Uncle Wiggily and Bunty's Medicine
Uncle Wiggily Longears, a rabbit gentleman, is feeling stiff and lame after playing with Baby Bunty, a lively little rabbit girl. Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy, his muskrat lady housekeeper, calls for Dr. Possum to examine Uncle Wiggily. Despite receiving various colored pills from Dr. Possum, Uncle Wiggily remains unable to move comfortably. Dr. Possum suggests sassafras tea as a remedy, and Nurse Jane goes to gather the roots, leaving Baby Bunty with Uncle Wiggily. While Nurse Jane is away, Uncle Wiggily asks for his glasses to read the paper. Baby Bunty, noticing the glasses on his head, pretends not to find them, encouraging Uncle Wiggily to search for them around the house. This playful chase leads Uncle Wiggily to hop energetically throughout the bungalow, effectively curing his stiffness. When Nurse Jane returns, she points out the glasses on his head, and Uncle Wiggily realizes that Baby Bunty's playful antics were the best medicine for his ailment.
By Howard R. Garis · First published 1901 · Genre: Children's Literature, Animal Fiction, Fantasy · 1,288 words
First lines
"Oh, Baby Bunty! Baby Bunty! " called Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy, to the little rabbit girl, who had been found in a hollow stump by Uncle Wiggily Longears. "Ho, Baby Bunty! Come here, quickly! " called the muskrat lady housekeeper of the rabbit's bungalow.
"Does Uncle Wiggily want to play tag with me, or hide-and-go-seek? " asked Baby Bunty, as she came running in from the front yard. She had been playing dolls with Susie Littletail, the big rabbit girl, and with Lulu and Alice Wibblewobble, the duck girls. "Does Uncle Wiggily want to chase me? " asked Baby Bunty.
What this Textopian page supports
Uncle Wiggily and Bunty's Medicine is listed on Textopian as a short story by Howard R. Garis, dated 1901 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Howard R. Garis
- Date: 1901 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Humorous Fiction, Fable
- Length: 1,288 words
- Structure: 1 section, 34 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Uncle Wiggily and Bunty's Medicine by Howard R. Garis
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Uncle Wiggily and Bunty's Medicine?
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- Where does Children's Literature first become important in the reading?
Genres
- Children's Literature — The narrative is aimed at young readers with simple language, engaging illustrations of animal characters, and themes appropriate for a child's perspective.
- Animal Fiction — The story features anthropomorphic animal characters behaving in human-like ways, which is a defining trait of animal fiction.
- Fantasy — The whimsical setting and imaginative interactions among talking animal characters place the work within the fantasy genre.
- Humorous Fiction — The playful tone, ironic situations, and amusing character actions indicate a strong element of humor throughout the narrative.
Tags
children's literature · classic tale · anthropomorphic characters · talking animals · whimsical · adventure · fable · morality story · animal fable · illustrated · storytelling · American literature
More by Howard R. Garis
- The Second Adventures of Uncle Wiggily (1914)
- Uncle Wiggily on the Farm (1903)
- Uncle Wiggily's Silk Hat (1923)
- Uncle Wiggily's Fishing Trip (1902)
- Uncle Wiggily's Rolling Hoop (1918)
- Uncle Wiggily and Baby Bunty (1918)
- Uncle Wiggily and Bunty's Skates (1902)
- Uncle Wiggily and Bunty's Ride (1918)
- All works by Howard R. Garis