Every day, Bunny Rabbit loved to run through the lush green meadow in the pine forest, feeling the soft blades of grass tickle his paws with every bound. He adored the fragrant scent of the wildflowers that dotted the land — the daisies, poppies, clover, and lupines — filling the air with their enticing perfume.
Bunny Rabbit also loved playing with his friends: the fluttering butterflies with shimmering wings, the cheerful ladybugs with black-peppered red shells, and the slow, buzzing bumblebees, turning the meadow into a magical playground of swirling motion, color, and sound. He often joined the chorus of birds in the air, their avian melodies blending with his into a glorious symphony of joy.
One warm, sunny morning, as he sniffed an especially aromatic daisy, his nose began to itch, his whiskers began to twitch, and he let out the biggest sneeze ever heard in the meadow. He sneezed so hard that he tumbled head-over-heels through the meadow until he plopped face down in the grass, his long rabbit ears flopping over the back of his head like limp noodles.
He jumped up quickly on his hind legs; brushed off his fur once, sniffled twice, and wiped his nose thrice, which was running like the bubbling stream that meandered through the meadow.
Embarrassed, he looked around to see if anyone had seen his topsy-turvy tumble across the grass. They did. The butterflies fluttered overhead and giggled; the ladybugs flew by and chortled; the birds stopped singing and twittered; and the bumblebees buzzed by lazily as though nothing had happened at all.
Little Bonnie Bluebird, perched on a nearby tree limb, chirped, “Bless you, Runny Rabbit!”
From that day on, everyone affectionately called him Runny Rabbit, not because he could run so fast through the meadow, but because of his runny nose caused by his wildflower allergy.
Runny Rabbit didn’t let his allergy stop him from enjoying the colorful blossoms though, nor did it stop him from enjoying the company of his friends, who loved him all the more. He learned to carry a tiny tissue box in his tiny backpack everywhere he went, ready for his next adventure.
His mighty sneeze and runny nose became famous far and wide, and his story is told around the campfire by forest folk to this very day — inspiring others to enjoy a wonderful life — no matter which way it runs.
