by Erin Beth Liles –
The Rabbit family crept into McDuff’s garden. Little Rabbit grabbed a yellow squash. Mama rabbit plucked a juicy red tomato, and Papa Rabbit snatched a crisp green cucumber. Then they scurried home.
As Little Rabbit munched and crunched, he pointed to the tiny flecks nestled inside. “Mama, what are these?”
“Seeds,” Mama said. They make new plants when you put them in the ground.”
The next day, the Rabbit family was back in McDuff’s garden. Suddenly, they heard a thump thump thump. It was McDuff!
“Get out of my garden!” he yelled, shaking his rake.
The rabbits dashed under the fence and into their rabbit hole just in time.
“Papa,” Little Rabbit said. “Why do we have to go to McDuff’s garden every day?”
“It’s the only place to find supper.” Papa Rabbit said. “Where else would we get such marvelous morsels to eat?”
Little Rabbit looked over at the pile of seeds left over from last night’s supper.
“If we planted these seeds, would they grow into plants that make vegetables?”
“Why yes!” Papa Rabbit exclaimed.
The Rabbit family set to work. Mama Rabbit scratched a rectangle in the dirt.
Little Rabbit pulled the weeds and tossed out the rocks.
Finally, Papa Rabbit set to digging several straight rows.
Little Rabbit sprinkled yellow squash seeds in one row.
Mama Rabbit dropped tomato seeds in another row.
And Papa Rabbit tossed cucumber seeds into the last row.
Then Papa gently covered the seeds with dirt.
Mama Rabbit filled a jug with water, and Little Rabbit sprinkled it over the seeds.
“When will they be ready?” Little Rabbit asked impatiently.
“It will take some time,” Papa Rabbit said.
Every day Little Rabbit watched the seeds.
Every day he watered them.
Every day he plucked the weeds growing around them.
First, the seeds grew into tiny sprouts.
They grew and grew.
Then they grew into great big plants covered with flowers.
Soon tiny tomatoes appeared.
Then little squash and miniature cucumbers appeared too.
“When can we eat them?” Little Rabbit asked excitedly.
“When the tomato is red, it is ready to eat. When the squash is yellow, it is ready to eat. And when the cucumber is as big as your ears, it is ready to eat.”
The Rabbit family waited and waited.
Then one day, Little Rabbit looked in the garden and saw the most beautiful rainbow of colors.
That evening, the Rabbit family enjoyed a delicious feast.
“These are the best vegetables!” Little Rabbit exclaimed.
“Yes,” Papa agreed. “Much better than the ones from McDuff’s garden.”
“Vegetables taste best when you grow them yourself,” Mama Rabbit said.
Little Rabbit replied, “Especially when you don’t have to run for your life before eating them!”
the end.
Question Time
1. What were the tiny flecks inside the vegetables?
2. What did the rabbits decide to do instead of going to McDuff’s garden for food?
3. Why did Mama Rabbit say the vegetables taste better than McDuff’s?
