The Girl and the Little Rabbit

On a bright Saturday morning, Mia skips through the park with her green canvas tote bag, collecting leaves and watching bugs. Near a bush she spots a palm-sized rabbit huddled and trembling, thin and tired, with soft grey-brown fur, a white chest and one droopy ear. Speaking softly so as not to frighten him, she scoops him into her bag and carries him carefully home, where her mother helps her set up a quiet corner with hay, a blanket, fresh water and lettuce. Mia names him Clover, because he was lucky to be found.

What follows is a quiet account of learning to care for a small animal. Mia watches Clover closely and discovers that food and water are not enough: he needs a cardboard tunnel to hide in, wooden toys to chew, a calm place to rest and gentle handling. She keeps a notebook of his favourite things, reads about rabbits and asks the vet questions. When Clover stops eating one morning, and later when he seems tired and stays in his hideout, Mia pays attention to the small changes and stays beside him until he is playful again. This tale by Aysel Banu YAVUZAL can be read on Masal İzle.