The Poo-Footed Rabbit Rescuer
by Bryant Burroughs
All the creatures who dwell in the little woods and pond love the man who visits every day, quietly walking their paths as if he knows all who live there are shy. Indeed they are shy, yet they welcome his visits.
The owls and hawks and crows revel in their lookout role, and it’s a high honor to be the first to spot the man as he approaches the woods. When they spot him, all the birds fly with joy to alert the creatures of the woods and pond to come out of their nests and hiding places and come near the path where the man and the Black Beast walk.
All creatures have names, and the day came that the council met to bestow a name on their beloved visitor.
“We must name him The Nut,” chirp the Squirrels, jerking their tails in excitement. “Because he brings us nuts and cereal to eat.”
Standing on her hind legs, the spokes-bunny for the rabbits announces, “We’ve conferred and suggest his name be Big Bunny Without Ears.”
“Frog Who Stands Tall,” croaks the giant bullfrog, who is revered as the oldest creature in the forest.
“We propose Deer-Stepper,” grunt the bucks and does and fawns. “He steps so quietly and then freezes when he spots us. He walks like us.”
After a few minutes of chirping and cawing in the tops of the trees, the birds send a bright red cardinal gliding to the ground to trill their decision: “The best name by far is The One Who Sings Almost as Well as a Bird.”
The Pond Pigeon has waited until the last to speak. From the shallows of the pond, she exclaims, “My friends, I stand perfectly still, yet he spots me every time. Then he sings to me! To me! I memorize the song he sings so that I can sing it to my children one day.”
Everyone was quiet, for they still mourned the loss of her mate.
Then one of the red squirrels inquires, “What then shall we call our visitor? We have many good names, but we haven’t agreed yet.” Even the wise bullfrog is puzzled, for each of the proposed names is good and proper. Then his wide mouth smiles. In a single jump, he joins the rabbit clans. “Bunji,” he calls, “tell us about your adventure early this morning.”
A shy, half-grown bunny steps from the other rabbits, and hesitantly squeaks out his story. “I know I’m too young to be out all night, but I found good forage at the edge of the forest. All was quiet and dark … and safe, I thought. Then the Black Beast emerged from the darkness and set upon me. I was scared, but I zigged and zagged as fast as I could. I could feel the heat of its breath.”
All the animals listen in shock, for the bunny Bunji is describing their worst nightmare. “What happened?” asks a squirrel. “How did you escape?”
Bunji is trembling as he remembers his fear. “Our friend, the Big Bunny Without Ears, dashed out of nowhere and with his words stopped the Black Beast. I was able to flee here to safety.”
The animals emit a collective exhale as they marvel at his story. “But wait, there’s more,” Bunji adds. “I heard him speaking to me.”
“What did he say? Tell us! What did he say?”
“He said, ‘Shoot! I’ve stepped in poo!’”
About the Author
Bryant Burroughs is the author of a poetry collection, Where Do My Words Go? His poems and short stories have appeared in literary sites such as Foreshadow, Agape Review, Clayjar Review, Pure in Heart Stories and Faith, Hope & Fiction. He lives in Upstate South Carolina with his wife and three cats.
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