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 Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:08 pm
Welcome!
Have a rabbit that's a storyteller at heart? Here's a chance to show us what you got!
Opens: NOW
Closes: December 30th (assuming we're all still here) at Noon EST
Rules
- You may only enter one rabbit
- The 'fee' for entering in one Flay-rah, regardless if you win or not. Consider it an admission ticket. You can check to see if you have any Flay-rah HERE
- You cannot use a tale that's in Tales of Watership Down (the actual book), this is supposed to be your chance to show us what your bun can do.
- Your whole entry must be in one post.
- You may edit your post up until the time of close, after that any edits will DQ you.
Suggestions
- Keep in mind who your audience is. You can rp that your rabbit is entertaining a group of kittens, or they're weaving a tale for anyone to hear on a cold night in the warmth of the main burrow. Or maybe your rabbit is trying to woo someone and impress them with their wordsmithing skills? With an audience in mind, it's a lot easier to pick a genre of story to tell.
- Stories tend to serve a purpose. Keep in mind that for rabbits stories are their history books, their geography maps, their best tool for learning (besides sticking their tail in the trap themselves), entertainment, creative outlet, and their legacies.
- A lot of stories in different cultures are very, very similar. That's because they teach a lesson and have a theme. You'll probably find a story about a liar getting his comeuppance in every culture. Or a lazy someone suffering the consequences for their actions. A good trick to use would be to look up a short story like an Aesop Fable for your base and use that as your plotline for your story, rabbitifying the idea and making it your own.
- Rabbits are simple creatures, so very abstract ideas or concepts might be beyond most of your audience. Sticking to relatable topics and emotions insures that you connect to your audience and that the story serves it's purpose (be it to entertain or educate).
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:12 pm
Prizes!There will be two winners chosen, and we may pull in secret people to help us decide. First winner will get their pick, turn the rabbit they entered with into a storyteller, or... This storyteller we were asked to rehome by the original owner.  Please note that yes, they are missing an ear. Originally this was a doe named Spades, but you are free to come up with a new name and change gender or what have you. It'll be a clean slate. Second winner will get the remaining prize.
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 6:14 pm
The Form!Short and sweet, right? [b]Link to the cert of the rabbit you're entering as:[/b]
[b]Your audience, in case it's not clear in your story:[/b]
[b]Your entry:[/b]
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2012 7:45 pm
I entered this a bit differently as I am only interested in this prize. I have no rabbits I wish to turn to storyteller lines. Your audience, in case it's not clear in your story: A group of kittens, almost outskirters, while their mothers are foraging for food.  The sun was slung low in a swaddling cloth of clouds and snow covered the ground. The white powder blanket was dotted with leafless brown stalks and twigs that refused to bend to winter's fury. While not howling, the wind was present and blustered, rattling the empty branches of the great tree the warren was marked by. Several marli, bundled close to eachother, moved about and nosed through the snow, looking for any speckle of edible foliage left. The warren had come on hard times. Though despite the horrific conditions that thwarted life outside of the, inside the burrows, it was cheery inside of Bayleaf's burrow. The white and brown rabbit was nestled close to a mass of large kittens, her single ear thankful for the echoing walls so she may hear them all. "Alright, alright, now you little ones settle. Relax and recline there on the nettles. Its time for all good kittens to lay down for ni'frith. Into slumber by my story you'll drift." She didn't know why she spoke in rhyme. She always had, more so since the loss of her ear. She liked the way the words rolled off eachother. "Tell us the story of how you lost your ear!" A small doe with multicolored eyes blinked up at her. She was gnawing on a twig. Pitchweed and Wildwood's daughter, Tawnytuft. Younger than the rest, but not unwelcomed. " No, my little dear. That would end in sleeping fear. That story is one I dislike to tell, and often leaves stomachs feeling unwell." Tawnytuft pouted, but laid back down to the nettles in the warm burrow. " Now go to sleep, or at least lay down and try. This is the tale of the rabbit who wanted to fly. He was about your age and he was nimble and spry. His fur was all brown. His name? Little Cry."
Little Cry was a runner, as fast as could be. Even the farmer was slower than he. He lived on a hill at the edge of a glen, with his marli and parli, but he hadn't a friend. With lots of good food and no need for storing, and no elil about, his young life was boring. So what did he do for fun, you might wonder? Did he play in the water or chase lighting and thunder? No, not so drastic, though that would have been fantastic. Little Cry would lay on his back and look up above to watch the trails of the birds; the sparrows and doves.
"At night he dreamed of such a feat, soaring where they fly. Wings spreading from his back, taking him to the sky. It was then he gave hisentire life trying to make it so. He'd fly one day, to the clouds, and leave the ground below. For moons and moons he tried to soar, leaping offstumps and hills and more. He'd flap his ears as if wings, he chirped and tried to do bird things. By two years passed, he was covered infeathers, mud and sap acting as tethers. He leaped from trees and ran with the wind and when others saw him they'd tutter and grin." She padded around the group of rabbits as she lowered her voice. She could tell some were just pretending to sleep, their eyes slitted open so they could hear more of the story. She paused as Tawnytuft lifted her head again. "Was he bad in the head? My Parli says that there's a lot of rabbits here who are bad in the head. Was he-" "SHHHHHHHH!" Hissed another kitten by her. She bit his ear for that and looked back to the story teller.
"Tawnytuft, he was jealous, not mad. Have you never wanted something someone else had?" This hushed the little doe and Bayleaf continued.
"Now, while not mad he was silly to be so jealous. His desire to fly was over zealous. Doing nothing but trying to fly in the air had become a terrible habit. He forgot how to run, heforgot to take care... he forgot how to be a rabbit! Though elil was rare in that glen where he lived, it could still come as it liked. It came in the form of a massive grey homba, fangs bared and ready to strike."
"Little Cry's Marli begged him to run but he just jumped in the air. Ears flapping, eyes wide, feathers all over, praying he would be spared. Frith gave no mercy to Little Cry's plea but hisMarli would not let him die. She ran to the dog and gave her life for her silly son, Little Cry." Seeing the kittens asleep brought a smile to her face. But a sharp groan from them meant Tawnytuft was up again, demanding answers. " That was scary! What was that supposed to even teach us! As kittens you should be setting a good example for us to follow." She was an inbred child, so maybe it'd gone over her head. Bayleaf smiled gently and spoke softly, just to her.
"You see, my dear, do not be Little Cry. Don't covet the impossible, don't try to fly. Don't be a runner if you're slow as a snail, don't be a leader if you cry and you wail. If you like to raisekittens, don't covet brute force. Play to your strengths and your talents of course. Admiration is fine, dreaming is too. But perhaps its best if you are just you."As the Marlis and Pitchweed filed back in for their kittens, Tawnytuft babbled the story to her father, who glared when he heard it was scary.
"She's going to have tharndreams now.." But the half-deaf doe had already exited to her own burrow, rather secluded and full of interesting smells. She did wonder if her great great great grandfather really had tried to fly and lost his marli to stupidity. She also wondered if she was being a bit silly as a storyteller. But what sort of runner only had one ear? She'd never be able to hear danger coming from one side. She wasn't going to try to fly.
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 12:42 am
Link to the cert of the rabbit you're entering as: SkyYour audience, in case it's not clear in your story: The little ones and little ones at heat. Sky loves the little ones and hopes to have hoards of her own. Your entry: Note: Sky is practical so she's going to tell stories of those in her warren. For now we're going to assume she's a friend or admirer of Coal and is going to tell his story. The your doe hopped up to where the little ones were gathered, one nuzzled her with affection and she nuzzled it back. They made her happy, they always had. And so she asked one of them what the wanted to do. He said he wanted to hear a story, not an unusual request but Sky had never thought herself a storyteller. But then she supposed she spent so much time around the younger warren dwellers that she should know one or two. She thought for a few minuets then smiled. She had one, it just wasn't about gods and old rabbits and it wasn't made up but it would have to do. She herself had always preferred her warren mates life stories anyway. She hunkered down on all fours, got herself comfortable and took a deep breath. "Have you all seen the helesi that became a runner? I'm pretty sure you have. But have you heard his story?" She smiled as the little ones turned to give her their attention. She'd caught them and this made her smile. "He's a friend of mine. He was kind to me as a little lost outskirter." Most of the little ones were aware she was an orphan. "You may not know this but he was once a regular warren dweller like you and me. Without the scars or the rank, just another buck. I was there the day he decided he wanted to be something more. You see, Althea had announced the coming of five great races, she said she was in need of new runner blood. She said these races might find those bright lights worthy of becoming new runners." She paused for affect. "His name is Charcoal, he decided he wanted to enter these races. He wanted to be somebody, he wanted to run. And so he ran, he ran through 4 races, he finished third in one but middle of the pack in the rest but he told me it was still exhilarating. Running like the wind all out. There is joy in that he said. I was on the sidelines when the last race began. He looked wonderful off the go and I was ready to see him home to congratulate him. It wasn't till later when he didn't come back that I worried. You see, this race was dangerous, it was through the farm and you all know how dangerous the farm is." She frowned at them to make sure they understood. "He'd been attacked by the farmyard dog. I asked lots of the rabbits that came back, most didn't know where he was, others had heard little, still others had dragged him to safety and said that his wounds were so bad he wouldn't live. I grieved for my friend. All he'd wanted was a future with something to do. A week passed and finally Althea returned, she said he'd lived but wanted to heal in the wilds. She'd check on him now and again. I worried, my friend was out there cold and lonely...or so I thought. Remember the farm raids? Coal participated in both. I don't know why he decided to go after getting such grave injuries there. I celebrated with him when he finally returned home and I was there the day of the second raid where Althea told him his bravery and courage had earned him a rank as runner. He was ecstatic. Who wouldn't be?" She paused trying to figure out how to end the story, she decided on a moral. "What does this story tell us little ones?" She pause and waited but when no one answered she said. "It tells us that if we are brave and strong bunnies we can have anything we want. Even through the bumps, cuts and bruises." She smiled, positive she'd told a good story. ((I do not want the storyteller, I want Sky converted or nothing. If I do not get picked please give the storyteller to someone who will love her like she should be.))
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Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:54 am
Link to the cert of the rabbit you're entering as:FawnfurYour audience, in case it's not clear in your story:Variuse rabbits in the warren; Its done in the main burrow Your entry:Fawnfur groomed her side; green eyes watching as rabbits gathered. She had promised a story, and now she sat thinking of which one to tell. So many came to mind; but as the wind howled one leaped forward and dashed down her tongue in demand to be told. Smiling her ears softly fell against her head and she gazed at those gathered; warm and lovingly. “Here is a tale; a tale of a rabbit before us; before our marils and theirs.” She shifted and settled back down, letting them talk and watching the kittens stare wide-eyed.
“Long ago there was a buck that Frith had graced with his speed. The bucks name was Storm for his gray fur and light eyes like the light Frith send to help chase the rain away. He was a large buck, faster than every rabbit in his warren; faster than even the elils. He would speed by their very nose and laugh as they tried to chase him and were left behind. Storm one day realized that the elil; were changing colors. He had never seen this before, and amazed he tried to ask them why; but the Elil angry at the buck chased him away and refused to say.”
Fawnfur stopped as a buck moved forward to interrupt, but she stomped her feet angrily. This was her story not his. The buck huffed but she ignored him. “Now Storm did not like being ignored; after all he was a child of Frith himself and was not to be brushed aside. So he waited and watched; one by one the Elil had all changed. Then, it snowed. For the very first time the ground was blanketed by cold and wet snow. Because of this Storm stuck out, his flashy gray fur was far too dark and yet still too bright as well. So Storm went in search of the Elil; and was surprised when he could find none of them. He searched and looked, but there simply was not one to be found.”
“He returned to the burrow worried to see his friends to had disappeared; but instead he saw them bright as could be. Browns black grays and red they were all so bright and dark, when everything else was white. Storm started to worry, but being he was Friths child he decided his worry was not enough and he forgot about it. That was until one rabbit after another was stolen away from the burrow.” The kittens all stared wide eyed in fright, some marils were trying to calm them but Fawnfur smiled at them. “Storm grew angry, for he knew it was Elil gobbling up his friends and family. He searched them out and finally he found them. Angry he confronted them all. ‘What have you done,’ he screamed. ‘Where are my friends my family!’ The Elil all laughed and shook their heads grinning.
‘You tricked us and fooled us; you teased us to long Friths child. We did not think it was fair and we asked the sun for help as he had done for us when Frith ate all the food. He turned the ground white; and let us shed our colored fur to hide. Now we can eat our fill and you will never hide from us again even when you can run so fast.’ Storm was shocked and scared and ran away as the Elil laughed behind him. He went to the warren and looked for Frith any sign of him at all. Yet Frith was not there; it was too cold and he had gone to sleep. Yet Storm shouted and cried, stomped his feet and yelled for Frith and finally he woke angry and tired to see Storm alone. Frith was surprised and looked around at the snow in shock.”
Fawnfur shook herself and looked at the group that had gathered. “Frith gazed down sadly at Storm and shook his head. ‘You have teased and insulted them to much Storm; even I cannot help you with this.’ He gazed to the snow, but he got an idea. ‘Sleep as I was doing; burrow deeply and store your food. Your fur cannot change as the Elil but I can help you rest and be warm. Let your running paws be stronger and your legs push the earth as you go ever deeper.’ Yet this did not please Storm, he did not want to hide. He raised his voice to tell Frith this but he stopped as he realized he was alone. He could run but even he was slow in this snow and so he turned back to his warren and dug as he was told. There he found his friends and family, sleeping warm and safe.”
Fawnfur looked at the kitten and watched them grow confused but she smiled. “Storm teased the Elil with his gift from Frith. He did it so often that when things changed the Elil kept a secret from us. While their fur changed to match the snow, ours remains the same and we can’t go outside. So we must work hard all year to bring food into our burrows and then hide. For if we go too far out, we may just run into a laughing Elil hidden safe in the snow. So, when you are faster than others, smarter or stronger; do not boast and tease. One day those you hurt may know a secret, and they won’t tell you, and Frith may not wake up to help us again.” She smiled as kitten oohed and she dipped her ears happily. She hoped they learned from this.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 7:54 pm
Link to the cert of the rabbit you're entering as: Talltale
Your audience, in case it's not clear in your story: Trying to impress a doe named Feverfew(With permission to play her vaguely in the entry)
Your entry:
"What is it Talltale?" asked a reddish hued doe as she thumped a foot, eyes watching the grey/cream buck before her.
Talltale had been trying to find ways to impress this doe since they had come back from the raid many nights ago. He hadn't quite figured out what he was to actually do, but he knew one thing that he did well, tell her a story. He hoped it would work. "I have a tale to weave in hopes that you will like it." He grinned.
"Well, lets hear it then." Feverfew said settling down to listen, like all rabbits a story was hard to pass up.
Settling himself beside the doe, Talltale looked towards the roof of the warren they called home, the warmth of everyone filled its runs. Taking a breath, not that he really needed to calm his nerves, he had told stories before... Fabricated ones, of course.
'Life for El-ahrairah and his warren was a blossoming thing. In the winter it thinned down like a thistle bush as those who could not survive the struggle passed into the realms of the black rabbit, in spring it bloomed with the many faces of the new kittens. El-ahrairah was happy that his warren was flourishing, all those little feet to learn their pace and small minds to mold into the tricksters that they were.
Now this one spring day as Frith shown down with the warmth of a loving father upon his children, he became curious to the going ons of El-ahrairah's warren, why it seemed to act like the thistle bushes of the forest. He was puzzled as he watched season after season the decline and growth. Of course Frith didn't neglect his other children, no, Frith loved all his children, just that the rabbits, specially El-ahrairah puzzled him. Once more, he wondered what it was like living down there, under his own warmth.
So it was one late autumn, when the leaves started to fall Frith came up with an idea, HE would live as a rabbit, to see what happened durring the cold times of winter. But how? How was he to do that? This was took Frith a great deal of thought, he had created the rabbits, the hawks, foxes and other animals that lived on the earth below, why not himself? Being a god and all, he could do what ever he pleased.'
Talltale paused a moment to look at Feverfew, his blue eyes seemed to sparkle as he told his tale. The doe on the other hand looked at him quite strangely. "Why would Frith wonder about things like that?" She put quite plainly
"Who asks a God why he does what he does?" Talltale shrugged before he continued, ignoring the snort from Feverfew.
'so the very next day, the sky was dark and the world cold, winter had come to the earth and El-ahrairah's people milled about as usual. All stopped as a strange golden colored rabbit, much larger then their own, came bounding across the grounds as if it owned them. Marlis' herded their kittens below ground as the Owsla put themselves between this stranger and their warren. El-ahrairah watched this stranger from his vantage point, a slight snicker came to him. There was a glow around the stranger's ears that made the trickster wonder, ponder perhaps, was their god among them, personally? Bounding from his perch El-ahrairah stopped hind his owsla and sat watching the golden rabbit.
"Hello there stranger of the golden coat. Who might you be?" El-ahrairah asked eyes narrowing as if he hadn't seen that 'godly' glow. "What brings you to my warren? Winter's about and we have kittens to feed."
"I have come to live at your warren" said the golden rabbit.
El-ahrairah's now twitched as he listened to the stranger, a game he could play, yes, a game. He would let this stranger come to his warren and see what there was to see. With an ear twitch El-ahrairah looked to his Owsla,
"Let him pass," He glanced at the stranger, "What is your name, vahra?"
"Fri..." Firth had started to say, but he couldn't let these rabbits know that it was him. He had to come up with another name, one that would let him pass as one of their own. "Er... Wheatfir" was his final thought, it seemed fine enough.
"Welcome to our, my, warren, Wheatfir." El-ahrairah said stepping aside to let the buck pass and headed for the nearest entrance to the warren. "You shall like it here, plenty of Flay-rah to go around."
"Thank you, kind rabbit, but I don't think I caught your name" Frith stopped close to El-ahrairah, before following him to the warren.
"Its El-ahrairah. Come Wheatfir, much to see before we raid tonight. A grand arrival means a grand celebration." He looked at the golden buck, eyes narrowed with glee, "Don't you think?"
"Oh yes, I do indeed." Frith replied nodding his head, unaware that his ploy didn't fool El-ahrairah in the slightest.
El-ahrairah spent the day showing Wheatfir around his warren. They visited the grand burrow where large groups gathered to chat and gossip, took a snack from the flay storages. He showed the Buck the late batches of kittens and their mothers. The Marlis' giggling and nosing at their kittens as if it were some big thing. As the day grew to a close, El-ahrairah called his owsla and runners together as well as others who volunteered for this raid. Frith looked around at all the rabbits that came into the great burrow to hear what had to be said and all listened to El-ahrairah with excitement.
"Tonight we play the biggest game with the farm dog that we have ever played. But keep an eye out for other elil that may be lurking about the area." El-ahrairah spoke watching his gathered group. "Wheatfir shall be joining us in this game, perhaps he can teach us some new tricks to fool our former 'rusati'." Everyone gave a cheer looking to Wheatfir. "Come my rusati, my rasami, tonight we shall have the grandest celebration, ever."
His speach over, El-ahrairah dropped from his spot and headed towards the exit, those of his raiding team behind him, Wheatfir bringing up the rear. He didn't know what tricks he could teach the tricksters that they already didn't know, but he was going to make the most of it.'
"Hold on there Talltale, this is starting to make my head hurt. El-ahrairah knows that this 'golden buck' is Frith, so why the games?" she grumped,
"Why do we still eat grass when our friends now eat us? Its who we are." Talltale said turning to Feverfew. "Shall I continue?" he asked in jest, willing to stop if she wanted, but Feverfew made a gesture to continue. A chuckle came to the buck as he went on with his tale.
'Through the cold early evening, the sky was overcast with clouds that blocked Frith from shining down, or how he wanted it to seem while he visited his children on earth. The mob dashed through bushes and ferns, stopping now and again to listen and sniff the air. Something rustled off to one side that sent the rabbits into hiding, all but Wheatfir, he sat watching the moving brush.
"Hide! Elil!" hissed a rabbit, but Frith moved not. He wasn't afraid of whatever came from the brush, after all he was the one that bestowed the gifts to all the animals.
A pointed muzzle poked out of the brush, its black tip wrinkled as a grin lifted black lips to show many white pointed teeth. As the animal moved closer, the red and white marked head of a fox appeared. It sniffed the air again before turning a hungry eye on Frith. Too the fox, he was just another rabbit, another meal to be exact.
"Long ears" sniffed the fox, eyes still on Frith's rabbit form. "What you doing all alone, Long Ears?" The fox moved out of the brush and towards the golden rabbit, circling wide, looking to a good striking point.
"I am not alone" Frith said watching the fox. "I have come to see how my children live, is that so wrong?"
His mouth buttoned closed, he had let out that he wasn't quite... Right. Whispers flowed back and forth the bushes behind him as the other rabbits wondered just what Whearfir was talking about. 'His children'? What could that have meant? The whispers stopped at the fox gave a howling laugh as he looked back at Frith.
"You funny one Long Ears. Will you tickle as I eat you?" The fox snickered as he moved closer.
"Oh, but who won't eat me, fox. Player of the hounds and enemy to a thousand." Frith grinned thinking that all knew him for what he was. "So go back to your den, there is nothing here for you."
The fox merely laughed again and lunged at Frith, large jaws snapping too close for comfort. Skirting off to one side, Frith watched the fox as it bore its teeth again coming around for another go. From the bushes another rabbit appeared behind the fox, it was El-ahrairah. The sneaky rabbit had gotten around the fox and now stood at its back.
"Come on fox, can't you see who you are speaking to?" El-ahrairah asked, eyes crinkling at the edges with delight. "Doesn't his golden fur tell you anything?"
"Another Long ears, my night has gotten better." The fox obviously ignored what El-ahrairah had said. "Tonight I dine till I am as fat as a long ear."
El-ahrairah, seeing that the fox clearly wasn't going for the game, turned and dashed back into the brush, the other scattering to regroup back at the warren. The fox gave chase after El-ahrairah, forgetting about the gold colored rabbit that had just sat there, speaking non-sense as if it meant something to someone. No he thrilled for the chase and the kill afterwards as most chases ened as such. Leaving Frith to watch in puzzlement as to why he had been treated as such by the fox.
As night started to change to dawn, the clouds had drifted away to show a starry sky above. Frith returned to the sky, horrified by what happened that night, but also over joyed at the sight of the kittens. The young life that was always flourishing deep within the warren. Yes, most his questions and puzzlements had been answered that night, but still many more remained.'
"Still Frith watches over us and everything else. Spreading his warmth like a father, though sometimes he wonders just what trouble his children get into when his back is turned." Talltale finished his story and looked at Feverfew.
A grin passed over his face, seemed that he had caused the doe to fall asleep, which was just as well. It was well past the time for sleep and dreams were always good starters for better stories.
Pardon the length. xD I sometimes get going too fast and end up with a lot. But enjoy. ^^ Hopefully it ain't all that bad.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:53 pm
Link to the cert of the rabbit you're entering as: CatbirdYour audience, in case it's not clear in your story: A sad little outskirter Your entry: The little female was hardly an outskirter, barely old enough to be outside on her own. Catbird wouldn’t have noticed her, most likely, had she not been sniffling loudly with the kind of complete lack of self-consciousness and sadness only the very young can affect. It wasn’t that Catbird was soft, mind you, but nothing tugged the buck’s heartstrings like seeing a child weep- so instead of heading back into the burrow for the night, he hopped over to her. “What’s wrong, Little Sister?” he said softly, peering down at her. The outskirter rubbed her eyes with her paws and, not saying anything, pointed at a group of outskirters. One of them, clearly her older sister, was a very lovely, willowy young creature. Clearly she was going to be beautiful, and she certainly had the attention of the males in her little group. Catbird understood what was going on here; she was just a lonely little thing who thought she needed the kind of attention only a doe twice her age should be interested in. Kids these days.” “Haven’t you got any friends to play with?” he asked, gently as possible. “Haven’t got any friends,” she said, sniffling again. “Haven’t got any friends? Little Sister, there’s nothing more important than friends. Let me tell you a story, cheer you up again.” The tawny buck cleared his throat and began. “Once, long ago, there was a princess of rabbits. She was the favorite of El-Airarah’s many daughters with one of his most beloved does, and she was quick and clever and exceedingly lovely. She had a burrow lined with silken strands and a store of flay-rah to last a dozen winters. She had suitors from her father’s owsla and had the eye of any buck she chose. But she was powerfully melancholy and no treasure in the world could satisfy her. Her father worried about her and brought her gifts from all corners of the world, but nothing would suffice. Eventually, the princess began to languish and took ill. El-Airarah brought her dock and willow and all manner of healing herbs, but nothing could cure her. Finally, he brought in Yorna, the wisest of all the rabbits’ allies. Yorna, the ancient hedgehog crone, peered into the princess’s ears and eyes. She listened to her pulse and breath, and she inspected her once-lustrous coat. Finally, she looked the princess in the eye and said “Young lady, you have an empty heart. There is nothing I can do for you.” “What can be done, then?” shouted El-Airarah, angry and worried.” He made his voice go deep, trying to emulate how the Prince must have sounded. “The Chief Rabbit of all rabbits so rarely came across a problem he couldn’t solve on his own, and he hated thinking that he might fail to save his beloved daughter. Yorna stared him in the face and waited for him to calm down. “There is nothing you can do, Prince with a Thousand Enemies. She must go into the world and seek that which will fill her heart on her own.” Catbird’s voice became creaky and thin as he pretended to be an ancient hedgehog. “And as Yorna said, so it was done. The princess left, disguising herself- for she knew that she had to seek out her heart’s desire, not have it given to her. She rubbed earth and ochre in her fur to make herself plain. She took the name Hlessaroo, for she was truly playing the part of the smallest, most outcast rabbit in the world- and her heart was so low, she felt the part. She left the warren in the springtime, carrying nothing with her. She roamed over the high hills and low dales until she came across Rakatatosk the Healer, the kind, caring old man of the forest. These were the very last days of springtime, when the leaves are beginning to groan and swell with the rains of early summer. Rakatatosk said to her “Where are you going, Hlessaroo?” “I am going to fill my empty heart,” Hlessaroo said in return. “Stay here with me and I can tell you where you can find fennel flowers and willow herbs, forget-me-do and baby’s beard. Plants to make you well, plants to make you sleep, plants to heal the wounds of your mind. Those will fill your empty heart.” “No,” said Hlessaroo, heaving a sigh. “That’s not good enough for me.” And she went on her way. Eventually it came to be the end of summer, and she came to the Great Howling Gulf, further than any rabbit was willing to go, and she found Vulpulini the Trickster, who laughs at her own jokes. She was changing her shape from a fox to a crow and laughing into the mists- and despite the strangeness and darkness and winds of the Great Howling Gulf, Hlessaroo found herself laughing as well. “Where are you going, Hlessaroo?” laughed Vulpulini, flapping a russet-furred wing and waggling her feathered ears. “I am going to fill my empty heart,” said Hlessaroo. “Stay here with me, Hlessaroo, and become my apprentice,” Vulpulini giggled, “and I will give you the laughter of children and the wonder of all, disappearing rabbits and magic snakes, multiplying stones and clever tricks- those will fill your empty heart.” “No,” said Hlessaroo, smiling sadly. “That’s not good enough for me.” And she went on her way. Eventually it came to be the end of fall, and she came across another warren by the rich blue lake, full of happy rabbits. She recognized her sister Haza as the mate of the chief rabbit. Haza saw through her sister’s disguise and welcomed her into her burrow. “Where are you going, Hlessaroo?” she asked, smiling gently and humoring what she believed to be her sister’s latest conceit. “I am going to fill my empty heart,” said Hlessaroo. “Stay here with me,” Haza said, nuzzling her sister, “and I will give you carrots and parsnips, tender grasses and succulent fruits, roots and tubers, all the riches of our world. Those will fill your empty heart.” “No,” said Hlessaroo, shaking her head. “That’s not good enough for me. But I will stay here with you until springtime, for I am too weak to travel through the winter.” And stay she did, until the ice began to melt. She did not make a name for herself and kept to her sister’s burrow.” He took a moment to look at the little outskirter’s face again; she seemed to be perking up a bit. “One day, in early spring, the entire warren was out en masse for the first flay of the season. Haza’s beauty and the beauty of all the does in the warren was on full display, but for once, no buck paid attention to Hlessaroo. Feeling particularly alone, she began to feed near the river. She hopped further and further away from the warren, until she spotted a bush on the other side of the river. Even in early spring, its branches were laden with fat berries and delicious, tender leaves, and she found herself wanting it more than anything she’d ever seen. But it was across the river, and the ice was thin; had she not felt as though she had nothing to lose, she would never have risked it. Carefully, she put her paws onto the ice and began to edge her way across, inching and crawling over the frigid surface. It seemed as though she would make it, but suddenly, the ice snapped and cracked! Hlessaroo was dragged down into the frosty water. “Help!” she cried. “I can’t swim!” But she was too far away for the others to hear her. Suddenly, the glorious bush rustled and a whiskered face emerged. It was Vaovarah, whose very name belies her nature. She bolted out onto the ice and without blinking an eye, pulled Hlessaroo from the river by the scruff of her neck. Hlessaroo was shaking and shivering, so Vaovarah took her back to her burrow and tucked her into her nest, cuddling close to her to warm her as she slept. Hlessaroo slept fitfully for three days, then awoke to see the gentle Vaovarah carrying tender young shoots to her side. “You are awake, Hlessaroo!” Vaovarah cried softly. “And now I can finally ask you where you were going!” “I was going to fill my empty heart,” replied Hlessaroo. “If you stay here with me, Hlessaroo, I cannot offer you knowledge or tricks or the wealth of the world. All I can offer you is my friendship.” “That’s good enough for me,” said Hlessaroo, her heart suddenly full, and she and Vaovarah became good friends for the rest of their lives.” His tale finished, the buck stepped back, becoming his quiet, gentle self once again. “Do you understand?” he said to the outskirter, but he could tell from her face that she did.
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