Pompon the Bunny Says Goodbye

Below the Tatra Mountains, on a green meadow, stands a little wooden house with a carved roof. It's a nursery for bunnies. It smells of clover and warm wood. And from the hillside come the sheep bells: ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling.

Every morning Mummy Rabbit brings Pompon the bunny here. Pompon's tail is round and fluffy, like the pompom on a woolly hat.

"Bye-bye, Pompon," says Mummy. "I'll be back after lunch."

But Pompon doesn't want bye-bye.

Pompon holds Mummy's paw. Tight, tight, tight.

"Don't go!"

But Mummy has to go. Her paw slips out: shhh.

Pompon hides in the basket by the door. The basket is full of pine cones. Ouch, prickly! And two long ears stick out of the top.

"I can see you," laughs Mummy.

Pompon goes into the room backwards. Tail first. Step — back. Step — back. So he can see Mummy right till the end. Bump! He sits down on a cushion. The other bunnies laugh. Pompon laughs a little bit too.

Mummy is still standing at the door.

Pompon thinks. His ears think. His tail thinks.

Then Pompon runs to Mummy.

"Mummy, let's do it my way!"

Nose — Mummy touches his nose with her nose.

Ears — Mummy touches his ears with her ears.

Hop! — Pompon hops into the house.

"Nose — ears — hop!" says Pompon. "That's our bye-bye."

Mummy waves her paw and goes. And Pompon plays. He builds a tower of blocks. He nibbles a carrot: crunch-crunch. He watches a cloud get caught on a mountain.

After lunch the door opens. It's Mummy!

Mummy goes away — and Mummy always comes back.

"Hop — ears — nose!" shouts Pompon. "That's our hello!"

In the evening Pompon lies in his burrow. Mummy touches his nose with her nose.

"Again tomorrow?" whispers Pompon.

"Nose — ears — hop," whispers Mummy.

Pompon smiles. And falls asleep.