Little Black Bunny

The Little Black Bunny

Once upon a time, in a faraway forest, lived a male black bunny with his mother and four white bunny sisters.

“Mommy, why am I the only one that have black fur? None of my sisters are black like me,” said the Little Black Bunny.

His mother smiled. “Because you are special my dear.” The Little Black Bunny sighed and hopped silently to his room.

“I want to be white like my mother and father! And like my older sisters too!” cried Little Black Bunny inside his head.

The Little Black Bunny was the youngest of five. He always asked his mother why is he the only one who has black fur, and his mother always answered the same. But, he did not feel he was special like his mother had said thousand times. All he felt that he was different, and even weird. His sisters always made jokes about him because of his black fur, and that made him, even sadder than before.

When the Little Black Bunny opened the door, he found his sisters stopped talking. They all stared at him for a while and started giggling and whispering. The Little Black Bunny did not say anything, even though he knew his sisters were whispering about him, he closed the door and hopped away from the house. He hopped quite far from his house, and found himself in a beautiful green meadow. The Little Black Bunny glanced up to the sky and sighed.

“Why do I have to born with black fur? This is so unfair! I don’t like being different from my sisters. I don’t like being different from my mother! I wish I was born with white fur so my sisters will also play with me!” cried the Little Black Bunny. He felt a little better after he said his true feelings, and he hopped again further from his house.

“This is the first time I’ve gone far from my home. Oh well, I’ll go home before dark,” he said. He hopped and hopped until he saw a small cottage a few meters away form him. Curious, he hopped to the small cottage and peeked from the window. He did not see anyone in the cottage, so he knocked the door.

“Oh? Who is that?” said a voice.

“I’m Little Black Bunny, Sir. I don’t see anyone here, where are you, Sir?” answered the Little Black Bunny.

“I’m at the back, my boy. Come here.”

The Little Black Bunny hopped to the backside of the house and found a big grey rabbit on a wooden ladder while painting his house. “Hello Sir, I never know someone lives so far from the forest.”

The Big Grey Rabbit chuckled, and said, “You are a clever one aren’t you, my boy? Yes, I just moved here yesterday.”

While the Big Grey Rabbit was talking, the Little Black Bunny stared at Big Grey Rabbit’s fur. It was light grey, and a little darker at his fluffy round tail. The Little Black Bunny never saw a grey rabbit before, all he ever seen are his white furred mother, sisters, and friends. He was wondering where the Big Grey Rabbit came from when the Big Grey Rabbit asked him whether he wanted to help painting or not.

“Oh. I will help you, Sir,” said the Little Black Bunny. So he picked up the roller and started to paint Big Grey Rabbit’s house. A few hours passed and finally they were done.

“Thank you so much, my boy. It’s very kind of you to help someone you just met today.” The Little Black Bunny blushed and smiled. He stepped down carefully from the ladder and hopped to pick a paint tin cap, when suddenly he tripped the ladder and felt a cold sticky white paint fell over him.

“Oh my goodness! Are you okay, my boy? Are you hurt?” asked the Big Grey Rabbit.

“No, I’m fine, Sir. It’s just sticky and—“ Little Black Bunny gasped at his hands. He checked his stomach and back. “Oh my! I’m white! I’m not black anymore!” he cried.

The Big Grey Rabbit raised his eyebrows. “Why are you so happy, my boy?”

“Because I don’t like to be black! I always wanted to have white fur like my Mommy and sisters. This way they won’t make fun of me anymore!”

“You know my boy, not all rabbit have white fur.”

But Little Black Bunny did not hear what Big Grey Rabbit said, because he was too busy and happy with his new fur. “Thank you! Thank you so much Mr. Big Grey Rabbit! Let’s meet again another time!” Little Black Bunny left Big Grey Rabbit’s house in a rush, leaving the Big Grey Rabbit alone cleaning his painting tools, and in a moment he arrived at his house.

“Mommy! Mommy! Look! I’m white now! I’m no longer black!” cried Little Black Bunny. His mother was very surprised to see his only son become white furred like her.

“What happened, dear? Why are you drenched in wet paint like that? Where have you been?” asked his mother. Little Black Bunny told his mother what happened and said, “I’m so happy, Mommy! I won’t take a bath so I’ll be white forever!” And he hopped happily to his room.

“Sisters! Look! I’m no longer black! Will you guys play with me?” Little Black Bunny pleaded to his sisters.

“Wow, you’re white now.” said the eldest sister. The four of them gathered around Little Black Bunny and smiled. Her second eldest said, “Oh yes of course. Wait us outside, dear brother.” And they played together until the sun changed into the moon. It was the first time Little Black Bunny spent his day together with his sisters, so he was very happy.

The night passed quickly, and morning came. Little Black Bunny woke up early and hopped around the neighborhood happily to show off his clean, white fur.

“Little Black Bunny!” called Little Chicken. “You look so handsome with that white fur. Oh, can you help me to look for twigs?” asked the Little Chicken.

“Thank you, Little Chicken. But I’m sorry I can’t help you today. I’m going to play with my sisters. Maybe I’ll help you another day when I’m not playing with my sisters. Bye, Little Chicken.” said Little Black Bunny, hopping away from Little Chicken’s house.

Little Black Bunny hopped around again and passed the Brown Fox’s house. He did not notice that Mrs. Brown Fox was greeting him.

“My oh my, that was unusual for that boy to ignore my greet. What happened?” mumbled Mrs. Brown Fox. “Better to ask his mother I guess.” She continued and went to Little Black Bunny’s house.

After the Little Black Bunny showed off his new clean white fur, he asked his sisters to play with him again and they agreed. They played happily in a meadow quite far from their house, when suddenly a cold wind blew and the clouds became grey.

“We should go home. It’s getting darker and darker. I think it’ll rain soon,” said the eldest sister. But Little Black Bunny did not want to go home yet; he still wanted to spend the day outside while showing off his new fur color.

“No, I want to stay here. You can go home first, sisters. I’ll go home after I’m satisfied with my new white fur,” said the Little Black Bunny. And rain started to pour down after his sisters went home. Little Black Bunny hopped in the rain, did not know that rain wash away the paint on his fur.

Little Black Bunny went home happily because his friends praised him about his clean white fur. When he arrived at his home, he accidentally saw himself in a mirror, and he gasped.

“Oh no! My beautiful clean white fur! Where does it go?” he cried. He turned around to see his back, none of the white paint left on his fur. Little Black Bunny cried and ran to his mother. “Mommy! My white fur is gone!! I’m black again! I don’t want to be black again!” he pleaded.

His mother smiled warmly, and answered, “My dear son. Didn’t you realize that you’ve changed when your fur was white? You didn’t help your friends like you usually did. Mrs. Black Chicken told me that you declined to help Little Chicken because you wanted to play with your sisters. Mrs. Brown Fox also told me that you ignored her greetings, even though you knew it’s rude to ignore the elders.”

Little Black Bunny started to sob. He did not realize that he had become arrogant because of his white fur. Suddenly his sisters came out from their room to see his brother’s white fur that has gone. They were giggling when they saw Little Black Bunny’s fur.

“You don’t have to be sad if you’re black. We rabbits, have their fur color. Some of us are white like you sisters and I. Some of us have black fur; even some of us have black and white fur. But that doesn’t mean black is bad and ugly while white is beautiful and good.”

Little Black Bunny stared at the floor and cried. “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

“Also you, my daughters,” his mother turned her gaze to her daughters. “You should stop making fun of your brother. Maybe it’s time to tell you that your father’s fur was black too, and Little Black Bunny is the only one who passes on his fur color. That is why I kept telling you that you are special, my dear,” she said to Little Black Bunny. “Now, my daughters, say sorry to your brother and please don’t make any jokes about his fur.”

Their heads drooped down and said, “I’m sorry, brother,” in unison. Little Black Bunny sobbed and nodded.

“My Little Black Bunny, you are already perfect in your own way. You have something that your sisters don’t, and that is kindness. You always helped your friends who were in need, and even someone you didn’t know before. Just be who you are,” said his mother. “You should learn that from your brother, my daughters,” continued his mother to the girls.

“I’m so sorry Mommy, I didn’t know that I’ve lost something important while I’m being someone else. Thank you Mommy for reminding me to become myself.” said Little Black Bunny.

“Of course, my son. Just because you’re black doesn’t mean you’re not my son, right?” replied his mother and kissed all her children.

Little Black Bunny nodded, smiled and hugged his mother and his sisters.

* * *

Ever since that day, Little Black Bunny and his sisters always helped their friends and neighbors who are in need. He did not ignored elders ever again; he even greeted his friends and neighbors before they did. He also played with his sisters everyday, without being bullied like before.