Horace Rabbit and the Snow Creature

By Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

Art by Justin Dial

Winter was always a hard time for Horace Rabbit and his family. When the snow lay deep and the cold winds blew, there was never enough food for the six little rabbits and their parents.

One snowy day, Father Rabbit called Horace to the kitchen. “Our supplies are running low. Do you think you are big enough to help me look for food?” he asked.

“Oh yes, Father,” said Horace.

“Good boy,” said Father. “You can look south of the forest, while I go deep into the woods. But be careful.”

Horace felt very grown-up as he set out on his search. He crossed a large field. He climbed a big hill. Finally, he came to a town.

He decided to follow a boy in a red jacket. Maybe he will lead me to food, thought Horace. He followed the boy until they reached a quiet street lined with pretty houses.

Then Horace saw something that made him forget about the boy in the red jacket. It was a tall, white creature with a chubby, round middle, skinny stick arms, and a big, friendly smile. But what really caught Horace’s eye was the crisp, orange carrot stuck in the middle of the creature’s face.

“I will trade you my ball for that carrot,” said Horace. “I can bring it tomorrow.”

The creature did not say yes, and he did not say no. He simply stared ahead with shiny, black eyes.

“Will you trade for a jump rope?” asked Horace. “That carrot of yours would help to feed my family.”

Again the grinning creature did not reply.

“What about a shiny black rock with speckles?” asked Horace. “It is the best one in my collection.”

The silly creature still would not answer. Suddenly a gust of wind blew away tiny snowflakes from the creature’s belly.

Horace rubbed his eyes and stared. “You are not even real!” he laughed. “You are made out of snow!”

Horace climbed up the snow creature. “This will not hurt a bit,” he promised as he snatched the carrot from the creature’s face. Then he jumped to the ground. But Horace did not want to leave the snow creature without a nose. So he climbed up once more and placed a pine cone where the carrot had been.

“There, that looks better!” said Horace. Before he left, he gathered up several pine cones to take with him.

Up and down the street hopped Horace. Every time he found a snow creature, he replaced its carrot nose with a pine cone. When he had all the carrots he could carry, Horace headed for home. Horace’s family was all ears as they listened to his story. And how they enjoyed the delicious carrots!

“I bet there will be new snow creatures popping up,” added Horace. “I will be watching for them.”

“We all will,” Father Rabbit said happily.

Now, if you ever see a snowman with a pine cone for a nose, you will know who has been there.

Date: 2015-01-11; view: 929