Rooper Hill Tales
Pepper's Rescue Party
Janes, the little boy who lived at Rooper Hill Farm, kept some rabbits in a hutch, at the back of the big barn. The largest of these was an old rabbit named Pepper. Each afternoon, James would take some of the rabits out of the hutch and let them play in the big field.
One day it was Pepper's turn to go out into the field, and so, with Salt, Ginger and Snowy, he was carried out of the barn and gently put down on the grass. All four rabbits began to eat the grass and flowers that grew there.
In the field that day was Sweet Pea, one of the hens, showing her newly hatched chicks how to find worms and grubs for their dinner, by scratching and digging in the ground. As they were walking around the field, Star Flower, one of the chicks, suddenly disappeared from view. Sweet Pea started to make a fearful noise, and the four rabbits ran over to see what was the matter.
After a quick search, they found Star Flower. She had fallen into a hole in the field and could not get out. The rabbits and mother hen Sweet Pea tried to pull her out, but it did not work. Suddenly Pepper had a great idea. He would dig another hole nearby, and tunnel underneath the little chick. Then he would be able to push Star Flower out of the hole from beneath her. Pepper started to dig, but soon got tired. Salt then tried, followed by Ginger and Snow. Finally Star Flower was free, a little dirty and frightened, but not really hurt.
When all the other animals at the farm heard how Pepper had saved the little chick, they all wanted to shake his paw. Pepper went to sleep that night feeling very proud of himself.
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Reproduced
by © The Antique Map & Print Gallery,
Winchester, England, from a collection of chromo-lithographs (c. 1880)