The Adventures of Hopper the Banger

The Dark Woods

In the Grassy Meadow, full of lilies and daisies, and beside a winding and babbling brook, stood the Lone Great Oak. Its mighty leaf-laden branches and gnarled limbs stretched high into the sky, providing shelter for the family of rabbits that lived in its shade.

On one particular day of a fine spring afternoon, one of those rabbits, a young buck named Hopper, happened to be enjoying the sun and the grass and the gentle breeze that softly tickled his grey fur. Amongst the rabbits of the warren, Hopper had a rather unfortunate nickname; they called him Hopper the Banger. You see, Hopper had rather strong legs, and, frequently, when jumping through the woods, he would bang his head on things high above. Hop, bang! Hop, bang, he would go, and all the old rabbits of the warren would shake their wise old heads and grumble, "There goes little Hopper the Banger!"

Anyhow, on that particular day, Hopper the Banger had been chasing grasshoppers across the meadow. Being a young kit, his parents had always told him and his brothers and sisters to stay close to the tree. Apparently, however, the grasshoppers didn't take that edict to heart. So, without really noticing, Hopper had travelled quite far from the Lone Great Oak. He started to feel something was amiss when the grasshoppers disappeared and the birds stopped their usual chirping- all was suddenly quiet and still. Hopper, somewhat worriedly, looked into the sky and noticed the heavy dark clouds.

Then, to his surprise, a powerful stroke of lightning flashed across the sky. It was followed closely by an earth-trembling crack of thunder. Hopper was so startled that he nearly hopped out of his own skin. He bolted as fast as his little legs would carry him, heading straight for the woods that bordered on the meadow. He tore into the undergrowth, passed the pines and oaks and willows, until he came to a large spruce tree with low-hanging branches. Quickly, he scuttled under and curled himself into a tiny, shivering ball.

Then the rain started, and along with it a howling and angry wind, pushing the tree tops to and fro. Hopper looked out into the wicked world, safe and dry under the spruce. After what seemed like forever, the thunder receded to a distant rumble, the lightning struck no more, and the patter of rain on the leaves all but vanished. Night had begun to settle across the forest before Hopper felt it was safe enough to poke his head from under the spruce.

He looked around, craning his neck from side to side, realizing, to his horror, that he was completely lost. All of the trees and the pathways looked unfamiliar. He turned around and looked in the other direction, again to the same result. Hopper the Banger was tired, scared, cold, and lonely.

Eventually, after a few moments of feeling sorry for himself, it dawned on him that he would not get any closer to his house and to his nice, comfortable, and warm bed, if he were to stay where he was. So, tentatively, reaching one paw ahead of the other, Hopper the Banger made his way into the the dark forest. Maybe if I explore a bit I'll see something familiar, he thought. He started off slowly, picking his way around twigs and over fallen trees, until finally he came across a deer trail. He looked to the left and right, but nothing jogged his memory. Taking a deep breath he turned right. Alternately sprinting and hiding in the shadows, Hopper made his way down the path, wishing for all the world that he'd soon be at home with his family. Never again would he stray so far from the tree, he promised.

Then, all of a sudden, Hopper the Banger heard something that sent a terrible chill to his heart. He stopped in his path and shrunk down to the ground. The sound was coming from a tree just above. "Hoo, Hoo, Hoo," it called. It was an owl!

Now, it just so happened that the owl in question was particularly anxious to find food. She was up in the tree, casting around for a nice morsel to bring back to her nest- little owlets are voracious. She was growing rather frustrated and was about to make her way to another tree when she happened to spot a tiny rabbit cowering in the leaves below. She sighed- it looked rather scrawny. But, she thought, something scrawny is better than nothing at all. So, jumping off her branch, she spread her wings and began to glide softly towards the rabbit.