The Bunnikins-Bunnies and the Moon King

Drift to sleep with this fantastical episode where we tag along with Mr. Bunnikins Bunny and his family as they embark on a celestial escapade through the starry skies aboard an airship in hopes of meeting the mysterious Moon King. So snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams.

The music in this episode is The Whirlwind by Anna Landstrom.

Don't forget to follow our sister podcast, Heavenly Bedtime! 

Transcript

Jordan: 0:24

Welcome to Dreamful Podcast Bedtime stories or slumber. It's already November and we have just finished our spooky episodes for October. And if you don't like dark stories for bedtime, I recommend Heavenly Bedtime. Heavenly Bedtime is a sister podcast to Dreamful. Every episode of Heavenly Bedtime is a relaxing Bible story set to soothing music to help you calm your mind so you can gently drift to sleep. And, of course, it's created by editor Katie, so we know that it is very good. Visit dreamfulstoriescom slash heavenlybedtime for more information and follow Heavenly Bedtime on your favorite podcast app to make her beautifully produced scripture readings part of your nighttime routine.

Jordan: 1:13

Now many of you have been requesting more Beatrix Potter stories and while looking for stories like Peter Rabbit and Squirrel Nutkin, I stumbled upon an author that writes animal fairy tales in a similar style, and her name is Edith B Davidson. I hope you enjoy the Bunnikin's Bunnies and the Moon King. So snuggle up in your blankets and have sweet dreams. One day, mr Brunneken's bunny came home feeling very much out of sorts. He had a headache, a toothache and the shivery shivers all over. Mrs Bunny gave him some cayenne pepper tea and then put him to bed, well wrapped up in blankets with a hot water bottle to keep his toes warm. Very funny, he looked with his long hair sticking out of his blue and white nightcap. In the afternoon his friend Mr Gray Squirrel dropped in to see him and said at once what you need is a change of air, and I know just the thing for you to do Come for a trip to the moon with me in my new airship. You'll have plenty of fresh air and not too much heat, unless we happen to fall into the sun. Oh no, no, cried Mrs Bunnikins. Bunny almost in tears. I simply cannot let Mr Bunnikins go sailing in the air. He would surely fall out of the ship or get lost in the clouds, and I should never see him anymore. But Mr Bunnikants liked the idea and at once set his heart on going. He talked so much about it that at last Mrs Bunny consented if she and the children might go too, so that they could all follow the airship together, so that they could all fall out of the airship together, as Mr Greyskull had told them that the journey would be very cold. Mr Bunnigan's bunny had a great time buying ulsters and overshoes, caps and mittens Most of his lovely hats he decided to leave at home as he was afraid they might be blown away. By the end of a week they were all ready to start, bobtail and Rosamund, ruddy and Chippy having scarcely slept for nights from excitement.

Jordan: 4:48

The airship was most comfortably arranged, with nice little cabins in which to eat and sleep, and the sides were so high that no one could possibly fall over the edge. Mr Gray Squirrel had hired Captain Hawk to steer the airship by day and Admiral Owl to keep a careful lookout at night. The children were rather afraid of Captain Hawk with his bright eyes and sharp beak, but they all loved to talk to old Admiral Owl, although he was always very sleepy when the sun was shining. When the sun was shining, one fine morning away, they flew, circling round and round, up and up, until the earth lay far below. Numbers of strange birds flew about them and one big grey one with long feathery ears and a huge beak frightened Little Rosamond dreadfully by perching on the airship close beside her. Day after day they sailed past beautiful stars and planets, stars and planets, until one morning they came to a very large cluster of star islands which were thickly covered with herds of snow-white cows. Those cows belong to the king of the moon, said Captain Hawk. And they give so much milk that the islands are called the Milky Way. We are not far from the moon now.

Jordan: 6:28

That same day, towards evening, they came to a great round island entirely made of rocks and ice. Let's not stop here, said Mr Bunnikin's bunny with a shiver. It is so cold that I think the tip of my ear is frozen. But this is the island of the moon, exclaimed Admiral Owl, blinking his round eyes. Oh how I wish that I had stayed home, groaned poor Mr Bunnikins, that I had stayed home ground, poor Mr Bunnikins. Mrs Bunny did not want to come anyhow, and now we shall all freeze into icicles. Oh dear, oh dear, never mind, said his kind little wife. We will wrap up warmly and perhaps we shall have some slaying.

Jordan: 7:30

Sure enough, when they landed, they found a nice sleigh drawn by four reindeer, ready to carry them to the hotel. In spite, however, of wearing two ulsters fur-lined overshoes, a big muff and a fur cap tied down under his chin, mr Bunnigan's, bunny's whiskers, which were all you could see of him, fairly shook with the cold. The hotel was all made of ice so that everybody outside outside could see inside and everybody inside could see outside. It was well heated and there were warm carpets on the floors. But Mr Bunnigan's would not be comforted. He sat in a big armchair close to the fire with his toe-toes drawn up under him, shivering and groaning. They had a very strange supper of dried potato pie, dried apple dumpling and dried lettuce and carrot cake. For as nothing grows on the cold island of the moon, and carrot cake For as nothing grows on the cold island of the moon, everything to eat has to be brought a long distance in airships and it all dries up on the way.

Jordan: 9:00

As Mr Bannigan's bunny was very anxious to see the moon king and his beautiful palace, they all started out the next morning to visit him. At first they were told that they could not see the king as he slept all day and was very busy all night. But finally they were invited to come to the palace that evening at eight o'clock. They spent the rest of the day slaying and seeing the island. The houses were all made of ice and there were no trees, no flowers, not even a blade of grass. The people were so huge that they terrified the children, and Rosamund kept tight hold of her father's paw. No bunnies or squirrels had ever been seen in the moon before and the people admired them very much. One little giant girl cried tears as big as dollars because she could not keep Rosamund for a plaything. And when she picked her up in her big hands to pet her the poor little bunny was frightened almost to death.

Jordan: 10:19

As soon as he had eaten his supper, mr Bunnigan's bunny hurried off to dress for the Moon King's party. He tried one thing and then another until poor Mrs Bunnigan's was quite tired out trying to help him and thought he would never be ready in time. At last he decided to wear a beautiful blue velvet suit embroidered in gold and a very fine green and white hat, all trimmed with ostrich feathers. To keep himself warm he had a velvet cape lined with fur and as a finishing touch he wore a little gold sword. Mrs Bunnikins advised him not to, as she was afraid it would be in his way, but Mr Bunnikins' bunny insisted that a sword was the proper thing to wear at court. Was the proper thing to wear at court? Bobtail and Ruddy Squirrel had tied bright red bows on themselves wherever they could find a place and Rosamund shouted with laughter whenever she looked at them.

Jordan: 11:42

The palace was made entirely of blocks of ice, most beautifully carved, the walls being lined with silk so that nobody could look in. It was brilliantly lighted and on each of the broad steps stood a giant soldier in scarlet and gold uniform. Two big footmen led the bunnicans' bunnies and the grey squirrels through one grand room after another until they came to a great silver door, on which one of the footmen knocked twice with a silver wand. As the door slowly opened, the bunnican's bunnies and the grey squirrels were so dazzled by the flood of light that for a moment they all covered their faces with their paws. Then they looked up and saw the most wonderful room. It was made of the purest white ice, the floors being covered with great white rugs and the walls with silvery silk. The furniture was of ivory and laid with silver, and in every corner stood a tall silver vase full of moonflowers which perfumed the air. At one end of the great room was a silver throne on which was seated a gigantic figure clad in a misty white garment, from which the silvery moonbeams streamed out in every direction so that the whole room was filled with a shimmering light.

Jordan: 13:33

In front of the king was a great round window through which he was intently gazing. His head was quite bald, his cheeks were fat, he had a big mouth and his eyes were very large and round. As he turned with a pleasant smile to greet the bunnikin's bunnies and the grey squirrels, they were very much astonished to recognize the man in the moon whom they had so often seen sitting high up in the sky. Draw the cloud curtain, he said to one of the footmen who at once pulled a heavy grey curtain across the great window. Then, in a very gentle voice for such a huge being, then, in a very gentle voice for such a huge being, he added Come forward, my little people, I am very glad to see you. As they came forward, mr Gray Squirrel made a polite bow and Mrs Bunny and Mrs Squirrel made nice little curtsies.

Jordan: 14:56

But poor Mr Bunnigan's bunny, in the middle of a most elegant bow, got his legs so twisted up with his sword that he turned a complete somersault right into the moon king's lap. Never mind, said the king as he kindly helped him to his feet, accidents will happen. Have a piece of cheese. On the broad arm of the king's throne was a plate full of green cheese of which he took a large piece himself after offering it to the bunnies and squirrels. Do you make your own cheese? Asked Mrs Bunnigan's bunny as she tasted it. It is made for me on the Milky Way, replied the moon king. No cows have been allowed on the Moon since a very rude one jumped right over my head many years ago.

Jordan: 15:53

Just then there was a loud squeal of terror from the other end of the room. Bobtail had found the queer cheese so horrid that he simply could not eat it. He had wandered off, hoping to find some dark corner in which to hide it, and stumbled into a mousetrap and had been caught by the leg. Dear, dear, said the king as they all ran to help poor Bobtail. I am so sorry, but you see mice like cheese almost as much as I do, and so I have to set traps everywhere. Now you shall have a peep from my lookout window. He continued taking Bobtail by the paw. Far, far below they could see the great round earth looking like a little ball. But it made them all so dizzy that they did not look very long.

Jordan: 16:58

Do you ever get sleepy, asked Mrs Gray Squirrel. Not very often, asked the Moon King. There are times when I can watch with one eye, and then I've taught the other eye to go to sleep. I thought you had a dog, said Mr Bannigan's Bunny. I did have a very fine yellow dog, but alas, I lost him long ago and the king, with a sigh, wiped away a tear. His name was Ebenezer, but we called him Sneezer for short because he was so fond of mouse patties flavored with pepper, which made him sneeze. He was always chasing cats. One day he heard one meow and jumping on the ledge of my great window. He slipped and fell out I don't know where.

Jordan: 18:13

Since then, however, so many yellow dogs have been seen on the island of Sirius that it is now called the Dog Star, and I believe that Sneezer landed there While the king had been talking. The children had crept behind the cloud curtain to try and see the dog star. Bobtail had leaned out so far that he lost his balance and would have surely gone to join Sneezer had not one of the king's footmen grabbed him by his short tail. As it was now late, the bunnikin's bunnies and the grey squirrels, after thanking the king for his kindness, said goodbye and the cloud curtain being drawn back, the king of the moon had gone to bed. The bunnikins' bunnies and the gray squirrels went on board the airship and sailed off toward the island of Mars. The children begged Captain Hawk to stop at the dog star and see Sneezer, but neither Mr Bunnicans nor Mr Greyskull was willing to, as they were both very much afraid of dogs.

Jordan: 19:40

After several days of cloud, fogs and contrary winds, they arrived at the great island of Mars. As they came near the shore, they were astonished to see two squatty little men walking about on their heads with their heels in the air. No sooner had Bobtail and Ruddy Squirrel landed than they scampered off to look at the funny men. When they came near them, however, they were walking on their feet. They told Bobtail that they could walk as easily on one end as the other, and so by changing they were never tired. And so by changing they were never tired.

Jordan: 20:28

When Mr Bunnigan's bunny asked the way to the nearest town, the little men offered to go with them, as it was not far off. The village looked very pretty as they approached, surrounded by fruit trees and gardens of flowers, but the houses seemed most peculiar. The doors were at the top of the houses, the chimneys smoked close to the ground and the people went into their homes by an outside staircase. One of the little men told Mr Greysquirrel that all the houses in Mars were built that way and he had never seen any other kind. When they arrived at the hotel, they were escorted to the front door by the landlord who hopped up outside the staircase before them on his head. He popped up outside the staircase before them on his head. They went into a big hall at the top of the house, from which the broad staircase led downstairs to the upstairs room.

Jordan: 21:44

When the bunnikins' bunnies and the grey squirrels saw their bedrooms they did not know what to do. The chandeliers stood up from the floors and in the corners were little stairways leading up to the ceilings on which all the furniture was nicely arranged. Mrs Bunny wondered how she should ever keep the children from falling out of bed, while Mr Bunnigan's bunny sat down on a corner of the chandelier and held his bewildered head between his front paws. If we stay here long, said he, I shall go crazy and you will have to keep me in a cage. I shall go crazy and you will have to keep me in a cage. Meanwhile the children were racing up and down the little stairways and trying the beds and chairs on the ceiling. It was quite easy for Ruddy and Chippy Gray Squirrel to hang on, but it was very difficult for Bobtail and Rosamund Bunny, and it ended by Bobtail suddenly falling right on top of his father, who thought that the furniture was coming down and was scared out of his wits. Bobtail was well scolded and after that he and Rosamund were forbidden to climb on the ceiling. The landlord was quite hurt that they did not like his fine rooms, but to please them he at last promised to put some beds on his ceiling, which they called a floor.

Jordan: 23:21

After a good dinner they went out to walk and everywhere they saw the most curious sights. All the houses and shops were built upside down and many of the people walked that way. They were good-natured, fat little people with big heads, long black hair and small, bright eyes. They wore very bright clothes, red, blue and yellow being their favorite colors, and Mr Bunnigan's fine hat and beautiful clothes were immensely admired.

Jordan: 24:17

In fact, the people crowded so closely about the gray squirrels and the bunnikins' bunnies and admired them so much that at last Mr Bunnikins woke up to find Mr Bunnigan's bunny, in his blue and white nightcap, standing by his bedside with a lighted candle in his paw. What is the matter, asked Mr Gray Squirrel sitting up in bed. "'oh dear me', groaned poor Mr Bunnigan's bunny, "'i can't go to sleep, for every time that I do. "'i dream that the furniture is falling off the ceiling, "'or that I am walking on my head. "'would you be willing to leave this awful place before breakfast'. "'yes indeed', replied Mr Gray Squirrel, "'i am ready to go whenever you are. Besides, continued mr bunnigan's bunny, I think that the people here are becoming much too fond of us, and if we stay any longer, they may not let us go away at all. I am sure that I don't wish to spend the rest of my life walking on my head in an upside-down house.

Jordan: 25:36

They woke up, mrs Bunny, mrs Gray Squirrel and the children as soon as it was light, and, creeping quietly up the big staircase, they stole out of the house. At each street corner Mr Bunnigan's bunny had a fresh scare, but they met no one, and before the people were stirring in the village, they were safely on board the airship. If you don't mind, I would rather not stop at any more islands, said Mr Bunnikins. In fact I think I should like to go home. Mr Greyskull was quite willing, so down they went, circling round and round, lower and lower, until at the end of the second day they were close to the earth.

Jordan: 26:35

What a sigh of relief Mr Bunnigan's bunny gave as he set his foot once more on familiar ground. As they said goodbye, he thanked Mr Grayskull warmly and assured him that he had had the most wonderful trip. But as they walked towards home he said to Mrs Bunnikins Well, my dear, I've always thought that I should like to be a bird and fly in the air. My dear, I've always thought that I should like to be a bird and fly in the air. But now no-transcript.