Charlie Rabbit picked up another little shirt and frowned crossly. He was looking after his brothers while his mother went to market, and they seemed to think that because Mum was away, they could make lots of mess for Charlie to clean up.
image credit the wonderful Beatrix Potter
Charlie’s Mum had told Charlie before she left that she expected the house to be tidy when she came home. Charlie knew that if it wasn’t, he would get the blame, and he wouldn’t be allowed to go out to play with Margery Mouse and Terry Raccoon later on.
So he rushed around picking up after his brothers as they played from one end of the burrow to the other. They kicked up the rugs, and knocked over plants. They bumped the pictures, making then all crooked. They dropped their carrot ends all over the floor too.
It seemed that as fast as poor Charlie cleaned, his brothers messed. And there were five of them and only one Charlie.
Charlie had just straightened the hall rug for the fifth time, when his brothers came through yelling and laughing. Before Charlie could even speak, they had messed up the rug again and left muddy footprints all over it.
Charlie sighed. "I'm never going to get this house clean before Mum comes home." But Charlie was not a rabbit that gave up easily. He was determined to get the house cleaned in time. What he needed was a plan.
He walked into the kitchen to get a dustpan and brush to clean up the muddy footprints. All the time he was thinking, “How can I clean the house in time?”
As he reached for the dustpan and brush his brothers arrived shouting that they were hungry. “C’mon Charlie make us some food” they cried.
“I don’t have time” replied Charlie. “I have to clean up all this mess before Mum gets home.”
“Who cares about the mess, we’re hungry” pleaded his brothers.
“I care about the mess” said Charlie crossly. “And so will Mum when she gets home.”
“But that’s not for ages” they said. “We’re hungry now.”
Just then Charlie had an idea. He knew how to get the house clean in time. If his five brothers could make a mess so quickly, then they could tidy just as quickly.
“Ok” he said. “I’ll make you some food.”
“Yay for Charlie!” his brothers cried.
Charlie grinned and said,” After the house is clean and tidy.”
“Oh boo” said his brothers. “Not fair.”
“Yes it is” said Charlie. “You made the mess. You are the ones who left your clothes on the floor. So you can pick them up and tidy the mess you made.”
His brothers stood looking sheepish. It was true that they had made the mess, and it was true that they should clean it up. It wasn’t fair for Charlie to have to clean up after them all the time.
“Ok” said his brothers. “What do we do?”
Charlie thought for a moment, and then sent each of his brothers into different rooms. Then he went around and told each one what had to be done to clean the room.
All the rabbits set to, cleaning the house from top to bottom.
Charlie went around checking on each one to make sure everything was being done properly. He was surprised and pleased to see how well his brothers worked. Soon all of the house was shiny and clean. All of the pictures were hanging straight, the rugs were flat, there was no dust anywhere, and all the muddy footprints were cleaned up.
They all gathered in the kitchen and Charlie said “Thank you. Mum will be very happy when she gets home.” His brothers smiled. “Now, what do you want to eat?”
“Pancakes!” his brothers shouted.
So Charlie made pancakes for his brothers, and some for himself because supervising is hard work too. Then while they sat and ate, Charlie went to his own bedroom.
He opened the door and looked around. His room was a mess.
His Mum had been at him for ages to tidy it up, but somehow Charlie had just not gotten around to it.
“I can’t have a messy room when the rest of the house is so tidy” he thought. So with a sigh he began to pick up his clothes and his toys and put them away. He tossed out the old carrot ends and dusted his shelves. He even made his bed. He was just straightening his rug when he heard his Mum coming home from the market.
“Oh no! The mess in the kitchen” thought Charlie. He went racing into the kitchen to try to hide the mess from the pancakes before his Mum saw it. What he saw made him gasp in surprise. The kitchen was clean. All the mess was gone. His brothers had cleaned up while Charlie was tidying his room.
Just then Charlie’s Mum came in with her arms filled with groceries. “My, you have done a wonderful job of tidying the house. I am very proud of you. Now, just run along and play. I saw Margery just down the lane as I came home. If you run you can catch her up.”
“Thank you Mum. But it wasn’t only me, the others helped too.”
“Oh I know dear” said Mrs. Rabbit. “And they probably made the mess too. So that’s fair.” Charlie’s Mum smiled. “Now go on or you’ll miss Margery.”
Charlie shouted “Thank you Mum. I love you!” as he ran out the door.
He had done it. The house was tidy and he was free to go adventuring with Margery. And his brothers had learned a very important lesson as well.
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