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The Foolish, Timid Rabbit

A timid rabbit mistakes a falling fruit for the Earth breaking apart, causing panic among animals until a wise bird clarifies the truth.
Fear
Understanding
Responsibility
Featured in Fable Book
Jataka Tales - The Foolish, Timid Rabbit
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, in a beautiful forest, there lived a small, timid rabbit. Despite living in such a calm and safe environment, the rabbit was always fearful. One day, as he was lying under a palm tree, he began to ponder his life. "What if the Earth were to break apart? Oh, what a disaster that would be!" he thought.

Suddenly, a ripe fruit fell from the palm tree, landing on the ground with a loud "thud!" The small rabbit, with his active imagination and constant worry, was convinced that it was the sound of the Earth breaking apart.

Filled with terror, he decided to warn others. He ran as fast as he could, shouting, "Run, run, the Earth is breaking apart!"

A deer heard the rabbit's warning and without questioning, joined him. They both ran together, causing a hare, a boar, and even a lion to join them in their mad dash.

As the group of animals stampeded through the forest, a wise old bird saw them. Perplexed by this chaos, he asked the lion, "Why are all of you running?"

The lion explained, "According to the rabbit, the Earth is breaking apart!"

Wanting to confirm this, the wise bird flew to the rabbit and asked, "Is it true that the Earth is breaking apart?"

"Yes," replied the terrified rabbit. "I heard it with my own ears."

The wise bird, not convinced, asked the rabbit to show him where he had heard the sound. They returned to the palm tree, and the bird quickly noticed the ripe fruit on the ground. Piecing together what had happened, the bird explained to the rabbit that it was not the Earth breaking apart, but merely the sound of a fruit falling from the tree.

Upon hearing this, the rabbit felt very foolish for causing such unnecessary panic and confusion. The wise bird reminded everyone, "It is important not to let our fears and imaginations get the best of us. We must not jump to conclusions without understanding the whole truth."

And from that day forward, the rabbit, along with his friends, learned to be less fearful and more rational.

Once upon a time, in a beautiful forest, there lived a small, timid rabbit. Even though the forest was calm and safe, the rabbit was always afraid. One day, as he was lying under a palm tree, he began to think. "What if the Earth were to break apart? Oh, what a disaster that would be!" he thought.

Suddenly, a ripe fruit fell from the palm tree and hit the ground with a loud "thud!" The small rabbit, with his active imagination and constant worry, thought it was the sound of the Earth breaking apart.

Terrified, he decided to warn others. He ran as fast as he could, shouting, "Run, run, the Earth is breaking apart!"

A deer heard the rabbit's warning and, without asking, joined him. They both ran together, causing a hare, a boar, and even a lion to join them in their panic.

As the group of animals ran through the forest, a wise old bird saw them. Confused by this chaos, he asked the lion, "Why are all of you running?"

The lion explained, "The rabbit says the Earth is breaking apart!"

Wanting to know the truth, the wise bird flew to the rabbit and asked, "Is it true that the Earth is breaking apart?"

"Yes," replied the scared rabbit. "I heard it with my own ears."

The wise bird, not convinced, asked the rabbit to show him where he had heard the sound. They returned to the palm tree, and the bird quickly saw the ripe fruit on the ground. Understanding what had happened, the bird explained to the rabbit that it was not the Earth breaking apart, but just the sound of a fruit falling from the tree.

When he heard this, the rabbit felt very foolish for causing such a big panic. The wise bird reminded everyone, "It is important not to let our fears and imaginations control us. We must not jump to conclusions without knowing the whole truth."

From that day on, the rabbit and his friends learned to be less fearful and more thoughtful.

One day, a small rabbit sits under a tree. The rabbit is scared. It thinks, "What if the ground breaks?"

Suddenly, something falls from the tree. It makes a loud noise, "Thud!" The rabbit thinks, "The ground is breaking!"

The rabbit runs fast. It shouts, "Run! Run! The ground is breaking!"

A deer sees the rabbit and runs with it. Then, a hare joins them. Next, a boar and a lion run too. They are all scared.

A wise bird sees the animals. The wise bird asks the lion, "Why are you all running?"

The lion says, "The rabbit says the ground is breaking!"

The wise bird goes to the rabbit. It asks, "Where did you hear the noise?"

The rabbit takes the wise bird to the tree. The wise bird sees a fruit on the ground and says, "The ground is not breaking. It is only a fruit."

The rabbit feels silly. The wise bird says, "Do not be scared. Think before you run."

In the end, all the animals learn to stay calm.

Once upon a time, in a beautiful forest, there lived a small, timid rabbit. Even though the forest was calm and safe, the rabbit was always afraid. One day, as he was lying under a palm tree, he began to think. "What if the Earth were to break apart? Oh, what a disaster that would be!" he thought.

Suddenly, a ripe fruit fell from the palm tree and hit the ground with a loud "thud!" The small rabbit, with his active imagination and constant worry, thought it was the sound of the Earth breaking apart.

Terrified, he decided to warn others. He ran as fast as he could, shouting, "Run, run, the Earth is breaking apart!"

A deer heard the rabbit's warning and, without asking, joined him. They both ran together, causing a hare, a boar, and even a lion to join them in their panic.

As the group of animals ran through the forest, a wise old bird saw them. Confused by this chaos, he asked the lion, "Why are all of you running?"

The lion explained, "The rabbit says the Earth is breaking apart!"

Wanting to know the truth, the wise bird flew to the rabbit and asked, "Is it true that the Earth is breaking apart?"

"Yes," replied the scared rabbit. "I heard it with my own ears."

The wise bird, not convinced, asked the rabbit to show him where he had heard the sound. They returned to the palm tree, and the bird quickly saw the ripe fruit on the ground. Understanding what had happened, the bird explained to the rabbit that it was not the Earth breaking apart, but just the sound of a fruit falling from the tree.

When he heard this, the rabbit felt very foolish for causing such a big panic. The wise bird reminded everyone, "It is important not to let our fears and imaginations control us. We must not jump to conclusions without knowing the whole truth."

From that day on, the rabbit and his friends learned to be less fearful and more thoughtful.

In a jolly forest that could easily be the setting for a Saturday morning cartoon show, there lived a rabbit. But not just any rabbit, this one was a bit of a scaredy-cat, always jumpy and alert. Imagine if this bunny had a TV remote, he’d be flipping through channels looking for something to worry about.

He spent his days under a palm tree, thinking of make-believe scenarios. “What if the ground, you know, just decided to take a day off and crack open? Like in one of those action movies where everything explodes,” he pondered.

Right at that cinematic moment, a ripe fruit with big dreams of making it to the ground fell from the tree above. “BANG!” It was like the drumroll in a suspense movie. The rabbit freaked out. "Aha! The world’s turning into jigsaw pieces!”

He bolted, his furry feet barely touching the ground. “Code Red, everyone! The floor’s doing the cha-cha!” he shrieked as he zigzagged through the forest.

A deer who was busy practicing yoga poses looked up. “Whoa, is this the sequel to our peaceful lives? Must. Join. Now!” Without even rolling up his imaginary yoga mat, he dashed next to the rabbit.

The forest suddenly felt like a carnival gone wild. A hare doing the moonwalk, a pig making mud pies, and even a lion who was busy pretending to be a king all caught the hysteria. “Hey, a parade without me? Unthinkable!” they seemed to say, and joined the fluffy stampede.

Meanwhile, an old bird, who thought of himself as the forest's resident wise guy, scratched his feathery head. “What’s the hullabaloo?” Descending from his sky-high perch, he went straight to the lion, the unofficial mayor of Forestywood. “Yo, Your Mane-ness, what’s the buzz?”

The lion, looking like he’d just sprinted a marathon, huffed, “Mr. Rabbit here claims that the Earth’s doing a breakdance and falling apart!”

Intrigued and a little suspicious, the old bird zoomed down to the rabbit and said, “Is it a wrap for Mother Earth? Did the ground really start dancing?”

The rabbit, eyes as big as saucers, nodded, “You bet! I heard the big ‘BANG!’”

Curious, the bird led the rabbit back to the scene of the ‘crime.’ There it was—a fallen fruit lying under the tree, as innocent as a prop in a school play. “Look, mate, that’s not the world falling apart. That’s just a fruit dropping a beat.”

The rabbit’s ears drooped in embarrassment. “Aw, nuts! It was just a fruit? I turned the whole forest into a comedy show for nothing?”

So, all the animals gathered around, their hearts still pounding but their faces starting to smile. They realized it was a funny mix-up, one worthy of a laughter track. From then on, they decided to think a little more before going bananas and maybe, just maybe, leave the drama for the movies.

A bunny so shy, in a meadow so grand,
Felt a wee bit scared, you must understand.
He fretted and wondered, "Oh, what could go wrong?"
"What if the Earth cracks? We won't last very long!"

Just then from a tree, a fruit took a dive,
"Thud!" it did sound, as if no one's alive.
Bunny gasped, "Oh no, my fears are all true!
The Earth's falling apart, what ever shall we do?"

So he hopped and he skipped, as fast as he could,
Yelling, "Earth's cracking up! Run, run, you should!"
A deer pricked her ears, and joined in the race,
Soon a hare, a boar, a lion—oh what a chase!

Through the forest they bolted, not looking behind,
A wise bird saw the rush, "What's troubling your mind?"
Lion roared back, "The Earth's splitting, didn't you hear?"
"It came from the bunny, we're running in fear."

Wise bird took a pause, then flew to inquire,
"Is it true, little bunny, is the situation so dire?"
"Yes," quivered bunny, "I heard with my ears,
The Earth's falling apart, we're in arrears!"

"Show me the spot," said the bird with a frown,
There lay the ripe fruit, safe and sound on the ground.
Wise bird laughed, "Ah, my friends, here's the clue,
It's not the Earth's end, just a falling fruit or two!"

Bunny blushed, feeling silly for the fuss he'd begun,
Wise bird spoke, "Let's not fear every sound, every one.
Imagination's a gift, but can lead us astray,
Let's seek the whole truth, before running away."

So they chuckled and laughed, feeling lighter than air,
And bunny learned to be brave, with far less to scare.
For now he knew, and his friends did too,
Not every loud 'thud' makes a tale that's true.

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Word Finder

  1. Timid:

    Easily frightened; lacking confidence.

  2. Disaster:

    A sudden event causing great harm.

  3. Imagination:

    Ability to form ideas in the mind.

  4. Terrified:

    Extremely scared or frightened.

  5. Warn:

    To tell someone about a possible danger.

  6. Panic:

    Sudden, overwhelming fear or worry.

  7. Chaos:

    Complete disorder and confusion.

  8. Convinced:

    Fully certain or sure about something.

  9. Foolish:

    Lacking good sense or judgement.

  10. Conclusions:

    Decisions or opinions formed after thinking.

Understanding Questions

  1. Why was the rabbit always afraid, even though the forest was calm and safe?
  2. What made the rabbit think that the Earth was breaking apart?
  3. Which animals joined the rabbit in his panic and why did they follow him?
  4. How did the wise bird find out the real cause of the noise that scared the rabbit?
  5. What lesson did the rabbit and his friends learn from the wise bird at the end of the story?
Word Finder
  1. Suddenly:

    Happening quickly, without any warning.

  2. Thud:

    A heavy sound when something falls down.

  3. Wise:

    Very smart and knowing many things.

  4. Scared:

    Feeling fear or being afraid of something.

  5. Shouts:

    Speaking very loudly to get attention.

  6. Breaks:

    To split into pieces or stop working.

  7. Fruit:

    A sweet part of a plant that you can eat.

  8. Ground:

    The surface of the earth where we walk.

  9. Noise:

    A loud or unexpected sound.

  10. Calm:

    Feeling relaxed and not worried or scared.

  1. Timid:

    Easily frightened; lacking confidence.

  2. Disaster:

    A sudden event causing great harm.

  3. Imagination:

    Ability to form ideas in the mind.

  4. Terrified:

    Extremely scared or frightened.

  5. Warn:

    To tell someone about a possible danger.

  6. Panic:

    Sudden, overwhelming fear or worry.

  7. Chaos:

    Complete disorder and confusion.

  8. Convinced:

    Fully certain or sure about something.

  9. Foolish:

    Lacking good sense or judgement.

  10. Conclusions:

    Decisions or opinions formed after thinking.

Understanding Questions
  1. What does the rabbit think is happening when it hears a noise?

    1. The tree is falling.
    2. The ground is breaking.
    3. The wind is strong.
    4. The animals are fighting.
  2. What falls from the tree?

    1. A bird
    2. A branch
    3. A fruit
    4. A leaf
  3. Who asks the lion why the animals are running?

    1. The rabbit
    2. The deer
    3. The wise bird
    4. The hare
  4. How does the rabbit feel after the wise bird shows the fruit?

    1. Happy
    2. Angry
    3. Silly
    4. Excited
  5. What is the lesson the animals learn at the end of the story?

    1. To run fast
    2. To stay calm
    3. To be scared
    4. To find food
  1. Why was the rabbit always afraid, even though the forest was calm and safe?
  2. What made the rabbit think that the Earth was breaking apart?
  3. Which animals joined the rabbit in his panic and why did they follow him?
  4. How did the wise bird find out the real cause of the noise that scared the rabbit?
  5. What lesson did the rabbit and his friends learn from the wise bird at the end of the story?
  1. Why did the rabbit initially believe that the Earth was breaking apart?
  2. How did the other animals react to the rabbit's warning, and what does this show about their behavior?
  3. What role does the wise bird play in solving the confusion among the animals?
  4. What specific detail led the wise bird to realize the actual cause of the noise that frightened the rabbit?
  5. How did the rabbit feel after discovering the truth, and what lesson did the animals learn by the end of the story?
Reflection Questions
  1. Why do you think the Rabbit jumped to conclusions when he heard the loud noise?
  2. How did the Rabbit's fear and imagination cause trouble for the other animals?
  3. Can you think of a time when you were scared of something, and it turned out to be much less frightening than you initially thought?
  4. What does this story teach us about the importance of understanding a situation fully before reacting?
  5. How can we apply the lesson from this story to not let our fears and imaginations get the best of us in our own lives?
Fable Quotes
Letting fear dictate our actions blinds us to the truth and causes unnecessary chaos.
True understanding comes from seeking the whole truth, not letting fear and imagination cloud our judgment.
Own your actions, for they hold the power to cause either panic or peace.
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