D-FLEET FEET RABBIT AND HIS GARDEN

FLEET FEET RABBIT AND HIS GARDEN

Tatty Rat came out of his house with his family and his guest Guppy Rat
to go for a stroll down the riverside. Guppy Rat had come from Hoody
Jungle to spend a few days in TOON MOON JUNGLE with his friend Tatty
and his family. Tatty and Guppy were known to each other only a few
days. It was not a long time acquaintance since both of them had met
earlier, twice only. Guppy got a warm welcome at Tatty's house on his
arrival. While walking down the street, they passed a cottage, which
caught Guppy's eyes. He stopped short in front of the cottage and saw
the nameplate, which read as---

Mr. Fleet Feet Rabbit

COTTAGE NO. 4

Toon Moon Main Road.

Guppy shouted, "Hey Tatty, this cottage is so beautiful and has such a
beautiful garden also. I am impressed. This garden attracts me the
most."

In reply Tatty said, "This cottage belongs to Mr.and Mrs. Fleet Feet
Rabbit. Mrs. Fleet Feet is the one who takes care to keep her cottage
and garden so beautiful. It is so near to our house, only one cottage
away, so you can see it later on. Now come on let us move or it will
get dark. You will not be able to enjoy the riverside beauty. Let us
move on." So saying Tatty tapped on Guppy's shoulder and they moved
forward.

Tatty, his wife and children, and Guppy, had a wonderful time at the
riverside. They had taken some peanuts and potato chips and enjoyed
their evening chatting and nibbling their food. That night Tatty's
family went to bed quite early because they were tired after their
outing.

The next morning Guppy was out of his bed very early and went out for a
stroll. Guppy went and stood before Cottage No. 4. He found Mrs. Fleet
Feet
working in her garden. "Good Morning Mam," said Guppy.

Mrs. Fleet Feet looked up and was astonished when she found a stranger
talking to her. Mrs. Fleet Feet was bit conservative by nature and did
not like to open up any conversation with an unknown person. Out of
courtesy she replied, "Good Morning," and carried on with her
work.

"Such beautiful beds of carrot and radish you have," said Guppy.

Mrs. Fleet Feet stopped the digging and said, "Excuse me, I have to go
and cook my breakfast." With these words she went in leaving Guppy all
alone, staring at the carrot and radish grown in her garden. What was
working in his mind no one knew. He stood there in front of Cottage
No.4 for quite some time and then returned to Cottage No.2, which was
Tatty's house.

"Guppy, where had you been? Come on let's have our breakfast," said
Tatty. During breakfast, Guppy spoke about the garden of Mrs. Fleet
Feet. He said, "She is such an unkind lady, she did not talk to me. I
wanted to go and have a look at her garden and thought she would offer
me at least a carrot or a radish from her garden. No??? so stubborn she
is," said Guppy in an irritated tone.

"Calm down Guppy," said Tatty. " Mrs. Fleet Feet is a wonderful person
but she does not allow anyone into her garden. By the way, why think
about this. I want that you should enjoy your stay at TOON MOON
JUNGLE."

"That I will," said Guppy. But from his face it showed that some
devilish thought was working in his mind. That day passed off very
nicely for all of them. Night crept in and all of them went to bed
after dinner. Guppy lay quietly in his bed and waited till everyone
fell into a deep sleep. Then quietly he rose from his bed and walked
out and stood on the patch of land in front of the house. Very slowly
and quietly he started digging a hole near the adjoining boundary wall
of Cottage No. 3.After working for about an hour he was tired and
sweating a lot. He came out, put some mud to cover up the opening, for
he did not want anyone to know about his work, and after a wash, he
went to bed. In his sleep he dreamt about the carrots and the
radish.

The next morning Guppy was busy. Tatty took him around TOON MOOM JUNGLE
and introduced him to his friends. That night they had dinner at
Tatty's friend's house. After a sumptuous dinner they were back home
and off to bed. Soon everyone fell into a deep sleep but for Guppy it
was not so. Sometime later, finding quietness all around, Guppy got out
of his bed and went out and started digging the hole. He was digging a
tunnel and it was not known to anyone in the house. That day also Guppy
worked for an hour and then went to bed. The next morning Guppy was
late for breakfast. "I'm sorry I'm late," said Guppy
apologetically.

"Never mind, you are on your holiday's, and today is also a Sunday. So
nothing to worry," said Tatty. Guppy had his breakfast and both he and
Tatty sat down for a chat. At lunch Guppy said "Tatty I will go back to
Hoody Jungle on Tuesday".

"Don't you like our company?" said Tatty.

"I have lots of work at home. I'll come again some other time."

Mrs. Tatty had cooked a wonderful Sunday lunch and everyone enjoyed it.
In the afternoon Tatty took Guppy to the playground to see the football
match. After dinner everyone went to bed as usual. At night, Guppy
quietly left his bed and went to dig the half-dug tunnel. After digging
for quarter of an hour, Guppy found the ground opening up. Soon he
crept out of the tunnel on the other side. Suddenly he found himself
out in the open ------- in Mrs. Fleet Feet's garden. His joy knew no
bounds. He was now in the middle of a huge patch of vegetation -------
the carrots and the radish that had attracted him so much. He started
plucking out some carrots at first and started tasting them. "Aaaah it
tastes so sweet."Next he plucked out about four to five radish and
nibbled them. There was freedom all around for him now. After creating
all that mischief, quietly he entered into the tunnel and covered up
the opening with light soil and was back into his halting abode. Guppy
went to bed with a very happy mind.

The next morning when Mrs. Fleet Feet went to her garden, to her
surprise she found her vegetable beds, disturbed and spoilt by some
one. As she did not have any enemies, she could not think whom to
blame. She kept quiet, thinking that this mischief would not be
repeated again. But on the whole what a bad day she had.

On the other side, Guppy was very happy that he had been an intruder
into Mrs. Fleet Feet's garden. He said to himself, " tonight I will
teach the proud and arrogant lady a lesson." As Guppy was to leave TOON
MOON the next day, Tatty took him around and showed him all the
important places. After lunch they had a nap and the evening was spent
with funfair. Night came; all of them went to bed and fell into deep
sleep.
That was the last night for Guppy in TOON MOON JUNGLE. That whole night
Guppy was engaged in activity. He crept out of bed after mid-night and
passed through the dark tunnel and came out in Mrs. Fleet Feet's
garden. He had carried two empty sacks with him. With the help of the
moonlight he was able to pluck out all the vegetables -------- the
carrots and the radish ----- and filled them into his empty sacks. Then
calmly he went back to Tatty's house.

The next morning before anyone was out of his bed Guppy packed up his
belongings and the two sacks full of carrot and radish and left TOON
MOON JUNGLE.

As usual, after getting up in the morning Mrs. Fleet Feet went to her
garden. She could not believe her eyes. Her whole garden was turned
upside down and all her vegetables looted. She shrieked and cried in
panic. Her husband and children ran out and found only a ransacked
garden. Finding no other way all of them tried to console Mrs. Fleet
Feet, but to no avail. She was crying all the time and saying, " what
has happened to my garden." In the end Mr. Fleet Feet said, " We will
try all our best to find out who has done all this."

The Fleet Feet family began searching the whole area for a clue.
Suddenly one of the children found the opening on the ground. On
further examination it was found that that was the mouth of an
underground tunnel, which opened up at the other end at Tatty's lawn.
Soon they all landed at Tatty's door and started knocking and calling
out loudly. "Tatty what have you done. Come out and tell us why have
you done so." Tatty came out very quickly and there was an exchange of
heated words. At last Tatty said, "Fleet Feet believe me, why should I
do all this. We are such good friends. It must be the work of some
mischief monger."

Suddenly Mrs. Fleet Feet said, " Where is that guest of yours?"

"He has left very early this morning for his home," said Tatty.

"I suspect him," said Mrs. Fleet Feet.

" But he can't do it," said Tatty.

"Are you sure? Then who has dug this tunnel from your lawn," asked Mr.
Fleet Feet.

"The tunnel affair is totally unknown to me. As regards Guppy I can't
confirm anything about him for I know him though not for a long period.
By the way to make things clear, I will send someone to go and fetch
Guppy back," said Tatty.

Tatty and Fleet Feet sent young Jacky Rabbit after Guppy. Jacky was
very fast and reached Hoody Jungle within a short time. There he asked
for Guppy, but he was told that Guppy had been banished from Hoody
Jungle because he was found to be a mischief monger and a robber. He
regularly stole things from one house or the other and the residents of
the Hoody Jungle were fed up with him and had thus banished him.

Jacky returned and narrated the whole story before Fleet Feet and
Tatty. It was now confirmed that Guppy was the culprit. Tatty was very
sorry and bowed down before Mrs. Fleet Feet and said, " Mrs. Fleet
Feet, I am really very sorry for the mischievous deed of my guest. I
promise to help you in your garden to grow carrots and radish in
abundance. At the same time I will work on my patch of land and grow
these vegetables also. To compensate your loss I will give you a part
of my vegetables when they are fully grown."

Mrs. Fleet Feet forgave Tatty and with his help grew lots of carrots
and radish and lived happily together as good friends and
neighbours.

Remember: Don't enter into very close friendship with small time
acquaintances for they may create trouble for you and you may get
trapped.