Do you think all hares are the same, all cowards? No, rabbits are also different. Ask my little son what time we caught a brawler.
We were hunting in the forest. The three of us: son, me and Jim. Jim is our dog. Short-legged, ears to the ground, short tail. A wonderful hunting dog, albeit an old one: he will find any game, raise it on the wing, and catch the shot one, grab it and carefully, without wrinkling a feather, give it straight into his hands. Jim is unusually smart and kind. He doesn’t fight with other dogs, he never bites anyone, when he meets all the people he knows, he often, often waves his tail and, you know, like a dog, smiles affably.
We were hunting in a dry autumn - the leaves were already falling from the trees, but there were no big rains yet. At this time, it is most difficult to hunt in the forest: a dried leaf rattles under your feet, the game hears you far away and sees you through thinned bushes and, not allowing it, flies away.
Suddenly I hear - Jim barked, barked in the bushes - and suddenly fell silent.
“Who is he on?” I think. And got ready to shoot.
But from there, from the bushes, no one flew out.
And the son is already there - and shouts to me from the bushes:
- Dad, dad, run quickly! Someone Jim captured! I - to them. And I see:
Jim lies stretched out on the ground, and with his front paws he presses the hare to the leaves, holding him. The hare screeches desperately, Jim wags his tail often, often, and my son stands over them - and does not know what to do.
I went up and took the bunny from Jim. I hold the hare with two fingers by the collar - he squeals even more, fights me off with his paws.
Sonny says:
- He's angry with you. Screaming: "How dare you - so small - offend me!"
And it really looked like the hare was shouting something.
And Jim stood up on his hind legs, rested his front legs on my knees and licked the hare: he calms him down, which means don’t be afraid, we’re not like that, we won’t do anything bad to you.
Then suddenly the son says:
- Look, dad, his left side is peeled.
I look: on the left side of the hare there is a bald spot. Wool is torn off, bare skin - with a nickel circle.
- Ege! I say. - Yes, this is a familiar bunny to me! He ran away from Uncle Seryozha. Get in your pocket, my friend.
Cautiously he grabbed it under the belly and put it in his hunting jacket, in his back pocket. I have such a pocket in my jacket: in the whole back, and on the sides there are buttons. It is very convenient to carry shot game in it and all sorts of things that happen to come across on a hunt.
It’s dark and warm for the hare, and he quieted down.
And we immediately went home.
On the way, of course, I had to tell my little son everything in detail, how I know this hare and why he has a cracked barrel.
Uncle Seryozha - my friend, also a hunter, lives on the edge of the village, near the forest. He caught a hare about three weeks ago - still a baby - in his garden under a currant bush. This hare is from leaf fall. In rabbits, the first rabbits will be born in the spring, when there is still a crust of snow - crust. And they are called n and with t o-vichki. And the last of the year will be born in the fall, when the leaves are already starting to fall from the trees. Their hunters call them - leaf fall.
Uncle Seryozha was very happy with this hare. That's why: he, Uncle Seryozha, not so long ago had a yard dog named Cleopard. He had promised all his puppies to his friends even earlier. How can you take them away from your mother? The already furious Cleopard will go completely crazy, she will start throwing herself at everyone. Uncle Seryozha came up with a hare to put her instead of puppies so that she would not get bored, would not be fierce. ”And so he did.
The puppies were in the box. He took them from there when his mother was gone, and put a hare in their place.
Cleopard came - there are no puppies, but a small animal sits in a box and smells of her dog smell: everything in the box is with her smell.
She did not touch the hare, she recognized it as her own. Comforted them. Bones began to drag him, the best pieces of meat. From such food, the hare would quickly stretch out its legs, and Uncle Seryozha fed him milk and cabbage. She never taught Cleopard her foster child to gnaw bones and eat meat - her dog food. But she taught her dog courage.
Cleopard was an excellent watchman and did not allow anyone to the master's house - neither a stranger, nor dogs. With such a vicious look, she flew out to meet them that a rare dog would not turn its tail and take off running without waiting for this gray evil to knock it off its feet. She was the size of a wolf.
The bunny grew up quickly. Bunnies do not feed their children even for two weeks. In a hare way, a two-week-old hare is already considered “big” and must seek out various tasty herbs for itself and hide from dogs.
This hare, though still tiny, quickly jumped out of the box and ran around the yard for his named mother. And in everything she, like a monkey, imitated. Cleopard from the place - and he is behind her. She's on the dog - and so is he. She bites - and he tries to bite the dog. And his front teeth - have you seen hares? - long, sharp, gnaw through branches. As he bites, the fur flies from the dog! The dog is not up to him: if only to fight off Cleopard. He, a hare, lost all fear of dogs. As where he sees, he rushes towards him - to bite. The wolf cub became brave. The neighbor's dogs were all afraid of him.
Yes, once some distant puppy wandered into the yard of Uncle Seryozha, who neither knew Cleopard, nor her brave little son.
Cleopard did not happen nearby, and her hare, having drunk milk, slept on hay under a box.
The puppy ran up to the box - a hare. And rushed at him.
A dog, of course, is not like a hare. If in a hare a two-week-old hare is already considered “big”, then a three-week-old dog has only eyes to cut through. She is considered a puppy even at three months.
This puppy was already four months old, and he was still quite stupid. He really wanted to catch a hare. And how to get down to business properly, he did not know - he had not yet had to go on a hunt.
He jumped on the hare and grabbed his teeth by the side! It should be by the scruff of the neck or something like that, but he is by the side.
Well, of course, he tore out a decent tuft of wool, made a bald patch on his side, but he could not hold it. The hare will jump up, how it will wave with a fright through the box - only the puppy saw it! And then Cleopard came running - the puppy had to get out of the yard as soon as possible.
Cleopard licked her rabbit's wound. It is known after all: a dog's tongue is better than any medicine, and it heals wounds excellently. But after this incident, the hare no longer wanted to live in Uncle Seryozha's yard. At night he climbed through the fence - and into the forest.
Yes, three days have not passed, our Jim caught him in the forest.
My son listened to my story and pouted his lips, almost crying.
“Well, here it is,” he says. - So you are carrying it to Uncle Seryozha. And I thought he would live with us ...
“Well,” I say. - Today, of course, he will spend the night with us, and tomorrow we will go to Uncle Seryozha, we will ask. If he doesn't need it, maybe he'll give in to us.
We came home and I released the hare on the floor.
He immediately went to the corner under the bench - and hid there.
The son poured him a saucer of milk, calls him:
- Puffed Barrel, Puffed Barrel, go drink some milk. Sweet!
The bunny doesn't come out.
The son climbed after him under the bench, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pulled him out. The hare squeals, jerks with its hind legs.
- Stupid, we are people, - the son explains to him, - we will not offend you.
And the hare contrived - and the cock with his teeth for a finger! He bit so hard that he even bled.
The little boy screamed and released him.
The hare is back under the bench.
Then our kitten - we still had a kitten then, smaller than a hare - ran up to the saucer and began to drink milk from it.
The battered barrel will jump out, how it will rush at him, how it will bite!
The kitten flew up on the stove from him like a bird!
The son smiles through tears:
- That's the hare!
We had dinner, and Jim was the first to go to bed in his place - he has his own mattress in the corner. Jim was very tired - after all, the whole day he ran through the forest, the old man was looking for game.
We look, the Shelled Barrel hobbles towards him. He sat on his hind legs, and suddenly drummed on Jim with his front paws!
Jim jumped up and, grumbling and turning around, went under the bench: you shouldn’t fight with the little one, but it’s still a shame to give up your bed to such a person! ..
And the Cracked Barrel calmly lay down on his mattress.
We slept through the night. We get up in the morning, - Jim is still sleeping under the bench on the bare floor, and the kitten is still sitting on the stove, afraid to get down.
I ask my son:
- Well, let's go to Uncle Seryozha to ask for a hare?
The son looked at the kitten, at Jim, at his knotted
finger and says:
- You know? Let's go better take the hare to Uncle Seryozha for good.
So we did. Well, how, in fact, to keep such a brawler at home! Fights with everyone. What a good-natured Jim - and did not get along with him.
We took the hare to Uncle Seryozha, and he says:
I don't need that either. Take it where you got it from. I had to take it to the forest.
Released there.
The hare jumped-jumped - and into the bushes.
He didn't even say goodbye.
That's what hares are.

Illustrations: E. Nazarov

Do you think all hares are the same, all cowards? No, rabbits are also different. Ask my little son what time we caught a brawler.

We were hunting in the forest. The three of us: son, me and Jim. Jim is our dog. Short-legged, ears to the ground, short tail. A wonderful hunting dog, albeit an old one: he will find any game, raise it on the wing, and catch the shot one, grab it and carefully, without wrinkling a feather, give it straight into his hands. Jim is unusually smart and kind. He doesn’t fight with other dogs, he never bites anyone, when he meets all the people he knows, he often, often waves his tail and, you know, like a dog, smiles affably.

We were hunting in a dry autumn - the leaves were already falling from the trees, but there were no big rains yet. At this time, it is most difficult to hunt in the forest: a dried leaf rattles under your feet, the game hears you far away and sees you through thinned bushes and, not allowing it, flies away.

Suddenly I hear - Jim barked, barked in the bushes - and suddenly fell silent.

“Who is he on?” I think. And got ready to shoot.

But from there, from the bushes, no one flew out.

And the son is already there - and shouts to me from the bushes:

Daddy, daddy, hurry up! Someone Jim captured! I - to them. And I see:

Jim lies stretched out on the ground, and with his front paws he presses the hare to the leaves, holding him. The hare screeches desperately, Jim wags his tail often, often, and my son stands over them - and does not know what to do.

I went up and took the bunny from Jim. I hold the hare with two fingers by the collar - he squeals even more, fights me off with his paws.

Sonny says:

He is angry with you. Screaming: "How dare you - so small - offend me!"

And it really looked like the hare was shouting something.

And Jim stood up on his hind legs, rested his front legs on my knees and licked the hare: he calms him down, which means don’t be afraid, we’re not like that, we won’t do anything bad to you.

Then suddenly the son says:

Look, dad, his left side is peeled.

I look: on the left side of the hare there is a bald spot. Wool is torn off, bare skin - with a nickel circle.

Hey! I say. - Yes, this is a familiar bunny to me! He ran away from Uncle Seryozha. Get in your pocket, my friend.

Cautiously he grabbed it under the belly and put it in his hunting jacket, in his back pocket. I have such a pocket in my jacket: in the whole back, and on the sides there are buttons. It is very convenient to carry shot game in it and all sorts of things that happen to come across on a hunt.

It’s dark and warm for the hare, and he quieted down.

And we immediately went home.

On the way, of course, I had to tell my little son everything in detail, how I know this hare and why he has a cracked barrel.

Uncle Seryozha - my friend, also a hunter, lives on the edge of the village, near the forest. He caught a hare about three weeks ago - still a baby - in his garden under a currant bush. This hare is from leaf fall. In rabbits, the first rabbits will be born in the spring, when there is still a crust of snow - crust. And they are called n and with t o-vichki. And the last of the year will be born in the fall, when the leaves are already starting to fall from the trees. Their hunters call them - leaf fall.

Uncle Seryozha was very happy with this hare. That's why: he, Uncle Seryozha, not so long ago had a yard dog named Cleopard. He had promised all his puppies to his friends even earlier. How can you take them away from your mother? The already furious Cleopard will go completely crazy, she will start throwing herself at everyone. Uncle Seryozha came up with a hare to put her instead of puppies so that she would not get bored, would not be fierce. ”And so he did.

The puppies were in the box. He took them from there when his mother was gone, and put a hare in their place.

Cleopard came - there are no puppies, but a small animal sits in a box and smells of her dog smell: everything in the box is with her smell.

She did not touch the hare, she recognized it as her own. Comforted them. Bones began to drag him, the best pieces of meat. From such food, the hare would quickly stretch out its legs, and Uncle Seryozha fed him milk and cabbage. She never taught Cleopard her foster child to gnaw bones and eat meat - her dog food. But she taught her dog courage.

Cleopard was an excellent watchman and did not allow anyone to the master's house - neither a stranger, nor dogs. With such a vicious look, she flew out to meet them that a rare dog would not turn its tail and take off running without waiting for this gray evil to knock it off its feet. She was the size of a wolf.

The bunny grew up quickly. Bunnies do not feed their children even for two weeks. In a hare way, a two-week-old hare is already considered “big” and must seek out various tasty herbs for itself and hide from dogs.

This hare, though still tiny, quickly jumped out of the box and ran around the yard for his named mother. And in everything she, like a monkey, imitated. Cleopard from the place - and he is behind her. She's on the dog - and so is he. She bites - and he tries to bite the dog. And his front teeth - have you seen hares? - long, sharp, gnaw through branches. As he bites, the fur flies from the dog! The dog is not up to him: if only to fight off Cleopard. He, a hare, lost all fear of dogs. As where he sees, he rushes towards him - to bite. The wolf cub became brave. The neighbor's dogs were all afraid of him.

Yes, once some distant puppy wandered into the yard of Uncle Seryozha, who neither knew Cleopard, nor her brave little son.

Cleopard did not happen nearby, and her hare, having drunk milk, slept on hay under a box.

The puppy ran up to the box - a hare. And rushed at him.

A dog, of course, is not like a hare. If in a hare a two-week-old hare is already considered “big”, then a three-week-old dog has only eyes to cut through. She is considered a puppy even at three months.

This puppy was already four months old, and he was still quite stupid. He really wanted to catch a hare. And how to get down to business properly, he did not know - he had not yet had to go on a hunt.

He jumped on the hare and grabbed his teeth by the side! It should be by the scruff of the neck or something like that, but he is by the side.

Well, of course, he tore out a decent tuft of wool, made a bald patch on his side, but he could not hold it. The hare will jump up, how it will wave with a fright through the box - only the puppy saw it! And then Cleopard came running - the puppy had to get out of the yard as soon as possible.

Cleopard licked her rabbit's wound. It is known after all: a dog's tongue is better than any medicine, and it heals wounds excellently. But after this incident, the hare no longer wanted to live in Uncle Seryozha's yard. At night he climbed through the fence - and into the forest.

Yes, three days have not passed, our Jim caught him in the forest.

My son listened to my story and pouted his lips, almost crying.

Well, here it is, he says. - So you are carrying it to Uncle Seryozha. And I thought he would live with us ...

Well, I say. - Today, of course, he will spend the night with us, and tomorrow we will go to Uncle Seryozha, we will ask. If he doesn't need it, maybe he'll give in to us.

We came home and I released the hare on the floor.

He immediately went to the corner under the bench - and hid there.

The son poured him a saucer of milk, calls him:

Cracked Barrel, Cracked Barrel, go drink some milk. Sweet!

The bunny doesn't come out.

The son climbed after him under the bench, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pulled him out. The hare squeals, jerks with its hind legs.

Silly, we are people, - the son explains to him, - we will not offend you.

And the hare contrived - and the cock with his teeth for a finger! He bit so hard that he even bled.

The little boy screamed and released him.

The hare is back under the bench.

Then our kitten - we still had a kitten then, smaller than a hare - ran up to the saucer and began to drink milk from it.

The battered barrel will jump out, how it will rush at him, how it will bite!

The kitten flew up on the stove from him like a bird!

The son smiles through tears:

That's the hare!

We had dinner, and Jim was the first to go to bed in his place - he has his own mattress in the corner. Jim was very tired - after all, the whole day he ran through the forest, the old man was looking for game.

We look, the Shelled Barrel hobbles towards him. He sat on his hind legs, and suddenly drummed on Jim with his front paws!

Jim jumped up and, grumbling and turning around, went under the bench: you shouldn’t fight with the little one, but it’s still a shame to give up your bed to such a person! ..

And the Cracked Barrel calmly lay down on his mattress.

We slept through the night. We get up in the morning, - Jim is still sleeping under the bench on the bare floor, and the kitten is still sitting on the stove, afraid to get down.

I ask my son:

Well, let's go to Uncle Seryozha to ask for a hare?

The son looked at the kitten, at Jim, at his knotted

finger and says:

You know? Let's go better take the hare to Uncle Seryozha for good.

So we did. Well, how, in fact, to keep such a brawler at home! Fights with everyone. What a good-natured Jim - and did not get along with him.

We took the hare to Uncle Seryozha, and he says:

I don't need that either. Take it where you got it from. I had to take it to the forest.

A battered barrel They released it.

The hare jumped-jumped - and into the bushes.

He didn't even say goodbye.

That's what hares are.

Do you think all hares are the same, all cowards? No, rabbits are also different. Ask my little son what time we caught a brawler.

We were hunting in the forest. The three of us: son, me and Jim. Jim is our dog. Short-legged, ears to the ground, short tail. A wonderful hunting dog, albeit an old one: he will find any game, raise it on the wing, and catch the shot one, grab it and carefully, without wrinkling a feather, give it straight into his hands. Jim is unusually smart and kind. He doesn’t fight with other dogs, he never bites anyone, when he meets all the people he knows, he often, often waves his tail and, you know, like a dog, smiles affably.

We were hunting in a dry autumn - the leaves were already falling from the trees, but there were no big rains yet. At this time, it is most difficult to hunt in the forest: a dried leaf rattles under your feet, the game hears you far away and sees you through thinned bushes and, not allowing it, flies away.

Suddenly I hear - Jim barked, barked in the bushes - and suddenly fell silent.

“Who is he on?” I think. And got ready to shoot.

But from there, from the bushes, no one flew out.

And the son is already there - and shouts to me from the bushes:

Daddy, daddy, hurry up! Someone Jim captured! I - to them. And I see:

Jim lies stretched out on the ground, and with his front paws he presses the hare to the leaves, holding him. The hare screeches desperately, Jim wags his tail often, often, and my son stands over them - and does not know what to do.

I went up and took the bunny from Jim. I hold the hare with two fingers by the collar - he squeals even more, fights me off with his paws.

Sonny says:

He is angry with you. Screaming: "How dare you - so small - offend me!"

And it really looked like the hare was shouting something.

And Jim stood up on his hind legs, rested his front legs on my knees and licked the hare: he calms him down, which means don’t be afraid, we’re not like that, we won’t do anything bad to you.

Then suddenly the son says:

Look, dad, his left side is peeled.

I look: on the left side of the hare there is a bald spot. Wool is torn off, bare skin - with a nickel circle.

Hey! I say. - Yes, this is a familiar bunny to me! He ran away from Uncle Seryozha. Get in your pocket, my friend.

Cautiously he grabbed it under the belly and put it in his hunting jacket, in his back pocket. I have such a pocket in my jacket: in the whole back, and on the sides there are buttons. It is very convenient to carry shot game in it and all sorts of things that happen to come across on a hunt.

It’s dark and warm for the hare, and he quieted down.

And we immediately went home.

On the way, of course, I had to tell my little son everything in detail, how I know this hare and why he has a cracked barrel.

Uncle Seryozha - my friend, also a hunter, lives on the edge of the village, near the forest. He caught a hare about three weeks ago - still a baby - in his garden under a currant bush. This hare is from leaf fall. In rabbits, the first rabbits will be born in the spring, when there is still a crust of snow - crust. And they are called n and with t o-vichki. And the last of the year will be born in the fall, when the leaves are already starting to fall from the trees. Their hunters call them - leaf fall.

Uncle Seryozha was very happy with this hare. That's why: he, Uncle Seryozha, not so long ago had a yard dog named Cleopard. He had promised all his puppies to his friends even earlier. How can you take them away from your mother? The already furious Cleopard will go completely crazy, she will start throwing herself at everyone. Uncle Seryozha came up with a hare to put her instead of puppies so that she would not get bored, would not be fierce. ”And so he did.

The puppies were in the box. He took them from there when his mother was gone, and put a hare in their place.

Cleopard came - there are no puppies, but a small animal sits in a box and smells of her dog smell: everything in the box is with her smell.

She did not touch the hare, she recognized it as her own. Comforted them. Bones began to drag him, the best pieces of meat. From such food, the hare would quickly stretch out its legs, and Uncle Seryozha fed him milk and cabbage. She never taught Cleopard her foster child to gnaw bones and eat meat - her dog food. But she taught her dog courage.

Cleopard was an excellent watchman and did not allow anyone to the master's house - neither a stranger, nor dogs. With such a vicious look, she flew out to meet them that a rare dog would not turn its tail and take off running without waiting for this gray evil to knock it off its feet. She was the size of a wolf.

The bunny grew up quickly. Bunnies do not feed their children even for two weeks. In a hare way, a two-week-old hare is already considered “big” and must seek out various tasty herbs for itself and hide from dogs.

This hare, though still tiny, quickly jumped out of the box and ran around the yard for his named mother. And in everything she, like a monkey, imitated. Cleopard from the place - and he is behind her. She's on the dog - and so is he. She bites - and he tries to bite the dog. And his front teeth - have you seen hares? - long, sharp, gnaw through branches. As he bites, the fur flies from the dog! The dog is not up to him: if only to fight off Cleopard. He, a hare, lost all fear of dogs. As where he sees, he rushes towards him - to bite. The wolf cub became brave. The neighbor's dogs were all afraid of him.

Yes, once some distant puppy wandered into the yard of Uncle Seryozha, who neither knew Cleopard, nor her brave little son.

Cleopard did not happen nearby, and her hare, having drunk milk, slept on hay under a box.

The puppy ran up to the box - a hare. And rushed at him.

A dog, of course, is not like a hare. If in a hare a two-week-old hare is already considered “big”, then a three-week-old dog has only eyes to cut through. She is considered a puppy even at three months.

This puppy was already four months old, and he was still quite stupid. He really wanted to catch a hare. And how to get down to business properly, he did not know - he had not yet had to go on a hunt.

He jumped on the hare and grabbed his teeth by the side! It should be by the scruff of the neck or something like that, but he is by the side.

Well, of course, he tore out a decent tuft of wool, made a bald patch on his side, but he could not hold it. The hare will jump up, how it will wave with a fright through the box - only the puppy saw it! And then Cleopard came running - the puppy had to get out of the yard as soon as possible.

Cleopard licked her rabbit's wound. It is known after all: a dog's tongue is better than any medicine, and it heals wounds excellently. But after this incident, the hare no longer wanted to live in Uncle Seryozha's yard. At night he climbed through the fence - and into the forest.

Yes, three days have not passed, our Jim caught him in the forest.

My son listened to my story and pouted his lips, almost crying.

Well, here it is, he says. - So you are carrying it to Uncle Seryozha. And I thought he would live with us ...

Well, I say. - Today, of course, he will spend the night with us, and tomorrow we will go to Uncle Seryozha, we will ask. If he doesn't need it, maybe he'll give in to us.

We came home and I released the hare on the floor.

He immediately went to the corner under the bench - and hid there.

The son poured him a saucer of milk, calls him:

Cracked Barrel, Cracked Barrel, go drink some milk. Sweet!

The bunny doesn't come out.

The son climbed after him under the bench, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pulled him out. The hare squeals, jerks with its hind legs.

Silly, we are people, - the son explains to him, - we will not offend you.

And the hare contrived - and the cock with his teeth for a finger! He bit so hard that he even bled.

The little boy screamed and released him.

The hare is back under the bench.

Then our kitten - we still had a kitten then, smaller than a hare - ran up to the saucer and began to drink milk from it.

The battered barrel will jump out, how it will rush at him, how it will bite!

The kitten flew up on the stove from him like a bird!

The son smiles through tears:

That's the hare!

We had dinner, and Jim was the first to go to bed in his place - he has his own mattress in the corner. Jim was very tired - after all, the whole day he ran through the forest, the old man was looking for game.

We look, the Shelled Barrel hobbles towards him. He sat on his hind legs, and suddenly drummed on Jim with his front paws!

Jim jumped up and, grumbling and turning around, went under the bench: you shouldn’t fight with the little one, but it’s still a shame to give up your bed to such a person! ..

And the Cracked Barrel calmly lay down on his mattress.

We slept through the night. We get up in the morning, - Jim is still sleeping under the bench on the bare floor, and the kitten is still sitting on the stove, afraid to get down.

I ask my son:

Well, let's go to Uncle Seryozha to ask for a hare?

The son looked at the kitten, at Jim, at his tied finger and said:

You know? Let's go better take the hare to Uncle Seryozha for good.

So we did. Well, how, in fact, to keep such a brawler at home! Fights with everyone. What a good-natured Jim - and did not get along with him.

We took the hare to Uncle Seryozha, and he says:

I don't need that either. Take it where you got it from. I had to take it to the forest.

Released there.

The hare jumped-jumped - and into the bushes.

He didn't even say goodbye.

That's what hares are.

shelled barrel

Bianchi V.V. Collected Works: In 4 vols. T. 1: Stories and Tales / Entry. Art. Grodensky G.; Comment. Bianchi E.; Rice. Charushina E. - L: Det. lit., 1972. - 399p.: ill., portr. - Stories and fairy tales.

Do you think all hares are the same, all cowards? No, rabbits are also different. Ask my little son what time we caught a brawler.

We were hunting in the forest. The three of us: son, me and Jim. Jim is our dog. Short-legged, ears to the ground, short tail. A wonderful hunting dog, albeit an old one: he will find any game, raise it on the wing, and catch the wounded one, grab it and carefully, without wrinkling a feather, give it straight into his hands. Jim is unusually smart and kind. He doesn’t fight with other dogs, he never bites anyone, when he meets all the people he knows, he often, often waves his tail and, you know, like a dog, smiles affably.

We were hunting in a dry autumn - the leaves were already falling from the trees, but there were no big rains yet. At this time, it is most difficult to hunt in the forest: a dried leaf rattles under your feet, the game hears you far away and sees you through thinned bushes and, not allowing it, flies away.

Suddenly I hear - Jim barked, barked in the bushes - and suddenly fell silent.

"Who is he on?" - Think. And got ready to shoot.

But from there, from the bushes, no one flew out.

And the son is already there - and shouts to me from the bushes:

Daddy, daddy, hurry up! Someone Jim captured!

I go to them and see:

Jim lies stretched out on the ground, and with his front paws he presses the hare to the leaves, holding him. The hare screeches desperately, Jim wags his tail often, often, and my son stands over them - and does not know what to do.

I went up and took the bunny from Jim. I hold the hare with two fingers by the collar - he squeals even more, fights me off with his paws.

Sonny says:

He is angry with you. Screaming: "How dare you - so small - offend me!"

And it really looked like the hare was shouting something. And Jim stood up on his hind legs, rested his front legs on my knees and licked the hare: he calms him down, which means don’t be afraid, we’re not like that, we won’t do anything bad to you. Then suddenly the son says:

Look, dad, his left side is peeled.

I look, on the left side of the hare there is a bald spot. The wool is torn off, the bare skin is in a nickel circle.

Hey! I say. - Yes, this is a familiar bunny to me! He ran away from Uncle Seryozha. Get in your pocket, my friend.

Cautiously he grabbed it under the belly and put it in his hunting jacket, in his back pocket. I have such a pocket in my jacket: in the whole back, but on the sides. - buttons. It is very convenient to carry shot game in it and all sorts of things that happen to come across on a hunt.

It’s dark and warm for the hare, and he quieted down.

And we immediately went home.

On the way, of course, I had to tell my son everything in detail, how I know this hare and why he has a broken barrel.

Uncle Seryozha - my friend, also a hunter, lives on the edge of the village, near the forest. He caught a hare about three weeks ago - still a baby - in his garden under a currant bush. This hare is from leaf fall. In rabbits, the first rabbits will be born in the spring, when there is still a crust of snow - crust. And they are called nastovichki. And the last of the year will be born in the fall, when the leaves are already starting to fall from the trees. Their hunters call them - leaf fall.

Uncle Seryozha was very happy with this hare. That's why: he, Uncle Seryozha, not so long ago had a yard dog named Cleopard. He had promised all his puppies to his friends even earlier. How can you take them away from your mother? The already furious Cleopard will go completely crazy, she will start throwing herself at everything. Uncle Seryozha also came up with a hare to put her instead of puppies, so that she would not be bored, not fierce.

And so he did.

The puppies were in the box. He took them from there when his mother was gone, and put a hare in their place.

Cleopard came - there are no puppies, but a small animal sits in a box and smells of her dog smell: everything in the box is with her smell.

She did not touch the hare: she recognized it as her own. Comforted them. Bones began to drag him, the best pieces of meat. With such food, the hare would quickly stretch out its legs, and Uncle Seryozha fed him milk and cabbage. She never taught Cleopard her foster child to gnaw bones and eat meat - her dog food. But she taught dog courage.

Cleopard was an excellent watchman and did not let anyone near the master's house - neither a stranger nor dogs. With such a vicious look, she flew out to meet them that a rare dog would not turn its tail and take off running without waiting for this gray evil to knock it off its feet.

She was the size of a wolf.

The bunny grew up quickly. Bunnies do not feed their children even for two weeks. In a hare way, a two-week-old hare is already considered “big” and must seek out various tasty herbs for itself and hide from dogs.

This hare, though still tiny, quickly jumped out of the box and ran around the yard for his named mother. And in everything she, like a monkey, imitated. Cleopard from the place - and he is behind her. She's on the dog - and so is he. She bites - and he tries to bite the dog. And his front teeth - have you seen hares? - long, sharp, gnaw through branches. As he bites, the fur flies from the dog! The dog is not up to him: if only to fight off Cleopard. He, a hare, lost all fear of dogs. As where he sees, he rushes towards him - to bite. The wolf cub became brave. The neighbor's dogs were all afraid of him.

Yes, once some distant puppy wandered into the yard of Uncle Seryozha, who neither knew Cleopard, nor her brave little son.

Cleopard did not happen nearby, and her hare, having drunk milk, slept on hay under a box.

The puppy ran up to the box - bunny! And rushed at him.

A dog, of course, is not like a hare. If in a hare a two-week-old hare is already considered “big”, then a three-week-old dog has only eyes to cut through. She is considered a puppy even at three months.

This puppy was already four months old, and he was still quite stupid. He really wanted to catch a hare. And how to get down to business properly, he did not know - he had not yet had to go on a hunt.

He jumped on the hare and grabbed his teeth by the side! It should be by the scruff of the neck or something like that, but he is by the side.

Well, of course, he tore out a decent tuft of wool, made a bald patch on his side, but he could not hold it. The hare will jump up, how it will wave with a fright through the box - only the puppy saw it! And then Cleopard came running - the puppy had to get out of the yard as soon as possible.

Cleopard licked her rabbit's wound. It is known after all: a dog's tongue is better than any plaster, and it heals wounds excellently. But after this incident, the hare no longer wanted to live in Uncle Seryozha's yard. At night he climbed through the fence - and into the forest.

Yes, three days have not passed, our Jim caught him in the forest.

My son listened to my story and pouted his lips, almost crying.

Well, here it is, he says. - So you are carrying it to Uncle Seryozha. And I thought he would live with us ...

Well, I say. - Today, of course, he will spend the night with us, and tomorrow we will go to Uncle Seryozha, we will ask. If he doesn't need it, maybe he'll give in to us.

We came home and I released the hare on the floor.

He immediately went into a corner, under a bench - and hid there.

The son poured him a saucer of milk, calls him:

Puffed Barrel, Puffed Barrel, go drink some milk. Sweet!

The bunny doesn't come out.

The son climbed after him under the bench, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pulled him out. The hare squeals, jerks with its hind legs.

Silly, we are people, - the son explains to him, - we will not offend you!

And the hare contrived - and the cock with his teeth for a finger! He bit so hard that he even bled.

The little boy screamed and released him.

The hare is back under the bench.

Then our kitten - we still had a kitten then, smaller than a hare - ran up to the saucer and began to drink milk from it.

The battered barrel will jump out, how it will rush at him, how it will bite!

The kitten flew up on the stove from him like a bird!

The son smiles through tears:

That's the hare!

We had dinner, and Jim was the first to go to bed in his place - he has his own mattress in the corner. Jim was very tired - after all, the whole day he ran through the forest, looking for game, old man.

We look, the Beaten Barrel hobbles towards him. He sat on his hind legs, and suddenly drummed on Jim with his front paws!

Jim jumped up and, grumbling and turning around, went under the bench: you shouldn’t fight with the little one, but it’s still a shame to give up your bed to such a person! ..

The battered Barrel calmly lay down on his mattress.

We slept through the night. We get up in the morning, - Jim is still sleeping under the bench on the bare floor, and the kitten is still sitting on the stove, afraid to get off.

I ask my son:

Well, let's go to Uncle Seryozha to ask for a hare?

The son looked at the kitten, at Jim, at his tied finger - and says:

You know? Let's go, it's better, we'll take the hare to Uncle Seryozha for good.

So we did. Well, how, in fact, to keep such a brawler at home! Fights with everyone. What a good-natured Jim - and did not get along with him.

We took the hare to Uncle Seryozha, and he says:

I don't need that either. Take it where you got it from.

I had to take it to the forest.

Released there.

The hare jumped-jumped - and into the bushes.

He didn't even say goodbye.

That's what hares are.

Bianchi V. My cunning son: A cracked barrel (story)

Do you think all hares are the same, all cowards? No, rabbits are also different. Ask my little son what time we caught a brawler.

We were hunting in the forest. The three of us: son, me and Jim. Jim is our dog. Short-legged, ears to the ground, short tail. A wonderful hunting dog, albeit an old one: he will find any game, raise it on the wing, and catch the shot one, grab it and carefully, without wrinkling a feather, give it straight into his hands. Jim is unusually smart and kind. He doesn’t fight with other dogs, he never bites anyone, when he meets all the people he knows, he often, often waves his tail and, you know, like a dog, smiles affably.

We were hunting in a dry autumn - the leaves were already falling from the trees, but there were no big rains yet. At this time, it is most difficult to hunt in the forest: a dried leaf rattles under your feet, the game hears you far away and sees you through thinned bushes and, not allowing it, flies away.
Suddenly I hear - Jim barked, barked in the bushes - and suddenly fell silent.

“Who is he on?” I think. And got ready to shoot.
But from there, from the bushes, no one flew out.
And the son is already there - and shouts to me from the bushes:
- Dad, dad, run quickly! Someone Jim captured! I - to them. And I see:
Jim lies stretched out on the ground, and with his front paws he presses the hare to the leaves, holding him. The hare screeches desperately, Jim wags his tail often, often, and my son stands over them - and does not know what to do.

I went up and took the bunny from Jim. I hold the hare with two fingers by the collar - he squeals even more, fights me off with his paws.
Sonny says:
- He's angry with you. Screaming: "How dare you - so small - offend me!"
And it really looked like the hare was shouting something.
And Jim stood up on his hind legs, rested his front legs on my knees and licked the hare: he calms him down, which means don’t be afraid, we’re not like that, we won’t do anything bad to you.
Then suddenly the son says:
- Look, dad, his left side is peeled.
I look: on the left side of the hare there is a bald spot. Wool is torn off, bare skin - with a nickel circle.
- Ege! I say. - Yes, this is a familiar bunny to me! He ran away from Uncle Seryozha. Get in your pocket, my friend.
Cautiously he grabbed it under the belly and put it in his hunting jacket, in his back pocket. I have such a pocket in my jacket: in the whole back, and on the sides there are buttons. It is very convenient to carry shot game in it and all sorts of things that happen to come across on a hunt.
It’s dark and warm for the hare, and he quieted down.
And we immediately went home.
On the way, of course, I had to tell my little son everything in detail, how I know this hare and why he has a cracked barrel.

Uncle Seryozha - my friend, also a hunter, lives on the edge of the village, near the forest. He caught a hare about three weeks ago - still a baby - in his garden under a currant bush. This hare is from leaf fall. In rabbits, the first rabbits will be born in the spring, when there is still a crust of snow - crust. And they are called n and with t o-vichki. And the last of the year will be born in the fall, when the leaves are already starting to fall from the trees. Their hunters call them - leaf fall.
Uncle Seryozha was very happy with this hare. That's why: he, Uncle Seryozha, not so long ago had a yard dog named Cleopard. He had promised all his puppies to his friends even earlier. How can you take them away from your mother? The already furious Cleopard will go completely crazy, she will start throwing herself at everyone. Uncle Seryozha came up with a hare to put her instead of puppies so that she would not get bored, would not be fierce. ”And so he did.
The puppies were in the box. He took them from there when his mother was gone, and put a hare in their place.
Cleopard came - there are no puppies, but a small animal sits in a box and smells of her dog smell: everything in the box is with her smell.

She did not touch the hare, she recognized it as her own. Comforted them. Bones began to drag him, the best pieces of meat. From such food, the hare would quickly stretch out its legs, and Uncle Seryozha fed him milk and cabbage. She never taught Cleopard her foster child to gnaw bones and eat meat - her dog food. But she taught her dog courage.
Cleopard was an excellent watchman and did not allow anyone to the master's house - neither a stranger, nor dogs. With such a vicious look, she flew out to meet them that a rare dog would not turn its tail and take off running without waiting for this gray evil to knock it off its feet. She was the size of a wolf.

The bunny grew up quickly. Bunnies do not feed their children even for two weeks. In a hare way, a two-week-old hare is already considered “big” and must seek out various tasty herbs for itself and hide from dogs.

This hare, though still tiny, quickly jumped out of the box and ran around the yard for his named mother. And in everything she, like a monkey, imitated. Cleopard from the place - and he is behind her. She's on the dog - and so is he. She bites - and he tries to bite the dog. And his front teeth - have you seen hares? - long, sharp, gnaw through branches. As he bites, the fur flies from the dog! The dog is not up to him: if only to fight off Cleopard. He, a hare, lost all fear of dogs. As where he sees, he rushes towards him - to bite. The wolf cub became brave. The neighbor's dogs were all afraid of him.
Yes, once some distant puppy wandered into the yard of Uncle Seryozha, who neither knew Cleopard, nor her brave little son.
Cleopard did not happen nearby, and her hare, having drunk milk, slept on hay under a box.
The puppy ran up to the box - a hare. And rushed at him.
A dog, of course, is not like a hare. If in a hare a two-week-old hare is already considered “big”, then a three-week-old dog has only eyes to cut through. She is considered a puppy even at three months.
This puppy was already four months old, and he was still quite stupid. He really wanted to catch a hare. And how to get down to business properly, he did not know - he had not yet had to go on a hunt.
He jumped on the hare and grabbed his teeth by the side! It should be by the scruff of the neck or something like that, but he is by the side.
Well, of course, he tore out a decent tuft of wool, made a bald patch on his side, but he could not hold it. The hare will jump up, how it will wave with a fright through the box - only the puppy saw it! And then Cleopard came running - the puppy had to get out of the yard as soon as possible.
Cleopard licked her rabbit's wound. It is known after all: a dog's tongue is better than any medicine, and it heals wounds excellently. But after this incident, the hare no longer wanted to live in Uncle Seryozha's yard. At night he climbed through the fence - and into the forest.
Yes, three days have not passed, our Jim caught him in the forest.
My son listened to my story and pouted his lips, almost crying.
“Well, here it is,” he says. - So you are carrying it to Uncle Seryozha. And I thought he would live with us ...
“Well,” I say. - Today, of course, he will spend the night with us, and tomorrow we will go to Uncle Seryozha, we will ask. If he doesn't need it, maybe he'll give in to us.
We came home and I released the hare on the floor.
He immediately went to the corner under the bench - and hid there.
The son poured him a saucer of milk, calls him:
- Puffed Barrel, Puffed Barrel, go drink some milk. Sweet!
The bunny doesn't come out.
The son climbed after him under the bench, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, pulled him out. The hare squeals, jerks with its hind legs.
- Stupid, we are people, - the son explains to him, - we will not offend you.
And the hare contrived - and the cock with his teeth for a finger! He bit so hard that he even bled.
The little boy screamed and released him.
The hare is back under the bench.
Then our kitten - we still had a kitten then, smaller than a hare - ran up to the saucer and began to drink milk from it.
The battered barrel will jump out, how it will rush at him, how it will bite!
The kitten flew up on the stove from him like a bird!
The son smiles through tears:
- That's the hare!
We had dinner, and Jim was the first to go to bed in his place - he has his own mattress in the corner. Jim was very tired - after all, the whole day he ran through the forest, the old man was looking for game.
We look, the Shelled Barrel hobbles towards him. He sat on his hind legs, and suddenly drummed on Jim with his front paws!
Jim jumped up and, grumbling and turning around, went under the bench: you shouldn’t fight with the little one, but it’s still a shame to give up your bed to such a person! ..
And the Cracked Barrel calmly lay down on his mattress.
We slept through the night. We get up in the morning, - Jim is still sleeping under the bench on the bare floor, and the kitten is still sitting on the stove, afraid to get down.
I ask my son:
- Well, let's go to Uncle Seryozha to ask for a hare?
The son looked at the kitten, at Jim, at his knotted
finger and says:
- You know? Let's go better take the hare to Uncle Seryozha for good.
So we did. Well, how, in fact, to keep such a brawler at home! Fights with everyone. What a good-natured Jim - and did not get along with him.
We took the hare to Uncle Seryozha, and he says:
I don't need that either. Take it where you got it from. I had to take it to the forest.
Released there.
The hare jumped-jumped - and into the bushes.
He didn't even say goodbye.
That's what hares are.