Peter's Friend

Radio Record, Volume X, Issue 3, 24 July 1936, Page 56

Peter's Friend

IX-YEAR-OLD Peter was tired of playing by himself. He did so want something really alive to play with. He knew he was not allowed to go into the wovuds alone, but this morning he _ felt naughty. He climbed over the garden gate and ran across the field into the woods. Peter wandered along the path, on and on. Once there was a rustle in the leaves of a tree over his head, and looking up he saw a squirre! eating nuts and throwing down the empty shells. After a’ while Peter felt tired, so he sat down on the ground among the biuebells. Quite a number of rabbits popped out of their burrows to look at the strange little boy. Presently there came a little squeak. . Peter looked round and saw a baby.rabbit lying on the ground. He went up to it and saw that the poor ‘ittle thing was caught in a trap. Peter opened the trap and the rabbit jumped out. — It was frightened of Peter and ‘tried to run away, " but it couldn’t because it had hurt one of its legs. Peter -knelt’ down beside it and stroked its lovely soft hair. "Don’t be frightened," . he said, "I won’t burt you... T’ll take you home"; and he took the rabbit in his arms and carried it all the’ way back through the woods’ and ~across the field. As he came to the gate into ‘the garden he could. hear his, mummy calling him: "Peter! Peter !" * She came running to open the gate. "Oh! darling, where have you been?" she asked. Then she saw the rabbit. "Oh! poor little thing, is it hurt?" "Yes," said. Peter, "T found it in a trap." Peter’s mother took the rabbit into the house and gently bathed its leg and wrapped it wp. Peter ‘never felt lonely again, for by the time the rabbit was quite well it had become so fond of him that it used to follow him all over the house and garden.