A five minute story inspired by “the sky is falling the sky is falling.”

Once upon a mischievous time, deep in the greenest of forests, lived a bouncy little Hare named Miffy. She was a bit of a worrywart, always fretting over the tiniest things. One particularly sunny day, Miffy was happily munching on a crunchy fern when a peculiar noise startled her. It went THUD, followed by the rustle-rustle of leaves.

Miffy’s heart thumped like a drumroll, and her imagination went wild. “What if the Earth is falling in?” she gasped. In a flash, Miffy darted off, zig-zagging through the forest as fast as her tiny paws could take her. She bumped into old brother Hare and cried out, “The Earth is falling in! We need to bounce outta here, pronto!”

Old brother Hare scratched his head, bewildered. But he had faith in Miffy, so he hopped along and told sister Hare, who told Cousin Hare until every Hare in the forest was frantically dashing around, hollering, “The Earth is falling in! Run for your tails!โ€

The news spread like wildfire. It leaped from the hares to the deer, sheep, wild boar, and busy beavers. Even the lone wolf, typically at ease in solitude, lifted his head to howl in distress while the wise old owl, roused from slumber, hooted in bewilderment, adding to the swelling chorus of alarm. Every animal was in a tizzy, utterly convinced that the world was coming to a crashing halt. 

All the forest creatures in a panic. The sky is falling the sky is falling.

The wise old Cougar, Master of the Mountain, pricked up his ears at the ruckus and raised a questioning brow. He bellowed, “What’s all this fuss about?”

Each animal chimed in, one after the other until the trail of chaos led back to little Miffy. The Cougar beckoned the trembling Hare forward and gently inquired, “Miffy, what gave you the idea that the Earth was falling in?”

Miffy’s nose twitched nervously, and she squeaked, “I saw it by the big tree over there!โ€

The Cougar, gentle and understanding, offered to take Miffy on his back to investigate. Miffy hesitated at first but felt safe with Cougar. When they reached the big tree, Cougar showed Miffy a heavy hickory nut that had fallen on a dry leaf, creating a loud noise that scared her.

Friendly cougar carries the scared rabbit in one of our stories with animals

Miffy realized her mistake and felt silly for causing such a panic. Cougar and Miffy returned to the other animals, and Miffy bravely admitted, “The Earth is not falling in. It was just a hickory nut falling on a leaf.”

The panic was started by just one falling nut

The animals listened carefully and began repeating the message to each other. Gradually, the chaos subsided, and peace returned to the forest. That day, the animals learned an important lesson: it’s always better to check the facts before believing in rumors.

From that day on, whenever Miffy felt scared or worried, she would take a deep breath and think of the wise Cougar’s words. She learned to be brave and not let her fears get the best of her. And the forest remained a happy place where all the animals lived together in harmony.

Fun Facts:

Hey there, little adventurer! Did you know that even though hares and rabbits might look similar, they’re actually quite different? It’s like they’re two unique superheroes in the animal kingdom!

First off, hares are usually bigger than rabbits, with extra-long ears and powerful hind legs that help them leap tall grasses in a single bound! Rabbits, on the other hand, are smaller and have fur that’s all one color, like they’re wearing cute little bunny suits.

When it comes to their homes, rabbits are master builders, crafting cozy underground burrows or warrens. Hares prefer the great outdoors and make their nests right in the grass like they’re always ready for a camping adventure!

Baby hares are born with superpowers โ€“ they come into the world fully furred, with their eyes wide open, ready to explore! Baby rabbits, or kits, are born blind and hairless, needing lots of love and care from their moms before they venture out.

In the wild, hares are like lone rangers, while rabbits love hanging out with their bunny buddies in big groups. When danger lurks, hares use their super-speed to race away, while rabbits freeze like statues, blending into the background.

Hares and rabbits both love munching on plants, but hares are tough guys who can chow down on bark and twigs. Rabbits prefer softer greens like they’re always at a salad bar!

Now, you might be wondering if these two furry friends live in the same places. Well, sometimes they do, but they have different favorite hangouts. Hares love wide-open spaces where they can run really fast, like fields and meadows. Some even live in super cold places like the Arctic tundra! Rabbits, on the other hand, prefer areas with lots of hiding spots, like forests and shrublands, where they can make their cozy burrows.

So, the next time you see a hare or a rabbit hopping by, you’ll know just how special and different they truly are and where they like to spend their time!

An adaptation of THE HARE THAT RAN AWAY from Eastern Stories and Legends By Marie L. Shedlock

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