High upon a gentle hill,
Two rabbits lazed around,
They nibbled on sweet grasses,
And watched the sun go down.
For a while it was perfect,
And everything was calm,
Like there was nothing in the world
That meant a rabbit harm.
‘If only it was always thus,’
The younger rabbit said.
He gazed across the meadowlands,
Devoid of every dread.
‘The fox has always chased us,
We've always had to run,
The dogs they always bark at us,
The farmer shoots his gun.’
The young one sagged a little,
‘I know that you are right,
But if there were no dangers,
We'd have no need for flight.’
‘We could leave behind our burrows,
And bask out in the sun,
Without forever glancing round
For things from which to run.’
The older rabbit gave a sigh,
He smoothed a greying ear,
‘I've been around a while,’ he said,
‘So just you listen here.’
‘It's good to get a breather,
Enjoy it while it lasts,
But, if this is how it always was,
You'd lose the will to bask.’
‘A treat is such because it's what
You don't get every day.
You'd not find this contentment,
If you're whole life were this way.’
Then from the sky a shadow fell,
The rabbits moved as one,
You don't live as a rabbit long,
If you don't know when to run.
Deep inside the burrow,
They huddled very close,
If rabbits could turn white with fear,
They'd both be white as ghosts.
The young one said, once he could speak,
‘My lesson has been learned.’
‘I think you mean,’ the sage reply,
‘Your next treat's just been earned.’