Pip the Brave Little Bunny

Bedtime Story

Once upon a time, in a cozy green meadow, lived a little bunny named Pip. Pip was a very fluffy bunny with big floppy ears and a twitchy pink nose. Pip loved to play with his friends all day long. He loved hopping through the tall grass, nibbling on yummy clover, and chasing butterflies with his best friend, Rosie the squirrel.

But Pip had a little secret.  Pip was a little bit scared of the dark. When the sun went sleepy-bye and the stars popped out in the sky, Pip would feel his tummy get all wiggly.  The shadows in the meadow looked like funny monsters, and the rustling leaves sounded like spooky whispers.  Pip always hopped quickly back to his burrow when the sky turned gray and snuggled close to his mama bunny.

One sunny morning, Pip and Rosie were playing hide-and-seek near the Whispering Woods. Rosie was very good at hiding! She could scamper up trees and disappear behind big bushes in a blink.  “Ready or not, here I come!” shouted Pip, his nose twitching excitedly. He peeked behind a big sunflower, then under a pile of leaves.  “Rosie? Where are you?” Pip called out.

Suddenly, Pip heard a tiny little whimper.  “Hoo hoo… I’m stuck!” It was Rosie’s voice! Pip followed the sound and found Rosie.  Oh no! Rosie had climbed up a little tree, but now she was too scared to climb back down.  She was way up high on a branch, and her little voice was shaky.

“Pip! Help me!” cried Rosie.  Pip looked up at Rosie. She looked so small and scared way up there.  Pip’s tummy started to feel wiggly again, but this time it wasn’t because of the dark. It was because Rosie was in trouble! Pip wanted to help his friend.

“Don’t worry, Rosie! I’ll help you!” Pip called out bravely.  But then Pip looked around. The Whispering Woods were getting darker. The sun was starting to go sleepy-bye.  The shadows were getting long and pointy.  Pip remembered how much he didn’t like the dark.  His ears drooped a little.  Maybe he should just go get his mama bunny? Mama bunny was very big and brave.

But then Pip looked up at Rosie again.  Rosie’s eyes were big and wet, and she looked very, very scared.  Pip knew he couldn’t leave Rosie alone.  He took a deep breath, just like his papa bunny taught him when he was scared.  He puffed out his chest and wiggled his nose extra fast.  “I can do it!” Pip said to himself. “I can be brave for Rosie!”

Pip looked at the little tree. It wasn’t very tall.  He had climbed trees before when he was playing with his brothers and sisters.  He just had to be brave enough to climb it now, even though the shadows were getting longer and the woods were getting darker.

Slowly, carefully, Pip started to climb the little tree.  He put his little paws on the bark and pushed himself up, up, up.  It was a little wobbly, and the leaves tickled his nose, but Pip kept climbing. He thought about Rosie and how scared she was, and that made him feel stronger and braver.

Finally, Pip reached the branch where Rosie was sitting. “Rosie! I’m here!” he said, his voice a little shaky but also very proud.  Rosie’s face lit up when she saw Pip.  “Pip! You came to help me!” she cried happily.

“Of course, I did! You’re my best friend!” said Pip.  Now, Pip had to think about how to get Rosie down.  He looked at the branch.  “Okay, Rosie, you need to be very careful,” Pip said in his brave voice. “Can you slowly come towards me?”

Rosie took tiny, shaky steps along the branch towards Pip.  Pip reached out his paw and Rosie grabbed it tight.  Together, very slowly and carefully, they climbed down the tree.  It was a little bit scary, and Pip’s tummy felt a little wobbly still, but he kept going. He was being brave for Rosie!

When they were safely on the ground, Rosie jumped up and down and gave Pip a big hug.  “Oh, Pip, you were so brave! Thank you for helping me!” she squeaked happily.

Pip felt his chest puff up even bigger.  He felt warm and fuzzy inside, like sunshine in his tummy.  “You’re welcome, Rosie,” Pip said, smiling wide. “It’s okay to be a little scared, but being brave for your friends is even better!”

The sun was almost completely sleepy-bye now, and the stars were starting to twinkle.  Pip and Rosie hopped back to their burrows together, side-by-side.  Pip wasn’t scared of the shadows anymore, not really.  He knew that even when things look a little spooky, being brave and helping your friends makes everything better.  And that night, Pip the little bunny slept soundly, dreaming happy dreams about being a brave and helpful friend.  And maybe, just maybe, he wasn't so scared of the dark anymore after all.  The end.