Ethan the Easter Bunny
PUBLISHED MON, DEC 03 2018
Easter morning is just around the corner. Ethan the Easter Bunny is feeling scared that he won’t get everything done in time for the annual Easter Egg Hunt! There are so many eggs that need to be painted! There are so many baskets for so many children that need to be filled with goodies! “I better hop to it!” Ethan thinks. “But first, let me go get some of my friends to help me!”
Ethan is a fluffy white bunny with a ring of black fur around one of his big brown eyes, a pink button nose, and a cotton ball tail. Ethan can hop really fast, faster than any other bunny in the field. That’s how he got the job of the Easter bunny.
She hops around on her little legs, using her pale pink beak to push the best eggs into a pile. Once she has picked out all of the best eggs, Chicky and her friends will get to work painting them. Fresh and beautiful eggs are essential for Easter baskets!
“Hello Chicky!” Ethan says as he hops towards the henhouse.
“Hello Ethan!” Chicky chirps back. “I am almost finished collecting all of the best eggs for painting!”
“Thank you, Chicky. I want to make sure the baskets are extra special this year!” Ethan says.
“Why do we give baskets full of eggs and other goodies for Easter anyway?” Chicky asks.
“That’s a great question, Chicky,” Ethan says. “I’m not sure either.
“Oh,” says Chicky, looking disappointed.
“Let’s go find my mom,” Ethan says. “I bet she’ll know!”
Together, Ethan and Chicky hop away from the henhouse, across the meadow, to his mother’s hutch. Ethan’s mother Esther is outside, digging up carrots, when they arrive.
“Hi Ethan! Hi Chicky!” Esther calls out. “What are you two up to today?”
“Hi Mom! We were hoping you could tell us why children are given baskets full of eggs, toys, and sweets for Easter?” Ethan says.
“That’s a great question!” Esther says. “Eggs are put into the baskets as a way to symbolize new life.”
“What about the toys and candy?” Chicky asks.
“Well, that’s just because they are fun to get! Easter Sunday is the
unofficial start of spring,” Esther explains. “So toys and candy are a way to celebrate the new season!”
“Thanks for your help, Mom. We’re going to find our friend Petey to help us set up for the big Easter egg hunt!” Ethan says.
Petey is a fat pink pig who lives in New York City. He and his friend Jimmy the hedgehog are visiting Ethan in the countryside. They are staying deep in the forest. Jimmy burrows underneath a big shaded tree and Petey makes himself at home in a pile of hay.
“Hi Petey!” Ethan calls out. “Do you want to help us get ready for the Easter egg hunt?”
“Yes! I would love to!” Petey cries.
“Can I come too?” Jimmy asks.
“Setting up is just for big kids Jimmy,” says Ethan. “But we will see you later with the best Easter basket for you!”
“Jimmy, how about you go help my mom make special Easter candy?” Chicky says.
“Ok!” Jimmy agrees and runs ahead to find Chicky’s mother. Together they hide away in the far back corner of the henhouse and begin making big chocolates that look like Ethan, Chicky, and Petey.
Meanwhile, Ethan, Chicky, and Petey make their way back to the henhouse. Together they begin to paint all the eggs that Chicky had collected. They paint the eggs bright blue, green, pink, and yellow. All of the colors of spring!
Ethan had spent months building toys for all of the children in his village. Petey brings over a bunch of wild grass he picked from the field and weaves beautiful Easter baskets. When the baskets are all done, Ethan, Chicky, and Petey fill them with painted eggs, wooden toys, and chocolates.
“This was a long day!” Chicky says.
“It sure was!” Ethan agrees. “We should get a good night rest. Tomorrow morning we have to put the eggs out in the field for the big Easter egg hunt.”
“What time is the egg hunt?” Petey asks.
“It’s at 9 o’clock on the dot!” Ethan says. “So let’s meet back here at 7 o’clock to hide the eggs.”
They all nod in agreement before saying goodnight and heading home.
The next morning, Ethan puts on the bright blue bow tie he wears for special occasions. He hops over to the meadow where Petey and Chicky are already waiting. Petey has a bright yellow bow tie on and green ribbons tied around his curly tail. Chicky is wearing a pink bonnet that has little white flowers stitched onto it.
“Good morning and happy Easter!” Ethan calls out when he sees them.
“And happy spring too!” Chicky chirps.
“We all look our best for this special day,” Petey chimes in. “Should we start hiding the Easter eggs?”
“Yes, we should not waste any time!” Ethan agrees.
The happy trio bounces off and hide eggs behind tall stalks of grass, large rocks, and the big oak trees that line the meadow. When they are all done, they meet back in the center of the meadow where all the Easter baskets are ready for the children.
All of the children come running into the meadow, cheering with excitement.
“On the count of three, the annual Easter egg hunt will begin!” Ethan calls out. “One, two, three, GO!”
The children run around the meadow, snatching up eggs and putting them into their baskets.
Jimmy runs over to where Ethan, Chicky, and Petey are standing.
“Look at how many eggs I found!” he yells.
“Great job!” Petey tells him.
Ethan hops closer to him holding the biggest Easter basket of them all.
It is filled with toys, candy, and painted eggs.
“We made this basket especially for you,” Ethan says.
“I picked out all of the best eggs!” Chicky chirps.
“Thank you so much!” Jimmy says, digging through the basket excitedly. “This has been the best Easter ever! I made something for you guys too with the help of Chicky’s mom.”
Jimmy hands out the big chocolate statues he made of Ethan, Chicky, and Petey.
“Yum, I love chocolate!” says Petey.
“This was so nice of you, Jimmy!” Chicky says. Ethan nods his head in agreement.
“Happy Easter everyone!” Ethan calls to all of the children, parents, and woodland creatures running around the meadow. “May your spring be full of new life!”
Petey, Jimmy, and Chicky watch as Ethan hops away. Another job well done!
