Wonder. I'm Virginia Madsen, and this is Little Stories Everywhere.

Each episode will bring you stories for kids that spark the imagination,

take you to other worlds and bring joy.

This is the velveteen rabbit

by Marjorie Williams

Part 2 of 2. In Part 1, the velveteen rabbit wanted to become real through the love of his owner.

Then he met real rabbits and was baffled and intrigued.

What will happen next? The strange rabbit stopped dancing and came quite close. He came so close this time that his long whiskers brushed the velveteen

rabbit's ear and then he wrinkled his nose suddenly and flattened his ears and jumped backwards.

He doesn't smell right? he exclaimed.

He isn't a rabbit at all. He isn't real.

I am real. Said isn't real. I am real.

said the little rabbit. I am real. The boy said so.

And he nearly began to cry. Just then, there was a sound of footsteps and the boy ran past near them and with a stamp of his feet and a flash of white tails the two strange rabbits disappeared.

Come back and play with me, called the little rabbit.

Oh do come back. I know I'm real.

But there was no answer. Only the little ants ran to and fro, and the bracken swayed gently where the two strangers had passed. The velveteen rabbit was all alone.

Oh dear, he thought, why did they run away like that?

Why couldn't they stop and talk to me?

For a long time he lay very still, watching the bracken and hoping that

they would come back, but they never returned. And presently the sun sank lower and the little white moths fluttered out.

And the boy came and carried him home. Weeks passed and the little rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the boy loved him just as much.

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