The Snow Rabbit (standard:fairy tales, 4266 words)
Author: J.A. Aarntzen	Added: Oct 18 2005	Views/Reads: 4300/2571	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A hungry elf ponders eating a snow rabbit.

The Snow Rabbit 

It was Hum's turn to cook the Thanksgiving dinner.  Ho had done it last
year while Diddo had done it the year before that. 

Kiddo never had to cook.  The reason for this was simply that this
particular elf just could not cook. 

He could put his pans of bread batter into the oven for a whole
afternoon.  And when it was time to take out the crispy elfin bread, 
Kiddo would find only the same pans of batter that he had put in 
several hours earlier. 

Kiddo could put a kettle of water onto the stove and let it sit for
hours on end over the open flame.  But when it came time to pour the 
water into the teapot, he would discover much to his chagrin that the 
water was actually colder than when he started. 

It was for reasons like this that Ho absolved Kiddo from any cooking
duties in the wee elfin cottage.  At first, Kiddo was as giddy as a 
child on the last day of his school year when he heard of his reprieve. 


But Ho had a surprise for the elf that could not cook.  Kiddo was to
have an extra turn at cleaning up after the sumptuous elfin meals that 
his three brothers cooked up. 

“It's only fair,” Ho had said to the disgruntled Kiddo.  “You are going
to have to learn that there is a lot of give and take in life.  You 
can't expect to be at the receiving end of it all of the time.  At some 
point you are going to have to pitch in.” 

“It's not my fault that I can't cook!” Kiddo complained.  “Why should I
have to do extra chores just because things don't heat up for me?” 

“It's a mystery to us why thing won't heat up for you, Kiddo.  We're not
blaming you for it.  It's just that you are a cold person Kiddo, that 
is all.” 

“A cold person!” Kiddo shrieked.  “That's not a nice thing to say!” 

“I didn't mean it that way,” Ho sighed.  “What I mean is that fire does
not get hot when you are around.” 

Ho and Kiddo had argued about this before.  That argument had resulted
in Kiddo storming out of the little elfin cottage.  He did not come 
home until everybody had gone to bed.  He was very hungry at that time 
but as he searched ravenously through the icebox and the cupboards, he 
discovered that the three other elves had eaten everything.  He had to 
go to bed that night with an angry and complaining stomach.  And as Ho, 
Hum and Diddo know, when Kiddo's stomach starts to growl there is not a 
meaner or grumpier thing around. 

Kiddo recalled that previous occasion.  He remembered how sorry he was
afterwards and how he had swore that he would never lose his temper and 
storm out of the house again.  But now, as he traded insults with Ho, 
he knew that it was all going to happen again and there was nothing 
that he could do about it. 

The next thing that he knew he was roaring his way out of the front
door.  “I don't want any of your stinking Thanksgiving dinner because I 
don't have anything to be thankful for living with the likes of you 
three!” he bellowed as he made his way out into the tundra evening. 

The door slammed in behind Kiddo.  Ho, Hum and Diddo stared at each
other with ‘here we go again' faces.  “Do you think that I should I 
leave Kiddo a plate this time?” Hum asked Ho. 

Ho was standing at the round window.  He was watching Kiddo disappear
out of the backyard.  “Yes,” Ho muttered.  “You had better do that Hum. 
We don't want him sulking about all day tomorrow!” 

“But today is Thanksgiving Day Ho!  It's a time to be at home with your
family!” Hum cried. 



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