Role models - Giving something back

By Nicky Grischotti; read by Francine Chamberlain

The wind howled and rattled the icy branches of the trees as Hoppity the rabbit hurried across the field in search of food. Hoppity’s teeth were chattering.

“I don’t like snow, and I don’t like sleet,

They freeze my ears

And hurt my feet!

I’m hungry and cold and I want to sleep …

But I have to keep looking for something to eat.”

Then, just as Hoppity was about to give up, he tripped over two juicy turnips beside the farmyard gate. He hopped and he jumped and he danced with glee: “TWO nice big turnips just right for my tea!”

 And he tucked them into his knapsack and bounced off to his cosy, warm rabbit hole. But when he’d gobbled up the first turnip Hoppity was full. “I know, I’ll give it to my friend Fidgity Fox, she’s bound to be hungry and cold.” And he left it by Fidgity’s front door.

The wind whistled and rattled the frosty farmhouse windows, as Fidgity Fox hurried along the lane in search of food. Fidgity’s knees were knocking.

“I don’t like snow, and I don’t like sleet,

They freeze my nose

And hurt my feet!

I’m hungry and cold and I want to sleep …

But I have to keep looking for something to eat.”

Then, just as Fidgity was about to give up, she stumbled over three juicy parsnips poking out from the ground. She hopped and she jumped and she danced with glee: “THREE nice big parsnips just right for my tea!”

And she tucked them in her apron pocket and trotted off to her cosy, warm fox-hole. She was so hungry that she’d gobbled them all up by the time she got home. When she reached her home she found the turnip beside her front door. But Fidgity was full. “I know, I’ll give it to my friend Cloppity, he’s bound to be hungry and cold.” And she left it by Cloppity’s front door.

The cold wind blew and rattled the tin roof of the hayloft as Cloppity the Goat hurried across the yard in search of food. Cloppity’s shoulders were shivering.

“I don’t like snow, And I don’t like sleet,

They freeze my beard

And hurt my feet!

I’m hungry and cold and I want to sleep …

But I have to keep looking for something to eat.”

Then, just as Cloppity was about to give up, he stumbled on four juicy carrots that had fallen out of an old sack. He hopped and he jumped and he danced with glee: “FOUR nice big carrots just right for my tea!”

And he tucked them under his beard and skittered off to his cosy, warm shed. He was so hungry that he’d gobbled them all up by the time he got home. At his home he found the turnip beside his front door. But Cloppity was full. “I know, I’ll give it to my wee friend Snickety Mouse, she’s bound to be hungry and cold.” And he left it by Snickety’s front door.

The cold wind whispered and rattled the latch of the old barn door as Snickety Mouse hurried across the sawdust floor in search of food. Snickety’s whiskers were trembling

“I don’t like snow, and I don’t like sleet,

They freeze my toes

And hurt my feet!

I’m hungry and cold and I want to sleep …

But I have to keep looking for something to eat.”

Then just as Snickety was about to give up she skidded on five juicy nuggets of corn in a corner of the barn. “Whooooop!” She hopped and she jumped and she danced with glee: “FIVE big corn nuggets just right for my tea!”

And she tucked them in her basket and tippy-toed off to her cosy, warm mouse hole.

She was so hungry that she’d gobbled them all up by the time she got home. Snickety found the turnip beside her front door. But Snickety was full. “I know, I’ll give it to my friend ….. Hoppity! He’s bound to be hungry and cold.” And she left it by Hoppity the rabbit’s front door.

The sun rose the next morning, melting the snow on the field and waking the forest animals. Hoppity yawned and stretched and thumped his two rabbit feet.

“I love the sun, I love the heat

They warm my heart

And ears and feet!

But I’m hungry again and my cupboard is bare …

I’ll have to go looking for something to eat.”

But as he put on his coat and peaked outside, what do you think he found? The turnip beside his front door! “A nice, juicy turnip just right for me!” And he gobbled it up and hopped with glee!