The Rabbit and the Turnip

Translated by Richard Sadler




It was a cold winter morning and snow covered the ground. Little Rabbit went out to look for food and he found two turnips. He gobbled up one of them. Then he said, "It is snowing so hard, and is so cold that perhaps Little Donkey has nothing to eat. I will take my other turnip to him."
He ran to Little Donkey's house at once, but Little Donkey was out. So Little Rabbit left the turnip on Little Donkey's doorstep. Then he hopped back home.
Now Little Donkey had also gone out to look for food and he had found a potato. When he got home he saw the turnip, he was very surprised. "Who could have put it there? " he thought.
Then Little Donkey said to himself, "It is snowing so hard, and is so cold. Perhaps Little Sheep has nothing to eat. I will take it to her. "
He rolled the turnip to Little Sheep's house. But there was no sign of Little Sheep. He left the turnip on Little Sheep's table. Then he ran back home.
In the meantime, Little Sheep had also been looking for food. She had found a cabbage. She was happily trotting home to eat it.
When Little Sheep got to her house and found the turnip, she was surprised. Who could have put it there? She decided to give the turnip to Little Deer.
It was snowing so hard, and it was so cold, Little Sheep felt sure Little Deer would be hungry.
So Little Sheep took the turnip to Little Deer's window sill and off she went.
It so happened that Little Deer was also out looking for food and she found some nice green leaves. She, too, was very surprised to find the turnip waiting for her at home.
"I will give this beautiful turnip to Little Rabbit," said Little Deer.
"It is snowing so hard, and it is so cold perhaps he has nothing to eat."
Little Deer ran to Little Rabbit's house at once. And there was Little Rabbit fast asleep. Little Deer did not want to wake him up, so she pushed the turnip inside the door and hurry away.
When Little Rabbit got up and found the turnip he