Just why I do I can’t explain.”
The voice came from a wee house in the woods. The Runaway Bunny stopped and knocked politely at the door.
His little heart went thump, for he did not know what he should find inside.
The door opened a little and a very old Rabbit peeped out and said:
“I am Old Mother Give-Away;And now, sir, what have you to say?”
“I am Old Mother Give-Away;And now, sir, what have you to say?”
“I am Old Mother Give-Away;And now, sir, what have you to say?”
“I am Old Mother Give-Away;
And now, sir, what have you to say?”
The Runaway Bunny hung his head, for he had never been generous enough to give away anything in all his life. But as the rain was falling fast, he wanted to go in and dry his fur and whiskers.
So he said:
“May I do any errands for you today?I like to travel away, away.”
“May I do any errands for you today?I like to travel away, away.”
“May I do any errands for you today?I like to travel away, away.”
“May I do any errands for you today?
I like to travel away, away.”
In answer to this, the door was opened wide and he hopped inside.
My, what a wonderful sight he saw!
There were Easter eggs on the table and Easter eggs on the floor, Easter eggs on the window-sill and Eastereggs in baskets! They were painted in gay colors—red, blue, and gold.
Old Mother Give-Away said:
“A messenger I thought I’d borrow;You may help me take the eggs to-morrow.”
“A messenger I thought I’d borrow;You may help me take the eggs to-morrow.”
“A messenger I thought I’d borrow;You may help me take the eggs to-morrow.”
“A messenger I thought I’d borrow;
You may help me take the eggs to-morrow.”
“Painting piles and piles of Easter eggs”“Painting piles and piles of Easter eggs”
“Painting piles and piles of Easter eggs”
“Painting piles and piles of Easter eggs”
Then she told him how she andFather Give-Away had spent many days painting piles and piles of Easter eggs.
She said she wanted every Rabbit in the world to have an Easter egg on Easter morning. She wanted the eggs well hidden, so it would be fun to hunt for them.
“Splashing the colors upon them”“Splashing the colors upon them”
“Splashing the colors upon them”
“Splashing the colors upon them”
She went on painting the eggs, dashing and splashing the colors upon them. The Runaway Bunny planned where he would hide the Easter eggs in every wee house he visited.
He thought he would put them back of books and in vases and back of clocks and in cups and bowls and baskets. There are so many good places to hide wee Easter eggs.
By and by the two Bunnies curled up on the rug and fell asleep.
Very early next day the Runaway Bunny woke up.
He said:
“May I start with the Easter eggs today?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs today?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs today?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs today?
Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
To his surprise Old Mother Give-Away answered, as though she were half asleep:
“Speak to the Rubbers on the floor;They’ve heard that question asked before.”
“Speak to the Rubbers on the floor;They’ve heard that question asked before.”
“Speak to the Rubbers on the floor;They’ve heard that question asked before.”
“Speak to the Rubbers on the floor;
They’ve heard that question asked before.”
The Runaway Bunny laughed and slipped four little Rubbers on his four little feet to keep them dry, this misty, moisty morning.
Then he asked again:
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?
Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
Then the Rubbers piped up to answer him:
“Ask the Umbrella in the hall;It may not answer you at all.”
“Ask the Umbrella in the hall;It may not answer you at all.”
“Ask the Umbrella in the hall;It may not answer you at all.”
“Ask the Umbrella in the hall;
It may not answer you at all.”
“The Umbrella was in a very good humor”“The Umbrella was in a very good humor”
“The Umbrella was in a very good humor”
“The Umbrella was in a very good humor”
The Umbrella was in a very good humor and, as the Runaway Bunny opened it, said:
“Ask the Raincoat what he will sayAbout going out on a rainy day!”
“Ask the Raincoat what he will sayAbout going out on a rainy day!”
“Ask the Raincoat what he will sayAbout going out on a rainy day!”
“Ask the Raincoat what he will say
About going out on a rainy day!”
The Runaway Bunny chuckled as he slipped on the Raincoat that hung on a nail.
He asked as before:
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?
Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
The Raincoat replied:
“Ask the Rain Cap; perhaps he’ll explainWhy we’re happy when we hear the rain.”
“Ask the Rain Cap; perhaps he’ll explainWhy we’re happy when we hear the rain.”
“Ask the Rain Cap; perhaps he’ll explainWhy we’re happy when we hear the rain.”
“Ask the Rain Cap; perhaps he’ll explain
Why we’re happy when we hear the rain.”
The Runaway Bunny knew they were happy to get out in the rain. But he asked again:
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
“May I start with the Easter eggs to-day?
Please let me go, Mother Give-Away.”
The Rain Cap replied:
“Ask the Wheelbarrow, for he knowsThe home into which each Easter egg goes.”
“Ask the Wheelbarrow, for he knowsThe home into which each Easter egg goes.”
“Ask the Wheelbarrow, for he knowsThe home into which each Easter egg goes.”
“Ask the Wheelbarrow, for he knows
The home into which each Easter egg goes.”
Then the Runaway Bunny ran outinto the yard and said to the Wheelbarrow:
“Let’s start with the Easter eggs to-day;Come, Mr. Wheelbarrow, what do you say?”
“Let’s start with the Easter eggs to-day;Come, Mr. Wheelbarrow, what do you say?”
“Let’s start with the Easter eggs to-day;Come, Mr. Wheelbarrow, what do you say?”
“Let’s start with the Easter eggs to-day;
Come, Mr. Wheelbarrow, what do you say?”
And the Wheelbarrow said, “I am ready to start this very minute.”
“About 246 Easter eggs in the Wheelbarrow”“About 246 Easter eggs in the Wheelbarrow”
“About 246 Easter eggs in the Wheelbarrow”
“About 246 Easter eggs in the Wheelbarrow”
Then Mother Give-Away came out and helped the Runaway Bunny pile about 246 Easter eggs in the Wheelbarrow. She covered them well to keep them dry.
The Runaway Bunny remarked:
“Now I should call this perfect fun,If I’d had breakfast with Grandmother Bun.”
“Now I should call this perfect fun,If I’d had breakfast with Grandmother Bun.”
“Now I should call this perfect fun,If I’d had breakfast with Grandmother Bun.”
“Now I should call this perfect fun,
If I’d had breakfast with Grandmother Bun.”
“Who is Grandmother Bun?” asked Old Mother Give-Away.
The wind whistled so hard that the Runaway Bunny did not hear the question. But he went rolling the Wheelbarrow merrily along, singing:
“Perhaps you may think it very funnyThat I should be called an Easter Bunny.”
“Perhaps you may think it very funnyThat I should be called an Easter Bunny.”
“Perhaps you may think it very funnyThat I should be called an Easter Bunny.”
“Perhaps you may think it very funny
That I should be called an Easter Bunny.”
“He left eggs at every Rabbit house”“He left eggs at every Rabbit house”
“He left eggs at every Rabbit house”
“He left eggs at every Rabbit house”
He left eggs at every Rabbit house he passed, and by and by the Wheel-barrow was empty.
He left it in the road and went hippety-hop along, singing:
“I wish you all a glad Easter Day.I’m running away! I’m running away!”
“I wish you all a glad Easter Day.I’m running away! I’m running away!”
“I wish you all a glad Easter Day.I’m running away! I’m running away!”
“I wish you all a glad Easter Day.
I’m running away! I’m running away!”