Three Minute Stories — New Year’s Day in the Wood
“Do I look nice?
” asked the Rabbit.
“Very nice!
” said the Chipmunk; “that is, for a person who has no tail to speak of.
But, of course, you cannot help that.
” The Rabbit looked into the looking-glass pond and saw his little white blob of a tail.
“Don’t you want to lend me yours, just this once?
” he asked.
“I would take great care of it!
” “No, I cannot do that,” said the Chipmunk, “but I can lend you the tail of my late uncle.
It is such a fine one that we have kept it to brush out the nest with.
” “The very thing!
” said the Rabbit.
So the Chipmunk brought the tail of his late uncle and tied it on to the Rabbit’s stub.
“How does that look?
” asked the Rabbit.
“Fine!
” said the Chipmunk.
“Now tell me how I look!
” “Well enough!
” said the Rabbit.
“Of course, you would look better if you had long ears.
” “Dear me!
” said the Chipmunk; and he, too, looked into the looking-glass pond.
“Haven’t you a spare pair that you could lend me?
” “Why, yes,” said the Rabbit.
“There is a pair that belonged to my grandfather, hanging on the wall at home.
I will get those.
” [Illustration] So the Rabbit got the ears and tied them on to the Chipmunk’s head.
“How do I look now?
” asked the Chipmunk.
“Splendid!
” said the Rabbit.
“Now let us go and make our New Year’s calls.
Where shall we go first?
” “I wish to call on Miss Woodchuck!
” said the Chipmunk.
“So do I,” said the Rabbit.
“We will go there first.
” And off they went.
They came to Miss Woodchuck’s door and knocked, and she opened the door.
“Mercy!
” she cried.
“Who are you, and what do you want?
” “We are Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Chipmunk,” said the two friends, “and we have come to make you a New Year’s call.
” “More likely you have come to steal the nuts!
” said the lady angrily.
“I know Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Chipmunk well, and neither of you is either of them.
Who ever heard of a long-tailed rabbit or a long-eared squirrel?
Get along with you!
You are frights, and probably thieves as well.
” And she shut the door in their faces.
The two friends walked a little way in silence; then they stopped and looked at each other.
“You said I looked fine!
” said the Rabbit.
“I—I meant the tail!
” said the Chipmunk.
“It is a fine tail.
But you said I looked splendid!
” “I was thinking of the ears!
” said the Rabbit.
“They are splendid ears.
” They walked on until they came once more to the looking-glass pond.
They looked at themselves; then they looked at each other; then, all in a minute, off came the long ears and tail.
“There!
” cried the Chipmunk.
“Now we look as we were meant to look; and I am bound to say, Rabbit, that it is much more becoming to you.
” “So it is to you!
” replied the Rabbit.
“Now shall we call on Miss Woodchuck again?
” “Come on!
” said the Chipmunk.
So they went to Miss Woodchuck’s house, and knocked once more at the door, and Miss Woodchuck opened it.
“Oh!
” she cried.
“Mr. Chipmunk and Mr. Rabbit, how do you do?
I am so glad to see you.
A happy New Year to you both!
” “The same to you, Ma’am!
” said the Rabbit and the Chipmunk.
