The Tale Of Bunny Bunny - Flash Fiction

Once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in the country and had no friends. Her family was very poor, and they were always hungry. One day Father brought home a rabbit which was very small but large enough to feed the family for dinner. Girl (for she had no name, they were that poor) cried at the thought of eating the rabbit. So she asked that Father spare his life. In return, she would go to market and find something else for their meal.

"Go then, little dreamer, but if you return with nothing, then rabbit stew it shall be."

Girl took her one possession, a tattered little book of nursery rhymes, and walked a mile to the market. The shopkeepers shook their heads; they had no need of a threadbare book, and even the leather cover was so worn that it had no value. She was so disappointed and sad that she sat down by the village well and began to cry, vowing that she would rather starve than go home and eat.

A kindly man sat down beside her.

"Why are you crying, little girl?" he asked .

So she told him her troubles.

"Why, that would make a fine story," he said thoughtfully. He offered her a little pouch and a gold coin.

Girl offered him her book. "It isn't worth gold, but it's all that I have."

The man smiled. "Ah, but you see, you have given me an idea. I am Storyteller, and ideas are worth gold to me."

"You mean you read books?" asked Girl. "My book isn't important; that's what everyone else told me."

"No, I mean I'm a storyteller. I tell tales, those of others, and those which I create myself. To read aloud is fine, but it is my job to truly bring stories to life. And in the pouch, by the way, is enough of my magic dust for you to bring one precious thing to life. Use it well."

Girl blinked, and Storyteller was gone.

With the gold coin, Girl was able to buy enough food for many dinners, and the rabbit (named Bunny Bunny, because he was so precious that he deserved TWO names) became Girl's very best friend. They had many happy adventures together, and Girl learned to love and to explore the big wide world with her trusted companion by her side. She even learned to make up stories about their travels all over the world (which I might tell you about one day), but as you know all good things come to an end. One day Bunny Bunny could not walk around very well, and the day after that he lay very still.  Girl knew how things were in life, and yet her heart was broken at the thought of spending her days without a treasured companion. Then she remembered the little pouch from Storyteller, and opening it up she sprinkled the fine dust over the rabbit before placing him in a little burrow she'd dug and covering up the entrance with stones to keep the dogs away.

Girl was very sad but she wished Bunny Bunny a safe journey to wherever he was going and then she went to bed.

Three days later, there was a knock on the door late at night. But Girl was very sleepy, and though she tried to hear what the voices were saying, she soon went back to sleep.

The next morning Girl awoke to sunshine streaming in her window.  She jumped out of bed, remembering that it was Easter and hoping that there might be a bit of chocolate for her this year.

"Good morning, Sunshine!" said Father. Girl was astounded, as her Father had never called her anything but Girl. "Happy Easter!"

Girl was amazed. The table was laden with good things, Mother had a new dress, and Father's shiny scrubbed face beamed above his new jacket.

Best of all, she saw...

Bunny Bunny!
Girl was so excited that she wept. "OH Bunny Bunny how I've missed you."

True, he wasn't quite as thin as he'd been, and his ears and nose didn't twitch...

"It's just a toy, I know, but maybe it will do until we can get you another real rabbit," said Father.

But Girl did not want another rabbit. Because she knew that it really WAS Bunny Bunny, just come back in a slightly different form. His nose still had the same scar, and he had...well, it can only be described as a very curious and sly twinkle in his eyes.  But when Girl explained to Father and Mother about the Storyteller and the magic dust...

"Oh, well who's the storyteller here?" they replied in unison.

Girl sighed, and took Bunny Bunny off to the woods to do some exploring. And they would have many, many adventures.

Father shook his head as they left.

He could have sworn that stuffed rabbit had winked at him.
*************

I thought I'd branch out into kid lit - something lighter than usual. Many thanks to the true life stars of the tale, Stu Storyteller and Bunny Bunny (who wishes to start his very own blog, of course).

Update July 2012: Bunny Bunny now has his very own blog here!