The Clever Little Rabbit
Long, long ago, deep within the blue and quiet sea, there was a grand palace called the Dragon King’s palace. One day the king of that palace, the great Dragon King, fell ill and took to his bed. All the fish in the whole wide ocean were heavy with worry.
A wise old healer came and said, “If you eat the liver of a rabbit who lives upon the dry land, you will surely grow well again.” But not a single creature in the sea had ever once climbed up onto the land.
Just then a turtle with a strong, hard shell stepped forward. “I will go and bring a rabbit back to you,” he said. And slowly, slowly, yet bravely too, the turtle began to swim toward the faraway shore.
After a long, long swim, the turtle reached a grassy meadow by the sea. And there, just as he hoped, a little rabbit was hopping merrily about. The turtle came near with the softest, kindest voice.
“Dear rabbit,” said the turtle, “the palace beneath the sea is truly beautiful, and it is filled with the sweetest grasses too.” The rabbit’s eyes grew round and wide. “A place as lovely as that?”
The rabbit was filled with curiosity. She gave a little hop right onto the turtle’s broad shell, and down, down they went together into the sea. The palace she saw for the very first time sparkled and shone like nothing she had ever known.
But the moment they arrived at the palace, something in the air felt strange. Only then did the little rabbit understand. They had brought her all this way because they wanted her liver. Her small heart gave a frightened thump.
Yet instead of letting fear take hold, the rabbit grew very still and quietly began to think. Then, as calm as could be, she said, “Oh dear, oh dear, what a terrible thing. I have left my liver back up on the land.”
The Dragon King was so astonished that he asked, “You left your liver behind? Whatever do you mean by that?” The rabbit answered him gently and slowly. “We rabbits, you see, take out our livers and lay them in the sun to dry.”
“And as it happens, this very morning I spread mine out upon a rock to air,” the rabbit said, never letting her face give her away. “If you would only carry me back up to the land, I will fetch it for you straight away.” And every creature there believed her.
So the turtle took the rabbit upon his shell once more and carried her up to the land. The very moment her feet touched the shore, the rabbit gave a great leap down. And away she went, hopping merrily toward the tall green grass.
“Dear turtle,” the rabbit called out with a laugh, “wherever did you hear of a creature who carries its liver about outside its body?” Only then did the turtle know he had been fooled. And yet, somehow, he could not bring himself to hate the rabbit at all.
The clever little rabbit returned safely to her grassy meadow. The turtle went home with empty hands, but he felt it was better, far better, that the little rabbit had come to no harm. And a quiet corner of his heart felt lighter than before.
And happily, as the days went by, the Dragon King slowly grew strong and well again. The fish of the sea found all their cheer once more. As for the rabbit, she went on living wisely and well in her green meadow, for a long, long, happy time.
Even in a frightening moment, the rabbit did not cry or fuss. Instead she gently caught her breath, quieted her heart, and thought her way wisely toward an answer.
As you grow, my love, there may be days when something startling comes upon you all at once. When that happens, I hope you will not let fear come first. I hope you will pause, take a slow breath, and ask yourself, "What would be the best thing to do now?" A clear and steady heart can carry you up safely, even from the deepest part of the sea.
And the turtle, who never came to hate the rabbit even after being fooled, had such a wide and gentle heart, and your daddy loves that too. Wisdom and kindness, both held together in one person, that is what I quietly wish for you to become.