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Kate DiCamillo

The Amazing Journey of Edward Rabbit

Jane Resch Thomas,

who gave me a rabbit

and came up with a name for him

My heart beats, breaks - and comes to life again.

I have to go through the darkness, going deeper into the darkness, without looking back.

Stanley Kunitz. "Tree of knowledge"

Chapter first

His ears were made of real rabbit hair, and a wire was hidden inside it, very strong and flexible, so his ears could take a variety of positions, and it immediately became clear what the rabbit’s mood was: whether he was happy, sad or sad. His tail was also made of real rabbit hair - such a fluffy, soft, quite decent tail.

The rabbit's name was Edward Tulane. He was quite tall - about ninety centimeters from the tips of his ears to the tips of his paws. His painted eyes shone with a piercing blue light. Very smart eyes.

All in all, Edward Tulane considered himself a remarkable creature. The only thing he didn't like was his mustache - long and elegant, as it should be, but of some unknown origin. Edward was pretty sure it wasn't a rabbit's whiskers. But the question is: to whom - to what unpleasant animal? – these tendrils belonged originally was painful for Edward, and he could not think about it for too long. Edward didn't like to think about unpleasant things at all. I didn't think so.

Edward's owner was a dark-haired ten-year-old girl named Abilene Tulane. She valued Edward almost as highly as Edward valued himself. Every morning, getting ready for school, Abilene dressed herself and dressed Edward.

The porcelain rabbit had an extensive wardrobe: here you have silk suits self made, and shoes and boots made of the finest leather, tailored specifically to his rabbit's foot. He also had a great many hats, and all of these hats had special holes made for Edward's long and expressive ears. All his wonderfully tailored trousers had a special pocket for the rabbit's gold watch with a chain. Abilene wound the clock herself every morning.

“Well, Edward,” she said, winding the clock, “when the long hand is at twelve and the short hand is at three, I will return home.” To you.

She would sit Edward on a chair in the dining room and position the chair so that Edward would look out the window and see the path that led to the Tulane house. She placed the watch on his left knee. After that, she kissed the tips of his incomparable ears and left for school, and Edward spent the whole day looking out of the window at Egyptian Street, listening to the ticking of the clock and waiting for his mistress.

Of all the seasons, the rabbit loved winter most of all, because the sun set early in winter, it quickly got dark outside the dining room window where he was sitting, and Edward saw his own reflection in the dark glass. And what a wonderful reflection it was! What an elegant, wonderful rabbit he was! Edward never tired of admiring his own perfection.

And in the evening, Edward sat in the dining room with the entire Tulane family: with Abilene, her parents and grandmother, whose name was Pelegrina. To be honest, Edward's ears were barely visible from behind the table, and to be even more honest, he didn't know how to eat and could only look straight ahead - at the edge of the dazzling white tablecloth hanging from the table. But still he sat with everyone. He took part in the meal, so to speak, as a member of the family.

Abilene's parents found it absolutely charming that their daughter treated Edward like a living being and even sometimes asked them to repeat a phrase because Edward supposedly didn't hear it.

“Dad,” Abilene said in such cases, “I’m afraid Edward did not hear your last words.”

Then Abilene's dad would turn to Edward and slowly repeat what he had said - especially for the porcelain rabbit. And Edward pretended to listen, naturally, to please Abilene. But, to be honest, he was not very interested in what people said. In addition, he did not really like Abilene's parents and their condescending attitude towards him. All adults treated him this way, with one exception.

The exception was Pelegrina. She spoke to him, like her granddaughter, as equals. Grandma Abilene was very old. Old woman with big sharp nose and bright, dark, sparkling eyes like stars. Rabbit Edward was born thanks to Pelegrina. It was she who ordered the rabbit himself, and his silk suits, and his pocket watch, and his charming hats, and his expressive flexible ears, and his wonderful leather shoes, and even the joints on his paws. The order was completed by a puppet master from France, where Pelegrina was from. And she gave a rabbit to the Abilene girl for her seventh birthday.

It was Pelegrina who came every evening to her granddaughter’s bedroom to tuck her a blanket. She did the same for Edward.

- Pelegrina, will you tell us a story? – Abilene asked every evening.

“No, my dear, not today,” answered the grandmother.

- And when? - Abilene asked. - When?

“Soon,” answered Pelegrina, “very soon.”

And then she turned off the light, and Edward and Abilene were left in the dark.

“Edward, I love you,” Abilene said every evening after Pelegrina left the room.

The girl said these words and froze, as if she was waiting for Edward to say something to her in response.

Edward was silent. He was silent because, of course, he did not know how to speak. He lay in his small crib next to Abilene's large bed. He looked at the ceiling, listened to the girl breathe - inhale, exhale - and knew well that she would soon fall asleep. Edward himself never slept, because his eyes were drawn on and could not close.

Sometimes Abilene would put him on his side rather than on his back, and through the cracks in the curtains he could look out the window. On clear nights the stars shone, and their distant, uncertain light calmed Edward in a very special way: he did not even understand why this was happening. Often he looked at the stars all night long, until the darkness dissolved into the morning light.

Chapter two

That's how Edward's days passed - one after another, and nothing particularly noteworthy happened. Of course, sometimes all sorts of events happened, but they were local, home value. One day, when Abilene went to school, the neighbor's dog, a spotted boxer, whose name for some reason was Rosette, came into the house uninvited, almost secretly, lifted his paw at the table leg and peed on the white tablecloth. Having done his job, he trotted to the chair in front of the window, sniffed Edward, and the rabbit, not having time to decide whether it was pleasant to be sniffed by a dog, found himself in Rosette’s mouth: ears hanging down on one side, hind legs on the other. The dog shook his head furiously, growled and drooled.

Fortunately, as Abilene's mother passed by the dining room, she noticed Edward's suffering.

- Come on, phew! Give it up immediately! - she shouted to the dog.

Out of surprise, Rosette obeyed and released the rabbit from his mouth.

Edward's silk suit was smeared with saliva, and his head hurt for several days, but it was his self-esteem that suffered the most from this story. Firstly, Abilene’s mother called him “it”, and also added “ew” - isn’t that about him? Secondly, she was much more angry with the dog for soiling the tablecloth than for treating Edward inappropriately. What injustice!

There was another case. The Tulane household has a new maid. She so wanted to make a good impression on the owners and show how diligent she was that she encroached on Edward, who, as usual, was sitting on a chair in the dining room.

- What is this big-eared guy doing here? – she was loudly indignant.

Edward didn't like the word "eared" at all. Disgusting, offensive nickname!

The maid leaned down and looked into his eyes.

“Hmm...” She straightened up and put her hands on her hips. “In my opinion, you are no better than the rest of the things in this house.” You also need to be thoroughly cleaned and washed.

And she vacuumed Edward Tulane! His long ears one by one found themselves in the fiercely humming pipe. Knocking the dust out of the rabbit, she touched all his clothes and even his tail with her paws! She rubbed his face mercilessly and roughly. In a fervent effort not to leave a speck of dust on it, she even sucked Edward's gold watch straight into the vacuum cleaner. The clock rang and disappeared into the hose, but the maid did not pay any attention to this sad sound.

When she was finished, she carefully placed the chair back on the table and, not really knowing where to put Edward, ended up stuffing him on the shelf with the dolls in Abilene's room.

“That’s right,” said the maid. - This is the place for you.

She left Edward sitting on the shelf in an uncomfortable and completely undignified position: with his nose buried in his knees. And around, like a flock of unfriendly birds, dolls chirped and giggled. Finally Abilene came home from school. Finding that the rabbit was not in the dining room, she began to run from room to room, shouting his name.

- Edward! - she called. - Edward!

Of course, there was no way he could let her know where he was. He could not answer her call. He could only sit and wait.

But Abilene found him and hugged him tightly, so tightly that he felt her heart beating excitedly, almost jumping out of her chest.

“Edward,” she whispered, “Edward, I love you so much.” I will never part with you.

The rabbit was also very excited. But it was not the thrill of love. Irritation seethed within him. How dare they treat him in such an inappropriate manner? This maid treated him like an inanimate object - some kind of bowl, ladle or teapot. The only joy he experienced in connection with this story was the immediate dismissal of the maid.

Edward's pocket watch was found in the depths of the vacuum cleaner some time later - bent, but still in working order. Papa Abilene bowed and returned them to Edward.

“Sir Edward,” he said, “I think this is your thing.”

The episodes with Poppy and the vacuum cleaner remained the biggest dramas in Edward's life until the evening of Abilene's eleventh birthday. It was then, for festive table As soon as the cake with candles was brought in, the word “ship” was heard for the first time.

Chapter Three

“The ship is called the Queen Mary,” said Abilene’s dad. “You, mom and I will sail on it to London.”

- And Pelegrina? – asked Abilene.

“I won’t go with you,” Pelegrina responded. - I'll stay here.

Edward, of course, didn't listen to them. In general, he considered any table conversations terribly boring. In fact, he basically did not listen to them if he found even the slightest opportunity to be distracted. But while talking about the ship, Abilene did something unexpected, and this something made the rabbit's ears perk up. Abilene suddenly reached out to him, took him off the chair, picked him up and pressed him to her.

- What Edward? - Mom said.

– Will Edward sail with us on the Queen Mary?

“Well, of course, it will float if you want, although you are still too big a girl to carry a porcelain rabbit with you.”

“You’re talking nonsense,” Dad said with cheerful reproach. – Who will protect Abilene if not Edward? He's coming with us.

From Abilene's hands, Edward saw the table completely differently. This is a completely different matter, not like from below, from a chair! He looked around at the sparkling glasses, the shining plates, the glittering silver plate, saw condescending grins on the faces of Abilene’s parents. And then he met Pelegrina's gaze.

She looked at him like a hawk hovering in the sky at a tiny mouse. Perhaps the rabbit fur on Edward's ears and tail, and perhaps even his mustache, retained some vague memory of the time when their rabbit masters were waylaid by hunters, because Edward suddenly shuddered.

“Well, of course,” Pelegrina said, not taking her eyes off Edward, “who will take care of Abilene if her rabbit isn’t there?”

That evening, Abilene, as usual, asked if her grandmother would tell a fairy tale, and Pelegrina unexpectedly replied:

– Today, young lady, you will have a fairy tale. Abilene sat up in bed.

“Oh, then let’s set Edward up here too, so he can listen too!”

“Yes, it will be better that way,” said Pelegrina. – I also think that the rabbit should listen to today’s fairy tale.

Abilene sat Edward next to her in bed, tucked the blanket under him and said to Pelegrina:

- That's it, we're ready.

“So...” Pelegrina cleared her throat. “So,” she repeated, “the fairy tale begins with the fact that once upon a time there lived a princess.”

- Beautiful? – asked Abilene.

- Very beautiful.

- Well, what was she like?

“Listen,” said Pelegrina. – You’ll find out everything now.

Chapter Four

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess. Her beauty shone as brightly as the stars in the moonless sky. But was there any sense in her beauty? Yes, no, absolutely no sense.

- Why is there no point? – asked Abilene.

- Because this princess didn’t love anyone. She didn’t even know what love was, although many loved her.

At this moment, Pelegrina interrupted her story and looked at Edward point-blank - right into his painted eyes. A shiver ran through his body.

“So...” said Pelegrina, still looking at Edward.

- And what happened to this princess? – asked Abilene.

“So,” Pelegrina repeated, turning to her granddaughter, “the king, her father, said that it was time for the princess to get married.” Soon a prince came to them from a neighboring kingdom, saw the princess and immediately fell in love with her. He gave her a ring made of pure gold. Putting the ring on her finger, he told her the most important words: “I love you.” And do you know what the princess did?

Abilene shook her head.

“She swallowed this ring.” She took it off her finger and swallowed it. And she said: “Here is your love!” She ran away from the prince, left the castle and went into the very depths of the forest. And then...

– What then? – asked Abilene. - What happened to her?

- The princess got lost in the forest. She wandered there for many, many days. Finally she came to a small hut, knocked and said: “Please let me in, I’m cold.” But there was no answer. She knocked again and said: “Let me in, I’m so hungry.” And then a terrible voice was heard: “Come in if you want.”

The beautiful princess entered and saw the witch. The witch was sitting at the table and counting gold bars. “Three thousand six hundred and twenty-two,” she said. “I’m lost,” said the beautiful princess. "So what? - the witch responded. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-three.” “I’m hungry,” said the princess. “It doesn’t concern me one bit,” said the witch. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-four.” “But I am a beautiful princess,” the princess reminded. “Three thousand six hundred and twenty-five,” answered the witch. “My father,” continued the princess, “is a powerful king. You must help me, otherwise this will end very badly for you.” “Will it end badly? – the witch was surprised. Then for the first time she took her eyes off the gold bars and looked at the princess: “Well, you’re impudent!” You talk to me in that tone. Well, in that case, we will now talk about what will end badly for whom. And how exactly. Come on, tell me the name of the one you love.” "I love? – the princess was indignant and stamped her foot. “Why does everyone always talk about love?” “Who do you love? - said the witch. “Say the name immediately.” “I don’t love anyone,” the princess said proudly. “You disappointed me,” said the witch. She raised her hand and uttered one single word: “Carrumbole.” And the beautiful princess turned into a warthog - a furry black pig with fangs. “What have you done to me?” - the princess screamed. “You still want to talk about what will end badly for whom? - said the witch and again began to count the gold bars. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-six.”

The poor princess, who had turned into a warthog, ran out of the hut and disappeared into the forest again.

At this time, the royal guards were combing the forest. Who do you think they were looking for? Of course, a beautiful princess. And when they met the terrible warthog, they simply shot him. Bang Bang!

- No, it can not be! - Abilene exclaimed.

“Maybe,” Pelegrina said. - Shot. They took this warthog to the castle, where the cook opened its belly and found a ring of pure gold in its stomach. That evening, a lot of hungry people gathered in the castle, and they were all waiting to be fed. So the cook had no time to admire the ring. She simply put it on her finger and began further cutting up the carcass to cook the meat. And the ring that the beautiful princess swallowed shone on the cook’s finger. End.

- End? – Abilene exclaimed indignantly.

“Of course,” said Pelegrina. - The end of the fairy tale.

- Can't be!

- Why can’t he?

- Well, because the fairy tale ended too quickly and because no one lived happily and died on the same day, that’s why.

“Ah, that’s the thing,” Pelegrina nodded. And she fell silent. And then she said: “Can a story end happily if there is no love in it?” OK. It's already late. Time for you to sleep.

Pelegrina took Edward from Abilene. She put the rabbit in his crib and covered him with a blanket up to his whiskers. Then she leaned closer to him and whispered:

-You disappointed me.

The old lady left, and Edward remained lying in his crib.

He looked at the ceiling and thought that the fairy tale was somehow meaningless. However, aren’t all fairy tales like that? He remembered how the princess turned into a warthog. Well, that's sad. And completely far-fetched. But overall, a terrible fate.

“Edward,” Abilene suddenly said, “I love you and will always love you, no matter how old I get.”

“Yes, yes,” Edward thought, looking at the ceiling, “of course.”

He became agitated, but he didn’t know why. He also regretted that Pelegrina put him on his back, and not on his side, and he could not look at the stars.

And then he remembered how Pelegrina described the beautiful princess. Her beauty shone brightly, like stars in a moonless sky. It is not clear why, but Edward suddenly felt comforted. He began to repeat these words to himself: brightly, like stars in a moonless sky... bright, like stars in a moonless sky... He repeated them over and over until the morning light finally dawned.

Chapter Five

– How do you like this shirt with this suit? - she asked. - Is it good?

– Would you like to take a black bowler hat with you? It suits you very well. Shall we take it?

And finally, one fine May morning, Edward and Abilene and Mr. and Mrs. Tulane found themselves on board the ship. Pelegrina stood on the pier. On her head was a wide-brimmed hat decorated with flowers. Pelegrina did not take her dark sparkling eyes off Edward.

“Goodbye,” Abilene shouted to her grandmother. - I love you!

The ship has set sail. Pelegrina waved to Abilene.

“Goodbye, young lady,” she cried, “goodbye!”

And then Edward felt his eyes become moist. Abilene's tears must have gotten on them. Why is she hugging him so tightly? When she squeezes him like that, his clothes wrinkle every time. Well, finally, all the people remaining on the shore, including Pelegrina, disappeared from sight. And Edward didn’t regret it at all.

As expected, Edward Tulane aroused considerable curiosity among all passengers on the ship.

- What an interesting rabbit! – An elderly lady with three strands of pearls around her neck leaned over to get a better look at Edward.

“Thank you very much,” Abilene said.

Several little girls who were also traveling on this ship cast passionate, soulful glances at Edward. They probably really wanted to touch or hold it. And they finally asked Abilene about it.

“No,” said Abilene, “I’m afraid he’s not one of those rabbits who easily goes into the arms of strangers.”

Two boys, brothers Martin and Amos, also became very interested in Edward.

-What can he do? - Martin asked Abilene on the second day of the journey and pointed a finger at Edward, who was simply sitting in a deck chair, his long legs stretched out.

“He can’t do anything,” Abilene answered.

– Is he even groovy? Amos asked.

“No,” Abilene answered, “it won’t start.”

- What good is it then? – Martin asked.

- Prok? He's Edward! - Abilene explained.

- Is this any good? – Amos snorted.

“No use,” Martin agreed. And then, after a thoughtful pause, he said: “I would never allow them to dress me up like that.”

“Me too,” Amos said.

– Do his clothes come off? – Martin asked.

“Well, of course it’s being removed,” Abilene answered. – He has a lot of different clothes. And he has his own pajamas, silk.

Edward, as usual, did not pay attention to all this empty talk. A light breeze was blowing, and the scarf tied around his neck fluttered beautifully. The rabbit had a straw hat on his head. He thought he looked amazing.

Therefore, it was a complete surprise for him when they suddenly grabbed him, tore off his scarf, and then his jacket, and even his pants. He heard his watch ring as it hit the deck. Then, when he was already being held upside down, he noticed that the clock was merrily rolling towards Abilene’s feet.

- Just look! - Martin exclaimed. – He even has underpants! - And he lifted Edward higher so that Amos could see the panties.

“Take it off,” Amos yelled.

– Don’t you dare!!! - Abilene screamed. But Martin also pulled off Edward's underpants.

Now Edward could not help but pay attention to all this. He was completely horrified. After all, he was completely naked, only his hat remained on his head, and the passengers around were staring - some with curiosity, some with embarrassment, and some with open mockery.

- Give it back! - Abilene screamed. - This is my rabbit!

- You'll get by! Throw it to me, to me,” Amos said to his brother and clapped his hands, and then spread his arms, preparing to catch. - Drop it!

- Oh please! - Abilene shouted. - Don't quit. It's porcelain. It will break.

But Martin still quit.

And Edward, completely naked, flew through the air. Only a moment ago the rabbit thought that the worst thing that could happen in life was to find himself naked on board a ship in the presence of all these strangers. But it turned out that he was wrong. It’s much worse when you are abandoned, naked, and you fly from the hands of one rude, cackling boy to another.

Amos caught Edward and lifted him up in victory.

- Throw it back! - Martin shouted.

Amos raised his hand, but when he was about to throw Edward, Abilene flew at the offender and butted him with her head in the stomach. The boy swayed.

So it turned out that Edward did not fly back into Martin's outstretched arms.

Instead, Edward Tulane went overboard.

Jane Resch Thomas,

who gave me a rabbit

and came up with a name for him

Chapter first

The porcelain rabbit had an extensive wardrobe: there were handmade silk suits, shoes and boots made of the finest leather, sewn specifically to fit his rabbit’s foot. He also had a great many hats, and all of these hats had special holes made for Edward's long and expressive ears. All his wonderfully tailored trousers had a special pocket for the rabbit's gold watch with a chain. Abilene wound the clock herself every morning.

“Well, Edward,” she said, winding the clock, “when the long hand is at twelve and the short hand is at three, I will return home.” To you.

Abilene's parents found it absolutely charming that their daughter treated Edward like a living being and even sometimes asked them to repeat a phrase because Edward supposedly didn't hear it.

“Dad,” Abilene said in such cases, “I’m afraid Edward did not hear your last words.”

The exception was Pelegrina. She spoke to him, like her granddaughter, as equals. Grandma Abilene was very old. An old woman with a large sharp nose and bright, dark eyes sparkling like stars. Rabbit Edward was born thanks to Pelegrina. It was she who ordered the rabbit himself, and his silk suits, and his pocket watch, and his charming hats, and his expressive flexible ears, and his wonderful leather shoes, and even the joints on his paws. The order was completed by a puppet master from France, where Pelegrina was from. And she gave a rabbit to the Abilene girl for her seventh birthday.

It was Pelegrina who came every evening to her granddaughter’s bedroom to tuck her a blanket. She did the same for Edward.

- Pelegrina, will you tell us a story? – Abilene asked every evening.

“No, my dear, not today,” answered the grandmother.

- And when? - Abilene asked. - When?

“Soon,” answered Pelegrina, “very soon.”

And then she turned off the light, and Edward and Abilene were left in the dark.

“Edward, I love you,” Abilene said every evening after Pelegrina left the room.

The girl said these words and froze, as if she was waiting for Edward to say something to her in response.

Chapter first

“Well, Edward,” she said, winding the clock, “when the long hand is at twelve and the short hand is at three, I will return home.” To you.

Abilene's parents found it absolutely charming that their daughter treated Edward like a living being and even sometimes asked them to repeat a phrase because Edward supposedly didn't hear it.

“Dad,” Abilene said in such cases, “I’m afraid Edward did not hear your last words.”

It was Pelegrina who came every evening to her granddaughter’s bedroom to tuck her a blanket. She did the same for Edward.

- Pelegrina, will you tell us a story? – Abilene asked every evening.

“No, my dear, not today,” answered the grandmother.

- And when? - Abilene asked. - When?

“Soon,” answered Pelegrina, “very soon.”

And then she turned off the light, and Edward and Abilene were left in the dark.

“Edward, I love you,” Abilene said every evening after Pelegrina left the room.

The girl said these words and froze, as if she was waiting for Edward to say something to her in response.

Chapter two

That's how Edward's days passed - one after another, and nothing particularly noteworthy happened. Of course, sometimes all sorts of events happened, but they were of local, domestic significance. One day, when Abilene went to school, the neighbor's dog, a spotted boxer, whose name for some reason was Rosette, came into the house uninvited, almost secretly, lifted his paw at the table leg and peed on the white tablecloth. Having done his job, he trotted to the chair in front of the window, sniffed Edward, and the rabbit, not having time to decide whether it was pleasant to be sniffed by a dog, found himself in Rosette’s mouth: ears hanging down on one side, hind legs on the other. The dog shook his head furiously, growled and drooled.

Fortunately, as Abilene's mother passed by the dining room, she noticed Edward's suffering.

- Come on, phew! Give it up immediately! - she shouted to the dog.

Out of surprise, Rosette obeyed and released the rabbit from his mouth.

- What is this big-eared guy doing here? – she was loudly indignant.

Edward didn't like the word "eared" at all. Disgusting, offensive nickname!

The maid leaned down and looked into his eyes.

“Hmm...” She straightened up and put her hands on her hips. “In my opinion, you are no better than the rest of the things in this house.” You also need to be thoroughly cleaned and washed.

When she was finished, she carefully placed the chair back on the table and, not really knowing where to put Edward, ended up stuffing him on the shelf with the dolls in Abilene's room.

“That’s right,” said the maid. - This is the place for you.

- Edward! - she called. - Edward!

Of course, there was no way he could let her know where he was. He could not answer her call. He could only sit and wait.

But Abilene found him and hugged him tightly, so tightly that he felt her heart beating excitedly, almost jumping out of her chest.

“Edward,” she whispered, “Edward, I love you so much.” I will never part with you.

Edward's pocket watch was found in the depths of the vacuum cleaner some time later - bent, but still in working order. Papa Abilene bowed and returned them to Edward.

“Sir Edward,” he said, “I think this is your thing.”

The episodes with Poppy and the vacuum cleaner remained the biggest dramas in Edward's life until the evening of Abilene's eleventh birthday. It was then, at the festive table, as soon as the cake with candles was brought in, the word “ship” was heard for the first time.

Chapter Three

“The ship is called the Queen Mary,” said Abilene’s dad. “You, mom and I will sail on it to London.”

- And Pelegrina? – asked Abilene.

“I won’t go with you,” Pelegrina responded. - I'll stay here.

- What Edward? - Mom said.

– Will Edward sail with us on the Queen Mary?

“Well, of course, it will float if you want, although you are still too big a girl to carry a porcelain rabbit with you.”

“You’re talking nonsense,” Dad said with cheerful reproach. – Who will protect Abilene if not Edward? He's coming with us.

From Abilene's hands, Edward saw the table completely differently. This is a completely different matter, not like from below, from a chair! He looked at the sparkling glasses, the shining plates, the shiny silverware, and saw the indulgent grins on the faces of Abilene's parents. And then he met Pelegrina's gaze.

“Well, of course,” Pelegrina said, not taking her eyes off Edward, “who will take care of Abilene if her rabbit isn’t there?”

That evening, Abilene, as usual, asked if her grandmother would tell a fairy tale, and Pelegrina unexpectedly replied:

– Today, young lady, you will have a fairy tale. Abilene sat up in bed.

“Oh, then let’s set Edward up here too, so he can listen too!”

“Yes, it will be better that way,” said Pelegrina. – I also think that the rabbit should listen to today’s fairy tale.

Abilene sat Edward next to her in bed, tucked the blanket under him and said to Pelegrina:

- That's it, we're ready.

“So...” Pelegrina cleared her throat. “So,” she repeated, “the fairy tale begins with the fact that once upon a time there lived a princess.”

- Beautiful? – asked Abilene.

- Very beautiful.

- Well, what was she like?

“Listen,” said Pelegrina. – You’ll find out everything now.

Chapter Four

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess. Her beauty shone as brightly as the stars in the moonless sky. But was there any sense in her beauty? Yes, no, absolutely no sense.

- Why is there no point? – asked Abilene.

- Because this princess didn’t love anyone. She didn’t even know what love was, although many loved her.

At this moment, Pelegrina interrupted her story and looked at Edward point-blank - right into his painted eyes. A shiver ran through his body.

“So...” said Pelegrina, still looking at Edward.

- And what happened to this princess? – asked Abilene.

Abilene shook her head.

– What then? – asked Abilene. - What happened to her?

The beautiful princess entered and saw the witch. The witch was sitting at the table and counting gold bars. “Three thousand six hundred and twenty-two,” she said. “I’m lost,” said the beautiful princess. "So what? - the witch responded. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-three.” “I’m hungry,” said the princess. “It doesn’t concern me one bit,” said the witch. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-four.” “But I am a beautiful princess,” the princess reminded. “Three thousand six hundred and twenty-five,” answered the witch. “My father,” continued the princess, “is a powerful king. You must help me, otherwise this will end very badly for you.” “Will it end badly? – the witch was surprised. Then for the first time she took her eyes off the gold bars and looked at the princess: “Well, you’re impudent!” You talk to me in that tone. Well, in that case, we will now talk about what will end badly for whom. And how exactly. Come on, tell me the name of the one you love.” "I love? – the princess was indignant and stamped her foot. “Why does everyone always talk about love?” “Who do you love? - said the witch. “Say the name immediately.” “I don’t love anyone,” the princess said proudly. “You disappointed me,” said the witch. She raised her hand and uttered one single word: “Carrumbole.” And the beautiful princess turned into a warthog - a shaggy black pig with fangs. “What have you done to me?” - the princess screamed. “You still want to talk about what will end badly for whom? - said the witch and again began to count the gold bars. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-six.”

The poor princess, who had turned into a warthog, ran out of the hut and disappeared into the forest again.

- No, it can not be! - Abilene exclaimed.

- End? – Abilene exclaimed indignantly.

“Of course,” said Pelegrina. - The end of the fairy tale.

- Can't be!

- Why can’t he?

- Well, because the fairy tale ended too quickly and because no one lived happily and died on the same day, that’s why.

“Ah, that’s the thing,” Pelegrina nodded. And she fell silent. And then she said: “Can a story end happily if there is no love in it?” OK. It's already late. Time for you to sleep.

Pelegrina took Edward from Abilene. She put the rabbit in his crib and covered him with a blanket up to his whiskers. Then she leaned closer to him and whispered:

-You disappointed me.

The old lady left, and Edward remained lying in his crib.

“Edward,” Abilene suddenly said, “I love you and will always love you, no matter how old I get.”

“Yes, yes,” Edward thought, looking at the ceiling, “of course.”

He became agitated, but he didn’t know why. He also regretted that Pelegrina put him on his back, and not on his side, and he could not look at the stars.

Chapter Five

– How do you like this shirt with this suit? - she asked. - Is it good?

– Would you like to take a black bowler hat with you? It suits you very well. Shall we take it?

“Goodbye,” Abilene shouted to her grandmother. - I love you!

The ship has set sail. Pelegrina waved to Abilene.

“Goodbye, young lady,” she cried, “goodbye!”

As expected, Edward Tulane aroused considerable curiosity among all passengers on the ship.

- What an interesting rabbit! – An elderly lady with three strands of pearls around her neck leaned over to get a better look at Edward.

“Thank you very much,” Abilene said.

Several little girls who were also traveling on this ship cast passionate, soulful glances at Edward. They probably really wanted to touch or hold it. And they finally asked Abilene about it.

“No,” said Abilene, “I’m afraid he’s not one of those rabbits who easily goes into the arms of strangers.”

Two boys, brothers Martin and Amos, also became very interested in Edward.

-What can he do? - Martin asked Abilene on the second day of the journey and pointed a finger at Edward, who was simply sitting in a deck chair, his long legs stretched out.

“He can’t do anything,” Abilene answered.

– Is he even groovy? Amos asked.

“No,” Abilene answered, “it won’t start.”

- What good is it then? – Martin asked.

- Prok? He's Edward! - Abilene explained.

- Is this any good? – Amos snorted.

“No use,” Martin agreed. And then, after a thoughtful pause, he said: “I would never allow them to dress me up like that.”

“Me too,” Amos said.

– Do his clothes come off? – Martin asked.

“Well, of course it’s being removed,” Abilene answered. – He has a lot of different clothes. And he has his own pajamas, silk.

- Just look! - Martin exclaimed. – He even has underpants! - And he lifted Edward higher so that Amos could see the panties.

“Take it off,” Amos yelled.

– Don’t you dare!!! - Abilene screamed. But Martin also pulled off Edward's underpants.

- Give it back! - Abilene screamed. - This is my rabbit!

- You'll get by! Throw it to me, to me,” Amos said to his brother and clapped his hands, and then spread his arms, preparing to catch. - Drop it!

- Oh please! - Abilene shouted. - Don't quit. It's porcelain. It will break.

But Martin still quit.

And Edward, completely naked, flew through the air. Only a moment ago the rabbit thought that the worst thing that could happen in life was to be naked on board a ship in the presence of all these strangers. But it turned out that he was wrong. It’s much worse when you are abandoned, naked, and you fly from the hands of one rude, cackling boy to another.

Amos caught Edward and lifted him up in victory.

- Throw it back! - Martin shouted.

Amos raised his hand, but when he was about to throw Edward, Abilene flew at the offender and butted him with her head in the stomach. The boy swayed.

So it turned out that Edward did not fly back into Martin's outstretched arms.

Instead, Edward Tulane went overboard.

Chapter Six

How do porcelain rabbits die?

Could a porcelain rabbit choke and drown?

Is my hat still on my head?

This is exactly what Edward asked himself before he even touched the surface of the water. The sun was high in the sky, and from somewhere far away, Edward heard a voice.

“Edward,” Abilene shouted, “come back!”

"Return? I wonder how? That’s stupid,” Edward thought.

While the rabbit was flying upside down overboard, he managed to look at Abilene for the last time out of the corner of his eye. She stood on the deck and held on to the rail with one hand. And in her other hand she had a lamp - no, not a lamp, but some kind of shining ball. Or a disk? Or... It's his gold pocket watch! This is what Abilene is holding in her left hand! She held them high above her head, and they reflected sunlight.

My pocket watch. How can I live without them?

Then Abilene disappeared from sight, and the rabbit hit the water, and with such force that the hat flew off his head.

“Yeah, I got one answer,” Edward thought as he watched the wind blow his hat away.

And then he began to drown.

Edward sank lower and lower and at some point said to himself: “Well, if I were destined to choke and drown, I probably would have choked and drowned a long time ago.”

High above him cheerfully swam away ocean liner with Abilene on board, and the porcelain rabbit sank to the bottom of the ocean. And there, with his face buried in the sand, he experienced his first true, genuine feeling.

Edward Tulane was scared.

Chapter Seven

He told himself that Abilene would certainly come and find him. He told himself that he just had to wait.

It's like waiting for Abilene to get home from school. I will pretend that I am sitting in the dining room in a house on Egyptian Street and watching the hands of the clock: how the small one approaches three o’clock, and the long one approaches twelve. It’s a pity that I don’t have a watch with me and have nothing to check the time by. Okay, it's not that important. She will come eventually, and very soon.

Hours, days, weeks, months passed.

Abilene still didn't come.

And Edward, since he had absolutely nothing to do, began to think. He thought about the stars and imagined looking at them from his bedroom window.

I wonder why they shine so bright? And do they shine for anyone now that I don’t see them? Never, never in my life have I been so far from the stars as I am now.

He also pondered the fate of the beautiful princess who turned into a warthog. Why, exactly, did she turn into a warthog? Yes, because she was bewitched by a terrible witch.

And then the rabbit remembered Pelegrina. And he felt that in some way - only he didn’t know how - she was to blame for what happened to him. It even seemed to him that it was not the boys, but she herself threw him overboard.

After all, she is very similar to the witch from her own fairy tale. No, she simply is this very witch. Of course, she didn’t turn him into a warthog, but she still punished him. And for what - he had no idea.

The storm began on the two hundred and ninety-seventh day of Edward's misadventures. The raging elements lifted the rabbit from the bottom and spun him around in a wild, crazy dance, throwing him here and there.

Help!

The storm was so strong that for a moment he was even thrown out of the sea and into the air. The rabbit managed to notice the swollen, angry sky and hear the wind whistling in his ears. And in this whistle he imagined Pelegrina’s laughter. Then he was thrown back into the abyss - even before he had time to understand that the air, even stormy and thunderous, is much better than water. He was thrown up and down, back and forth until the storm finally subsided. Edward felt himself slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean again.

Help! Help! I really don’t want to go back down. Help me!

But he kept falling - lower, lower, lower...

Suddenly, a huge fishing net caught the rabbit and dragged him to the surface. The net rose higher and higher, and now Edward was blinded by daylight. He found himself in the air and landed on the deck along with the fish.

“Well, it’s not a fish,” said another voice. - That's for sure. It turned out that Edward was completely unaccustomed to the sun, and it was difficult for him to look around. But then he distinguished first figures, then faces. And he realized that there were two people in front of him: one young, the other old.

“It looks like a toy,” said the gray-haired old man. He picked Edward up by his front paws and began to examine him. - That's right, rabbit. He has a mustache and rabbit ears. Like a rabbit, they stand upright. Well, they used to stand.

“Yes, that’s right, big-eared,” said the young guy and turned away.

“I’ll take it home and give it to Nellie.” Let him fix it and put it in order. Let's give it to some kid.

The old man sat Edward down so he could look out to sea. Edward, of course, was grateful for such a polite treatment, but, on the other hand, he was already so tired of the water that his eyes would not have looked at this sea-ocean.

“Well, sit here,” said the old man.

They slowly approached the shore. Edward felt how the sun warmed him, how the breeze blew around the remnants of fur on his ears, and something suddenly filled him, constricted his chest, some amazing, wonderful feeling.

He was happy to be alive.

“Just look at this big-eared guy,” said the old man. “He seems to like it, right?”

“That’s for sure,” the guy responded.

In fact, Edward Tulane was so happy that he was not even offended by the fact that these people persistently called him “eared.”

Chapter Eight

When they landed on the shore, the old fisherman lit a pipe and so, with the pipe in his teeth, and headed home, seating Edward on left shoulder as the most important trophy. He walked like a conquering hero, holding the rabbit with his calloused hand and talking to it quietly.

“You’ll like Nellie,” said the old man. “She’s had a lot of sorrows in her life, but she’s a great girl.”

Edward looked at the town, wrapped in twilight like a blanket, at the houses closely stuck to each other, at the huge ocean that stretched in front of them, and thought that he was ready to live anywhere and with anyone, just not to lie at the bottom.

“Hey, hi, Lawrence,” a woman called out to the old man from the threshold of the store. -What do you have there?

“Excellent catch,” answered the fisherman. – The freshest rabbit straight from the sea. “He raised his hat, greeting the owner of the store, and walked on.

“Well, we’re almost there,” the fisherman finally said and, taking the pipe out of his mouth, pointed it at the rapidly darkening sky. - There, you see, the North Star. If you know where she is, you won’t care, you’ll never get lost.

Edward began to examine this little star. Do all the stars have their own names?

- No, just listen to me! - the fisherman said to himself. - Wow, I’m chatting with a toy. Okay, that'll be enough.

And, still holding Edward on his strong shoulder, the fisherman walked along the path to the small green house.

“Hey, Nellie,” he said. - I brought you something from the sea.

“I don’t need anything from your sea,” a voice was heard.

- Well, okay, Nellechka, stop it. Better look what I have here.

An old woman came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Seeing Edward, she clasped her hands, clapped her hands and said:

- My God, Lawrence, you brought me a rabbit!

“Straight from the sea,” said Lawrence.

He took Edward off his shoulder, put him on the floor and, holding him by the paws, forced him to bow deeply to Nellie.

- Oh my God! – Nellie exclaimed and clasped her hands on her chest.

Lawrence handed Edward to her.

Nellie took the rabbit, meticulously examined it from head to toe and smiled.

- Lord, there is such beauty in the world! Edward immediately decided that Nellie - good man.

“Yes, she’s beautiful,” Nellie breathed.

Edward was confused. She? Who is she? He, Edward, is certainly handsome, but by no means a beauty.

- What should I call her?

- Maybe Suzanne? - said Lawrence.

“Yes, that will do,” said Nellie. - Let it be Suzanne. - And she looked straight into Edward's eyes. – Suzanne needs to get new clothes first, right?

Chapter Nine

Having finished, Nellie said:

- Oh, how pretty you are!

At first Edward was completely confused. He is still a rabbit, not a female rabbit, he is a man! He doesn't want to dress like a girl at all. In addition, the clothes Nellie made were very simple, even those intended for special occasions. She lacked the elegance and wonderful workmanship of the old clothes that Edward was accustomed to in the Abilene house. But then he remembered how he was lying on the bottom of the ocean, his face buried in the sand, and the stars were far, far away. And he said to himself: “What difference does it make, a girl or a boy? Just think, I’ll look like I’m wearing a dress.”

In general, he lived well in a small green house with a fisherman and his wife. Nellie loved to bake various delicacies and spent whole days in the kitchen. She sat Edward on a high table, leaned him against a jar of flour and straightened his dress so that it covered his knees. And she turned his ears so that he could hear her well.

Then she got to work: setting up dough for bread, rolling out dough for cookies and pies. And soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of baking and the sweet smells of cinnamon, sugar and cloves. The windows were fogged up. While working, Nellie chatted incessantly.

She told Edward about her children: her daughter Lolly, who works as a secretary, and the boys. Ralph is now serving in the army, and Raymond died of pneumonia a long time ago.

“He choked, he had water inside his body. “It’s absolutely terrible, it’s unbearable, nothing can be worse,” Nellie said, “when someone you love so much dies right before your eyes, and you can’t help him.” I dream about my boy almost every night.

Nellie wiped the corners of her eyes back side hands. And she smiled at Edward.

“You, Suzanne, probably think that I’m completely crazy, talking to a toy.” But it seems to me that you are really listening to me.

And Edward was surprised to find that he was actually listening. Before, when Abilene spoke to him, all the words seemed boring and meaningless to him. Now Nellie’s stories seemed to him the most important in the world, and he listened as if his very life depended on what this old woman said. He even thought that maybe sand from the bottom of the ocean somehow got into his porcelain head and something was damaged in his head.

And in the evenings Lawrence returned home from the sea, and they sat down to eat. Edward sat at the table with the fisherman and his wife on an old high chair, and although at first it terrified him (after all, high chairs are made for children, not elegant rabbits), he soon became quite accustomed to everything. He liked to sit, not buried in the tablecloth, as he had once been in the Tulane house, but high up, so that he could see the entire table. He liked to take part in everything.

Every evening, after dinner, Lawrence usually said that perhaps he should take a walk and breathe fresh air, and invited “Suzanne” to join him. He put Edward on his shoulder, as on that first evening, when he carried him home from the sea to Nellie.

And so they went out into the street. Holding Edward on his shoulder, Lawrence lit his pipe. If the sky was clear, the old man began to list the constellations, pointing at them with a tube: “Andromeda, Pegasus...” Edward liked looking at the stars and liked the names of the constellations. They sounded like wonderful music in his velvet ears.

But sometimes, looking at the night sky, Edward remembered Pelegrina. He saw her burning black eyes again, and a chill crept into his soul.

Warthogs, he thought. “Witches.”

Then Nellie put him to bed. She sang Edward a lullaby - a song about a mockingbird that couldn't sing, and about a diamond ring that didn't shine, and the sound of her voice calmed the rabbit. He forgot about Pelegrina.

For quite a long time his life was sweet and carefree.

And then Lawrence and Nellie’s daughter came to visit her parents.

Chapter Ten

Lolly turned out to be an unprepossessing woman with a very loud voice and very bright lipstick on her lips. She immediately noticed Edward on the living room couch.

- What it is? “Putting down the suitcase, she grabbed Edward’s leg. He was hanging upside down in the air.

“This is Suzanne,” said Nellie.

-Who else is Suzanne? – Lolly was indignant and shook Edward.

The hem of the dress covered the rabbit's face, and he could not see anything. But a deep and irreconcilable hatred of Lolly was already seething within him.

“Father found her,” said Nellie. “She got caught in a net and didn’t have any clothes on, so I sewed some clothes for her.”

-Are you crazy? - Lolly screamed. – Why does a rabbit need clothes?

Lolly threw Edward back onto the couch. He lay face down with his paws behind his head, and the hem of his dress still covered his face. There he remained throughout the entire dinner.

– Why did you take out this prehistoric high chair? – Lolly was noisily indignant.

“Don’t pay attention,” said Nellie. “Your father just started gluing it up.” Right, Lawrence?

- Yes. – Lawrence did not take his eyes off the plate. Of course, after dinner, Edward did not go outside with Lawrence to smoke under the stars. And for the first time during the time that Edward lived with Nellie, she did not sing him a lullaby. That evening Edward was forgotten and abandoned, and the next morning Lolly grabbed him, pulled the hem off his face and looked intently into his eyes.

- You bewitched my old people, or what? - said Lolly. “They say in town that they treat you like a little rabbit.” Or with a child.

Edward also looked at Lolly. On her blood red lipstick. And he felt a chill blow over him.

Maybe a draft? Was a door opened somewhere?

- Well, you won’t fool me! – Lolly shook Edward again. - You and I are going for a walk now. Together.

Holding Edward by the ears, Lolly walked into the kitchen and threw him head down into the trash can.

“Listen, mom,” Lolly shouted, “I’ll take the van.” I need to go here on business.

“Of course, dear, take it,” Nellie said ingratiatingly. - Goodbye.

Goodbye, Edward thought as Lolly put the trash can in the van.

“Goodbye,” Nellie repeated, this time louder.

And Edward felt sharp pain somewhere deep down in your porcelain chest.

For the first time in his life, he realized that he had a heart.

And his heart repeated two words: Nellie, Lawrence.

Chapter Eleven

And in the morning some man came, a sort of short man, and climbed onto the garbage heap. At the very top he stopped, put his hands under his arms, flapped his elbows like wings, and began to yell:

- Who am I? I am Ernst, Ernst is the king of the world. Why am I the king of the world? Because I'm the king of dumps. And the world consists of landfills. Ha ha! That's why I am Ernst - the king of the world.

And he again screamed loudly, like a bird.

Edward was inclined to agree with Ernst's assessment of the world. It seems that the world really consists of garbage and rubbish - after all, throughout next day everything new fell on his head and new trash. So Edward remained lying there, buried alive under pieces of paper and scraps. He no longer saw the sky. And the stars too. He didn't see anything at all.

The only thing that gave Edward strength and even hope was the thought of how he would someday find Lolly and take revenge on her. He will pull her by the ears. And bury him alive under a pile of garbage.

But when forty days and forty nights had passed, the weight and especially the smell of the garbage that had accumulated during this time from all sides completely clouded Edward’s thoughts, and he stopped thinking about revenge. He stopped thinking altogether and gave in to despair. His current situation was worse, much worse, than he had once been at the bottom of the ocean. It was worse not because of the trash, but because Edward was now a completely different rabbit. He would not undertake to explain why he was so different from the old Edward, but he knew that he had changed a lot. He again remembered the old woman Pelegrina’s tale about the princess who loved no one. The witch turned her into a warthog precisely because the princess did not love anyone. Now he understood this well.

"But why? – he asked her now. “How did I disappoint you?”

However, he knew the answer. He didn't love Abilene enough. And now life has completely separated them, and he will never be able to prove his love to Abilene. And Nellie and Lawrence are also a thing of the past. Edward missed them very much. He wanted to be with them.

Perhaps this is love.

Day after day passed, and Edward could only count time thanks to Ernst, who every morning, at dawn, climbed onto a pile of garbage and proclaimed himself king of the world.

On the one hundred and eightieth day spent in the landfill, deliverance came to Edward, and in the most unexpected guise. The garbage around moved slightly, and the rabbit heard a dog sniffling - first far away, and then very close. He felt that the dog was digging and digging, and now the garbage was shaking, and the gentle rays of the setting sun fell on Edward's face.

Chapter Twelve

Edward didn't enjoy the daylight for long, because the dog suddenly loomed right over him: dark, shabby, she covered everything. The dog pulled Edward out of the trash by his ears, then dropped him, then picked him up again. This time she grabbed the rabbit across its belly and began to violently shake it from side to side. Then, with a low purr, the dog dropped Edward from its mouth again and looked into his eyes. Edward also looked at her carefully.

- Hey, dog, get out of here! – rang out the voice of the king of landfills and, accordingly, the whole world.

Grabbing Edward by the pink dress, the dog took off running.

- This is mine, mine, everything in the landfill is mine! - Ernst shouted. - Come on, give it back immediately!

But the dog didn’t even think about stopping.

The sun was shining and the rabbit was having fun. Who of those who knew Edward in the old days could have imagined that he would be happy right now - all covered in garbage, and even in a girl's dress, and even in the mouth of a slobbering dog, running away from the mad king of landfills?

But Edward was happy.

The dog ran and ran - all the way to the railway, then climbed across the tracks, and there, under a thick tree, among the bushes, he threw Edward to someone's huge feet in huge boots.

And she barked.

Edward looked up and saw that the legs belonged to a giant with a long dark beard.

-What did you bring, Lucy? - asked the giant. Reaching down, he grabbed Edward tightly by the waist and lifted him off the ground.

“Lucy,” said the giant, “I know very well that you love rabbit pie.”

Lucy barked.

- Well, I know, I know, stop barking. Rabbit pie is real happiness, one of the few pleasures in our time.

Lucy barked again, hoping to get some pie.

“And what you brought here, what you so kindly delivered at my feet, is indeed a rabbit, but not even the best chef in the world can make a rabbit pie out of it.”

Lucy muttered lowly.

- Eh, silly, this rabbit is made of porcelain. – The giant brought Edward closer to his eyes. And they looked at each other point blank. - Well? Are you really porcelain? – He jokingly shook Edward. “You’re someone’s toy, right?” And you were separated from the child who loves you dearly.

Edward felt again sharp pain somewhere in chest. And I remembered Abilene. He remembered the path that led to the house on Egyptian Street. He remembered how the sun set, dusk deepened and Abilene ran towards him along this path.

Yes, that's right, Abilene loved him very much.

“So, Malone,” the giant said and cleared his throat. - As I understand, you are lost. Lucy and I were also lost.

Hearing her name, Lucy yelped.

- Well, maybe you don’t mind wandering around the world with us? - asked the giant. – For example, I think that it’s much more pleasant to get lost not alone, but with good friends. My name is Bull. And Lucy, as you’ve probably already figured out, is my dog. So you don't mind wandering around in our company?

Bull waited a moment, looking at Edward, and then, still holding him by the waist, thumb tilted his head at him as if Edward nodded in agreement.

“Look, Lucy, he says yes,” said the Bull. “Malone agreed to travel with us.” Isn't that great?

Lucy danced at Bull's feet, wagging her tail and barking happily.

So Edward set off on a journey with a tramp and his dog.

Chapter Thirteen

They traveled on foot. And also in empty railway carriages. They were always on the move, always moving somewhere.

“But, in essence,” said the Bull, “we still won’t get anywhere.” This, my friend, is the irony of our constant movement.

Edward traveled in Bull's rolled up sleeping bag, with only his head and ears sticking out. The bull always threw the bag over his shoulder so that the rabbit looked not down or up, but back, towards the road left behind.

We spent the night right on the ground, looking at the stars. Lucy, at first deeply disappointed that the rabbit turned out to be inedible, now became very attached to Edward and slept, curled up next to him; sometimes she even laid her muzzle on his porcelain belly, and then all the sounds that she made in his sleep - and she either grumbled, or squealed, or growled dully - echoed inside Edward. And to his surprise, he suddenly realized that tenderness for this dog was awakening in his soul.

At night, when Bull and Lucy were sleeping, Edward, unable to sleep a wink, looked at the constellations. He remembered their names, and then he remembered the names of everyone who loved him. He always started with Abilene, then he named Nellie and Lawrence, then Bull and Lucy, and ended again with the name Abilene, and the following order turned out: Abilene, Nellie, Lawrence, Bull, Lucy, Abilene.

“Well, you see,” Edward said to himself, turning to Pelegrina, “I’m not at all like your princess, I know what love is.”

Sometimes Bull and Lucy gathered around a large fire with other tramps. The bull told different stories well, but sang even better.

“Sing to us, Bull,” his friends asked him.

The Bull sat down on the ground, Lucy leaned against his left leg, and Edward leaned against his right, and the Bull began to sing from somewhere deep in his belly, or perhaps his soul. And just as Lucy’s squeals and whines echoed through Edward’s body at night, so now the deep, sad sound of the songs that Bull sang penetrated his porcelain insides.

Edward really liked it when Bull sang.

He was also very grateful to Bull, who somehow sensed that Edward was not supposed to wear a dress.

“Listen, Malone,” Bull said one evening, “I, of course, don’t want to offend either you or your clothes, but I have to admit that you don’t have much taste.” You're like an eyesore in that girly dress. I also found a princess. Besides, again, I don’t want to offend you, but your dress has been ordered to last a long time.

Indeed, the beautiful dress that Nellie once sewed could not withstand many days in the landfill and further wanderings with the Bull and Lucy. In fact, it didn’t look much like a dress anymore – it was so shabby, torn and dirty.

“I have found a solution,” said the Bull, “and I hope you will approve of it.”

He took his knitted hat, cut a larger hole in the middle, two smaller ones on the sides, and then took off Edward's dress.

“Lucy, turn away,” Bull ordered the dog. “Let’s not embarrass Malone and stare when he’s naked.”

The bull pulled the hat over Edward's head and stuck his paws through the side holes.

“That’s great,” he said. “Now all that’s left is to whip up some pants for you.”

Bull made the pants himself. He cut up several red handkerchiefs and sewed the pieces together to make a decent garment for Edward's long legs.

“Now you look exactly like us.” A real tramp,” said Bull, stepping back to admire his work. - A real runaway rabbit.

Chapter fourteen

At first, Bull's friends thought that Edward was just an old tramp's good-natured joke.

“Your rabbit again,” they chuckled. - Let's kill him and put him in a cauldron.

And when Bull sat Edward on his knee, someone would certainly say:

- Well, Bull, did you get yourself a doll girlfriend? Edward, of course, was terribly angry at being called a doll. But the Bull never got angry. He just sat there, holding Edward on his lap, silent. Soon all the homeless people got used to Edward, and the kindest rumors began to spread about him. As soon as Bull and Lucy appeared at the fire in some new city or even a new state, in short, in a completely new place, the local tramps immediately understood: this is the same rabbit. Everyone was happy to see him.

- Hello, Malone! - they shouted in unison.

And Edward’s soul felt warm: they recognized him, they heard about him.

The change that began to occur in him in Nellie’s kitchen, his new ability - strange and incomprehensible - to sit completely still and listen carefully to other people’s stories, was truly an invaluable gift at the campfire of tramps.

“Look at Malone,” said a man named Jack one evening. “I swear he listens to every word we say.”

“Well, of course,” Bull confirmed. - Of course he listens.

That same evening, later, Jack came to them again, sat down next to the Bull and asked to hold the rabbit. Not for long. The bull gave Edward to Jack, and he, placing the rabbit on his knee, began to whisper in his ear.

“Helen,” said Jack, “Jack Jr., and also Taffy.” She's just a baby. That's my children's name. They're all in North Carolina. Have you ever been to North Carolina? It's a pretty decent state. That's where they all live. Helen, Jack Jr., Taffy. Remember these names. Okay, Malone?

From then on, wherever Bull, Lucy and Edward came, one of the tramps would certainly sit the rabbit on his lap and whisper the names of his children in his ear. Betty, Ted, Nancy, William, Jimmy, Eileen, Skipper, Faith...

Edward himself knew well how you want to repeat the names of those who mean a lot in your life.

Abilene, Nellie, Lawrence...

He experienced longing for his loved ones. So he listened to the tramps very carefully. And his heart opened wide, like an embrace. And then even wider and wider.

Edward wandered with Lucy and the Bull for quite a long time, almost seven years, and during this time he became a real tramp: he was happy only on the road, and he could no longer sit still. The only thing that calmed him down was the sound of the wheels; it became the most desirable music for Edward. The rabbit could ride along railway without end. But one night in Memphis, while Bull and Lucy were sleeping on an empty freight train with Edward guarding them, trouble struck.

A man entered the freight car, shone a flashlight in Bull's face, and then kicked him away.

“Well, you pathetic tramp,” he said rudely, “you dirty pathetic tramp.” I’m already sick of the fact that your brothers sleep here everywhere, in every crevice. This is not a motel for you.

The bull slowly sat down and Lucy barked.

“Shut up, mongrel,” said the watchman and kicked Lucy in the side. She even squealed in surprise.

All his life, Edward knew perfectly well who he was: he knew that he was a rabbit, that he was made of porcelain, that he had arms, legs and ears that bend. Well, however, they did not know how to bend on their own, only if it was in the hands of some person. He himself could not move. And he never regretted it as much as on the night when the watchman found him, Bull and Lucy in an empty freight car. Edward wanted desperately to protect Lucy. But he couldn't help it. He could only lie and wait.

- Well, why are you silent? - the watchman barked. The bull raised his hands above his head and said:

- We are lost.

- Ha, we got lost! Can't think of anything better? What else is this? – And he directed the flashlight beam directly at Edward.

“This is Malone,” Bull said.

- What the heck? - said the watchman and kicked Edward with the toe of his boot. - This is all a mess. You yourself are a mess. But I won’t allow disorder, at least not on my shift. No, you're being naughty. As long as I am responsible for something here, there will be no disorder.

Suddenly the train started moving.

“No, you’re being naughty,” the watchman said again. - My rabbits won’t ride like hares. “He turned, opened the carriage door and kicked Edward out into the darkness.

And the rabbit flew upside down through the tart spring air.

Already from afar he heard Lucy howl sadly.

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucame Lucy.

Edward hit the ground hard and then tumbled down a high, muddy embankment for a long time. Finally he stopped.

He lay on his back under the night sky. The world around was silent. Edward couldn't hear Lucy anymore. And he also no longer heard the clatter of carriage wheels.

He looked at the stars. He began to list the names of the constellations, but soon fell silent. “Bull,” his heart whispered. “Lucy.”

How many times will he have to say goodbye to people without even having the opportunity to say goodbye to them? Then a lonely cricket began to sing. Edward listened.

And something in the depths of his soul ached, ached. It's a pity that he doesn't know how to cry.

Chapter fifteen

And in the morning the sun rose, and the cricket's song was replaced by bird trills. An old woman was walking along the path under the embankment and tripped right over Edward.

“Hmm,” she said and pointed her long stick at Edward. - Looks like a rabbit.

Setting the basket down, she leaned over and looked at Edward intently.

- Rabbit. Just not real. “She straightened up, chuckled again, and then scratched her back. – What do I always say? I say there is a use for everything. Everything will come in handy.

But Edward didn't care what she said. The sharp mental pain that he experienced last night had already dulled, it was replaced by absolute emptiness and despair.

“If you want, pick me up, if you want, leave me lying here,” thought the rabbit. “I don’t care at all.”

But the old woman picked him up.

She folded it in half, put it in her basket, which smelled of seaweed and fish, and walked on, waving the basket and singing:

- “No one saw or knew the troubles that I saw...”

Edward listened involuntarily.

“I, too, have seen various troubles,” he thought. “I could swear I've seen a lot of them.” And it looks like they won’t end.”

Edward was right. His troubles did not end there.

The old woman found a use for him: she nailed his velvet ears to a wooden pole in her garden. She spread out his arms as if he were flying and tied them tightly with wire. On the pole, besides Edward, there were many rusty and prickly tin cans. They tinkled, rattled and sparkled in the morning sun.

“Well, you’ll scare them away well,” said the old woman.

“Who needs to be scared away?” – Edward was weakly surprised.

It soon became clear that they were talking about birds.

About crows. They came in a whole flock - croaking, screaming, rushing over his head, almost scratching it with their claws.

- Come on, Clyde! – the woman said displeasedly and clapped her hands. - Portray something fiercer. Shoo!

Clyde? Edward felt tiredness come over him, so much so that he was ready to sigh out loud. Is the world not yet tired of giving him more and more incorrect names?

The old woman clapped her hands again.

- Shoo! Shoo! Let's get to work, Clyde. Let's scare away the birds.

And she headed towards her little house at the far end of the garden.

But the birds did not lag behind. They circled overhead. They tugged at the threads that had unraveled on the sweater with their beaks. One crow especially bothered him; she didn’t want to leave him alone. Sitting directly on the pole, she began shouting her gloomy “car-car” into Edward’s left ear. And she screamed for a long, long time, without stopping. Meanwhile, the sun rose higher and higher and shone more and more unbearably. It blinded Edward, and for a moment it seemed to him that the large crow was Pelegrina.

“Come on,” he thought, “turn me into a warthog if you want.” I don't care. I don’t care for a long time.”

“Kar-kar,” croaked Pelegrin’s crow.

Finally the sun set and the birds flew away. And Edward still hung, nailed by his velvet ears, and looked into the night sky. He saw the stars. But for the first time in his life they did not bring him peace. On the contrary, it seemed to him that they were mocking him, mocking him. The stars seemed to say: “You are down there, all alone. And we are here, above, in the constellations. We are all together".

“But I was loved very much,” Edward objected to the stars. “So what of this? - answered the stars. “What difference does it make whether they loved you or not, if you are still left completely alone?”

Edward didn't have an answer.

Eventually the sky brightened and the stars disappeared one by one. The birds returned, and then the old woman returned to the garden.

She brought the boy with her.

Chapter sixteen

“Bryce,” said the old woman, “come on, get off this rabbit.” I'm not paying you to stare at him.

- Okay, ma'am. “The boy wiped his nose with the back of his hand and continued to look at Edward.

His eyes were brown with golden sparkles.

“Hey, hi,” he whispered to Edward.

The crow was about to sit on the rabbit's head, but the boy waved his arms and shouted:

- Well, shoo!

And the bird, spreading its wings, flew away.

“Hey, Bryce,” the old woman called.

- What, ma'am? – Bryce answered.

- Don't stare at the rabbit and do your job. I won’t repeat it again, I’ll just kick you out.

“Okay, ma'am,” Bryce replied and ran his hand under his nose again. “I’ll come back for you,” he whispered to Edward.

The rabbit hung there all day nailed to his ears. He roasted in the hot sun and watched as the old woman and Bryce weeded and loosened the soil in the garden. When the old woman turned away, the boy always raised his hand and waved hello to the rabbit.

Birds circled over Edward's head and laughed at him.

“I wonder what it’s like to have wings?” – Edward thought.

If he had wings when he was thrown overboard, he would not have ended up at the bottom of the ocean. He would not plunge into the abyss of the waters, but would fly upward into the blue, blue sky. And when Lolly threw him into the landfill, he would fly out of the trash, fly after her and sink his sharp claws right into the top of her head. And then on the freight train, when the guard threw him out of the train, Edward would not have fallen to the ground. Instead, he would have flown up, sat on the roof of the carriage and laughed at the man. He would also shout to him: “Kar-kar-kar!”

At the end of the day, Bryce and the old woman left the field. As he passed Edward, Bryce winked at him goodbye. And then one of the crows flew onto Edward's shoulder and began pecking at his porcelain face. This clearly reminded the rabbit that not only did he not have wings, that not only did he not know how to fly, but he did not even know how to move on his own. By his own will, he cannot move either his arm or his leg.

At first the field was shrouded in twilight, and then real darkness thickened. The nightjar screamed. It was the saddest sound Edward had ever heard.

Suddenly he heard a song - they were playing on a harmonica. Bryce appeared from the darkness.

“Hi,” he said to Edward. He wiped his hand under his nose again, and then took the harmonica and played another song. - Let's bet you didn't believe that I would come back? But I'm back. I came to save you.

“It’s too late,” thought Edward as Bryce climbed onto the pole and began to untie the wire that was fastened to the rabbit’s legs. “There is nothing left of the former me, just an empty shell.”

It's too late, Edward thought as Bryce pulled the nails out of his ears. “I’m just a doll, a porcelain doll.”

But when the last nail was removed and Edward fell straight into Bryce's hands, relief, calmness, and then even joy came to him.

“Maybe it’s not too late,” he thought. “Maybe I’m still worth saving.”

Chapter Seventeen

Bryce threw Edward over his shoulder.

“I came to pick you up for Sarah-Ruth,” he said and walked forward. “Of course you don’t know Sarah-Ruth.” This is my sister. She is ill. She had a baby doll, also made of porcelain. She loved this baby doll very much, but he broke it. He broke the baby doll. He came drunk and stepped on the baby doll's head. The bobblehead was smashed to pieces. The pieces were very small, and I couldn’t glue them together. Nothing came of it, although I tried, I don’t know how.

Bryce stopped and shook his head, wiping his nose with his hand.

“Since then, Cape Ruth has had nothing to play at all.” He doesn't buy her anything. She says she doesn't need anything. He says she doesn't need anything because she won't live long. But he doesn’t know that for sure, does he? – Bryce moved forward again. “He doesn’t know that,” the boy repeated firmly.

Who “he” was was not entirely clear to Edward. But he understood something else: he was being carried to some child whose doll had recently broken.

How Edward despised dolls! The thought of being offered to replace a doll for someone was insulting. But still, he was forced to admit that this was much better than hanging nailed by the ears to a pole in the garden.

The house where Bryce and Sarah-Ruth lived was so tiny and lopsided that Edward didn’t even believe at first that it was a real house. He mistook it for a chicken coop. Inside there were two beds and a kerosene lamp. That's all. There was nothing else there. Bryce placed Edward at the foot of the bed and turned on the lamp.

“Sarah,” Bryce whispered, “Sarah-Ruth, wake up, honey.” I brought you something. “He took a harmonica out of his pocket and began playing some simple melody.

The little girl sat up on the bed and immediately began coughing. Bryce put his hand on her back and began to stroke and soothe her.

- Well, okay, it’s okay, it’ll pass now. She was very small, probably about four years old, with very blond hair. Even in the dim flicker of the kerosene lamp, Edward could see that she Brown eyes also cast in gold, like Bryce's.

“Well, it’s okay,” said Bryce, “now you clear your throat and everything will go away.”

Sarah-Ruth didn't argue. She coughed and coughed and coughed. And on the wall of the house her shadow was coughing, so small and shriveled. This cough was the saddest sound Edward had ever heard in his life, sadder even than the cry of a whippoorwill. Finally, Sarah-Ruth stopped coughing.

– Do you want to see what I brought? – asked Bryce. Sarah-Ruth nodded.

“Then close your eyes.” The girl closed her eyes.

Bryce picked Edward up and held him so he was standing straight as a soldier at the foot of the bed.

- Okay, open it.

Sarah-Ruth opened her eyes, and Bryce began to move Edward's porcelain legs as if he were dancing.

Sarah-Ruth laughed and clapped her hands.

“Rabbit,” she said.

- This is for you, honey.

Sarah-Ruth looked first at Edward, then at Bryce, then back at Edward, her eyes widened, but she still didn't believe it.

- He is yours. - My?

As Edward soon discovered, Sarah-Ruth rarely spoke more than one word. In any case, if she spoke several words at once, she immediately began to cough. Therefore, she limited herself, saying only what was absolutely necessary.

“It’s yours,” Bryce said. “I got it especially for you.”

Upon hearing the news, Sarah-Ruth doubled over coughing. When the attack passed, she straightened up and extended her arms to Edward.

“Well, that’s good,” said Bryce and gave her the rabbit.

“Baby,” Sarah-Ruth said.

She began to rock Edward like a little one, looked at him and smiled.

Never in his life had Edward been treated like a baby. Abilene never did that. Nellie too. Well, there’s nothing to say about the Bull. But now... Now it was a special case. He was held so tenderly and at the same time so desperately, looked at with such love that Edward's porcelain body suddenly felt warm and warm.

- Sunny, what will you call him? – asked Bryce.

“Jingle bell,” Sarah-Ruth said, not taking her eyes off Edward.

- Bell? – Bryce repeated. - It's a good name, I like it.

Bryce patted Sarah-Ruth on the head, and she still did not take her eyes off Edward.

“Well, quietly, quietly,” she whispered to the rabbit and began to rock him again.

“As soon as I saw him,” said Bryce, “I immediately realized that he was for you.” And I said to myself, “Cape Root is going to get this rabbit, that's for sure.”

“Jingle bell,” Sarah-Ruth muttered.

Outside, outside the door of the hut, thunder rumbled, then the sound of a downpour was heard, drops pounding on the tin roof. Sarah-Ruth rocked Edward to sleep, and Bryce took out his harmonica and began to play, matching his song to the sound of the rain.

Chapter Eighteen

Bryce and Sarah-Ruth had a father.

The next morning, very early, when the light was still dim and uncertain, Sarah-Ruth sat up in bed and coughed, and at that moment her father came home. He grabbed Edward by the ear and said:

- Well, don’t be fools!

“It’s a doll,” said Bryce.

- Yes, it doesn’t look like any doll. Edward, grabbed by the ear, was terribly frightened. He immediately realized that this was the same man who broke the heads of porcelain dolls into thousands of pieces.

“His name is Little Bell,” Sarah-Ruth said between coughing fits and reached for Edward.

“This is her doll,” said Bryce. - Her rabbit.

His father threw Edward onto the bed, and Bryce immediately picked him up and handed him to Sarah-Ruth.

- What's the difference? - said the father. – Actually, it doesn’t matter.

- No, this is very important. This is her rabbit,” Bryce said.

- Don't argue. “The father swung his hand, hit Bryce in the face, then turned and walked out.

“Don’t be afraid of him,” Bryce told Edward. “He just scares everyone.” And besides, he rarely appears at home.

Fortunately, my father actually did not return that day. Bryce went to work and Sarah-Ruth stayed in bed. She held Edward in her arms and played with the button box.

“It’s beautiful,” she said to Edward, laying out different patterns of buttons on the bed.

Sometimes, when the coughing fit was particularly bad, she would hug Edward so tightly that he was afraid he would snap in half. And between coughing fits, the girl sucked on one or the other of Edward's ears. If anyone else had been Sarah-Ruth, Edward would have been terribly indignant. This is necessary! Such unceremoniousness! But there was something special about the Cape Route. He wanted to take care of her. He was ready to give her everything, not just his ears.

At the end of the day, Bryce returned with cookies for Sarah-Ruth and a ball of string for Edward.

Sarah-Ruth took the cookie with both hands and began to take very, very small bites, literally tiny bits.

“Eat the whole thing, honey, and give me your Bell, I’ll hold it,” said Bryce. “He and I have a surprise for you.”

Bryce carried Edward to the far corner of the room, took out a pocketknife and cut two pieces of string. He tied them to Edward's paws with one end and to the branches with the other.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about this all day,” Bryce whispered to the rabbit. “And I realized that I could make you dance.” Sarah-Ruth loves it when people dance. Mom once took her in her arms and circled her around the room. Well, did you eat the cookies? Bryce asked Sarah-Ruth.

“Uh-huh,” Sarah-Ruth replied.

- Well then, look, honey. We have a surprise for you. – Bryce straightened up. “Close your eyes,” he ordered his sister, brought Edward to the bed and said: “That’s it, you can open it.”

Sarah-Ruth opened her eyes.

- Come on, dance, Bubenchik. – Pulling the branches tied to Edward’s paws, Bryce made the rabbit dance almost in a crouch; with his other hand he held his harmonica and played some cheerful melody.

The girl laughed. She laughed until she started coughing. Then Bryce put Edward on the bed, took Sarah-Ruth in his arms and began to rock her and stroke her back.

- Do you want some fresh air? - he asked. - Let's take you outside.

And Bryce carried the girl outside. Edward remained lying on the bed and, looking at the soot-darkened ceiling, again thought how nice it was to have wings. If he had wings, he would soar high, high into the sky and fly over the whole world to where the air is clean, fresh and sweet. And he would take Sarah-Ruth with him. He would hold her in his arms. And of course, if they had risen up, high, high above the world, she would have been able to breathe without coughing at all.

A moment later, Bryce returned to the house with Sarah-Ruth in his arms.

“She wants to take you outside too,” he told Edward.

“Jingle bell,” Sarah-Ruth said and extended her hands. Bryce held Sarah-Ruth in his arms, Sarah-Ruth held Edward, and the three of them went outside. Bryce suggested:

- Let's look at the stars. When you see a shooting star, quickly make a wish.

All three fell silent for a long time, looking at the night sky. Sarah-Ruth stopped coughing. Edward thought she might have fallen asleep.

- There, there's a star! - said the girl.

A star actually flew across the night sky.

“Make a wish, honey,” Bryce said in an unexpectedly high, tense voice. - This is your star. You can wish for anything.

And although Sarah-Ruth noticed this star, Edward also made a wish.

Chapter nineteen

The days passed, the sun rose and set, then rose again and set again. Sometimes the father came home, and sometimes he did not show up. Edward's ears began to feel chewed, but it didn't bother him at all. His sweater had unraveled almost to the last thread, but that didn’t bother him either. He was squeezed and hugged mercilessly, but he loved it. And in the evenings, when Bryce picked up the twigs to which pieces of twine were tied, Edward danced and danced. Without getting tired.

A month passed, then two months, three... Sarah-Ruth got worse. In the fifth month she refused to eat.

And when the sixth month arrived, she began coughing up blood. Her breathing became uneven and uncertain, as if in the intervals between breaths she forgot how to breathe.

“Well, honey, breathe, breathe,” said Bryce, standing next to her.

“Breathe,” Edward repeated from her embrace, as if from the depths of a well. “Please, please, breathe.”

Bryce stopped going to work. He sat at home all day, held Sarah-Ruth in his arms, rocked her, sang songs to her.

One bright, sunny morning in September, Sarah-Ruth stopped breathing completely.

- No, no, this can’t be! - Bryce kept saying. - Well, please, honey, breathe, breathe some more.

Edward had fallen from Sarah-Ruth's arms the night before, and she never asked about him again. Lying face down on the floor with his hands behind his head, Edward listened to Bryce cry. Then he listened as his father came back into the house and started yelling at Bryce. And then his father began to cry, and Edward listened to him cry.

-You have no right to cry! - Bryce shouted. -You have no right to cry. You didn't even love her. You don't even know what love is.

“I loved her,” said the father. - I used to love her.

“I loved her too,” Edward thought. “I loved her, and now she’s no longer in the world.” This is strange, very strange. How can we continue to live in this world if Sary-Rut is not here?”

Father and son continued to shout at each other, and then a terrible moment came when the father declared that Sarah-Ruth belonged to him, that this was his girl, his child and he would bury her himself.

- She is not yours! - Bryce shouted. -You have no right. She is not yours.

But the father was big, strong, and he won. He wrapped Sarah-Ruth in a blanket and carried her away. The house became very quiet. Edward heard Bryce wandering around the room and muttering something under his breath. Finally the boy picked Edward up.

“Let’s go, Bubenchik,” said Bryce. “We have nothing to do here now.” We'll go to Memphis.

Chapter Twenty

– Have you seen a lot of dancing rabbits in your life? – Bryce asked Edward. “But I know exactly how many I saw.” One. It's you. This is how you and I will earn extra money. Last time I was in Memphis there was a show going on there. People put on various performances right on the street, on the corner, and other people throw money at them for it.

They walked to the city all night. Bryce walked non-stop, holding Edward under his arm, and talking to him all the time. Edward tried to listen, but he was again overcome by indifference. This is exactly how he felt when he was a stuffed animal nailed to a pole in the old woman’s garden. He didn't care about anything, and he knew that nothing would ever bother him again.

Edward's soul was not only empty and sad. He was in pain. Every part of his porcelain body ached. He felt bad for Sarah-Ruth. He wanted her to hold him in her arms again. He wanted to dance for her.

And he really began to dance, but not for Sarah-Ruth. Edward danced for strangers on a dirty intersection in Memphis. Bryce played the harmonica and pulled the strings on Edward's paws, Edward bowed, shuffled, swayed, danced, twirled, and people stopped, pointed at him and laughed. On the ground right in front of him was Sarah-Ruth's box, the box in which the girl kept her buttons. The lid of the box was open for people to throw coins into.

“Mom,” said some kid, “look at this rabbit.” I want to touch it. - And he extended his hand to Edward.

- Do not dare! - said the mother. - It's dirty. “She pulled the child away from Edward.

“He’s ugly and disgusting,” she said. - Ugh!

A man in a hat stopped and began to look at Edward and Bryce.

The man took off his hat and pressed it to his heart. He stood and looked at the boy with the rabbit for a long, very long time. Finally he put his hat back on and left.

The shadows became longer. The sun turned into an orange dusty ball, which was already ready to disappear behind the horizon.

Bryce began to cry. Edward saw his tears falling onto the asphalt. But the boy did not stop playing the harmonica. And he kept pulling Edward's strings. And Edward kept dancing.

The old lady, leaning on a cane, came very close to them. And she began to drill into Edward with her deep-set black eyes.

“Is this really Pelegrina?” - thought the dancing rabbit.

She nodded to him.

“Well, look at me,” Edward told her, twitching his arms and legs. - Look at me, your wish has come true. I learned to love. And it's terrible. Love broke my heart. Help me."

The old woman turned and, falling on one leg, walked away.

Come back, Edward thought. - Have pity on me. Fix it."

Bryce cried even harder. And made Edward dance even faster.

Finally, when the sun set and the streets were empty, Bryce stopped playing.

“Well, we're done,” he said. And he dropped Edward onto the asphalt. - I won't cry anymore.

Bryce wiped his nose and eyes with his hand, picked up the button box and looked inside.

“There’s enough money for food,” he said. - Let's go, Bubenchik.

Chapter twenty one

The dining room was called "Nile's". The name was written in large red neon letters that flashed on and off. It was warm inside, very light and smelled of fried chicken, toast and coffee.

Bryce sat down at the counter and sat Edward on a high stool next to him. He leaned the rabbit's forehead against the counter to keep it from falling off.

- Well, my sweetie, what can I treat you with? – the waitress turned to Bryce.

“Give me some pancakes,” said Bryce, “another egg, and a piece of meat.” Real beefsteak. And then toast and coffee.

The waitress leaned over the counter and tugged at Edward's ear, then pulled it back a little so she could see his face.

- Is this your rabbit? she asked Bryce.

- Yes, ma'am, now mine. This used to be my sister's rabbit. – Bryce wiped his nose with his palm. “He and I show performances together.” Show Business.

- Really? - said the waitress.

She had a tag hanging from her dress that said “Marlene.” She looked Edward in the eyes and then let go of his ear so that he rested his forehead on the counter again.

“Whatever, don’t be shy, Marlene,” Edward thought. - Push me, push me, kick me. Do what you want. Who cares. I'm completely empty. Completely empty."

The food arrived, and Bryce, without taking his eyes off the plate, ate every last crumb.

“You really were hungry,” Marlene said, clearing away the plates. - Looks like your show business is hard work.

“Uh-huh,” Bryce said.

Marlene tucked the receipt under her coffee cup. Bryce looked at the check and shook his head.

“I don’t have enough money,” he whispered to Edward.

“Ma’am,” he said to Marlene when she returned to pour him coffee. – I don’t have that much money.

– What-what, my sweetie?

– I don’t have that much money.

She stopped pouring him coffee and looked at him straight.

“You'll have to discuss this with Neil.”

As it turns out, Neil was both the owner and head chef. A huge, red-haired, red-faced man came out to them from the kitchen with a ladle in his hand.

-Did you come here hungry? - he said to Bryce.

“Yes, sir,” Bryce replied. And he wiped his nose with his palm.

– You ordered food, I prepared it, Marlene brought it to you. Right?

“Well, I guess so,” said Bryce.

- Like? – Neil asked. And he hit the counter with the ladle.

Bryce jumped up.

- Yes, sir, that is, no, sir.

– I. Prepared it. I'm going. For. “You,” Neil rapped.

“Yes, sir,” said Bryce.

He grabbed Edward off the stool and pulled him close. Everyone in the cafeteria stopped eating. Everyone looked at the boy with the rabbit and at Neil. Only Marlene turned away.

- You ordered it. I've prepared it. Marlene submitted. You ate. Now what? - Neil said. - I need money. – And he hit the counter with the ladle again.

Bryce cleared his throat.

– Have you ever seen a dancing rabbit? - he asked.

- What is this? - Neil said.

- Well, have you ever seen a rabbit dance in your life?

Bryce put Edward on the floor and began to pull the strings tied to his paws so that he began to slowly move. He took out a harmonica and played a sad melody to match slow dance Edward.

Someone laughed.

Bryce stopped playing the harmonica and said:

– He can still dance if you want. He can dance to pay for what I ate.

Neil stared at Bryce. And then suddenly he leaned down and grabbed Edward by the legs.

“That's what I think about dancing bunnies,” Neal said, swung and slammed Edward into the counter. Like a ladle.

There was a loud crash. Bryce screamed. And the whole world, Edward's world, turned black.

Chapter twenty two

It was twilight, and Edward was walking along the sidewalk. He walked completely independently, moving his legs one after the other, one after the other, without outside help. He was wearing a very beautiful red silk suit.

He walked along the sidewalk, and then turned onto a garden path that led to a house with lighted windows.

“I know this house,” Edward thought. “Abilene lives here.” House on Egyptian Street."

Then Lucy ran out of the house, barking, jumping, wagging her tail.

“Lie still, girl,” said a deep, low male voice.

Edward looked up and saw Bull standing in the doorway.

“Hi, Malone,” Bull said. - Hello, old rabbit pie. We've been waiting for you.

Bull opened the door wide and Edward entered the house. Abilene was there, and Nellie, and Lawrence, and Bryce.

- Suzanne! - Nellie exclaimed.

- Little bell! - Bryce shouted.

“Edward,” Abilene said. And she stretched out her hands to him. But Edward didn't move. He looked around the room again and again.

-Are you looking for Sarah-Ruth? – asked Bryce. Edward nodded.

“Then we need to go outside,” said Bryce.

And they all went outside. And Lucy, and Bull, and Nellie, and Lawrence, and Bryce, and Abilene, and Edward.

- Over there, look. – Bryce pointed to the stars.

“That’s right,” said Lawrence, “this constellation is called Sarah-Ruth.” “He picked Edward up and sat him on his shoulder. - Right there, see?

Edward felt very sad somewhere deep inside, it was a sweet and very familiar feeling. There is Sarah-Ruth, but why is she so far away?

If I had wings, I would fly to her.

Out of the corner of his eye, the rabbit saw something fluttering behind him. Edward looked over his shoulder and saw wings, the most amazing wings he had ever seen: orange, red, blue, yellow. They were on his back. His own wings. His wings.

What an amazing night! He walks without any help. He has an elegant new suit. And now there are wings. Now he can fly anywhere, do anything. How did he not understand this right away?

His heart also fluttered in his chest. He spread his wings, flew off Lawrence's shoulder and flew up into the night sky, towards the stars, towards Sarah Ruth.

- No! - Abilene screamed.

- Catch him! - Bryce shouted. But Edward flew higher and higher. Lucy barked.

- Malone! - Bull shouted. He jumped up and grabbed Edward by the legs, pulling him out of the sky and onto the ground. “It’s not your time yet,” said the Bull.

“Stay with us,” Abilene said.

Edward tried to flap his wings, but it was useless. The bull held him tightly and pressed him to the ground.

“Stay with us,” Abilene repeated. Edward began to cry.

“I can’t stand it anymore, I can’t lose him again,” said Nellie.

“Me too,” Abilene said. “Then my heart will break.”

And Lucy buried her face in Edward wet nose. And she licked the tears from his face.

Chapter twenty three

“Amazing work,” the man said, running a warm cloth over Edward’s face. – A real work of art. Of course, dirty, of course, neglected, but nevertheless real art. But dirt is not a hindrance, we can deal with dirt. We fixed your head.

Edward looked the man in the eyes.

“Ah... you’ve finally woken up,” said the man. “Now I see that you are listening to me.” Your head was broken. I fixed it. I brought you back from the other world.

“What about the heart? – Edward thought. “My heart is also broken.”

- No no. “You don’t need to thank me,” the man said. – This is my job, in the most literal sense of the word. Let me introduce myself. My name is Lucius Clarke and I repair dolls. So, your head... Yes, perhaps I’ll tell you everything. Although it may upset you. But all the same, you have to face the truth and it is advisable to have a head on your shoulders, forgive the pun. Your head, young man, has turned into a pile of fragments, more precisely twenty-one pieces.

"Twenty one?" – Edward thoughtlessly repeated to himself.

Lucius Clarke nodded.

“Twenty-one,” he said. “And I must admit without false modesty that a less skilled puppet master than me might not have been able to cope with this task.” But I saved you. Okay, let's not remember the sad things. We will talk about what we have today. You are safe again, monsignor. Your humble servant, Lucius Clarke, has brought you back from oblivion, from which there is virtually no return.

The puppet master placed his hand on his chest and bowed deeply to Edward.

Edward lay on his back, contemplating this long solemn speech. Below it was a wooden table. The table stood in the room, and sunlight streamed through the high windows. Edward also realized that recently his head had been broken into twenty-one pieces, and now it had turned into a whole head again. And he wasn’t wearing any red suit. In fact, he didn't have any clothes on at all. He was naked again. And without wings.

And then he remembered: Bryce, cafeteria, Neil grabs his legs, swings him...

Where's Bryce?

“You probably remembered your young friend,” Lucius guessed. -Whose nose runs all the time. He brought you here, cried, begged for help. He kept saying: “Glue it together, fix it.” What did I tell him? I told him: “Young man, I am a man of action. I can glue your bunny. Honestly, I can. But everything has its price. The question is, can you pay this price?” He couldn't. Of course he couldn't. So he said that there was no money. Then I offered him two options to choose from. Only two. First: look elsewhere for help. Well, the second option was that I would fix you, do everything in my power, and believe me, I have a lot of strength, and I have skill, and then you will become mine. Not his, but only mine. – Here Lucius fell silent. And nodded, as if confirming own words. “These are two options,” he said. – And your friend chose the second one. He abandoned you so that you could come to life. Actually, it shook me to my core.

Bryce, Edward thought again.

- Don't worry, my friend, don't worry. – Lucius Clarke was already rubbing his hands, ready to get down to business again. “I intend to fully and completely fulfill my part of the contract.” You will be like new with me, I will return you to your former greatness. You will have ears made of real rabbit hair, and a real rabbit tail. And we'll replace your mustache. And let's tint the eyes, they will be bright blue again. And we’ll make you the most wonderful suit. And then, one fine day, I will be rewarded a hundredfold for these efforts. There is a time for everything, there is a time for everything. There is a time, and there is a puppet time, as we say, puppet masters. You, my dear friend, have finally found yourself in puppet time.

Chapter twenty-four

Edward Tulane had been repaired, that is, literally rebuilt, cleaned, polished, dressed in a smart suit and placed on a high shelf so that he could be seen by buyers. From this shelf, the entire puppeteer's workshop was at a glance: the bench, and Lucius Clarke's work desk, and the windows behind which the outside world remained, and the door through which customers entered and exited. From this shelf Edward saw Bryce one day. The boy opened the door and stood on the threshold. In his left hand, a harmonica shone bright silver - it was illuminated by the sun pouring through the windows.

“Young man,” Lucius said sternly, “I remind you that you and I have made a deal.”

- What, I can’t even look at him? “Bryce wiped his nose with the back of his hand, and the familiar gesture sent a wave of love and loss through Edward’s heart. “I just want to look at him.”

Lucius Clarke sighed.

“Look,” he said. “And then leave and never come back.” It's not enough for you to hang around here every morning and mourn what you lost.

“Okay, sir,” said Bryce.

Lucius sighed again. He stood up from his desk, walked over to the shelf where Edward was sitting, took it off and showed it to Bryce from a distance.

“Hi, Bubenchik,” said Bryce. - You look good. And the last time I saw you, you looked terrible, your head was all broken and...

“He’s good as new again,” Lucius said. - I promised you.

Bryce nodded. And he wiped his hand under his nose.

-Can I hold it? - he asked.

“No,” Lucius replied. Bryce nodded again.

“Tell him goodbye,” said the puppeteer. - I fixed it. Saved. You have to say goodbye to him.

“Don’t go,” Edward mentally begged. “I can’t stand it if you leave.”

“You have to go,” Lucius Clarke said.

“Yes, sir,” said Bryce. But he still stood motionless, looking at Edward.

“Go now,” said Lucius Clarke. - Leave! “Well, please,” Edward begged. “Don’t go.” Bryce turned. And he left the puppeteer's shop.

The door closed. The bell rang.

And Edward was left alone.

Chapter twenty-five

Well, objectively, of course, he was not alone. Lucius Clarke's workshop was full of dolls: lady dolls and baby dolls, dolls whose eyes opened and closed, and dolls with painted eyes, and also queen dolls and dolls in sailor suits.

Edward never liked dolls. They are disgusting, self-righteous, chirp all the time about nothing, and are also terribly proud.

He was further strengthened in this opinion thanks to his neighbor on the shelf - a porcelain doll with green glass eyes, red lips and dark brown hair. She was wearing a knee-length green satin dress.

-Who are you? she asked in a high, squeaky voice as Edward was placed next to her on the shelf.

“I’m a rabbit,” Edward answered.

The doll giggled squeakily.

“Well, then you've come to the wrong place,” she said. “They sell dolls here, not rabbits.”

Edward remained silent.

“Get away,” the neighbor continued.

“I would love to,” said Edward, “but it’s quite obvious that I won’t get out of here myself.”

After a long silence, the doll said:

“I hope you don’t expect anyone to buy you?”

Once again Edward remained silent.

“People come here for dolls, not rabbits.” And they need either baby dolls or elegant dolls like me, in beautiful dresses and so that their eyes open and close.

“I don’t need to be bought at all,” said Edward.

The doll gasped.

- Don't you want to be bought? – she repeated in amazement. – Don’t you want to have a little mistress who loves you?

Sarah-Ruth! Abilene! Their names flashed through Edward's head like notes of some sad but sweet music.

“I’ve already been loved,” Edward replied. “A girl named Abilene loved me.” I was loved by a fisherman and his wife, and a tramp and his dog loved me. I was loved by a boy who played the harmonica and a girl who died. “Don’t talk to me about love,” he said. – I know what love is.

After this passionate speech, Edward's neighbor finally shut up and remained silent for quite a long time. But she did not fail to have the last word.

“And yet,” she said, “I believe that no one will buy you.”

They didn't talk to each other anymore. Two weeks later, an old woman bought a green-eyed doll for her granddaughter.

“Yes, yes, that one,” said the old woman to Lucius Clarke. - The one in the green dress. She's very pretty.

“Of course,” said Lucius. - A lovely doll. And he took it off the shelf.

“Well, good riddance,” Edward thought.

The place next to him was empty for some time. Days passed. The door to the store-workshop opened and closed, letting in either the early morning light or the late sunset light, and each time the dolls’ hearts trembled. Each thought that this time the door opened wide, letting in the very person who had come specifically for her.

Edward alone did not expect anything or anyone. He was even proud of the fact that he did not wait for anyone, did not hope for anything and his heart did not skip a beat in his chest. He was proud that his heart was silent, impassive, closed to everyone.

“I’m done with hope,” thought Edward Tulane.

But one day at dusk, before closing the store, Lucius Clarke placed a new doll next to Edward.

Chapter twenty-six

- Well, here you are, my lady. “Meet your neighbor the rabbit, a toy rabbit,” said the puppet master and left, turning off all the lights in the room.

In the twilight, Edward was able to see the doll's head, which, like his own, had apparently been broken at some point and then glued back together. The doll's entire face was riddled with cracks. She was wearing a child's cap.

“Hello,” she said in a high, weak voice. - Very glad to meet you.

“Hi,” Edward said.

– How long have you been here? – she asked.

“For many months now,” Edward said. - But I do not care. For me, one place and another are all one.

“But not for me,” said the doll. – I have lived for a hundred years. And during this time I visited different places: both heavenly and completely terrible. After some time, you begin to understand that each place is interesting in its own way. And in a new place you yourself become a completely different doll. Completely different.

-Are you a hundred years old? – Edward didn’t believe it.

– Yes, I’m very old. The puppeteer confirmed this. While he was fixing me, he said that I was at least a hundred years old. At least. But in fact, maybe more.

Edward remembered everything that happened to him during his much more short life. How many things happened to him during this time!

What if you live on earth for a hundred years?

What else could happen to me?

The old doll said:

– I wonder who will come for me this time? After all, someone will definitely come. Someone always comes. Who will it be this time?

“I don’t care,” Edward responded. - Even if no one comes. Doesn't matter…

- Terrible! - exclaimed the old doll. – How can you live with such thoughts? There is no meaning in such a life. There must be expectation and anticipation inside. We must live in hope, bathe in it. And think about who will love you and who you will love in return.

“I’m done with love,” Edward snapped. - I'm done with this matter. It hurts too much.

- Well, here’s another one! – the old doll was indignant. - Where is your courage?

“Yes, it got lost somewhere,” Edward answered.

“You disappointed me,” said the doll. “You disappointed me to the core.” If you have no intention of loving and being loved, then there is no point in the journey called life. Then why don't you jump off this shelf right now and break into a million pieces? As you say, “get it over with.” Just end this once and for all.

“I would jump if I could,” said Edward.

- Should I push you? - asked the old doll.

“No, thank you,” Edward replied. “You can’t,” he muttered under his breath.

- I'm sorry, what? – the doll asked.

“Nothing,” Edward muttered.

The darkness in the doll shop became completely dark.

The old doll and Edward sat on their shelf, staring into the pitch darkness.

“You disappointed me,” repeated the old doll.

Her words reminded Edward of Pelegrina, of warthogs and princesses, of the ability to listen and the ability to love, of spells and curses.

What if there really is someone in the world waiting for me and wanting to love me? The one whom I can love too? Is this really possible?

Edward felt his heart skip a beat.

“No,” he told his heart. - This is impossible. Impossible".

Lucius Clarke came in the morning.

– Good morning, my precious ones,” he greeted the dolls. - Good morning, my darlings.

He opened the shutters on the windows. Then he turned on the light above his desk and, going to the door, flipped the sign from “closed” to “open.”

The first customer was a little girl. She came with dad.

– Are you looking for something specific? Special? – asked Lucius Clarke.

“Yes,” answered the girl. - I'm looking for a girlfriend. Dad put her on his shoulders and they began to slowly walk around the store.

The girl carefully studied each doll. She looked Edward straight in the eyes.

- Well, Natalie, which one should we take? - Dad asked. -Have you decided?

“Yes, I decided,” the girl nodded. - I want that doll with the cap.

“Oh, that’s the doll you liked,” said Lucius Clarke. - She is very old. Antique.

“But she needs me,” Natalie said firmly.

Sitting next to Edward, the old doll sighed with relief. She even seemed to have pulled herself up a little and straightened her shoulders. Lucius walked over to the shelf, removed the doll and handed it to Natalie. As they were leaving, the girl's dad opened the door for his daughter and her new friend, the early morning light entered the workshop, and Edward clearly heard the old doll's voice - as clearly as if she was still sitting on the shelf next to him: “Open your heart, – she said softly. - Someone will come. Someone will come for you, for sure. But first you must open your heart."

The door slammed shut. And the sunlight disappeared.

“Someone will come for you.”

Edward's heart sank again. He remembered for the first time in for a long time, about the house on Egyptian Street, Abilene remembered, remembered how she wound his watch, how she leaned over him, how she put the watch on his left knee and said: “Wait, I’ll be back soon.”

“No, no,” he said to himself. – You can’t believe this. Don't let yourself believe it."

But it was too late.

“Someone will come for you,” pounded in his head. The porcelain rabbit's heart began to open again.

Chapter twenty seven

One season gave way to another. After autumn came winter, then spring, then summer. The door opened, and raindrops fell into Lucius Clarke's studio, fallen leaves flew in, or young spring light poured in - the light of hope, bordered by a pale green pattern of foliage. Customers came and went: grandmothers, doll collectors, little girls with their mothers.

And Edward Tulane was still waiting.

Year after year passed, one spring followed another. Edward Tulane was waiting.

He repeated the words of the old doll again and again until they finally settled in his head and began to repeat themselves: someone will come, someone will come for you.

And the old doll turned out to be right. They really came for him.

It was spring. It was raining. At Lucius Clark's store in glass jar A dogwood branch blossomed.

A little girl, probably about five years old, arrived, and while her mother was trying to close the blue umbrella, the girl began wandering around the store, stopping and looking carefully at each doll. He will stand and stand, and then move away.

When she reached Edward, she froze and stood there for what seemed to him a very, very long time. She looked at him, and he looked at her.

“Someone will come,” Edward told himself. “Someone will come for me.”

The girl smiled, and then stood on her tiptoes and took Edward from the shelf. And she began to cradle. She held him as tenderly and as desperately as Sarah-Ruth had once held him.

“I remember that,” Edward thought sadly. “This has already happened.”

“Madam,” said Lucius Clarke, “please watch your daughter.” She took a very fragile, very valuable and very expensive doll from the shelf.

“Maggie,” the woman called out to the girl, looking up from her umbrella, which wouldn’t close. -What did you take?

“A rabbit,” said Meggie. - What?

“A rabbit,” Meggie repeated. - I want a rabbit.

– Don’t you remember, we are not going to buy anything today. “We just came in to have a look,” the woman said.

“Madam,” said Lucius Clarke, “please look at this toy.” You will not regret.

The woman came closer and stood next to Meggie. And she looked at Edward.

The rabbit felt dizzy.

For a moment he thought his head was split open again, or that he was simply sleeping and dreaming.

“Mom, look,” said Meggie, “look at him.”

“I’m looking,” the woman said.

And she dropped her umbrella. And she grabbed her chest with her hand. And then Edward saw that hanging on her chest was not a pendant, not an amulet, but a watch. Pocket watch.

His watch.

- Edward? - said Abilene.

"Yes, it's me," Edward said.

“Edward,” she repeated again, this time with complete confidence.

“Yes,” said Edward, “yes, yes, yes!” It's me!"

Epilogue

Once upon a time there lived a porcelain rabbit that was loved by a little girl. This rabbit went on a journey across the ocean and fell overboard, but was saved by a fisherman. It was buried in a pile of garbage, but a dog dug it up. He wandered with tramps for a long time and stood as a scarecrow in the garden for only a short time.

Once upon a time there lived a rabbit who loved a little girl and saw her die.

This bunny danced on the streets of Memphis. The cook broke his head, and the puppet maker glued it back together.

And the rabbit swore that he would never make this mistake again - he would never love anyone.

Once upon a time there lived a rabbit who danced in the spring garden with the daughter of the girl who loved him at the very beginning of his life. Dancing, the girl circled the rabbit around the lawn. Sometimes they circled so fast that it even seemed as if they had wings and were flying.

Once upon a time there was a rabbit in the world, who one fine day returned home.

"The Wonderful Journey of Edward Rabbit": Swallowtail; M.; 2008
ISBN 978-5-389-00021-6, 978-0-7636-2589-2
annotation
One day Pelegrina's grandmother gave her granddaughter Abilene an amazing toy rabbit named Edward Tulane. He was made of the finest porcelain, he had a whole wardrobe of exquisite silk suits and even a gold watch on a chain. Abilene adored her rabbit, kissed him, dressed him up and wound his watch every morning. And the rabbit did not love anyone but himself.
Once Abilene and her parents went to cruise, and Edward the rabbit fell overboard and ended up at the very bottom of the ocean. An old fisherman caught it and brought it to his wife. Then the rabbit fell into the hands different people– good and evil, noble and treacherous. Edward faced many trials, but the more difficult it was for him, the sooner his callous heart thawed: he learned to respond with love to love.
The author of the illustrations is Bagram Ibatullin.
Kate DiCamillo
The Amazing Journey of Edward Rabbit

Jane Resch Thomas,
who gave me a rabbit
and came up with a name for him

My heart beats, breaks - and comes to life again.
I have to go through the darkness, going deeper into the darkness, without looking back.
Stanley Kunitz. "Tree of knowledge"

Chapter first

Once upon a time, there lived a rabbit in a house on Egyptian Street. It was made almost entirely of porcelain: it had porcelain legs, a porcelain head, a porcelain body and even a porcelain nose. To allow him to bend the porcelain elbows and porcelain knees, the joints on the legs were connected with wire, and this allowed the rabbit to move freely.
His ears were made of real rabbit hair, and a wire was hidden inside it, very strong and flexible, so his ears could take a variety of positions, and it immediately became clear what the rabbit’s mood was: whether he was happy, sad or sad. His tail was also made of real rabbit hair - such a fluffy, soft, quite decent tail.
The rabbit's name was Edward Tulane. He was quite tall - about ninety centimeters from the tips of his ears to the tips of his paws. His painted eyes shone with a piercing blue light. Very smart eyes.
All in all, Edward Tulane considered himself a remarkable creature. The only thing he didn't like was his mustache - long and elegant, as it should be, but of some unknown origin. Edward was pretty sure it wasn't a rabbit's whiskers. But the question is: to whom - to what unpleasant animal? – these tendrils belonged originally was painful for Edward, and he could not think about it for too long. Edward didn't like to think about unpleasant things at all. I didn't think so.
Edward's owner was a dark-haired ten-year-old girl named Abilene Tulane. She valued Edward almost as highly as Edward valued himself. Every morning, getting ready for school, Abilene dressed herself and dressed Edward.
The porcelain rabbit had an extensive wardrobe: there were handmade silk suits, shoes and boots made of the finest leather, sewn specifically to fit his rabbit’s foot. He also had a great many hats, and all of these hats had special holes made for Edward's long and expressive ears. All his wonderfully tailored trousers had a special pocket for the rabbit's gold watch with a chain. Abilene wound the clock herself every morning.
“Well, Edward,” she said, winding the clock, “when the long hand is at twelve and the short hand is at three, I will return home.” To you.
She would sit Edward on a chair in the dining room and position the chair so that Edward would look out the window and see the path that led to the Tulane house. She placed the watch on his left knee. After that, she kissed the tips of his incomparable ears and left for school, and Edward spent the whole day looking out of the window at Egyptian Street, listening to the ticking of the clock and waiting for his mistress.
Of all the seasons, the rabbit loved winter most of all, because the sun set early in winter, it quickly got dark outside the dining room window where he was sitting, and Edward saw his own reflection in the dark glass. And what a wonderful reflection it was! What an elegant, wonderful rabbit he was! Edward never tired of admiring his own perfection.
And in the evening, Edward sat in the dining room with the entire Tulane family: with Abilene, her parents and grandmother, whose name was Pelegrina. To be honest, Edward's ears were barely visible from behind the table, and to be even more honest, he didn't know how to eat and could only look straight ahead - at the edge of the dazzling white tablecloth hanging from the table. But still he sat with everyone. He took part in the meal, so to speak, as a member of the family.
Abilene's parents found it absolutely charming that their daughter treated Edward like a living being and even sometimes asked them to repeat a phrase because Edward supposedly didn't hear it.
“Dad,” Abilene said in such cases, “I’m afraid Edward did not hear your last words.”
Then Abilene's dad would turn to Edward and slowly repeat what he had said - especially for the porcelain rabbit. And Edward pretended to listen, naturally, to please Abilene. But, to be honest, he was not very interested in what people said. In addition, he did not really like Abilene's parents and their condescending attitude towards him. All adults treated him this way, with one exception.
The exception was Pelegrina. She spoke to him, like her granddaughter, as equals. Grandma Abilene was very old. An old woman with a large sharp nose and bright, dark eyes sparkling like stars. Rabbit Edward was born thanks to Pelegrina. It was she who ordered the rabbit himself, and his silk suits, and his pocket watch, and his charming hats, and his expressive flexible ears, and his wonderful leather shoes, and even the joints on his paws. The order was completed by a puppet master from France, where Pelegrina was from. And she gave a rabbit to the Abilene girl for her seventh birthday.
It was Pelegrina who came every evening to her granddaughter’s bedroom to tuck her a blanket. She did the same for Edward.
- Pelegrina, will you tell us a story? – Abilene asked every evening.
“No, my dear, not today,” answered the grandmother.
- And when? - Abilene asked. - When?
“Soon,” answered Pelegrina, “very soon.”
And then she turned off the light, and Edward and Abilene were left in the dark.
“Edward, I love you,” Abilene said every evening after Pelegrina left the room.
The girl said these words and froze, as if she was waiting for Edward to say something to her in response.
Edward was silent. He was silent because, of course, he did not know how to speak. He lay in his small crib next to Abilene's large bed. He looked at the ceiling, listened to the girl breathe - inhale, exhale - and knew well that she would soon fall asleep. Edward himself never slept, because his eyes were drawn on and could not close.
Sometimes Abilene would put him on his side rather than on his back, and through the cracks in the curtains he could look out the window. On clear nights the stars shone, and their distant, uncertain light calmed Edward in a very special way: he did not even understand why this was happening. Often he looked at the stars all night long, until the darkness dissolved into the morning light.
Chapter two

- Come on, phew! Give it up immediately! - she shouted to the dog.
Out of surprise, Rosette obeyed and released the rabbit from his mouth.
Edward's silk suit was smeared with saliva, and his head hurt for several days, but it was his self-esteem that suffered the most from this story. Firstly, Abilene’s mother called him “it”, and also added “ew” - isn’t that about him? Secondly, she was much more angry with the dog for soiling the tablecloth than for treating Edward inappropriately. What injustice!
There was another case. The Tulane household has a new maid. She so wanted to make a good impression on the owners and show how diligent she was that she encroached on Edward, who, as usual, was sitting on a chair in the dining room.
- What is this big-eared guy doing here? – she was loudly indignant.
Edward didn't like the word "eared" at all. Disgusting, offensive nickname!
The maid leaned down and looked into his eyes.
“Hmm...” She straightened up and put her hands on her hips. “In my opinion, you are no better than the rest of the things in this house.” You also need to be thoroughly cleaned and washed.
And she vacuumed Edward Tulane! His long ears one by one found themselves in the fiercely humming pipe. Knocking the dust out of the rabbit, she touched all his clothes and even his tail with her paws! She rubbed his face mercilessly and roughly. In a fervent effort not to leave a speck of dust on it, she even sucked Edward's gold watch straight into the vacuum cleaner. The clock rang and disappeared into the hose, but the maid did not pay any attention to this sad sound.
When she was finished, she carefully placed the chair back on the table and, not really knowing where to put Edward, ended up stuffing him on the shelf with the dolls in Abilene's room.
“That’s right,” said the maid. - This is the place for you.
She left Edward sitting on the shelf in an uncomfortable and completely undignified position: with his nose buried in his knees. And around, like a flock of unfriendly birds, dolls chirped and giggled. Finally Abilene came home from school. Finding that the rabbit was not in the dining room, she began to run from room to room, shouting his name.
- Edward! - she called. - Edward!
Of course, there was no way he could let her know where he was. He could not answer her call. He could only sit and wait.
But Abilene found him and hugged him tightly, so tightly that he felt her heart beating excitedly, almost jumping out of her chest.
“Edward,” she whispered, “Edward, I love you so much.” I will never part with you.
The rabbit was also very excited. But it was not the thrill of love. Irritation seethed within him. How dare they treat him in such an inappropriate manner? This maid treated him like an inanimate object - some kind of bowl, ladle or teapot. The only joy he experienced in connection with this story was the immediate dismissal of the maid.
Edward's pocket watch was found in the depths of the vacuum cleaner some time later - bent, but still in working order. Papa Abilene bowed and returned them to Edward.
“Sir Edward,” he said, “I think this is your thing.”
The episodes with Poppy and the vacuum cleaner remained the biggest dramas in Edward's life until the evening of Abilene's eleventh birthday. It was then, at the festive table, as soon as the cake with candles was brought in, the word “ship” was heard for the first time.
Chapter Three

“The ship is called the Queen Mary,” said Abilene’s dad. “You, mom and I will sail on it to London.”
- And Pelegrina? – asked Abilene.
“I won’t go with you,” Pelegrina responded. - I'll stay here.
Edward, of course, didn't listen to them. In general, he considered any table conversations terribly boring. In fact, he basically did not listen to them if he found even the slightest opportunity to be distracted. But while talking about the ship, Abilene did something unexpected, and this something made the rabbit's ears perk up. Abilene suddenly reached out to him, took him off the chair, picked him up and pressed him to her.
- And Edward? – she asked thinly, and her voice trembled.
- What Edward? - Mom said.
– Will Edward sail with us on the Queen Mary?
“Well, of course, it will float if you want, although you are still too big a girl to carry a porcelain rabbit with you.”
“You’re talking nonsense,” Dad said with cheerful reproach. – Who will protect Abilene if not Edward? He's coming with us.
From Abilene's hands, Edward saw the table completely differently. This is a completely different matter, not like from below, from a chair! He looked at the sparkling glasses, the shining plates, the shiny silverware, and saw the indulgent grins on the faces of Abilene's parents. And then he met Pelegrina's gaze.
She looked at him like a hawk hovering in the sky at a tiny mouse. Perhaps the rabbit fur on Edward's ears and tail, and perhaps even his mustache, retained some vague memory of the time when their rabbit masters were waylaid by hunters, because Edward suddenly shuddered.
“Well, of course,” Pelegrina said, not taking her eyes off Edward, “who will take care of Abilene if her rabbit isn’t there?”
That evening, Abilene, as usual, asked if her grandmother would tell a fairy tale, and Pelegrina unexpectedly replied:
– Today, young lady, you will have a fairy tale. Abilene sat up in bed.
“Oh, then let’s set Edward up here too, so he can listen too!”
“Yes, it will be better that way,” said Pelegrina. – I also think that the rabbit should listen to today’s fairy tale.
Abilene sat Edward next to her in bed, tucked the blanket under him and said to Pelegrina:
- That's it, we're ready.
“So...” Pelegrina cleared her throat. “So,” she repeated, “the fairy tale begins with the fact that once upon a time there lived a princess.”
- Beautiful? – asked Abilene.
- Very beautiful.
- Well, what was she like?
“Listen,” said Pelegrina. – You’ll find out everything now.
Chapter Four

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess. Her beauty shone as brightly as the stars in the moonless sky. But was there any sense in her beauty? Yes, no, absolutely no sense.
- Why is there no point? – asked Abilene.

- Because this princess didn’t love anyone. She didn’t even know what love was, although many loved her.
At this moment, Pelegrina interrupted her story and looked at Edward point-blank - right into his painted eyes. A shiver ran through his body.
“So...” said Pelegrina, still looking at Edward.
- And what happened to this princess? – asked Abilene.
“So,” Pelegrina repeated, turning to her granddaughter, “the king, her father, said that it was time for the princess to get married.” Soon a prince came to them from a neighboring kingdom, saw the princess and immediately fell in love with her. He gave her a ring made of pure gold. Putting the ring on her finger, he told her the most important words: “I love you.” And do you know what the princess did?
Abilene shook her head.
“She swallowed this ring.” She took it off her finger and swallowed it. And she said: “Here is your love!” She ran away from the prince, left the castle and went into the very depths of the forest. And then...
– What then? – asked Abilene. - What happened to her?
- The princess got lost in the forest. She wandered there for many, many days. Finally she came to a small hut, knocked and said: “Please let me in, I’m cold.” But there was no answer. She knocked again and said: “Let me in, I’m so hungry.” And then a terrible voice was heard: “Come in if you want.”
The beautiful princess entered and saw the witch. The witch was sitting at the table and counting gold bars. “Three thousand six hundred and twenty-two,” she said. “I’m lost,” said the beautiful princess. "So what? - the witch responded. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-three.” “I’m hungry,” said the princess. “It doesn’t concern me one bit,” said the witch. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-four.” “But I am a beautiful princess,” the princess reminded. “Three thousand six hundred and twenty-five,” answered the witch. “My father,” continued the princess, “is a powerful king. You must help me, otherwise this will end very badly for you.” “Will it end badly? – the witch was surprised. Then for the first time she took her eyes off the gold bars and looked at the princess: “Well, you’re impudent!” You talk to me in that tone. Well, in that case, we will now talk about what will end badly for whom. And how exactly. Come on, tell me the name of the one you love.” "I love? – the princess was indignant and stamped her foot. “Why does everyone always talk about love?” “Who do you love? - said the witch. “Say the name immediately.” “I don’t love anyone,” the princess said proudly. “You disappointed me,” said the witch. She raised her hand and uttered one single word: “Carrumbole.” And the beautiful princess turned into a warthog - a shaggy black pig with fangs. “What have you done to me?” - the princess screamed. “You still want to talk about what will end badly for whom? - said the witch and again began to count the gold bars. “Three thousand six hundred twenty-six.”
The poor princess, who had turned into a warthog, ran out of the hut and disappeared into the forest again.
At this time, the royal guards were combing the forest. Who do you think they were looking for? Of course, a beautiful princess. And when they met the terrible warthog, they simply shot him. Bang Bang!
- No, it can not be! - Abilene exclaimed.
“Maybe,” Pelegrina said. - Shot. They took this warthog to the castle, where the cook opened its belly and found a ring of pure gold in its stomach. That evening, a lot of hungry people gathered in the castle, and they were all waiting to be fed. So the cook had no time to admire the ring. She simply put it on her finger and began further cutting up the carcass to cook the meat. And the ring that the beautiful princess swallowed shone on the cook’s finger. End.
- End? – Abilene exclaimed indignantly.
“Of course,” said Pelegrina. - The end of the fairy tale.
- Can't be!
- Why can’t he?
- Well, because the fairy tale ended too quickly and because no one lived happily and died on the same day, that’s why.
“Ah, that’s the thing,” Pelegrina nodded. And she fell silent. And then she said: “Can a story end happily if there is no love in it?” OK. It's already late. Time for you to sleep.
Pelegrina took Edward from Abilene. She put the rabbit in his crib and covered him with a blanket up to his whiskers. Then she leaned closer to him and whispered:
-You disappointed me.
The old lady left, and Edward remained lying in his crib.
He looked at the ceiling and thought that the fairy tale was somehow meaningless. However, aren’t all fairy tales like that? He remembered how the princess turned into a warthog. Well, that's sad. And completely far-fetched. But overall, a terrible fate.
“Edward,” Abilene suddenly said, “I love you and will always love you, no matter how old I get.”
“Yes, yes,” Edward thought, looking at the ceiling, “of course.”
He became agitated, but he didn’t know why. He also regretted that Pelegrina put him on his back, and not on his side, and he could not look at the stars.
And then he remembered how Pelegrina described the beautiful princess. Her beauty shone brightly, like stars in a moonless sky. It is not clear why, but Edward suddenly felt comforted. He began to repeat these words to himself: bright as stars in a moonless sky... bright as stars in a moonless sky... He repeated them over and over until the morning light finally dawned.
Chapter Five

The house on Egyptian Street was bustling as the Tulane family prepared to travel to England. Edward's suitcase was packed by Abilene. She prepared for him the most elegant suits, the best hats and three pairs of boots for his journey - in a word, everything so that the rabbit would conquer the whole of London with his elegance. Before putting each next item into the suitcase, the girl showed it to Edward.
– How do you like this shirt with this suit? - she asked. - Is it good?
Or:
– Would you like to take a black bowler hat with you? It suits you very well. Shall we take it?
And finally, one fine May morning, Edward and Abilene and Mr. and Mrs. Tulane found themselves on board the ship. Pelegrina stood on the pier. On her head was a wide-brimmed hat decorated with flowers. Pelegrina did not take her dark sparkling eyes off Edward.
“Goodbye,” Abilene shouted to her grandmother. - I love you!
The ship has set sail. Pelegrina waved to Abilene.
“Goodbye, young lady,” she cried, “goodbye!”
And then Edward felt his eyes become moist. Abilene's tears must have gotten on them. Why is she hugging him so tightly? When she squeezes him like that, his clothes wrinkle every time. Well, finally, all the people remaining on the shore, including Pelegrina, disappeared from sight. And Edward didn’t regret it at all.
As expected, Edward Tulane aroused considerable curiosity among all passengers on the ship.
- What an interesting rabbit! – An elderly lady with three strands of pearls around her neck leaned over to get a better look at Edward.
“Thank you very much,” Abilene said.
Several little girls who were also traveling on this ship cast passionate, soulful glances at Edward. They probably really wanted to touch or hold it. And they finally asked Abilene about it.
“No,” said Abilene, “I’m afraid he’s not one of those rabbits who easily goes into the arms of strangers.”
Two boys, brothers Martin and Amos, also became very interested in Edward.
-What can he do? - Martin asked Abilene on the second day of the journey and pointed a finger at Edward, who was simply sitting in a deck chair, his long legs stretched out.
“He can’t do anything,” Abilene answered.
– Is he even groovy? Amos asked.
“No,” Abilene answered, “it won’t start.”
- What good is it then? – Martin asked.
- Prok? He's Edward! - Abilene explained.
- Is this any good? – Amos snorted.
“No use,” Martin agreed. And then, after a thoughtful pause, he said: “I would never allow them to dress me up like that.”
“Me too,” Amos said.
– Do his clothes come off? – Martin asked.
“Well, of course it’s being removed,” Abilene answered. – He has a lot of different clothes. And he has his own pajamas, silk.
Edward, as usual, did not pay attention to all this empty talk. A light breeze was blowing, and the scarf tied around his neck fluttered beautifully. The rabbit had a straw hat on his head. He thought he looked amazing.
Therefore, it was a complete surprise for him when they suddenly grabbed him, tore off his scarf, and then his jacket, and even his pants. He heard his watch ring as it hit the deck. Then, when he was already being held upside down, he noticed that the clock was merrily rolling towards Abilene’s feet.
- Just look! - Martin exclaimed. – He even has underpants! - And he lifted Edward higher so that Amos could see the panties.
“Take it off,” Amos yelled.
– Don’t you dare!!! - Abilene screamed. But Martin also pulled off Edward's underpants.
Now Edward could not help but pay attention to all this. He was completely horrified. After all, he was completely naked, only his hat remained on his head, and the passengers around were staring - some with curiosity, some with embarrassment, and some with open mockery.
- Give it back! - Abilene screamed. - This is my rabbit!
- You'll get by! Throw it to me, to me,” Amos said to his brother and clapped his hands, and then spread his arms, preparing to catch. - Drop it!
- Oh please! - Abilene shouted. - Don't quit. It's porcelain. It will break.
But Martin still quit.
And Edward, completely naked, flew through the air. Only a moment ago the rabbit thought that the worst thing that could happen in life was to be naked on board a ship in the presence of all these strangers. But it turned out that he was wrong. It’s much worse when you are abandoned, naked, and you fly from the hands of one rude, cackling boy to another.
Amos caught Edward and lifted him up in victory.
- Throw it back! - Martin shouted.
Amos raised his hand, but when he was about to throw Edward, Abilene flew at the offender and butted him with her head in the stomach. The boy swayed.
So it turned out that Edward did not fly back into Martin's outstretched arms.
Instead, Edward Tulane went overboard.
Chapter Six

How do porcelain rabbits die?
Could a porcelain rabbit choke and drown?
Is my hat still on my head?
This is exactly what Edward asked himself before he even touched the surface of the water. The sun was high in the sky, and from somewhere far away, Edward heard a voice.
“Edward,” Abilene shouted, “come back!”
"Return? I wonder how? That’s stupid,” Edward thought.
While the rabbit was flying upside down overboard, he managed to look at Abilene for the last time out of the corner of his eye. She stood on the deck and held on to the rail with one hand. And in her other hand she had a lamp - no, not a lamp, but some kind of shining ball. Or a disk? Or... It's his gold pocket watch! This is what Abilene is holding in her left hand! She held them high above her head, and they reflected the sunlight.
My pocket watch. How can I live without them?
Then Abilene disappeared from sight, and the rabbit hit the water, and with such force that the hat flew off his head.
“Yeah, I got one answer,” Edward thought as he watched the wind blow his hat away.
And then he began to drown.

He went deeper, deeper, deeper into the water. And he didn’t even close his eyes. Not because he was so brave, but because he simply had no choice. His painted, unclosing eyes watched as the blue water turned to green... to blue... His eyes watched the water until it finally turned black as night.
Edward sank lower and lower and at some point said to himself: “Well, if I were destined to choke and drown, I probably would have choked and drowned a long time ago.”
High above him, the ocean liner with Abilene on board cheerfully sailed away, and the porcelain rabbit sank to the bottom of the ocean. And there, with his face buried in the sand, he experienced his first true, genuine feeling.
Edward Tulane was scared.
Chapter Seven

He told himself that Abilene would certainly come and find him. He told himself that he just had to wait.
It's like waiting for Abilene to get home from school. I will pretend that I am sitting in the dining room in a house on Egyptian Street and watching the hands of the clock: how the small one approaches three o’clock, and the long one approaches twelve. It’s a pity that I don’t have a watch with me and have nothing to check the time by. Okay, it's not that important. She will come eventually, and very soon.
Hours, days, weeks, months passed.
Abilene still didn't come.
And Edward, since he had absolutely nothing to do, began to think. He thought about the stars and imagined looking at them from his bedroom window.
I wonder why they shine so bright? And do they shine for anyone now that I don’t see them? Never, never in my life have I been so far from the stars as I am now.
He also pondered the fate of the beautiful princess who turned into a warthog. Why, exactly, did she turn into a warthog? Yes, because she was bewitched by a terrible witch.
And then the rabbit remembered Pelegrina. And he felt that in some way - only he didn’t know how - she was to blame for what happened to him. It even seemed to him that it was not the boys, but she herself threw him overboard.
After all, she is very similar to the witch from her own fairy tale. No, she simply is this very witch. Of course, she didn’t turn him into a warthog, but she still punished him. And for what - he had no idea.
The storm began on the two hundred and ninety-seventh day of Edward's misadventures. The raging elements lifted the rabbit from the bottom and spun him around in a wild, crazy dance, throwing him here and there.
Help!
The storm was so strong that for a moment he was even thrown out of the sea and into the air. The rabbit managed to notice the swollen, angry sky and hear the wind whistling in his ears. And in this whistle he imagined Pelegrina’s laughter. Then he was thrown back into the abyss - even before he had time to understand that the air, even stormy and thunderous, is much better than water. He was thrown up and down, back and forth until the storm finally subsided. Edward felt himself slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean again.
Help! Help! I really don’t want to go back down. Help me!
But he kept falling - lower, lower, lower...
Suddenly, a huge fishing net caught the rabbit and dragged him to the surface. The net rose higher and higher, and now Edward was blinded by daylight. He found himself in the air and landed on the deck along with the fish.
- Oh, look, what is this? - said the voice.
“Well, it’s not a fish,” said another voice. - That's for sure. It turned out that Edward was completely unaccustomed to the sun, and it was difficult for him to look around. But then he distinguished first figures, then faces. And he realized that there were two people in front of him: one young, the other old.
“It looks like a toy,” said the gray-haired old man. He picked Edward up by his front paws and began to examine him. - That's right, rabbit. He has a mustache and rabbit ears. Like a rabbit, they stand upright. Well, they used to stand.
“Yes, that’s right, big-eared,” said the young guy and turned away.
“I’ll take it home and give it to Nellie.” Let him fix it and put it in order. Let's give it to some kid.
The old man sat Edward down so he could look out to sea. Edward, of course, was grateful for such a polite treatment, but, on the other hand, he was already so tired of the water that his eyes would not have looked at this sea-ocean.
“Well, sit here,” said the old man.
They slowly approached the shore. Edward felt how the sun warmed him, how the breeze blew around the remnants of fur on his ears, and something suddenly filled him, constricted his chest, some amazing, wonderful feeling.
He was happy to be alive.
“Just look at this big-eared guy,” said the old man. “He seems to like it, right?”
“That’s for sure,” the guy responded.
In fact, Edward Tulane was so happy that he was not even offended by the fact that these people persistently called him “eared.”
Chapter Eight

When they moored to the shore, the old fisherman lit a pipe and so, with the pipe in his teeth, and headed home, placing Edward on his left shoulder as the most important trophy. He walked like a conquering hero, holding the rabbit with his calloused hand and talking to it quietly.
“You’ll like Nellie,” said the old man. “She’s had a lot of sorrows in her life, but she’s a great girl.”
Edward looked at the town, wrapped in twilight like a blanket, at the houses closely stuck to each other, at the huge ocean that stretched in front of them, and thought that he was ready to live anywhere and with anyone, just not to lie at the bottom.
“Hey, hi, Lawrence,” a woman called out to the old man from the threshold of the store. -What do you have there?
“Excellent catch,” answered the fisherman. – The freshest rabbit straight from the sea. “He raised his hat, greeting the owner of the store, and walked on.
“Well, we’re almost there,” the fisherman finally said and, taking the pipe out of his mouth, pointed it at the rapidly darkening sky. - There, you see, the North Star. If you know where she is, you won’t care, you’ll never get lost.
Edward began to examine this little star. Do all the stars have their own names?
- No, just listen to me! - the fisherman said to himself. - Wow, I’m chatting with a toy. Okay, that'll be enough.
And, still holding Edward on his strong shoulder, the fisherman walked along the path to the small green house.
“Hey, Nellie,” he said. - I brought you something from the sea.
“I don’t need anything from your sea,” a voice was heard.
- Well, okay, Nellechka, stop it. Better look what I have here.
An old woman came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Seeing Edward, she clasped her hands, clapped her hands and said:
- My God, Lawrence, you brought me a rabbit!
“Straight from the sea,” said Lawrence.
He took Edward off his shoulder, put him on the floor and, holding him by the paws, forced him to bow deeply to Nellie.
- Oh my God! – Nellie exclaimed and clasped her hands on her chest.
Lawrence handed Edward to her.
Nellie took the rabbit, meticulously examined it from head to toe and smiled.
- Lord, there is such beauty in the world! Edward immediately decided that Nellie was a good person.

“Yes, she’s beautiful,” Nellie breathed.
Edward was confused. She? Who is she? He, Edward, is certainly handsome, but by no means a beauty.
- What should I call her?
- Maybe Suzanne? - said Lawrence.
“Yes, that will do,” said Nellie. - Let it be Suzanne. - And she looked straight into Edward's eyes. – Suzanne needs to get new clothes first, right?
Chapter Nine

That's how Edward Tulane became Suzanne. Nellie sewed him several clothes: for special occasions - a pink dress with frills, for every day - simpler clothes made of floral fabric, and also a long white cotton nightgown. In addition, she repaired his ears: she simply plucked the remnants of the old matted wool and made a pair of brand new ears from velvet.
Having finished, Nellie said:
- Oh, how pretty you are!
At first Edward was completely confused. He is still a rabbit, not a female rabbit, he is a man! He doesn't want to dress like a girl at all. In addition, the clothes Nellie made were very simple, even those intended for special occasions. She lacked the elegance and wonderful workmanship of the old clothes that Edward was accustomed to in the Abilene house. But then he remembered how he was lying on the bottom of the ocean, his face buried in the sand, and the stars were far, far away. And he said to himself: “What difference does it make, a girl or a boy? Just think, I’ll look like I’m wearing a dress.”
In general, he lived well in a small green house with a fisherman and his wife. Nellie loved to bake various delicacies and spent whole days in the kitchen. She sat Edward on a high table, leaned him against a jar of flour and straightened his dress so that it covered his knees. And she turned his ears so that he could hear her well.
Then she got to work: setting up dough for bread, rolling out dough for cookies and pies. And soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of baking and the sweet smells of cinnamon, sugar and cloves. The windows were fogged up. While working, Nellie chatted incessantly.
She told Edward about her children: her daughter Lolly, who works as a secretary, and the boys. Ralph is now serving in the army, and Raymond died of pneumonia a long time ago.
“He choked, he had water inside his body. “It’s absolutely terrible, it’s unbearable, nothing can be worse,” Nellie said, “when someone you love so much dies right before your eyes, and you can’t help him.” I dream about my boy almost every night.
Nellie wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. And she smiled at Edward.
“You, Suzanne, probably think that I’m completely crazy, talking to a toy.” But it seems to me that you are really listening to me.
And Edward was surprised to find that he was actually listening. Before, when Abilene spoke to him, all the words seemed boring and meaningless to him. Now Nellie’s stories seemed to him the most important in the world, and he listened as if his very life depended on what this old woman said. He even thought that maybe sand from the bottom of the ocean somehow got into his porcelain head and something was damaged in his head.
And in the evenings Lawrence returned home from the sea, and they sat down to eat. Edward sat at the table with the fisherman and his wife on an old high chair, and although at first it terrified him (after all, high chairs are made for children, not elegant rabbits), he soon became quite accustomed to everything. He liked to sit, not buried in the tablecloth, as he had once been in the Tulane house, but high up, so that he could see the entire table. He liked to take part in everything.
Every evening, after dinner, Lawrence usually said that perhaps he should take a walk, get some fresh air, and invited “Suzanne” to join him in company. He put Edward on his shoulder, as on that first evening, when he carried him home from the sea to Nellie.
And so they went out into the street. Holding Edward on his shoulder, Lawrence lit his pipe. If the sky was clear, the old man began to list the constellations, pointing at them with a tube: “Andromeda, Pegasus...” Edward liked looking at the stars and liked the names of the constellations. They sounded like wonderful music in his velvet ears.
But sometimes, looking at the night sky, Edward remembered Pelegrina. He saw her burning black eyes again, and a chill crept into his soul.
Warthogs, he thought. “Witches.”
Then Nellie put him to bed. She sang Edward a lullaby - a song about a mockingbird that couldn't sing, and about a diamond ring that didn't shine, and the sound of her voice calmed the rabbit. He forgot about Pelegrina.
For quite a long time his life was sweet and carefree.
And then Lawrence and Nellie’s daughter came to visit her parents.
Chapter Ten

Lolly turned out to be an unprepossessing woman with a very loud voice and very bright lipstick on her lips. She immediately noticed Edward on the living room couch.
- What it is? “Putting down the suitcase, she grabbed Edward’s leg. He was hanging upside down in the air.
“This is Suzanne,” said Nellie.
-Who else is Suzanne? – Lolly was indignant and shook Edward.
The hem of the dress covered the rabbit's face, and he could not see anything. But a deep and irreconcilable hatred of Lolly was already seething within him.
“Father found her,” said Nellie. “She got caught in a net and didn’t have any clothes on, so I sewed some clothes for her.”
-Are you crazy? - Lolly screamed. – Why does a rabbit need clothes?
“Well...” Nellie said helplessly. Her voice trembled. “It seemed to me that this bunny needed clothes.”
Lolly threw Edward back onto the couch. He lay face down with his paws behind his head, and the hem of his dress still covered his face. There he remained throughout the entire dinner.
– Why did you take out this prehistoric high chair? – Lolly was noisily indignant.
“Don’t pay attention,” said Nellie. “Your father just started gluing it up.” Right, Lawrence?
- Yes. – Lawrence did not take his eyes off the plate. Of course, after dinner, Edward did not go outside with Lawrence to smoke under the stars. And for the first time during the time that Edward lived with Nellie, she did not sing him a lullaby. That evening Edward was forgotten and abandoned, and the next morning Lolly grabbed him, pulled the hem off his face and looked intently into his eyes.
- You bewitched my old people, or what? - said Lolly. “They say in town that they treat you like a little rabbit.” Or with a child.
Edward also looked at Lolly. On her blood red lipstick. And he felt a chill blow over him.
Maybe a draft? Was a door opened somewhere?
- Well, you won’t fool me! – Lolly shook Edward again. - You and I are going for a walk now. Together.
Holding Edward by the ears, Lolly walked into the kitchen and threw him head down into the trash can.
“Listen, mom,” Lolly shouted, “I’ll take the van.” I need to go here on business.
“Of course, dear, take it,” Nellie said ingratiatingly. - Goodbye.
Goodbye, Edward thought as Lolly put the trash can in the van.
“Goodbye,” Nellie repeated, this time louder.
And Edward felt a sharp pain somewhere deep in his porcelain chest.
For the first time in his life, he realized that he had a heart.
And his heart repeated two words: Nellie, Lawrence.
Chapter Eleven

So Edward ended up in a landfill. He lay among orange peels, drunken coffee, rotten boiled pork, crumpled cardboard boxes, torn rags and bald car tires. On the first night, he still lay upstairs, not littered with garbage, so he could look at the stars and gradually calm down from their faint twinkling.
And in the morning some man came, a sort of short man, and climbed onto the garbage heap. At the very top he stopped, put his hands under his arms, flapped his elbows like wings, and began to yell:
- Who am I? I am Ernst, Ernst is the king of the world. Why am I the king of the world? Because I'm the king of dumps. And the world consists of landfills. Ha ha! That's why I am Ernst - the king of the world.
And he again screamed loudly, like a bird.
Edward was inclined to agree with Ernst's assessment of the world.

Kate DiCamillo

The Amazing Journey of Edward Rabbit

Jane Resch Thomas,

who gave me a rabbit

and came up with a name for him

My heart beats, breaks - and comes to life again.

I have to go through the darkness, going deeper into the darkness, without looking back.

Stanley Kunitz. "Tree of knowledge"

Chapter first

“Well, Edward,” she said, winding the clock, “when the long hand is at twelve and the short hand is at three, I will return home.” To you.

Abilene's parents found it absolutely charming that their daughter treated Edward like a living being and even sometimes asked them to repeat a phrase because Edward supposedly didn't hear it.

“Dad,” Abilene said in such cases, “I’m afraid Edward did not hear your last words.”

It was Pelegrina who came every evening to her granddaughter’s bedroom to tuck her a blanket. She did the same for Edward.

- Pelegrina, will you tell us a story? – Abilene asked every evening.

“No, my dear, not today,” answered the grandmother.

- And when? - Abilene asked. - When?

“Soon,” answered Pelegrina, “very soon.”

And then she turned off the light, and Edward and Abilene were left in the dark.

“Edward, I love you,” Abilene said every evening after Pelegrina left the room.

The girl said these words and froze, as if she was waiting for Edward to say something to her in response.

Chapter two