If the bunny Charlie had turned around, he would never have been lost. But lost he was! He only wanted to have an adventure by himself. He didn't want to share his fun with anyone (even after being told to always bring a friend...just in case.)
Just in case of what? he asked his Mum, who would wait a few seconds, smile, and say "to share in your discoveries."
Charlie had a collection to remind him of every adventure he had ever taken. He found a bird's wing, and put it in his knapsack for later. He found a piece of apple, that didn't make it back to his house. He found four pennies, but they were all to heavy for him to take at once. His friend Chloe would help him with one, and they did get home with their prize.
His brothers and sisters scolded him saying he was cluttering their burrow, which already seemed small with his six siblings. "You can never use a penny" they said to him. All the food in their house was traded for tasty greens from near their hutch.
"What are you going to do with shiny paper? or the broken rubber band?" they would say, and all Charlie could say is that it was a secret.
Chapter 2
Well, now he had a secret he did not want to keep! He couldn't find his way home. He asked a squirrel if he could help. But squirrels can only remember where they put their food. (Anyway, to them all bunnies looked alike.) He asked a butterfly, but it had just come out of its cocoon. She was too small to fly yet. He asked Lilly the lizard, who was very friendly.
"Say, I'm on an adventure, too," she said. "But I know where I live." She pointed behind her. "I always make sure I can still see my front door."
Please help me, Charlie asked, but Lilly needed to see her house all the time so she couldn't leave. "what am I going to do?" Charlie was trying not to cry.
Lilly had a solution. "You can turn around and go back. Follow your paw prints!" Charlie hadn't thought of that. He was very happy for Lilly's advice, and set back for the way he had come.
"Make sure next time you remember where you live," she said. "Watch for different signs. A rock, or a certain tree root."
Hurray! Charlie shouted as he followed his paw prints back to his house.
Chapter 3
Mum was waiting at the front door looking very worried. Charlie, where have you been? I couldn't find you."
He told her what had happened. "Next time I won't go alone. Between the two of us we could easily find our way back."
His mum smiled and told him "sometimes making mistakes is the best way to learn what to do right the next time. I only warn you for your own safety."
Charlie could only add to his collection a little flower. Lilly had told him it was a good luck flower to help him get home.
