17.Autumn Play 秋天爱玩耍

17-Autumn Play 秋天爱玩耍

It was the last days of Autumn before Winter arrived. But Little Nutbrown Hare was too busy wanting to play with his father, Big Nutbrown Hare, to notice.

“And then, when you’ve finished counting, you come and try to find me, okay?”

“Okay. But… well, I have things to do first, so I’ll meet you at Little Grey Squirrel’s tree in the middle of the day.”

“The middle of the day? Um… how long is that?”

“As long as it takes the sun to go from where it is now…up to right above out heads.”

“I think I can wait that long.”

“If you play with Little Field Mouse, the middle of the day will come much faster than you think.”

“Really? Then I’d better find her right away!”

“Goodbye!”

“Come on!”

“It’s not the middle of the day, yet. Someone could be along any minute! Aah. Quick! Here come Otter.”

“Shall we jump out now?”

“No, wait. The closer he comes, the bigger the surprise we’ll give him!”

“Hello, you two! Sorry. Did I give you a surprise?”

“No-no. No surprise at all. It takes a lot more than that to give me a surprise.”

“Oh look! On Otter’s head.”

“Oh…oh…oh… what’s it?”

“Snowflakes!”

“Let me see! Quick, before they melt! Ohhh. They’re gone.”

“Oh, don’t worry. Winter’s coming. It won’t be long before you’ll find snowflakes all over the meadow. Hm… well, see you down by the river.”

“Bye!”

“I’m sure by the time we get to Little Grey Squirrel’s Tree, it’ll be the middle of the day.”

“Let’s go.”

“Big Nutbrown Hare? Big Nutbrown Hare? Are you here yet? Can we paly hide and seek?”

“Looks like he’s not here yet.”

“But, it’s the middle of the day. Big Nutbrown Hare said he’d be here by the middle of the day.”

“At least this gives us a chance to catch our breath. Ooh…”

“Or! It gives us a chance to find a great hiding place before he even gets here! Let’s hide in here.”

“Hello, Big Nutbrown Hare.”

“Oh, hello Little Grey Squirrel.  Have you seen Little Nutbrown Hare? I said I’d meet him here to play hide and seek.”

“Let me see… Is he this tall?”

“Yes, he is about that tall.”

“And does he have fur like you?”

“As a matter of fact, he does.”

“And does he have two long ears?”

“Yes, he does have two long ears.”

“Then I haven’t seen him.”

“I came to tell Little Nutbrown Hare I can’t play with him, after all.”

“Oh, that’s a shame.”

“Yes, I know. But now, there’s far more important things to do.”

“Well, I’ll pass on your message when I see him.”

“Thanks Little Grey Squirrel.”

“Tell him I’m sorry. And I’ll explain later.”

“Okay, bye!”

“Are you sure Big Nutbrown Hare will come? It’s been a long time.”

“He said he would come.”

“Did he promise?”

“Well, we made a plan … “

“But did he promise. A proper promise like … pinch his nose and hop on one leg.”

“Well he didn’t make a special Little Field Mouse promise but … he probably is here, he just doesn’t know we’ve already started the game. Oh… I don’t understand. Maybe Big Nutbrown Hare thinks we’re meeting at another tree, not Little Grey S   quirrel’s tree!”

“Like the Sycamore Tree?”

“Yes! The Sycamore Tree! Come on! Before the middle of the day is over!”

“Wait for me!”

“Big Nutbrown Hare? Big Nutbrown Hare? I’m here.”

“Is he here?”

“No. if he didn’t go to Little Grey S     quirrel’s Tree. Or the Sycamore tree… maybe he went to Blue Bird’s tree! Come on!”

“As soon as … huh? Aah… coming!”

“Sorry, Little Nutbrown Hare. If Big Nutbrown Hare was here, I would have seen him.”

“Oh, it’s already long past the middle of the day.”

“Hello, Little Field Mouse. Are you helping Little Nutbrown Hare look for Big Nutbrown Hare? Is Little Field Mouse trying to say something?”

“I think she’s trying to say, ‘Yes’, Little Field Mouse? Can you think of another tree Big Nutbrown Hare might be meeting me at?”

“What about the Chestnut tree?”

“The Chestnut tree? Of course! I hope he’s still waiting for me! Are you coming Little Field Mouse?”

“I think she’s trying to say ‘No’.”

“Are you going to be alright? Don’t worry Little Field Mouse, we can have another game tomorrow. I promise. Big Nutbrown Hare. Big Nutbrown Hare! Big Nutbrown Hare! I’m here! We can play hide..."

"Hello, again, Little Nutbrown Hare. Would you mind passing me that last leaf?”

“Otter, have you seen Big Nutbrown Hare around here?”

“Yes, I have.”

“You did?!”

“Oh, he was going so fast. I think he must have been playing chasings.”

“Playing chasings? With someone else? Who?”

“Sorry. I didn’t notice. I was too busy collecting leaves.”

Poor Little Nutbrown Hare was very disappointed. His heart sinking as fast as the afternoon sun.

“Little Nutbrown hare?”

“Hello, Big Nutbrown Hare.”

“Is there something wrong?”

“Otter said he saw you running, playing with someone else… when you were going to play with me.”

“Oh, so, Little Grey Squirrel didn’t give you my message?”

“I didn’t see Little Grey Squirrel… or you, either.”

“And you thought I was off playing with someone else, instead of you?”

“Ah ha.”

“Oh my Little Nutbrown Hare. I wouldn’t play with anyone else. I was running, because I was in a hurry to do something very important…”

“More important than playing with me?”

“Well, did you feel that cold gust of wind this morning, and see the snowflakes it blew along?”

“Yes.”

“That told me that winter will be here very soon. So… I ran to collect all these juicy green shoots of grass, before they got buried under the snow.”

“They’re the yummiest.”

“I know. And now you’ll be able to eat them all through winter.”

“That does sound more important than playing a game.”

“We can play tomorrow. In the snow!”

“In the snow?! I can’t wait!”

“Guess how much … oh… I love you.”

“As much as all the things you do for me … even the ones I don’t know about?”

“Especially all the ones you don’t know about.”

“Is that a lot?”

“Oh yes…ha… really a lot.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Oh no, no, no. a proper promise, like a Little Field Mouse promise.”

“Oh, you mean pinch my nose?”