The Story of Horace the Hare 64 Zoo Lane

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane... #

Hello! I'm Lucy.

I live at 64 Zoo Lane, and I have some very special neighbours. Look!

# There's one with a hump And one who can jump

# And one who is a little bit plump

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane

# Some like it hot And some like it chilly

# And some like it both ways and that's a bit silly

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane

# Some are friendly, some are scary

# But one thing is sure Not one is ordinary

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane

# Some are spotty, some are stripy

# Or prickly and woolly and furry and slimy

# Some are quite big

# And some are very small And the last one's Georgina

# Who's incredibly tall

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane. #

Bedtime, Lucy! >

OK, Mum.

KNOCK, KNOCK!

Wheeee!

-Huh?

-ALL: Ommmmmm.

-Hello, everyone! What ARE you doing?

-Oh, hello, Lucy!

We're learning some new exercises from our guest.

This is Cassandra, Lucy.

Hello, I'm Lucy.

Oh.

Ah, ommm... A great pleasure to meet you, Lucy.

SHE LAUGHS

I've never seen anyone say hello like THAT before!

Not everyone says hello in the same way, you know!

And sometimes that comes as a bit of a shock!

It certainly did from my friend Horace the Hare.

-Sounds like a story!

-Tell us, Cassandra.

As you wish.

Far away in the East, in the So High Mountains, the sun was shining,

and Bowbow the panda had set off on his morning walk.

Bowbow was very friendly and always greeted everyone

in traditional panda style, with a nice big hug.

Bowbow say hello to Gertie the Goat.

Ahhhh. Cosy.

Everyone loved Bowbow, and we all looked forward to his morning hugs.

He was a very popular panda.

-Morning, Bowbow!

-Bowbow give huggy to Cassandra the Crane.

Aaaah.

'But there was one creature Bowbow had not yet got to know properly.'

Horace the Hare. Horace always seemed too busy to say hello to Bowbow.

Oh, yes, such delicate flowers!

Just the thing for my lunch table.

Bowbow give Horace the Hare traditional panda greeting.

Huggy!

Aargh!

Huggy!

-Where he go?

-So sorry, Bowbow. Can't stop.

Some other time perhaps. Terrible hurry. Bye!

Aw, Horace. Too busy for Bowbow hug.

But the truth was, Horace was NOT too busy - he was nervous.

Horace had never been hugged before.

What if Bowbow's paws crush me? I'd better stay out of his way.

But he was a very friendly panda, and wanted everyone to enjoy his hugs.

So he decided to keep a special lookout for Horace.

Ohhh!

Oh!

Oh...

Phew!

Horace could not hide for ever. And one day Bowbow got lucky.

Oh! Lovely!

Greetings, Horace.

-Ouchy!

-Horace hurt?

Horace need nice, big, soft Bowbow huggy.

What? No! I'm fine, really, Bowbow, it was nothing.

-Huggy make it all better for Horace.

-No!

Horace no want huggy?

Indeed. Horace no want huggy.

-No huggy?

-No huggy. Pandas like hugs. No offence,

but hares don't like hugs.

Hare no like hug?

Maybe goat no like hug...

Maybe crane no like hug!

No-one like Bowbow hug.

Bowbow hug only...Bowbow.

So the next day, Bowbow did things differently.

Goodie! Time for my favourite bit of the day!

-SHE BLEATS

-Morning, Bowbow!

BOWBOW SIGHS

Greetings, Gertie.

Hey, Bowbow, over here!

You forgot my hug.

Ah, here comes my hug! Good morning, Bowbow.

-Greetings, Cassandra.

-Hug time, Bowbow!

Bowbow?

Did I say something wrong?

-Did you see that, Gertie?

-Yeah, he did the same thing to me.

No big, cosy hug.

Bowbow SAY greetings.

Ah, yes, good morning, Bowbow.

Marvellous, marvellous. HE LAUGHS

Did you see that?

BOTH: Ohh.

Why the long faces?

It's Bowbow - he's stopped hugging.

Yes, isn't that great?

It isn't?

-SHE BLEATS

-No.

We love Bowbow's hugs.

You LIKE being hugged? What's there to like?!

-You get this warm, fuzzy feeling inside.

-And it's so cosy.

His hugs are the best bit of my day. Whatever could have made him stop?

Oh, dear.

'Horace realised that he had a lot to learn about hugs.'

So he decided to go

and see the wise old carp who lived in Mirror Lake.

Greetings. Who come seeking advice from Confusus the Wise?

It's me, Horace. I've got a problem.

There's no problem without answer from Confusus. Explain.

It's like this. I've upset Bowbow because I don't want to be hugged,

but now he won't hug anyone and everyone's fed up. What shall I do?

Confusus say if Horace the Hare no want Bowbow's gift of hug,

then he should return it.

Oh, great. Very helpful.

Thank you, Confusus.

Horace had no idea what he meant.

But he was determined to make things right for the other animals.

-Greetings.

-I'm sorry I told you to stop hugging, Bowbow.

Bowbow sorry too. Bowbow no want to scare Horace.

Bowbow no want scare no-one.

Well, the thing is, I've never actually had a hug before.

I don't know what hugs are like.

Bowbow think hug...nice.

HE SOBS

Please don't cry, I can't bear it.

There must be something I can do to cheer you up.

If you don't want gift of hug, you should return it.

There there, Bowbow.

Oooh! Soft and warm!

Oh, I'm hugging! Hugging feels good!

Huggy...?

Horace make hug for Bowbow...?

Oh! Oh! Ahhh.

Is this a private hug or can anyone join in?

Bowbow give traditional panda greeting to everyone.

'Horace had finally found that warm fuzzy feeling,'

and learned that hugs from friends are nice to give and to receive.

I LOVE hugs.

Especially just before bedtime, eh, Lucy?

Thanks, Cassandra.

-Good night, Lucy.

-Night-night, everyone.

ALL: Night-night, Lucy.

# 64, 64, 64 Zoo Lane... #