The Snow Rabbit (standard:fairy tales, 4266 words)
Author: J.A. Aarntzen	Added: Oct 18 2005	Views/Reads: 4306/2572	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A hungry elf ponders eating a snow rabbit.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

“It certainly isn't a day to be running around as angry as a rooster,”
Diddo added.  “Kiddo should be thankful for what he has!” 

“I'm sure that before he comes through this door again, Kiddo is going
to realize all the fortuitous bounty that has blessed him and his loved 
ones,” Ho assured his brothers.  His eyes were still peering out of the 
round window.  He was hoping against hope that the enraged Kiddo would 
have cooled down and have seen the futility of his action. 

Ho knew only too well what kind of explosive elf Kiddo was.  He would
stay outside through the most bitter of weather.  He usually had to be 
coaxed back inside.  He would not come back on his own accord because 
that would be admitting that he was wrong.  Kiddo was not one to see 
the errors of his ways. 

Outside of the cozy little elfin cottage there was only a bleak, gray
sky sitting over a bleak, gray tundra landscape.  Winter comes early 
way up here about the tree line.  There would have been a thick carpet 
of snow on the ground had it not been for those numbing, northern winds 
that had blown it all away as if it were merely dust on the mantle. 

“Do you think that we should go after him?”  Diddo asked Ho.  “It's not
a fit day to be outside at all!” 

“Kiddo is no fool, Diddo,” Ho answered.  “As soon as his nose starts to
turn red on the outside and hungry on the inside, he'll be back and 
thanking Providence that we elves have had another good year.” 

“Aye, it had been a good year at that, Ho,” Diddo sighed, his large oval
eyes ogling the big turkey Hum was starting to stuff with stewed 
chestnut and hickory. 

Ho's eyes remained fixed outside.  He wished that he had been more
careful with what he had said to the surprisingly sensitive Kiddo.  But 
some day Kiddo was going to have to learn about give and take.  Today 
was as good a day as any. 

Meanwhile, Kiddo was outside walking briskly against a brisk wind that
ate all the way through the elf's wooly parka.  “Cold people are meant 
to be cold,” he grumbled to himself. 

He walked without paying any attention as to where he was going.  All he
wanted to do was to have his legs keep pace with his thoughts. These 
were flying high and fast on self-pity.  His legs were doing a pretty 
good job of it. 

Without him taking any note of it, the skies had grown dark with
oncoming night.  It was the time of year when night starts to come 
early and soon it would be time when it would stay night the whole day 
long.  He had been so angry that he had not even noticed that he was 
hungry.  And as most things if not all things come in threes, the third 
thing that Kiddo had not noticed was how far he had walked. 

This was not the first time that the little elf had been lost.  He had
been lost many times.  In fact, one could lose one's mind trying to add 
up the number of times that Kiddo was lost. 

‘Well, here I go again!' he sighed to himself. 

He found himself, if one could find oneself when one was lost, on an
elevated icy plateau between tall, jagged mountain peaks that hid most 
of the great, dark Northern sky from his worried eyes.  He felt that he 
was standing on the tongue of some huge and terrible snow monster. 

It didn't take Kiddo very long to work himself into being very scared. 
He didn't know where he was which is after all one of the conditions of 
being lost.  His body was shaking like a drab, lone leaf on a barren 
tree in November. All he wanted to do was to dip his hands into hot 
dishwater and scrub pots and pans while listening to Ho, Hum and Diddo 
talk about the year just past over coffee and pipes. 

His eyes started to get blurry from tears.  He hated to cry but
sometimes there was nothing that you could do but cry. 

Because of this blurriness, he could not distinguish what the white
object ahead of him was.  He rubbed his little red hands into his eyes, 
making them little red eyes. 

Slowly, gradually, he was able to discern what it was that had run
across his field of vision.  It was a snow rabbit. 

That was what it was.  A snow rabbit. 

Tears did not cloud his eyes any longer.   When elves are seeing well,
very few living things could see as well as them.  Perhaps an eagle may 
see as well as an elf but an elf need not climb so high in the sky as 
an eagle to see as far.  And as far as Kiddo could tell, there was 
something wrong with the snow rabbit. 

The floppy-eared rabbit's trouble was that its hind leg was nearly
chewed off.  Kiddo had seen this kind of thing before.  A misfortunate 
bunny gets its leg caught in a wire snare.  It starts to get very 
scared when it sees that it can't move its leg.  It begins to worry 
about anything that might come along because it knows that there are 
few animals around that do not enjoy a nice rabbit dinner when it comes 
for free.  So, it makes dinner of itself rather than for some other 
animal.  It starts to chew its trapped leg so that it could gain its 
three-legged freedom.  But the sad thing of it all is that once it gets 
its freedom, it becomes much easier to catch because of the mutilation 
that it has inflicted upon itself. 

Kiddo guessed that this snow rabbit before him had been in a snare and
had proceeded with its oral amputation.  Poor little devil. 

The snow rabbit hobbled this way and then that.  Its half-severed leg
flopped about as if the rabbit was trying to fling it slingshot like 
away from its body.  But all that would fly away would be a spray of 
blood.  It did not take too many brains to surmise that the rabbit was 
weakening and that it was no doubt dying from the hideous infection 
from its wound.  Kiddo felt pity for the rabbit but his cold heart knew 
that it was going to die. 

The only thing good about this was that Kiddo was going to get an easy
meal out of this.  His stomach loved rabbit. 

“Did I hear you mention rabbit, Boss?” Kiddo recognized the voice as
being that of his stomach. 

The elf did not give his stomach an answer.  Once you start answering to
your stomach you are in big trouble. 

It was already too late to start to worry about trouble.  His stomach
was onto him.  “What have I done wrong to you, Boss?  I haven't caused 
you any pain or anything like that, have I?” 

Kiddo had no choice but to give his stomach a reply.  He owed it that
much for all the trouble that he had caused it.  “You have been good to 
me Stomach.” 

“Then why are you ignoring me?” his stomach shot back.  “All day long I
have been giving you gentle reminders of my empty state.  But not once 
did you choose to abet me.” 

Kiddo felt bad for his stomach.   It was not like him to ignore it for
so long.  If Ho had not made him so angry, his stomach would have been 
more than content right now digesting that sumptuous Thanksgiving 
dinner that Hum had concocted.  “I'm sorry Stomach.  It's just that 
I've had so much on my mind that I completely forgot about you.” 

“If I forgot about you, Boss, you wouldn't live too long, would you?” 

“I guess that you are right about that Stomach.  I need you to help me
stay alive.”  Kiddo was starting to feel resentful towards his stomach. 
 He had done it a wrong but he did not need to have his nose rubbed 
into his mistake. 

“Well, what are you going to do about it Boss?  I am hungry.” 

“Can't you see Stomach? We're way out here in the middle of nowhere. 
There's no food around for miles.”  The elf was thankful that his 
stomach could not see.  If it could see it would see that snow rabbit.  
It would have nothing but big, ravenous eyes for that poor creature. 

“Well, find some food!” the stomach demanded.  “I can't last too much
longer!” 

Kiddo did not care much for his stomach's attitude.  It was getting too
snarly.  The elf had half a mind to pull the complaining organ out of 
his body and throw it away.  Let it find its own food.  When he started 
to think about it, it did not seem like such a bad idea.  He would be 
forever rid of that noisome, bickering thing.  He would never have to 
worry about getting fat.  Without a stomach, he would not have to eat 
cooked food or any food at all.  He would not be creating any dirty 
dishes.  Then how could Ho expect him to clean up something that he had 
nothing to do with at all? 

Kiddo giggled for it was the perfect solution. 

He started to stick his hand down his throat.  He was going to rip his
stomach out and pull it through his mouth. 

But no sooner was his hand in his mouth when he started to gag. 

Kiddo cursed.  His stomach had friends inside his body.  Clearly, his
throat was on his stomach's side. 

“We know what you are up to, Boss!  We're not going to let you expel
Stomach!” his throat said with anger. 

“Thanks Throat!” Stomach said.  “I'll try not to regurgitate anything up
into you again!” 

“Don't worry about it Stomach.  If the Boss tries anything like that
again, I'll make sure that he chokes on it a little longer!” 

“Not too long though,” came the double voices of the Lung Brothers.  “We
need our air.  It gets terribly stuffy in here without a regular 
replenishment of fresh air.” 

“Well, just persevere for a while, will you guys!” Throat rasped.  “I'm
sure Stomach would sacrifice itself if the Boss was trying to rip you 
two boys out.” 

“You're darned tappy tooting, I would!” Stomach declared.  “I'd do
anything for the Lung boys!  I know what it is like working for a 
person like the Boss.  He only cares for himself and nobody else!” 

“The Boss likes to go walking but he never tells us where to go,” Left
Foot commented. 

“And if he does, he only tells one of us.  The other one just has to
guess where to go,” Right Foot added. 

“It's the same with us!” clapped the Hands.  “Most of the time the one
doesn't know what the other is doing!” 

“We give the Boss the best hearing possible but he just doesn't listen!”
the Ears drummed. 

“The Boss can look but he can't see!” the Eyes lighted.  “He can look
for hours for something that is right in front of us!” 

“You think you've got it tough, well, just listen to what I've got to
say,” Belly Button began. 

“No one cares what you've got to say, Belly Button!”  Stomach grumped. 
“Hey Eyes!” 

But Belly Button was not going to shut up for Stomach.  Before the Eyes
could reply, Belly Button snapped, “It's not easy living next door to a 
noisy neighbor like cantankerous old Stomach!” 

“I said shut up Belly Button!  Eyes!  Hey Eyes!  Are you going to answer
me?”  Stomach was letting his aggressive personality assert itself. 

“Yes Stomach?” the Eyes sounded somewhat disconcerted by Stomach's
rudeness.  “What do you want?” 

“Eyes, the Boss tells me that there is no food around for miles, is that
so?” 

“Wait a moment Stomach.  We will survey the situation for you.” 

Kiddo felt his eyes rove about in every direction.  He saw everything
near and far in a split second without having any control over what he 
wanted to look at.  It seemed that he had not control over any part of 
his body.  Every part of him was rebelling against him.  It was a 
mutiny. 

“Stomach.” 

“Yes Eyes?” 

“We've looked about everywhere for food for you ....” 

“Yes .... And?”  Stomach showed his apprehensiveness. 

“And,” the Eyes started.  “We've just realized that we do not know
exactly what food is.” 

“Arrrgghh!” the stomach growled.  “You don't know what food is?” 

“As eyes we never have to eat so we never have learned what food exactly
is.” 

“Food is the stuff that allows you to live” Stomach shouted. 

“Air makes you live,” the Lung Brothers said together. 

“Air?  Well, forget it then!” the Eyes cried.  “You're asking us to look
for something that we can't even see!” 

“No!  I don't want you looking for air.  I want you to look for food! 
Food!  F-O-O-D!  Food!” 

“We'll look for food for you Stomach if you just would tell us what food
looks like!” the Eyes were trying to be helpful. 

“Food is something that you stick into Mouth.  Just look for something
that you can stick into Mouth.” 

“Then we have found food!” the Eyes announced triumphantly. 

“You have?” Stomach cried with ravenous delight.  “I knew the Boss was
lying!  Hands get that food that Eyes are talking about!” 

“We'll do that for you Stomach,” Hands answered.  “Eyes where is this
food?” 

“Um,” the Eyes lowered as if they were embarrassed.  “Ah, we're afraid
to say this, but you are the food Hands!” 

“What!” Hands and Stomach cried together. 

“Well, Stomach said that food is something that you can stick into
Mouth.  And as far as we can see, Hands, you can fit into Mouth.” 

“I would rather be in the dark than have eyes like the two of you!”
Stomach bellyached. 

“You are in the dark, Stomach.  It is night outside.” 

“Great!  It's night outside and I haven't eaten all day!  Eyes, is there
anything ...  no, no .... Eyes, just tell me everything that you can 
see.  I'll decide if I can eat it or not.” 

“Sounds good to us!” the Eyes answered. 

“What sounds good?  We didn't hear anything!” Ears complained. 

“That's because you've got all that waxy build-up all over you!” Fingers
stated. 

“Okay, Stomach, this is what we see.” 

“Fire away, Eyes!” 

“Snow.” 

“Nope, can't eat that.” 

“Snow.” 

“Nope.” 

“Snow.” 

“Now, wait a second!  Is there anything else out there besides snow?” 

“Of course there is!  It's just that we haven't got to it yet!” 

“Well, keep going then.” 

“Okay .... Snow.” 

“No.” 

“Snow.” 

“No.” 

“Snow rabbit.” 

“No .... No, wait a second!” the stomach sounded excited.  “Did you say
snow rabbit?” 

“Yes, we did!  Snow rabbit.  There's a big fat one hobbling about not
too far away.” 

“You're kidding!  Really!” An air of lusting greed came over Stomach. 
It took him a few seconds to compose himself.  Finally, when he felt 
that he had himself settled, he said, “That snow rabbit that you are 
looking at is food.  Now, let's get that thing into me!”  Stomach 
commanded.  He was beginning to sound like a maniac. 

“Just wait a second!” Kiddo cried out, interrupting all of the dialogue
within him.  “That snow rabbit is still alive.  In order for it to be 
food it has to be dead!” 

“Well, kill it then!” Stomach demanded. 

“I'm not going to kill it!” 

“Who needs you Boss!”  Stomach laughed hysterically.  “Hands, you'll
kill the rabbit for me, won't you?” 

“Gee, we don't know, Stomach.  We made a promise to ourselves a long
time ago that we would never take the life of anything on purpose,” 
Left Hand said shakingly. 

“And we have stuck by it,” Right Hand added. 

“Okay, Hands, I don't need you either.  You'd just fumble the whole
thing anyway.  Feet, my good friends, the Feet.   What about trotting 
over to where that rabbit is and stomping its brains out?” 

“Are you mad Stomach?  We won't step on any living animal!”  Feet
replied in step.  It was the first time that they had done anything 
together in a long time. 

“I won't forget this Feet!  Don't think that I don't know who carried us
way out here in the first place.  Just you wait and see how much energy 
I'll provide for the two of you in the future!  Ha!  Ha!” 

Stomach was starting to get desperate.  “Mouth!” he cried.  “Mouth, you
and I are a team!  Unlike Feet, we work together well.  Do you think 
that you and Teeth could bite the life out of the rabbit?  I mean it's 
only a rabbit and besides, it's food, Mouth.  Ah, Mouth, you old 
glutton, you love food, don't you?  Come on, let's give it a bite, what 
do you say Mouth?” 

“We are a great team, Stomach, you and I.  Whatever I have started you
have always finished.  But Stomach you can't expect me to bite into 
something that is still living, can you?  That's something that I just 
cannot do.  I'm sorry Stomach but I just can't!” Mouth replied in a 
genuinely sorrowful manner. 

“You just wait Mouth!  Some day I will refuse to take some of that
garbage that you and Throat try to push down on me.  How often have I 
craved vegetables only to have candies thrust down upon me?  It seems 
that food is always what you want and never what I want.  I'm not going 
to forget this Mouth.”  Stomach was very bitter. 

Kiddo started to experience a stomachache.  “You might as well give up
Stomach.  Nothing inside of me is going to kill that rabbit.  I promise 
you that I will look for food for you but first I want to help this 
poor little animal before it dies.” 

“What?” the stomach bellowed.  “The rabbit is dying!  And you aren't
going to help it along?  How cruel can you get?  The creature is in 
pain, it should die.  How could you be so unmerciful as to prolong the 
dumb animal's suffering?” 

“You are not fooling anybody Stomach,” Kiddo sighed.  “Heart, are you in
there?” 

“Still ticking Boss!  What can I do for you?” 

“Ho tells me that I am a cold person.  Is that so?” 

“Well I don't know what it is like on the outside but let me tell you
that inside it is plenty warm,” Heart said with its pulsing, soothing 
mellow voice. 

“Is it warm enough around you to heat up this snow rabbit?” 

The stomach laughed with glee.  “You're going to cook this snow rabbit
for me!  I knew you weren't a cruel man, Boss!” 

“We are not going to eat this rabbit and I'm not a man Stomach.  I am an
elf.  I have magic at my fingertips!” 

“You sure do Boss!”  Fingertips sparkled. 

“Fingertips, I have a job for you.” 

“You won't have any regrets with us Boss!” 

“Lead the way Feet!”  Kiddo felt that he was in control again. 

The Feet Twins acting in unison took him to where the snow rabbit lay
panting on the cold ground.  Eyes saw the pain in the rabbit's eyes.  
Back stooped over while Arms reached out so that Hands and Fingers 
wrapped themselves around the body of the snow rabbit. 

All at once, Ears heard a sizzling sound while Eyes saw the rabbit's
badly chewed leg mend itself as fast as elfin magic could work.  In a 
minute, the rabbit's leg was as good as new. 

And the rabbit's body felt much warmer now thanks to Heart, Breast and
Arms. 

Kiddo put the rabbit back on the ground and patted its head.  The snow
rabbit's little pink nose wriggled up and down.  It winked its lavish 
eyelash at Kiddo.  It was the bunny was saying, “Thank you for bringing 
warmth into my life.” 

Even Stomach was taken aback by the rabbit's sweetness.  It was a
sweetness much sweeter than Mouth had ever tasted.  In his usual bitter 
tone, Stomach said, “I don't think that I can stomach all of this 
sweetness.” 

Kiddo and all of his body parts laughed heartily.  Eyes and Ears did not
even notice that they were no longer alone any more. 

“You have really managed to get yourself lost this time Kiddo!  We had a
hard time trying to figure out which way that you went.” 

Kiddo lifted his eyes away from the snow rabbit and saw Ho, Hum and
Diddo standing around him. 

“It wasn't until we saw all of that fiery razzle dazzle that you
produced that we knew where you were,” Ho said with a warm laugh. 

“What fiery razzle dazzle?  I don't know how to produce anything fiery. 
Remember, I am a cold person.  You said so yourself!” Kiddo said 
humbly. 

“Oh, come now Kiddo!  Not even the Northern Lights could have been as
bright as your razzle dazzle!” Diddo said. 

“I always knew that you had it in you.  You just had a little more
trouble getting it out!” Hum smiled. 

“What a pretty rabbit!” Ho remarked.  The big elf bent over and started
to tickle the creature's ears.  The bunny wriggled its nose and slowly 
hopped away. 

“Truly a magical beast!” Kiddo grinned. 

“Why do you say that?”  Ho asked with a puzzling furrow upon his brow. 

“Oh, I don't know.  It just seems that it brings out the best in people,
I guess.”  Kiddo sighed.  He felt very warm inside. 

“Come!” Diddo called out.  “Let's get back home and eat!” 

“Good idea!” four voices replied. 


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