By Ruth Y.Nott
The move had not been easy for any of them, especially Papa. The cough he had before they left had gotten worse on the long journey. Now he stayed in bed almost all the time and all the hard work was theirs to do, just Mariella and the children.
They had been told that food would be easier to find here, but had not yet found it to be so. That night after Bart, as he liked to be called, and Norma had said their prayers and were tucked warmly into bed, Mariella explained their chores for the next day.
"First thing tomorrow, before the first rays of the sun peek above the hilltop, you two must take your baskets and begin looking for food around the outskirts of the city. I don't like to send you that close to human folk, but we have to find something more nourishing for poor Papa. If his cough gets much worse, I doubt that even old Elbanu's medicine will heal him. So, snuggle up and get a goodnight's sleep if you can."
Bart shivered and thought about tomorrow while Norma dreamed of baskets full of juicy carrots. She was too young yet to know the fear of human folk.
The next day, very early, while darkness still lingered upon the land, Bart and Norma took their baskets and set out timidly toward Jerusalem. Clutching her hand tightly in his, Bart whispered to his sister, "We have to be really careful Norma. You stay very close, okay?"
Slowly they crept about, looking here and there in the fields and gardens of the human folk on the outskirts of town. They asked each animal they met if they had any food to spare for a poor bunny family. The only help they received, however, was from Llemuel Rooster who awoke just as the first rays of the sun's light began to turn the sky a pale pinkish color.
"What's this?" crowed Llemuel. "A family in distress? Heaven knows there's little enough for any of us to eat these days, but, if we hurry, I think we just might have time to collect a few eggs from my wife and her clucky old cousin hens before the human folk gather them for breakfast." Hopping down from the fence post, Llemuel scurried away with their baskets. Before they could hardly blink an eye he was back with several fresh eggs perched atop the herbs and roots they had found along the way.
"Run along now children and be quick about it!" warned Llemuel. "Take the short-cut over Golgotha Hill and you'll be back in your mother's arms in no time at all." Flapping furiously, he managed to reach a low branch in the old olive tree nearby. Here, he could keep a close eye on Bart and Norma as they made their way around the bend in the road. Then he began to clean his feathers.
"Hurry Norma!" Bart chided as he jerked at his sister's hand. "There's no time to sniff the flowers with the human folk beginning to stir about!"
Even as he spoke, they could hear them approaching, a great crowd which was also headed toward Golgotha Hill. Bart froze. He could feel the tension and excitement in the air and could see the anxiety on the faces as the crowd pushed in around them. Before they knew what was happening, Bart and Norma became caught up in the running feet and had to jump and dodge along with them, hardly able to avoid being crushed!
Suddenly everything was quiet except for an occasional shout and the muffled sobs of several women standing off to one side.
Bart looked quickly around, his heart pounding in his little chest. He still held tightly to Norma's hand.
"B-B-Bart?" whispered Norma, "Where are we? What are all these people doing here?"
"I don't know Norma," Bart answered, "But let's rest here for a little while before we go on. They don't seem to be paying much attention to us."
Norma huddled close beside Bart and he could feet her tension begin to ease just a little. As Bart watched what was going on, he saw that they were resting at the base of a great cross, one of three erected on this hill. On those crosses, three humans had been nailed and the one hanging on the cross above their heads seemed to be of some importance. He was the one these people were shouting at and it was for him the women wept.
"It's sad what humans do to each other," Bart thought out loud, "But, as long as he holds their attention, maybe they won't see us here," and he inched closer to the foot of the cross. Suddenly, thunder, loud and angry, echoed across the little valley and over Golgotha Hill. Lightning set the sky ablaze and raindrops pelted the startled crowd into retreat.
"Now Norma!" Bart shouted. "Run now!" And he seized the opportunity to flee amid the mounting confusion.
Barrrrooom! Barrrroooom! The thunder growled and the ground shook beneath their feet. Down the far side of the hill they flew, never looking back.
Soon, they were safe again in their own little house and Mariella was hugging them close and whispering "Thank goodness you're safe! I was worried!" Her words trailed off into tears. Pulling an already damp handkerchief from her pocket, she dried her eyes and tried to listen to what the children had to say.
"We were so frightened!" Norma began, "All those humans running and crying and shouting and then the thunder and lightning!" She took a deep breath. "It was terrible! But, Bart was SO brave! He knew just what to do!"
"Well," Mariella said as she hugged them both again, "I'm just very glad you made it back safely. I'm sure you were both brave little bunnies. Norma, Bart..." She stopped, staring at the little baskets. "What's all this?"
It was hard to believe the baskets had survived that helter-skelter run home. Nevertheless, there they were, still clutched tightly in their hands. They couldn't even remember grabbing them up when they began their mad rush toward home.
"Mariella, look!" Bart pointed at the eggs, a look of surprise on his face. "What's that?" The eggs were different from any that Mariella or Bart or Norma had seen before. Some were spotted red, some blue and some yellow.
"How did that happen?!" cried Norma. "Now they're ruined!" Since the eggs had become wet in the rain, the colors seemed to be spreading and covering more and more of the surface of the eggs.
"That sure looks strange," said Mariella as she examined each one, "But a little stain onthe outside won't hurt the egg inside. Taking one of the eggs, she cracked the shell and began to prepare Papa's meal. "Why don't you two tip-toe into the bedroom and see if Papa's still awake. He was just as worried about you two as I was during that thunderstorm."
Very carefully, Bart and Norma eased open the bedroom door. Papa was indeed awake and, between coughs, begged them for details of their eventful morning.
Norma climbed up on the soft bed and sat nestled under Papa's arm while Bart beganto speak... "We looked all over the fields near town papa, but there were only a few roots and herbs worth picking and it was so dark that Norma kept bumping into me. We stayed close together just like Mariella said we should Papa. Just at daybreak, when we had about given up, we met a new friend, Mr. Llemuel Rooster. He gave us some of his wife's eggs, and some of her cousin's eggs too. He said they were clucky old hens!" Bart giggled as he continued. "He told us about a short-cut to hurry us back home." Bart paused a moment and Norma quickly took up the story.
"But Papa, the human folk were already up and some of them came running along the road toward Goltotha Hill. We just got all mixed up and had to run along with them." She trembled at the thought of all those human feet bumping and pushing them along.
Papa sniffed the air. "My, that breakfast does smell good! Is that scrambled eggs I smell Mariella?" he called out.
"Yes Papa," she replied. "You just rest now and I'll be right in with your tray."
"Do you know where we ended up Papa?" Norma continued, tugging at his sleeve. "Right up on top of the hill, and right at the bottom of a big wooden cross."
"There were three crosses," interrupted Bart.
"Yeah, three, and those awful humans had nailed one of their own kind to each cross, poor things!"
"Do you know who they were?" asked Papa.
"No, but the one above us must have been someone important because I heard them call him the "King of the Jews" and they put a thorny crown on his head," Norma replied.
"And Papa," shouted Bart, now reliving the fear he had experienced, "They jabbed him with a spear and he bled! I thought they were coming after us, but they were only interested in hurting him!"
"He cried, Papa," little Norma sniffed, "And when he asked for a drink, they gave him vinegar! YUK!" She continued without stopping, "Why are human folk so cruel Papa?"
"I don't know little one. It's just their nature I suppose. Go on Bart, tell Papa more."
"Well, even after they had done all that to him, and he was near death for sure, he asked his father to forgive them. Can you imagine that? I didn't see his father there, but his mother was there. I heard someone speak to her...ah...Mary was her name."
"And did he die Bart?"
"Yes Papa, and it was just then that the thunder and lightning sent everybody running...and we ran home!"
"Okay children," Mariella said as she entered the room with Papa's breakfast tray. Enough of your bubbling for now. Papa can hear more of your story after he eats."
"But there isn't any more," little Norma said as she scooted off the bed and sat on the floor beside Bart.
Papa began to nibble at the eggs and sip the herb tea Mariella had prepared. "You know," he said as he rubbed his brow, "I believe I've heard of this human you spoke of. Old Elbanu was mentioning just such a person the last time he was here to fill me with his awful medicine. I think he said his name was Jesus and that he was a great teacher among the Jews. Some even called him King, but not enough listened to his words of wisdom." He gulped down some more tea and continued. "Elbanu even said many of our own bunny folk had been gathering in the reeds near the stream to listen to him speak."
Papa was eating more vigorously now and his face began to take on a more healthy glow. As he finished off the last of the eggs and tea, he took a deep breath and stretched his arms high overhead. "My goodness, I do feel fine! I think I even feel like getting up. Let's go into the kitchen and get a good look at your colored eggs."
"But Papa!" chorused Mariella and the children, "You shouldn't be up! You're too sick! Elbanu said..."
"Elbanu said... Elbanu said... that's all I hear these days! Look at me. Am I coughing?"
"No Papa."
"Am I wheezing?"
"No Papa."
"Can I walk without help?" and he literally pranced about the room.
"Yes Papa! It's a miracle!"
Papa took little Norma by the hand and led them all into the warm kitchen. "Let's see those eggs," he said as he lifted one of the baskets close to his face. Sniff... sniff... sniff... "Ah, now I know. Sit down children and Papa will explain your strange colored eggs."
Gathered around the table as they were now, they felt like a real family again. Papa had not been with them at the table for many weeks now. He had stayed in bed, bundled up to his whiskers, and filled with Elbanu's medicine. Now, suddenly, here he was before them, the picture of health. They couldn't help but stare in astonishment as he continued.
"You say you were huddled beneath the cross for protection. Well, I suspect you have received more than that. Here, pass this egg around and have a sniff." He handed Mariella a yellow egg.
"Augh!" Mariella grimaced.
"YUK!" Norma stuck out her tongue.
"That's awful!" Bart covered his nose with one paw as he handed the egg back to Papa.
"You know that smell don't you Mariella?" Papa asked his oldest daughter.
"Yes Papa. It's vinegar."
"Exactly. The dripping of the vinegar they gave him to drink. This yellow egg is a symbol of their bitterness toward their "King". Now, take this blue one...It smells of salt and human spoor. His tears have colored this egg...his tears of pain and sorrow."
Little Norma's eyes began to water and her hose began to twitch just thinking about it. Mariella pulled her into her lap and wiped her tears.
"And the red ones," Papa continued, "Surely you know." He held one gently to his cheek. "This is the blood he shed even as he was dying, the symbol of his love and forgiveness. He even forgave the ones who killed him. Can you imagine such love?! Especially among human folk!" Papa concluded.
"And Papa," little Norma said, tugging at his sleeve again, "He must have loved us too or he wouldn't have colored our eggs so we would know!"
"Norma is right you know." Papa smiled and went on, "And his love and the nourishment from these eggs has healed me. I'm not sick anymore. He healed me and gave me a reason to live. We have a job to do. Children, we must tell everyone this good news and share our blessing!"
Soon the little bunny family was walking arm in arm, going from house to house. They shared the good news with all their new neighbors and told them about Jesus. They told them how Papa had been healed by the eggs. And, with the help of Llemuel Rooster and his relatives, they left an egg at each house as a reminder of the love and forgiveness Jesus had for everyone.
For many years, they traveled about spreading the good news until Papa died, an old and happy bunny. Then, Mariella and the children, now grownup bunnies, carried on his work. They passed the good news to their children and their children's children. Even today, so many hundreds of years later, Papa's descendants still scurry about once a year sharing the good news and their colored eggs (now colored with the juice of berries) in remembrance of the miracle of the eggs and the love that Jesus had shown them.
But, since bunnies still have to beware of human folk, they do their visiting
long before the break of day, before even the very first humans stir from their beds.
That's why we never see them taking their colored eggs from house to house. Instead,
we only find the ones they've dropped as they hurried along, racing the sun. Or,
perhaps,...could it be that they left those behind on purpose...so that even us humans
might know of His love? What do you think?
