A Sheepy and Bunny Are Friends Story
Sheepy and his friends like to spend time lollygagging in the meadow, chasing butterflies, and singing happy sheep songs. They bleat to each other in chorus and rounds like happy frolicking sheep do. Then they spot Bad Farmer prowling around the barn and meadow, and they get scared and unhappy. The sheep know to stay away from Bad Farmer. Some of the young sheep are too trusting, like Sheepy who loves everyone. After their first encounters with Bad Farmer, some of those young sheep run to the creek that feeds the sheep’s little pond to let clean water over themselves, or they hide in the bushes and cry while feeling shame and embarrassment. They don’t know why they feel that way. Being around Bad Farmer didn’t make them feel good.
Sheepdog does his best to protect the sheep from wolves and keep them from wandering away, but Sheepdog is getting old and relies on Bad Farmer for his keep and his supper, so he can’t protect the sheep from Bad Farmer. When he goes on the prowl, the sheep run to hide, and the mama ewes try to protect their baby lambs as best they can.
“Oh my, oh my,” Cried one of the older ewes running into the barn.
Several ewes and their baby lambs came running after her.
“Hide the baby lambs, hide them under the straw, just in case Bad Farmer comes in here,” she cried out to her friends. “We have to be able to defend the baby lambs.”
“I hope one of the big rams can run him off,” cried another ewe. “Oh, oh, I hate to think about what Bad Farmer might do!” She let out a frightened bleat.
“I’m so scared, so scared!” cried out one of the little Lambs.
“Hush baby, hide under the straw and be quiet,” bleated one of the mama ewes while she dug a hole in the straw for her Lambkins.
The baby lamb nestled into the hole, and the mama ewe covered her with straw.
Bunny was taking a little afternoon nap while the sheep were out grazing. He had flopped down and curdled up in a white fluffy ball with black spots in his coat. His ears popped up when he heard the commotion of the mama ewes. Bunny jumped up and hopped out of his hay bed to see what was wrong.
“What’s wrong, what’s wrong,” he called to the ewes. “Why are you so upset?”
“Bad Framer is on the prowl again,” said one of the ewes. She shivered as she said his name. Her eyes opened wide as she looked up at the roof and trembled. She began to cry.
“When he goes on the prowl,” said another ewe, “he does things to the sheep that make us feel sad and shameful.”
The ewe went to comfort her crying sister.
One of the young rams, who had not yet grown his horns, came bursting in. “He is going after Sheepy. He’s after Sheepy again.”
Several of the ewes began to bleat and sob. “Sheepy is the sweetest of all the sheep,” the ewes cried.
“What! My friend Sheepy!” Cried Bunny, “Why Sheepy?”
“Because Bad Farmer knows how gentle and trusting Sheepy is,” said the young ram.
“I have to go help Sheepy! Where are they?
“Out behind the barn, over by the mulberry tree.”
“How can you help him? You’re just a rabbit? What can you do?” asked one of the ewes.
“I can do more than you think.”
“What if he tries to hurt you?”
“He won’t, I promise,” said Bunny. “Watch over the baby lambs.” Bunny turned to leave the barn. “Bunny is coming, Sheepy,” he cried. He hopped out of the barn in huge bounds on his strong back legs.
From up in the branches of the mulberry tree, Mister Squirrel saw Bunny bounding around the barn.
“Bunny, Bunny, Bad Farmer is after Sheepy!” Mister Squirrel called. “Can you do something to help him?”
“I sure can,” said Bunny. “You just watch!”
“What can a Bunny do?” He put his paws on his belly and shook his head.
Bunny raced around the barn into the shadow of the mulberry tree to defend his friend.
Behind the barn, Bad Farmer coaxed Sheepy to eat some watermelon. He knew how much Sheepy loved watermelon and used it to lure Sheepy behind the barn.
Bad Farmer held out the watermelon and waved for Sheepy to come closer and take a bite.
Sheepy knew he shouldn’t trust Bad Farmer. Bad Farmer tricked him before, but that watermelon looked so yummy, and Sheepy wanted a bite.
Finally, Sheepy trotted forward and happily munched on the big piece of watermelon. Bad Farmer petted his soft wool all the way back, from his neck to his rump, over and over. Then he started rubbing Sheepy on the belly.
Bunny dashed around the corner of the barn and saw what Bad Farmer was doing. Bunny leaped upon Sheepy’s back and bit Bad Farmer on the hand.
Bad Farmer jumped away holding his hand. Two little puncture wounds bleed from where Bunny sunk his teeth into Bad Farmer’s skin.
Bad Farmer let out a spew of ugly words that would shame the ears of the most wizened of the old rams. It was one of the worst rants that Sheepdog ever heard from his master. Sheepdog was old, but even he heard those foul words all the way from the back stoop of the farmhouse.
Bessy the cow heard them from the pasture and came ambling toward to barn to satisfy her curiosity and find some good gossip to share.
Chippy and Chilly, the chipmunk lovers, came hopping through the grass to see what was happening with their little noses and ears twitching.
That tirade startled Sheepy from eating the watermelon. He started crying: “What’s happening, Bunny is that you?”
“Bunny is here on your back Sheepy. Run away Sheepy. Bad Farmer is trying to trick you.”
“No, not again, he keeps tricking me!”
Sheepy turned to run, but Bad Farmer blocked the way to the meadow. He held his hand balled into fists ready to punch Bunny.
“What will I do?” cried Sheepy.
“Bunny will take care of Bad Farmer!”
Bunny lifted his long floppy ears straight up, and cocked them, bending the tips. Bunny made a low-growing noise and showed his sharp incisors to Bad Farmer.
Bad Farmer charged forward to knock Bunny off Sheepy’s back. He grumbled bad swear words and swung at Bunny.
Bunny ducked and Sheepy ran sideways, so Bad Farmer missed. Sheepy turned toward Bad Farmer so he couldn’t get behind him.
“Hold your head up high Sheepy, so Bunny can run him away!”
Sheepy lifted his head just like Bunny said. Bunny put his two front paws on the top of Sheepy’s head, and raised himself up high, showing his big teeth and cocked ears. He stared hard at Bad Farmer; Bunny’s eyes began to glow with a red radiance, with little stars dancing around his pupils. Then Bunny closed one eye, turned his head sideways, and shot a laser beam right into Bad Farmer’s belly.
Sheepy flinched at the shot. He was so surprised his Friend could shoot laser beams out of his eyes.
“Hold still, Sheepy, there is more to come,” said Bunny.
Even Bad Farmer recoiled, stumbling backward. The laser beam was hot and painful where it hit his skin, burning a hole in his shirt. Bad Farmer grabbed at the wound and kept on swearing.
From the Mulberry tree, “You get him Bunny,” called Mr. Squirrel. Chippy and Chilly grasps each other tightly, Chilly hid his face in Chippy fur as the battle fights on. What Bad Farmer hears is a chattering sound. Bunny hears Mr. Squirrel
Bunny then turned his head to the other side, closed the eye facing away from Bad Farmer, and fired another laser beam from his open eye. This one hit Bad Farmer on the neck.
You see bunny rabbits have eyes on the side of their head, so they can see all the way around themselves. If rabbits tried to fire laser beams out of both eyes at the same time, they would shoot out sideways. So, Bunny had to close one eye and turn his head to shoot at Bad Farmer. If Bunny tried to shoot straight forward, he would singe his whiskers.
Bad Farmer let out a stream of curse words that hurt Bunny’s and Sheepy’s ears to hear and rushed forward again.
Bunny was ready, and fired a torrent of laser beams, alternating his head from side to side, letting loose a ray from each eye, stars twinkled and danced all around Bunny’s face. Bunny drove Bad Farmer back with shots to his arms and legs, and all over his chest.
Bad Farmer finally fled, dashing for the farmhouse. His green cap flew off his head, and he stumbled over his own feet. Bunny and Sheepy chased after him, and Bunny shot more holes in the butt of his pants, and the back of his checkered shirt.
Sheepy stopped his chase at the edge of the meadow. Bad Farmer hid inside the farmhouse. Now that the sheep were safe, Bunny lowered his ears and uncocked the tips.
“Bunny, Bunny! I didn’t know you could do that,” cried Sheepy. “All the other sheep will be so happy to hear.”
“Oh, Sheepy Sheepy, please don’t tell,” cried Bunny. “I only used them because Bad Farmer was trying to hurt my dear friend Sheepy.”
“Sheepy loves Bunny for being such a good friend and protecting him.”
Bunny blushed. The inside of his white ears turned pink.
“But why does Bunny want to keep it a secret?” asked Sheepy.
“Bunny is shy and humble,” said Bunny. He covered his eyes with his ears. “And I don’t want any of our animal friends asking me to show off. It makes me tired and sleepy.”
“Ok,” said Sheepy. “I won’t tell. I will be happy to always have Bunny nearby.”
“Bunny doesn’t want his good friend Sheepy to ever get hurt. From now on, Bunny will stay close to Sheepy.”
“From now on Bunny can ride on Sheepy’s back!”
“Bunny will love riding on Sheepy’s back.” Bunny snuggled his nose and face into Sheepy’s wool, and hugged him around the neck with his paws.
The other sheep came out of the barn and their other hiding places. They saw Sheepy safe and Bunny riding on his back. The sheep gathered around them, asking what happened.
“Bad Farmer is gone; we ran him away,” said Sheepy.
“How did you scare him away?” asked the young ram.
“Bunny showed him his big sharp teeth and threatened to bite him. I head-butted him in the behind,” said Sheepy, while he puffed out his chest.
“Will he come back?” asked one of the ewes.
“I don’t think so,” said Sheepy. Sheepy winked at Bunny over his shoulder.
“Yeah!” Cried out the flock of sheep. They all began bleating happy noises and doing their sheep dance. The sheep waggled their heads back and forth while shaking their butts. They lifted their front hooves up and down doing a little dance, while they bobbed on their back legs dropping little balls of poop in the green grass of the meadow.
The sheep sang a happy song celebrating the triumph of Bunny and Sheepy:
Sheepy is a hero, Sheepy and his friend.
Bunny is a hero, they chased bad farmer away.
We are happy sheep singing in the meadow.
Happy, happy sheep, eating yummy flowers.
Happy, happy sheep, dropping poopy in the grass.
The little baby lambs came out with their mothers and leaped around in the grass. The adult rams lead Sheepy and Bunny, and the little flock, into the meadow where they sang and played until they were tired and took naps in the sun.
Note: This is the original version of the story.
A revised and illustrated edition will replace it soon.
Meadow Whisper:
Journeys do not wander lost.
The Meadow keeps them,
and hush rests in laughter and care.