Mr. Rabbit's Wedding: Hollow Tree Stories

In Short

This collection of linked stories centers on the charismatic denizens of the Hollow Tree—specifically the 'Coon, the 'Possum, and the Old Black Crow—and their spirited friend, Mr. Jack Rabbit. Through a series of conversational anecdotes shared by a storyteller to a young child, the narratives weave together the daily trials of the animals, from avoiding hungry bears to organizing elaborate celebrations. It has endured as a classic of juvenile fiction because of its warm, rhythmic prose and the endearing, human-like personalities of its animal subjects.

The Story

The narrative begins with a trip down memory lane as Mr. Jack Rabbit recounts his school days. He recalls his early attachment to a little rabbit named Bunty Bun, whose silky ears and prim demeanor captivated him. Their innocent courtship is punctuated by a comical disaster at school when, distracted by Bunty’s drooping ears, Jack Rabbit is caught washing his hands in the water-pail.

As the stories shift to the Hollow Tree, we meet the trio of residents: the 'Coon, the 'Possum, and the Old Black Crow. Their peace is interrupted by the arrival of Mr. Aspetuck Savage Bear, a formidable and hungry visitor. Through the clever mediation of Mr. Robin, the animals manage to redirect the bear toward the Sinking Swamps, saving their home from a hungry intruder.

The emotional heart of the book arrives when Mr. Jack Rabbit introduces a new friend, Miss Myrtle Meadows, a former house-rabbit who escaped an encounter with a dog to find refuge in the Deep Woods. Her harrowing story of life with "Mr. Man" and her narrow escape fosters a deep bond between her and Jack Rabbit. Their blossoming romance leads to the book’s grand finale: a wedding celebration in the Deep Woods.

The wedding is a day-long affair attended by a wide cast of characters, including the gentle Cousin Redfield Bear and the friendly Mr. Dog. The festivities include performances—ranging from the Robins’ aerial acrobatics to the 'Coon and 'Possum’s ambitious, if slightly clumsy, acrobatics—and a poignant speech by Mr. Dog regarding the misunderstandings between animals and humans. The day concludes with a moment of awe when a noisy, early-century flying machine passes overhead. Mistaking it for a giant, terrible bird, the group is momentarily terrified until Mr. Dog identifies it as one of Mr. Man’s new inventions. The wedding procession ultimately marches home, celebrating their enduring camaraderie and the simple, wild joys of their woodland existence.

How It Unfolds

The school-day recollection Jack Rabbit reminisces about his youth, focusing on his tender, bumbling affection for Bunty Bun. This sets the stage for his lifelong habit of romanticizing the past and his eventual search for companionship.

The bear at the door The residents of the Hollow Tree must use their wits to deter a seven-hundred-pound bear who wants to turn them into a spring meal. The suspense builds through the bear's repeated charges at the door until a timely diplomatic intervention saves the day.

A new arrival Miss Myrtle Meadows is introduced to the group, sharing her traumatic backstory of being a pet in a human house. Her integration into the wild community signals a shift from the bachelor-centric life of the forest toward the formation of a family.

The grand celebration The wedding provides a structural framework for the characters to display their talents and exchange gifts. The performances, full of lighthearted mishaps and physical comedy, reinforce the communal bond of the Deep Woods.

The final observation The arrival of a flying machine serves as a bridge between the animal world and the human world. It concludes the book with a sense of wonder, grounding the whimsical animal society in a changing, modernizing world.

The People

Mr. Jack Rabbit is the central romantic and social bridge of the woods. He is a sophisticated, poetic soul who transitions from a solitary bachelor to a protective husband, finding in Myrtle a partner to mirror his own life experience.

Miss Myrtle Meadows serves as the outsider. Having been raised by humans, she initially experiences the Deep Woods with fear and hesitation. Her evolution from a terrified pet to a confident member of the animal community represents the book’s theme of finding one's true home.

The Hollow Tree Trio—the 'Coon, the 'Possum, and the Old Black Crow—are the grounded, pragmatic anchors of the narrative. The 'Coon is clever and somewhat vain, the 'Possum is comically gluttonous and prone to fainting, and the Crow serves as the group’s eloquent, if sometimes anxious, moral compass. They stand in the way of danger through wit rather than force.

Mr. Dog is a recurring figure of reconciliation. While initially viewed as a threat by Myrtle, he represents the potential for peaceful coexistence between the wild and the domestic, acting as a bridge through his own thoughtful, gentle behavior.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the early affection between the young rabbits:

"She wore a little red cape and a pretty linsey dress, and her ears were quite slim and silky, and used to stand straight up, except when she was sad over anything."

The storyteller’s reflection on the joy of community:

"The sun is bright, / Our hearts are light, / And we will skip and run. / Prick up your ears, / And dry your tears, / Dear bunny, Bunty Bun."

The comic terror of the animals when facing a hungry bear:

"Mr. 'Coon and Mr. 'Possum had crept out to listen, but when they heard that they dodged back under their beds again, and got in the darkest corners, and began to groan."

What It's Really About

The central argument of the book is that community and mutual care are the best defenses against a harsh and uncertain world. The characters consistently rely on diplomacy, wit, and shared resources to survive. There is also a recurring preoccupation with the divide between the "Deep Woods" and the world of "Mr. Man." The book posits that this friction stems from a lack of mutual understanding. By integrating a former "house rabbit" and a friendly dog into the woodland circle, the narrative suggests that boundaries—whether between species or between wild and domestic—are often artificial, and that empathy is the key to softening those borders.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the cozy, observational charm of The Wind in the Willows or the gentle, episodic storytelling of A.A. Milne will find a familiar warmth here. The book is best read slowly, as if one were sitting by that same open fire with the storyteller. It offers a meditative look at simple, agrarian-inflected animal life that feels entirely removed from modern freneticism.

Potential readers should be aware that the prose reflects the era of its publication (1917), which includes a specific, formal, and sometimes repetitive cadence meant for reading aloud. The dialect and the occasional reference to "Mr. Man" as a slightly ominous, looming power are hallmarks of the period's folk-tale style. While the language is consistently polite, the focus on "borrowing" chickens for dinner may strike some as a dated trope of the "trickster" animal character. However, those who appreciate whimsical, character-driven fiction will find the bond between these animals deeply affecting. The story of Myrtle’s escape and her subsequent wedding to Jack Rabbit provides a surprisingly sincere emotional core that lingers long after the book is closed. It is a work that values, above all else, the importance of having friends to share a meal and a story with.