Nearthehousewheretheylivedtherewasawood,andinthelongJuneeveningstheBoylikedtogothereafterteatoplay. HetooktheVelveteenRabbitwithhim,andbeforehewanderedofftopickflowers,orplayatbrigandsamongthetrees,healwaysmadetheRabbitalittlenestsomewhereamongthebracken,wherehewouldbequitecosy,forhewasakind-heartedlittleboyandhelikedBunnytobecomfortable. Oneevening,whiletheRabbitwaslyingtherealone,watchingtheantsthatrantoandfrobetweenhisvelvetpawsinthegrass,hesawtwostrangebeingscreepoutofthetallbrackennearhim. Theywererabbitslikehimself,butquitefurryandbrand-new. Theymusthavebeenverywellmade,fortheirseamsdidn'tshowatall,andtheychangedshapeinaqueerwaywhentheymoved;oneminutetheywerelongandthinandthenextminutefatandbunchy,insteadofalwaysstayingthesamelikehedid. Theirfeetpaddedsoftlyontheground,andtheycreptquiteclosetohim,twitchingtheirnoses,whiletheRabbitstaredhardtoseewhichsidetheclockworkstuckout,forheknewthatpeoplewhojumpgenerallyhavesomethingtowindthemup.Buthecouldn'tseeit. Theywereevidentlyanewkindofrabbitaltogether. Theystaredathim,andthelittleRabbitstaredback.Andallthetimetheirnosestwitched. "Whydon'tyougetupandplaywithus?"oneofthemasked. "Idon'tfeellikeit,"saidtheRabbit,forhedidn'twanttoexplainthathehadnoclockwork. "Ho!"saidthefurryrabbit."It'saseasyasanything,"Andhegaveabighopsidewaysandstoodonhishindlegs. "Idon'tbelieveyoucan!"hesaid. "Ican!"saidthelittleRabbit."Icanjumphigherthananything!"HemeantwhentheBoythrewhim,butofcoursehedidn'twanttosayso. "Canyouhoponyourhindlegs?"askedthefurryrabbit. Thatwasadreadfulquestion,fortheVelveteenRabbithadnohindlegsatall! Thebackofhimwasmadeallinonepiece,likeapincushion. Hesatstillinthebracken,andhopedthattheotherrabbitswouldn'tnotice. "Idon'twantto!"hesaidagain. Butthewildrabbitshaveverysharpeyes.Andthisonestretchedouthisneckandlooked. "Hehasn'tgotanyhindlegs!"hecalledout."Fancyarabbitwithoutanyhindlegs!"Andhebegantolaugh. "Ihave!"criedthelittleRabbit."Ihavegothindlegs!Iamsittingonthem!" "Thenstretchthemoutandshowme,likethis!"saidthewildrabbit.Andhebegantowhirlroundanddance,tillthelittleRabbitgotquitedizzy. "Idon'tlikedancing,"hesaid."I'drathersitstill!" Butallthewhilehewaslongingtodance,forafunnynewticklyfeelingranthroughhim,andhefelthewouldgiveanythingintheworldtobeabletojumpaboutliketheserabbitsdid. Thestrangerabbitstoppeddancing,andcamequiteclose. HecamesoclosethistimethathislongwhiskersbrushedtheVelveteenRabbit'sear,andthenhewrinkledhisnosesuddenlyandflattenedhisearsandjumpedbackwards. "Hedoesn'tsmellright!"heexclaimed."Heisn'tarabbitatall!Heisn'treal!" "IamReal!"saidthelittleRabbit."IamReal!TheBoysaidso!"Andhenearlybegantocry. Justthentherewasasoundoffootsteps,andtheBoyranpastnearthem,andwithastampoffeetandaflashofwhitetailsthetwostrangerabbitsdisappeared. "Comebackandplaywithme!"calledthelittleRabbit."Oh,docomeback!IknowIamReal!" Buttherewasnoanswer,onlythelittleantsrantoandfro,andthebrackenswayedgentlywherethetwostrangershadpassed.TheVelveteenRabbitwasallalone. "Oh,dear!"hethought."Whydidtheyrunawaylikethat?Whycouldn'ttheystopandtalktome?" Foralongtimehelayverystill,watchingthebracken,andhopingthattheywouldcomeback. Buttheyneverreturned,andpresentlythesunsanklowerandthelittlewhitemothsflutteredout,andtheBoycameandcarriedhimhome. 
