The Three Hares
Mother hare's three children were almost a month old. They lived with their mother and father in a deep and narrow hole. "Children," said mother hare, "Father and I had a talk. "It is time for you to leave the nest and to be on your own. Listen carefully to what father has to say."
Father hare said, "When you leave, build a rest like ours. Dig yourself a run that is deep and narrow like ours. A deep hole with twists and turns will keep you safe from enemies."
The first little hare did not want to listen. "I will not be stuck deep in the ground," he thought. I will build a house near the woods. It will be above ground where I can have light and fresh air." Then he did just as he said. He collected sticks and leaves and bushes and grass. The little hare piled them all together and made himself a home.
The little hare was hungry after all his work and went to the meadow to look for food. Someone else was also at the meadow. It was a hungry fox. "Come here," said the fox. Let's have dinner together. You will be the dinner!"
The hare ran straight to his home. He climbed inside to hide. But, the fox tore the house down and ate the hare for dinner. The little hare paid for not listening to his mother and father.
The second little hare said, "I do not like it under the ground. I will build myself a house among the trees. He found a tree with lots of big roots on it and made a house between them. He built a house out of straw and twigs. When he was done, he went to the meadow to eat.
The same fox sat in the meadow. "Come," said the fox. "Let us have dinner together. You will be the dinner." The little hare ran to his home and hid between the tree roots and under his straw roof. It did not take long before the nose of the fox sniffed him out. This hare also became the fox's dinner. Children really should listen to their parents!
The third little hare listened very well to his mother and father. He build his home close to theirs, so he could see them often. "Father said to dig my hole deep in the ground,"?he said to himself. "I will dig it deeper than our old home ever was." He dug and dug and dug.
It took several days to dig a run that was longer and deeper than the one he was born in. He built twists and turns to make it hard for any other animal to get through. When his hole was finished, he went to the meadow to eat.
The fox was in the meadow once again. By now, he was hungry once more. "Come here," he said to the third little hare. Let us have dinner together. You will be the dinner." The fox chased the hare across the meadow all the way home. The third little hare had listened well to his parents. He dove into his run and hurried past all the twists and turns.
The fox tried to climb into the hole. But, the hare had built it well. The hare stayed warm and comfortable inside until long after the fox had gone away. All the time that he sat in his nest, he thought pleasant thoughts about his mother and father. It had paid to listen to them when he lived at home.
Dr. Mike Lockett is an educator, storyteller and children's author from Normal, IL. Dr. Lockett has given more than 4000 programs across the USA and as far away as eastern Asia. Contact Mike by writing to Mike@mikelockett.com in order to book him for a storytelling program or young authors program or to inquire about purchasing his books and CDs.