Oops, The King Is Here

Life is all surprises!

The sun was shining, and Barnaby the Rabbit was having the best day ever. He was so busy sniffing a particularly delicious patch of clover that he didn't hear the thump-thump-thump of the grass behind him.

Leo the Lion was out for a morning stroll. He wasn't even looking for lunch; he was just practicing his "kingly strut." But when he saw Barnaby, he couldn't help himself. He crept closer... and closer... until he was right behind the bunny’s wiggling tail.

Suddenly, Barnaby sensed a shadow. He turned around, and his little pink nose stopped wiggling. He was looking directly into Leo’s giant, toothy mouth! It was too late to hop away. Leo was too fast.

But Barnaby didn't freeze. Instead, he stood up on his hind legs, looked Leo right in the eye, and shouted:

"Wait! Stop right there! You haven't had your morning inspection!"

Leo was so confused he actually stopped. "Inspection?" he growled softly.

"Yes!" Barnaby said, pointing at the lion’s giant mane. "You’re the King, but you have a leaf stuck right behind your ear. You can’t go around the jungle looking messy! Turn around and let me fix it."

Leo, being a very vain lion, turned around to let the rabbit "fix" his mane. By the time Leo realized there was no leaf—and no inspection—Barnaby had vanished into the deepest, narrowest rabbit hole in the meadow.

Leo shook his head and laughed. "Well played, little guy. Well played."