Folk Tales/The Fearful Rabbit

“The Fearful Rabbit” is a folk tale heard on Jessie’s path in the game Secret Paths in the Forest. It is narrated by Sandra Rodgers. The story serves to illustrate to Jessie that keeping a level head is important when her anxieties start to spiral out of control.

The Story
The Fearful Rabbit

Long ago, there lived a young rabbit who loved to sleep in the cool shade of the mango trees. One day, when the air was filled with the scent of ripe mangoes, Rabbit curled up under her favorite tree to take a nap. Monkey, who was hiding in the tree, waited for Rabbit to fall asleep. Then she shook the tree with all her might. Mangoes rained down and the earth trembled as they fell.

“The earth is breaking apart,” Rabbit cried and began to run. “The earth is breaking!”

Seeing her fright, another rabbit began to run. Then a third and a fourth began to flee. They ran through the forest, the meadows, and the deep, dark jungles. Squirrels joined them, then elks, monkeys, buffalos, rhinoceroses and tigers, even the elephants ran with fright.

But among those living in the jungle, was a wise lion who knew everything that took place in the world. “Who saw the earth breaking apart?” the lion asked.

“The elephant saw it,” said the tigers.

“No, the rhinoceros saw it,” cried the elephants.

“No, it was the buffalo who saw it.”

And so it went. Until, at last, Rabbit spoke up. “It was I who heard the earth breaking apart.”

Lion asked Rabbit to show her the spot where she heard the ground breaking. Shaking with fear, Rabbit led her to the mango tree. There was Monkey, eating all the mangoes which had fallen from the tree.

“Oh my,” cried the rabbit, “it seems I have let my fears run away with me. I panicked without thinking.”

And although Rabbit was quite angry at Monkey, she did not refuse when Monkey invited her to join in feasting upon the juicy mangoes.