too many bunnies story

Too ManyBunnies

V* •

Tomie dePaola

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2010

http://www.archive.org/details/toomanybunniesOOdepa

Too Many Bunnies

Well," said Daddy Hopkins, looking out at the

fine spring morning. "It's time to plant our gardens."

'This year, Daddy and I want all ofyou children to

help," said Mommy Hopkins.

"Oh, goody!" cried the fifteen little Hopkins.

Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins had the finest and most

beautiful vegetable and flower gardens in all of

Fiddk'Dee'Dee Farms.

Every spring, they would dig up the earth and rake

it smooth. Next they would make long straight rows

and put in the seeds. Finally they would cover the

seeds and water them.

"When can we begin?" shouted the Hopkins

children.

'This morning," said Daddy Hopkins. "While

Mommy and I go to the store to buy carrot seeds,

you can all start on the small radish garden. Now,

line up so I can tell you what to do."

"Willy, Wiley, Wally, Wendy and Winny, take

the spades and start digging up the earth."

"Hurrah!" cried the quintuplets.

"Bunny, Bonny, Billy and Biff, you four can rake,"

said Mommy Hopkins.

"Hooray," cried the quadruplets.

"Flossie, Frannie and Fuffie, you make the rows

for the seeds," said Daddy.

''Goody!" cried the triplets.

"Skipper and Skee^er," said Mommy, "you . .

."

"We know, we know. Plant the seeds," cried the

twins.

"And what do I do?" asked Petey.

"You get to water it!" the Hopkins all shouted.

"Now, everyone to work," said Mommy and

Daddy.

The Hopkins children ran to the garden. They

could almost taste the fat pink radishes. They started

in— all at the same time.

"We're supposed to dig first," said Willy, Wiley,

Wally, Wendy and Winny.

"Wait until we rake," said Bunny, Bonny, Billy

and Biif.

K^

"Don't plant those seeds yet!" shouted Flossie,

Frannie and Fuffie.

"YouVe getting us all wet," cried Skipper and

Skee^er.

"It's my JOB," said Petey. * •

"What a mess!" cried Daddy Hopkins, home jfrom

the store. "There are too many Hopkins!" Hj

fiiTTD

"Now, now," said Mommy. "Let's start again.

Everyone sit down."

"All right, quintuplets—DIG—

"

Willy, Wiley, Wally, Wendy and Winny du]

"Next—quadruplets—rake."

Bunny, Bonny, Billy and Biff raked.

"Triplets—make the rows."

Flossie, Frannie and Fuffie made the rows.

'Twins—plant the seeds."

Skipper and Skeezer planted the seeds.

"Petey—turn on the hose!" Petey did. And the

radish garden was ready to grow.

"You see," said Mommy Hopkins. "There are not

too many Hopkins."

"YouVe right," said Daddy Hopkins. "There are

not too many Hopkins when they are not all in the

same place at the same time."

». .*>

Published by WhistleStop, an imprint & registered

trademark of Troll Communications L.L.C.

Text and illustrations copyright © 1989 by Tomie dePaola.

All rights reserved. Published simultaneously in Canada.

Reprinted by atrangement with G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Printed in U.S.A.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

S3.50US$4 95 CAN.

i

I Every year the Hopkins family has the finest vegetable

and flower gardens in Fiddle-Dee-Dee Farms. Nowthat spring has arrived, it's time to plant those gardens

again. But with Mommy and Daddy Hopkins off

buying carrot seeds and fifteen eager rabbits all trying

to dig, rake, plant, and water at the same time, this

year it seems as if there are too many bunniesl

ISBN D-fllb7-MDbM-X

04064

"'51487"00350'" 3

Troll