Run, Rabbit, Run

Today is a very big day for Greystones author Pip Carr…

Having gotten close to being published in 2004 – when Poolbeg went with Cecelia Aherne instead – the diligent writer today sees her children’s book, The Sea Rabbits of Greystones, published on Amazon.

We asked Pip what inspired the book, and below, you can read the opening chapter. The full read is available to download on Amazon for €2.50 right here.

The first time I set eyes on Greystones, I just fell in love with it. Even more so when I used to walk down along the North Beach.
Whatever the weather, there was always something new to see. A tennis ball just washed up onto the shore was always the westie Max’s ideal scenario.
It was so quiet at the bottom of the beach, it seemed the perfect place to set a story. Whenever the tide was out, we would walk along the Cliff Walk and see rabbits in the fields and this inspired me to write the book. That and, of course, Max getting into mischief!

Chapter One: The Meeting

The sea rabbits lived in a cove on the North beach, by the pretty seaside village of Greystones. Their burrows were just above sea level, which they slept in during the night, but mainly they swam under the sea, a lot like seals.

They had lived there for many hundreds of years as it was a very safe place. The sea was never too rough to damage their burrows, which were made with a great deal of care so they never collapsed and the fishermen never bothered them, as it was too near to the coast for the trawlers. There were lots of fish in the cove which was also home to the seals. The rabbits like to play with the seals and they became great friends, often chasing each other in the sea.

The sea rabbits liked to eat seaweed, sugar kelp, and sea oak, all of which were in great supply, so they never went hungry.

One day when the sun was trying its best to peep from behind the clouds and the wind wasn’t too gusty. Molly was taking her dog Max for a walk along the North beach. She liked to walk all the way down to the very end and sit on the old sea wall just to see the sea and watch the seagulls fly. Max liked to run into the water and try to catch the waves, which always made Molly laugh as Max would look at her as if to say “aren’t I clever, do you want to play too?”

Molly was 10 years old and lived in Greystones village in a house not far from the sea, with her Granny, her parents and of course her dog Max. She loved to get up early and walk along the beach with Max, when nobody else was about.

Molly noticed whilst looking out across the horizon, several dark heads bobbing up and down in the sea. She thought they were seals as she had seen them swimming a couple of times, but this time the colour of the heads was a lot lighter and they seemed to have long sticky up ears!
She peered as hard as she could but couldn’t make out whether they were seals or something else!

All of a sudden she heard an “oow oow oowwing” noise from somewhere near the wall. She jumped down from where she was sitting and began to follow the noise. To her surprise there was what looked like a baby seal, hidden near some rocks and it was calling for its mother, but looking again Molly noticed that it wasn’t a seal but a rabbit!  “Why would there be a rabbit this far down the beach?” she thought, and it did look a very peculiar sort of rabbit. It had long ears but it didn’t have fur like a rabbit, more like seal skin. Molly looked up and down the sea, but all she could see were lots of bobbing heads. ‘they must be afraid of me and won’t come on the beach” she thought. Molly realised that the rabbit had a fishing hook in its paw… what was she going to do?  It was too far to go and get help.

She decided to try and remove the hook – it didn’t look too deep anyway, so she bent down, stroking the rabbit gently and told it not to be afraid. She carefully removed the hook without upsetting the rabbit too much. Molly took a hankie out of her pocket and held it tight against the paw. Soon it had stopped bleeding and Molly was pleased that the “rabbit” seemed to trust her. Max came over for a sniff, but decided that it wasn’t anything really exciting and scampered off. The sea rabbit licked its paw, looked at Molly and blinked as if to say thank you then scurried back into the sea, popping his head up occasionally to see if Molly was still there. After a while all the heads had disappeared beneath the sea and Molly called Max to head back up along the beach.

 Max had found a plastic bottle and was dropping it down at Molly’s feet so she could kick it, while he chased after it. He loved this game so much, barking and doing his little puppy dance while he waited for the bottle to be kicked. It did make Molly laugh out loud. Just as she was going to kick the bottle again Max started to run up the beach where they had just walked. She turned round to see why he had run off, only to see lots of the sea rabbits hopping towards her. They jumped over Max, dodging him as he chased after them, until they reached Molly. A big rabbit stood on its hind legs making him appear very regal and Molly was a little afraid, but he put out his paw and handed her what looked to be a stone. It was grey in colour but seemed to be glowing, Molly nervously took the stone, it was very cold to the touch.
The sea rabbit stood back and said
“I am Bogdown leader of the sea rabbits. You have done us a great service. Please hold the stone so that you may hear and talk to us.”

Molly didn’t know what to do, but tried to say without stuttering that she was called Molly and this was her dog Max. As her confidence began to seep back, she asked how the rabbit with the injured paw was feeling.

‘mudjar is a lot better thanks to you. It was a very kind deed” he replied whilst signalling for Mudjar to come forward. Molly crouched down and stroked Mudjar on the head.

“Hello Molly”

he said putting his uninjured paw out so she could shake it.

“How do you do” she laughed with surprise.

Max wasn’t too sure about this and started to sniff Mudjar and he gave a little growl but Mudjar spoke in a soft strange language and Max’s ears pricked up as he tilted his head to one side and Mudjar patted him on the head.

“What did you say to him?” asked Molly.

“I told him we were friends and we would do no harm” said Mudjar.

Max now seemed more interested in playing “catch the sea rabbits” but they leaped over him and ran far too quickly. He was soon out of breath and lay down next to Molly who was sitting cross legged on the sand. He still had one eye open just in case he missed anything interesting!

Bogdown and Mudjar sat next to Molly, as she asked all about their lives

.”We are perhaps the last of the sea rabbits” said Bogdown “but we have a strong colony and we are left alone by the fishermen. Hundreds of years ago we sea rabbits could be seen all the time, as well as the clickers.”

“Clickers?” asked Molly

“Yes the big fish-like creatures that click to talk.”

“Oh I think you mean dolphins, they come up for air and are very friendly” Molly said.

“Yes, that is correct, we see them very rarely now. It is a great shame.  There have been a lot of changes. My grandfather told me of the ships with big wings”

Molly scratched head, what did he mean big wings?

“Ahhh” she said out loud “you mean sails!”

Bogdown continued,  “and there have been great storms which have sunk many a ship. My grandfather rescued several of your kind. We used to go to the old wrecks when we were younger although our elders told us not to, as it was quite dangerous.”

Molly would have loved to have stopped and listened to some more stories, but she was getting hungry and Granny would have her breakfast ready soon – and she had to feed Max too!

“I have to go I’m afraid” she said as she started to stand up “it has been a pleasure to meet you, and I hope I will see you again?”

“Of course” said Bogdown, “but remember to always bring the talking stone with you. We will look out for you and Max now we know you are our friends. Thank you for helping  Mudjar”

“I was glad to help. Thank you for keeping me company.” Said Molly

With that, all the sea rabbits hopped into the sea and disappeared beneath the waves.

You can read the rest of The Sea Rabbits of Greystones by downloading the book from Amazon here.