The Legend of Peter Cottontail--A Holiday Fairytale About the Easter Bunny Read online

  Then Peter saw the most important treasure of all. Hanging on the wall, right next to the bed, was the King’s Key.

  Chapter 5

  There was only one way Peter could reach the key. He had to hop!

  He ran across the room and jumped up as high as he could. He grabbed the key in his mouth. He got it!

  He landed…right on the belly of the Goblin King!

  The Goblin King snorted and opened his eyes. The king looked right at Peter.

  Peter froze. Would the Goblin King realize that the bunny rabbit on his bed was stealing his key?

  The Goblin King grabbed Peter.

  “Aw, someone gave me a stuffed animal,” mumbled the GK. He snuggled up and put his thumb in his mouth. Then the GK fell back asleep.

  Oh, brother! thought Peter. He wriggled free.

  With the key in his mouth, he hopped all the way up the steps of the tower. He pushed it under the door.

  Eastara opened the door. “Peter, is that you?”

  “How many talking rabbits do you know?” asked Peter.

  She laughed. “Just one. Here…do you want to be human again? I have the antidote.”

  She held out a piece of chocolate.

  They both heard a trumpet outside. Then many goblins started to run and shout in the courtyard below.

  Eastara looked out the tower window.

  “I was afraid of this,” she said. “My people have come to free me. They have sent all the elven archers from the Spring Forest. But there are not enough to defeat the goblins. This castle is too strong.”

  “Hold on to that antidote,” said Peter. “I have an idea. Go join your people. I will meet up with you!”

  He grabbed the King’s Key in his mouth again and hopped away.

  The goblins were all too busy putting on their armor and waving their swords to pay attention to a rabbit. Peter hopped right by them.

  He went all the way to the door of the dungeon. He pushed King’s Key under the door.

  “Mother! Father!” he cried. “Open the door!”

  They did and all the humans began to pour out. They heard the sounds of fighting.

  “The elves are attacking the castle,” said Peter. “But they will need our help!”

  “We want to help,” said his father, “but we have no weapons.”

  “I know where we can get some.”

  There was no one in the king’s bedroom. All the goblins were fighting the elves. The humans armed themselves.

  In the courtyard, the battle was not going well for the elves. They had done well at first, for the goblins were surprised. But there were many thousands of goblins and only a few hundred elves.

  Suddenly, the goblins heard a roar from the direction they least expected it…from behind them! Thousands of humans who had been trapped in the caves poured out of the castle, into the courtyard. The elves cheered.

  Eastara saw Peter. She threw something. “Peter, catch!”

  He jumped into the air and caught the piece of chocolate in his mouth. Mmmm….

  A goblin saw him and grabbed him by the ears. It was the same goblin that had wanted to eat him for dinner!

  “There you are, my future stew!” chortled the goblin.

  Magic sparkled around Peter. He turned back into a big man, twice as tall as the goblin. Eastara threw him a sword. Peter caught it and put the blade against the goblin’s throat. “You were saying?”

  The goblin turned around and ran.

  The goblins did not like this fight anymore. They all dropped their swords and ran down into the caves. The Goblin King yelled at them to stop, but then he saw Eastara chasing him with a sword. He shrieked and ran away faster than the rest!

  When the last goblin had disappeared into the cavern, the elves and humans slammed the door shut. The elves used magic to shut it so tightly that it could never be opened again.

  Peter took all the gold, toys, chocolate and other candy from the Goblin King’s room and gave it away in Easter baskets for everyone.

  Across the courtyard, Peter caught site of Eastara. All Peter wanted to do was kiss her one last time. Then, he knew, he would have to say goodbye to her again.

  The crowd fell silent and parted. Peter wondered why, until someone cried, “Here comes Peter Cottontail! He saved Easter and he saved us! Hurray for the Easter Bunny!”

  Everyone laughed and cheered. Eastara ran to him and kissed him.

  “I have to tell you something,” she said. “I hope you won’t be angry with me.”

  Peter looked at her in surprise.

  “The magic I gave you changed you forever,” she said. “You’ll never be an ordinary human again. From now on, you have the ability to change into a rabbit any time you want. But although you can visit the humans, you can’t stay with them anymore. You’ll have to live in the Spring Forest.”

  Peter looked at his mother and father. He had just been reunited with them. He could not stay with them, but he could visit them.

  “That wouldn’t be so bad,” he said. “If someone who loved me also lived in the Spring Forest.”

  Eastara smiled and took his hand.

  Peter Cottontail moved to the Spring Forest. Every year in the spring, he visited his parents until it was time for them to go to heaven. Peter could not join them yet, for he was now protector of Easter—this is how he became the Easter Bunny. Every year, his magic grew stronger, and he used it to deliver Easter baskets to children all over the world.

  Although there was no longer any reason to paint eggs and hide them, all the children begged him to continue the game, and so it continues to this very day. If you see a rabbit around Easter time, it just might be Peter Cottontail in disguise!

  Oh, and one more thing. Peter Cottontail and Princess Eastara did marry, and—as I am sure you guessed—they had many, many, many children.

  * * *

  The End

  Dear Readers,

  I hope you enjoyed this tale of a fluffy tailed hero!

  Look for the video version of this story on your favorite online video platforms (like YouTube).

  There is also a coloring book that goes with this story!

  Parents, if you’d like to receive a PDF of some of the coloring pages for free, please just email Misque Press, and I will be glad to send them to you.

  Tara Maya

  * * *

  Misque Press Email: [email protected]

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  Tara Maya, The Legend of Peter Cottontail--A Holiday Fairytale About the Easter Bunny

 

 

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