The Tortoise and the Slacker Easter Bunny

Once upon a time there was a slacker Easter Bunny who was always bragging about how he was faster than anyone.  (He claims that was how he delivered all the eggs while in truth, his wife did all the work.)  

And he was always teasing the tortoise for being so slow.

One day the tortoise, with a few drinks under his shell, had had enough.  "You think you're so fast," he said, "But I bet I could beat you."

This gave the Easter Bunny a good laugh.

"You?  Beat me?  Like that's gonna happen," the Easter Bunny said.  

This annoyed the tortoise even more.

The Easter Bunny continued.  "I could beat you with one paw tied behind my back."

The tortoise was steaming by now and (rather foolishly) accepted the challenge.  A course was mapped out, and the next day at dawn, the tortoise and the Easter Bunny were ready at the starting line.

The Easter Bunny was yawning as the now-sober tortoise started his slow trek along the track.  And quite honestly, the Easter Bunny was pretty sleepy, and decided to take a little nap before starting.

“Take your time!” he yelled at the tortoise. “I’ll catch some Zs and catch up with you before you hit the first marker."

Then he closed his eyes and went to sleep.  He slept and slept.

Finally he awoke with a start.  He looked around, fully expecting to see the tortoise plodding along nearby... and he was.

So the Easter Bunny decided to have some breakfast,  and went to find a nearby breakfast burrito.  The breakfast burrito, however, made the Easter Bunny sleepy again.  So, with a quick glance at the tortoise, the Easter Bunny settled in for a snooze, chuckling about how he'd leave the tortoise in the dust.  Soon he was snoring happily.

The sun started to sink slowly in the sky and the tortoise, who had been trucking all day, was within a foot of the finish line.  At that moment, the Easter Bunny awoke with a start.  He could see the tortoise far off in the distance.  

He leapt to his feet and started running as fast as he could, gasping and wheezing.  Just a little further and he’d be the first to cross the finish line.

But it was too late.  The tortoise had reached the finish line.

The Easter Bunny, tired and disgraced, collapsed by the tortoise, who was smiling silently.

"Bummer!" said the tortoise.  

“Slowly does it every time!”

ebay charms

etsy charms

The Tale of Hare, Elephant, and Hippo... as Told by Charms

One day, Hare looked out over his field. If he was going to have enough food to eat, he would have to plant a crop. But if he was going to plant a crop, first he would have to clear the field. And that was a lot of work ~ far more work than Hare wanted to do.

But Hare was clever.  He sat down to think.  He thought and thought and thought, until he came up with a big idea.  First he dragged a length of rope into the field.  Then he waited patiently.  Pretty soon a  big African elephant came lumbering along.

Hare hopped up to make a deal with Elephant.  He bet Elephant that he could beat Elephant at tug-of-war. Elephant laughed at the idea.  How could a little animal like Hare beat him at a game of tug-of-war?  It sounded like a no-brainer.  Quickly he scooped up the rope with his trunk.

Hare picked up the other end and hopped through the bushes, across the field.  There he hid behind a row of bushes and waited.

Soon Hippopotamus waddled through.

Hare hopped up to Hippo and dared Hippo to beat him at tug-of-war. Hippo, without another thought, picked up the end of the rope with his teeth.

Then Hare hopped into the bushes and gave the rope a tug.

When Elephant and Hippo felt the rope move, they each started to pull.  They were both strong and big and powerful.  Back and forth they dragged the rope. Back and forth.  Back and forth.  The sun rose in the sky, and started to dip down.  At last night fell.

Still Elephant and Hippo pulled at the rope.

Back and forth.  Back and forth.

And each time the rope moved, it plowed another row in the field.

Hare never had a finer harvest.

 
Hare, Hippo, and Elephant can be found here and here.

To see Hare's field, you will have to travel to Africa.

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots' antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision.

Rabbits are an excellent source of garden fertilizer and cuteness.   They make lovely pets, can mow your garden to bare earth, and can get rid of any electrical cords and mattress linings you no longer want.

So if you want an electrical cord-free home brimming with vitamin A carotenes, this is the charm for you.

It is available here and here.