Somewhere nearby, in a summer hour, a little bunny got a flower.
It was a beautiful summer day. Bing Bunny was at home snacking on vegetables when someone rang the doorbell.
“Who do you think it is, Flop?”
“I don’t know, Bing,” said Flop. “We must go and see.”
Sula was standing at the door.
“Hello, Sula,” Bing and Flop greeted her.
“Hello, Bing. Hello, Flop. I brought you a little present, Bing,” Sula said, hiding something behind her back.
“Oh, what?” prompted Bing.
Sula pulled out a beautiful flower in a red-flowered pot.
“Surprise, Bing! This one’s for you,” Sula exclaimed.
“It’s beautiful, Sula. What beautiful red flowers it has,” rejoiced Bing, taking the flower from Sula. “I’ll put it up somewhere so I can always see it.”
“Bing, haven’t you forgotten something?” asked Flop.
“Well, yes. Thank you, Sula.”
“You’re welcome, Bing. Take care.”
Sula said goodbye and left. Bing couldn’t get enough of the flower. He ran around the room trying to see where it would be nicest. On the window? Or on the shelf? Or on the wardrobe? Or under the bed? No, not there. He wouldn’t be able to see her there.
“Do you know where you’re going to put it?” asked Flop.
“I think I do. I’ll keep it here on the shelf. I can see it from the bed and the play rug.”
And so Bing displayed the flower on his shelf and enjoyed it every day.
But one morning something strange happened.
“Flop! Come here quick! My flower must be sad,” cried Bing.
“What happened to your flower, Bing?”
“It wilted. She’s not nearly as pretty as she was a few days ago,” said the sad little bunny.
“And did you water it?” Flop asked.
“Oh, Flop! I forgot to water it. My flower wilted because it had no water!”
Bing Bunny immediately rushed to get a pot of water.
“Yes, yes,” said Flop. “Even a flower needs a drink, just like you, Bing. Otherwise it couldn’t grow.”
“I know that now. And I’ll never forget to water it again. I promise. I just hope it straightens up again.”
By the time Bing came to play Pando that afternoon, the flower was beautiful again.
“Oh, you have a beautiful flower,” said Pando admiringly.
“Thanks. I got that one from Sula,” Bing smiled. “It was very beautiful when I got it, just like it is now. But I completely forgot that flowers are also alive and need water. So my flower wilted. It looked ugly and sad. I started watering it and it’s beautiful again. Now I’m going to water it every day so that it will never be sad and make me happy all the time.”
“And I guess I’m a flower, too,” said Pando, hanging his hands on the ground. “I’m wilting, I’m thirsty.”
“Let’s go get some water quickly,” Bing suggested. “Flop made a great lemonade. Let’s get to it.”
And so Bing bunny learned something very important. That is to care for others. Just the flower for now, but it’s a great start.
