Chapter X

CHRISTMAS AT MOTHER BUN’S

Old Mother Bun was very busy making Christmas presents and Old Father Bun was very busy wrapping them up and putting the animals’ names upon them.

Every once in awhile, Old Mother Bun would say, “Did you remember Old Father Chipmunk?”

Then Old Father Bun would say, “Did you remember Old Grandfather Weasel?”

“Click, click, click,” went Old Mother Bun’s knitting needles, as she knitted scarfs and sweaters and caps for the animals.

One evening Old Father Bun said:

“Are the stockings ready to hang? Because It is almost time for Santa Claus.”

Old Mother Bun got out a big stocking, a little stocking, and a middle-sized stocking, saying:

“We’ll hang up three, though it seems so funny; We’ll put one up for the Runaway Bunny.”

So there were three stockings hanging by the fireplace. And every hour it grew nearer and nearer Christmas Eve.

Now wasn’t it odd? At this very minute the Runaway Bunny was saying:

“By my stubby tail, at least I remember That Santa Claus comes late in December!”

He looked down the path that led to the woods toward Old Mother Bun’s home, singing:

“Ha, ha! I must be off to-day. I’m running away! I’m running away!”

He ran on happily.

Suddenly he stopped and remembered he had no presents for Old Mother Bun and Old Father Bun. So back he went hippety-hop, hippety-hop, to his little house; and up he went into the attic and looked in an old trunk.

“Ha, ha!” he cried. “I call this fun; Here is a pipe for Grandfather Bun.”

Sure enough, there was a brand new pipe in a red velvet case. He looked down deeper in the trunk and found something else.

“Ha, ha!” he cried. “Presents for everyone! Here are spectacles for Grandmother Bun.”

He put his presents in a little bag and went off hippety-hop, singing:

“I hope I shall get there by break of day; I’m running away! I’m running away!”

Sometimes he stopped to rest and cried:

“My fur and whiskers! It’s cold as ice! I forgot my mittens, so warm and nice.”

His little sweater did not keep him warm enough.

His little paws were very cold! His long ears were even colder! He was getting colder every minute as he went hippety-hop across the snow!

The next minute he jumped into such a deep snowdrift that only his long ears stuck out. The snow got into his nose and eyes until he could scarcely breathe. He tried to wriggle out, but the drift held him fast.

Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle went some sleigh bells. And a funny old man, dressed in fur from top to toe and carrying a big pack on his back, came riding along.

He was singing:

“I carry presents, as is my habit, Aha! I think I see a rabbit.”

He got out of his sleigh and waded into the snowdrift from which the Bunny’s ears stuck out.

Then he pulled the Runaway Bunny out by the ears.

The Runaway Bunny shook the snow from his fur and looked at the funny old man.

“Why, it’s Santa Claus!” shouted that surprised Bunny. “Hurrah!”

“Tut, tut! This is no time of night for little Bunnies to be out in the cold!” cried Santa Claus. “Come with me and you shall ride in my pack, where you will be warm and dry.”

So the Runaway Bunny jumped into Santa’s pack and almost buried himself among the toys. Then he rode away, singing:

“It’s fun to go in Santa’s sleigh, I’m riding away! I’m riding away!”

They slid down many chimneys and climbed over many roofs. Then away they rode until by and by they came to the home of Father and Mother Bun. They peeped in at the window. There sat old Father and Mother Bun fast asleep in their armchairs.

As Santa Claus crept down the chimney, he whispered to the Runaway Bunny, “You may help me, little Bunny. You may trim the stockings with holly.”

So he took a bunch of holly from his pack and the Runaway Bunny fastened sprays of it on the stockings.

Then Santa whispered:

“Curl up in a stocking and go to sleep; Be still as a mouse, and don’t you peep!”

So the Runaway Bunny took off his little sweater, so that he would not be too hot in the warm stocking. Then Santa tucked him into Old Mother Bun’s stocking. He put her presents on the floor. Then he filled Old Father Bun’s stocking from top to toe.

He left a card on the table. He wrote on the card:

“Santa was here to pay a call; A merry Christmas to one and all!”

Did they have a merry Christmas? Well, I should think they did!

Early Christmas morning, Old Mother Bun awoke and cried:

“I don’t see well, but it seems funny— Those look like the ears of the Runaway Bunny!”

Next Old Father Bun awoke and said:

“I see very well—I have formed the habit; Those look like the ears of the Runaway Rabbit.”

Then Father Bun took hold of one ear and Mother Bun took hold of the other ear, and they pulled the Runaway Bunny out of the stocking.

They all cried, “Merry Christmas!”

Then the Runaway Bunny gave Mother Bun her spectacles and Father Bun his pipe. And they had a merry time with the presents Santa Claus had brought them.

Old Mother Bun gave the Runaway Bunny a new cap and sweater, and Old Father Bun gave him a new sled. Then the pair kissed him on both cheeks and begged him to live with them always. He said he would.

Then the Runaway Bunny put on his new cap and sweater and went coasting downhill on his new sled.

The very last words that I heard him say Were, “With Grandpa and Grandma Bun I’ll stay, And if I live a year and a day, I’m entirely cured of running away!”

I wonder if he ever ran away after that. I forgot to ask him!

If I were a Bunny, I do declare, I’d hang up a stocking with greatest care; And I’d always be very good because I’d hope for a visit from Santa Claus. And every winter I’d have the fun Of spending Christmas with Grandma Bun.

Who’ll fill our stockings from top to toe? Jolly Old Santa Claus! Who’ll laugh at the stockings all in a row? Jolly Old Santa Claus! And all the children and bunnies cry, “Hurrah! hurrah! he is riding by!”