Notes from the Story Room: The Three Little Rabbits

While searching the Web for folktales about animals that lived underground, I came across the website of storyteller Dr. Mike Lockett. Among his selections of folktale retellings was a story based on a Turkish folktale, "The Three Hares." I liked the fact that it was similar to "The Three Little Pigs" and that it could easily be made into a board story. I made some changes to the story. For example, the hares are not eaten but end up together in a very large burrow. I also called it the "The Three Little Rabbits." I wanted to make it similar to the version of "The Three Little Pigs" that I tell.

"The Three Little Rabbits"

Based on a story by Dr. Mike Lockett

Mother Rabbit decided that her three little rabbits were now old enough to leave their crowded burrow and make a home of their own. Before they left, she said to them, "Make sure you dig deep into the ground so your home will be nice and safe."

The first little rabbit was lazy. He didn't want to dig and dig. He made his house out of sticks and leaves and bushes and grass. It was right at the edge of the forest. He was hungry after he finished so he went to the meadow to find something to eat. He did not get very far when a fox appeared. The fox was hungry too and when he saw the little rabbit he found his dinner. The fox ran after the rabbit. The fox was fast but fortunately the rabbit was faster. He ran to his home. When the fox got there, he knew exactly what to do. He raised his paw and with one swipe he knocked over the rabbit's house. The little rabbit ran as fast as he could deep into the woods. The fox followed but soon lost him. Fox returned to the meadow to find something else for dinner.

The second little rabbit decided that he did not want to live underground. He went into the forest and found a tree with big roots and decided to build his house between the roots. He made it out of straw and twigs. He too was hungry after he finished so he went to the meadow to find something to eat. Who was also in the meadow looking for something to eat? It was the fox and he went after the little rabbit as soon as he saw him. Fortunately this little rabbit could also run very fast. He was in his new home when the fox got there. The fox decided to knock that house down too. He raised his paw but only knocked part of the house down. He raised his other paw and with one more swipe knocked the rest of the house down. The little rabbit ran as fast as he could deep into the woods. Soon the fox lost him too. A now very hungry fox returned to the meadow.

The third little rabbit paid attention to what her mother said. She went deep into the forest and dug herself a nice burrow. She spent the entire day digging. She made a very large burrow for she did not want to live in a crowded home. This one was much larger than her old home. She was very hungry when she was finished so she went to the meadow to find something to eat even though it was very late. Unfortunately the fox saw her as soon as she got there but this little rabbit was very fast too. She ran deep into the woods with the fox close behind. This time the fox did not loose the little rabbit in the forest but the little rabbit did make it to her home. This time the fox had nothing to knock down. There was just a hole in the ground. It was not even big enough for fox to stick his head in so again fox lost his dinner. He went to bed very hungry that night.

The third little rabbit was glad that she had listened to her mother's advice. She had built a nice safe home and it was big enough to share with her two brothers without it being crowded at all.

Notes: This version was written to be told with magnet/flannel board figures. The animal figures below are based on Microsoft Publisher clip art. The "homes" are original. When telling the story, add the other rabbits to the burrow at the end.

The Animals