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Little Digital
presents

Little Rabbit Wants the Moon

Illustrated by
Katie Markkula
In the soft, velvety darkness of a
summer night
five little rabbits slept.
But one little rabbit was
wide awake.
He sat at the edge of his burrow.
Little rabbit watched the
great shining orb
shimmering in the sky.
He saw how it splashed
silver
on the trees and leaves.
It washed the ground in
milky white light.
“Mama,”
Little rabbit asked.
“What is that?”
“It's the
moon,
little one,”
Mama answered.
“Can I touch it?” Little rabbit asked.
“I'm afraid not,” Mama said.
“It's much too far away.”
“Besides, little rabbits should be
asleep
when the sun is gone and the moon is out.”
Little rabbit sighed.
“But I want the moon. I wish I were a
brave
night
creature
instead of such a small, boring rabbit.”
Just then,
Possum
swung down from a tree branch.
He dropped into the dew-speckled  grass to hunt for yummy
grubs
and
worms.
“If I had a strong
tail
like Possum, I would find the tallest tree in the forest,” little rabbit said.
“I would climb and climb to the
tippy top.
“I would swing from my tail until I could touch the
moon.”
“But what about your
fluffy white tail?”
Mama asked.
“It tricks
foxes
and
coyotes.”
Rabbit looked at his tail.
Mama was right.
It was very useful.
Just then,
Bat
swooped down.
She chirped and trilled as she searched for insects to eat.
“If I had
wings
like Bat,
I would fly up and up and up,” Little rabbit said.
“I would soar higher and higher until I could touch the
moon.”
“But what about your
strong legs?”
Mama asked.
“They help you
run fast
and
jump high.
They make you one of the fastest creatures in the forest.”
Little rabbit stretched a leg out and studied it.
Mama was right.
He was very fast.
Suddenly,
Beaver
sauntered past with a freshly gnawed log.
“If I had
teeth
and
claws
like Beaver,
I would cut down many trees.
I would use them to build a
great machine.
It would carry me higher and higher until I touched the
moon.”
“But what about your
long ears?”
asked Mama.
“They keep you cool on hot summer nights.”
They help you hear the world around you.”
Rabbit flicked his ears.
It was true.
He could hear the singing of the night forest.
And though the air was warm and close, he was cool and comfortable.
Little rabbit smiled.
“Maybe being a little rabbit isn’t so bad, after all.
But I still wish I could touch the moon.”
“I know one way,” Mama said.
Little rabbit looked at her.
“Snuggle up
with your brothers and sisters.
“Now close your eyes.”
“Imagine you’ve
lassoed
the moon with a silver string.
“Gently tug the moon
down
down
down
until you can touch it.”
Little rabbit’s breathing was deep and even now.
Mama smiled down at her pile of sleeping bunnies.
“Tomorrow morning, you can tell me what the moon felt like.”
The End
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