Polite bunny

In Short

This whimsical instructional fable follows Pretty Bunny as she travels to visit her relative, the venerable Aunt Etiquette. Through a series of lessons in a house where furniture, clocks, and kitchenware possess voices and moral wisdom, the protagonist learns the importance of punctuality, tidiness, and social grace. By blending traditional etiquette rules with charming, rhythmic verse, the narrative transforms mundane chores into magical tasks. It has endured as a gentle guide for children, emphasizing that kindness and self-control are the essential ingredients for living harmoniously with others.

The Story

Pretty Bunny lives in a cozy woodland home with her parents and her brother, Healthy Bunny. Their routine is interrupted when a pink envelope arrives from Aunt Etiquette, a relative known for her refined behavior. The invitation is marked "R.S.V.P.," a puzzle that sparks a lesson in correspondence. After learning how to address an envelope and purchase a stamp, Pretty Bunny heads to the train station with her father.

The journey is fraught with social pitfalls. Pretty Bunny initially struggles with public decorum, staring at strangers and failing to keep her seat neat. Her father gently corrects her, teaching her that good manners are a companion that helps one everywhere. Upon arriving at Aunt Etiquette’s house in Bunnyville, Pretty Bunny realizes she has accidentally swapped suitcases with a passenger named Bunny Brag, leaving her without her own clothes.

Life in Aunt Etiquette’s home is mysterious and enchanting. When Pretty Bunny wakes up, she discovers the house is alive; the mirror, the bed, and even the wash-pitcher speak to her in rhymes, scolding her for untidiness or praising her when she performs her duties well. Through these interactions, Pretty Bunny masters "Bed-Room Manners," learning to air her bedding, fold her towels, and hang pictures correctly.

As the days progress, the rabbits attend school and shopping trips, where they encounter other characters like Tardy Ted, Polly Pick-It-Up, and the mysterious Shadow Bunny. Each encounter serves as a morality play. For example, during a school lesson, the rabbits learn to be kind to those who are different—specifically Little Rag-Tag, who is teased for her appearance until the school community contributes their pennies to buy her a new dress.

The climax of the story involves the resolution of the suitcase mix-up. After much worry and a brief, confusing detour where a near-sighted stranger mistakes Pretty Bunny for her own runaway grandchild, the "Good Luck Bunny" appears to help Pretty Bunny find the key to her predicament. Bunny Brag finally returns with the correct suitcase, allowing Pretty Bunny to dress properly before her parents arrive to take her home.

As she departs, Pretty Bunny bids farewell to the speaking objects and mystical friends she met along the way. She returns to her family with a newfound sense of poise. The final mystery—the identity of the "pitter-patter" footsteps she heard on the stairs—is playfully attributed to the Echo Bunny, leaving the rabbits to ponder their magical adventure while resting by the fire.

How It Unfolds

The arrival of the invitation Pretty Bunny learns the meaning of "R.S.V.P." and discovers the importance of proper correspondence. She diligently practices addressing an envelope and managing postage under her father’s patient instruction.

The journey to Bunnyville Aboard the train, Pretty Bunny faces the challenges of public behavior. She learns the necessity of keeping one’s voice low and maintaining neatness, while her father models the behavior expected in transit.

The living house Aunt Etiquette’s home is revealed to be a place where objects have voices. Pretty Bunny learns to keep her room in order through the direct, rhyming advice of a pitcher, a bed, and a mirror.

Social education The rabbits navigate the complexities of school and shopping. They learn that being polite in public—whether by not borrowing pencils or not handling store merchandise—is a sign of self-control.

The resolution of the mix-up After a stressful confusion regarding a lost suitcase and an mistaken encounter with a near-sighted elder, Pretty Bunny’s belongings are restored. She departs with a suitcase full of lessons and a memory of the magical house.

The People

Pretty Bunny is the eager, if initially careless, protagonist. She wants to be well-mannered and is highly responsive to the rhymes and lessons she encounters. Her journey transforms her from a girl who forgets to say "Good morning" into a thoughtful young rabbit who understands that politeness is about respecting others.

Aunt Etiquette serves as the patient, albeit slightly mysterious, mentor. She is the keeper of the house’s magic and the teacher of the "rules." She never scolds unnecessarily, preferring to let the environment teach its own lessons, and she ultimately helps the rabbits grow into more disciplined, aware individuals.

Healthy Bunny is the brother who struggles with consistency. He often needs reminders to be prompt or polite, but he is a willing learner who participates in the lessons. His arc reflects the process of forming good habits through persistence.

Bunny Brag acts as a foil to the others; he is self-centered and prone to showing off. His presence provides the conflict that necessitates the lesson of the lost suitcase, though he ultimately facilitates the return of Pretty Bunny’s belongings.

In Its Own Voice

“Say ‘Good Morning’ when you wake, / Be polite, make no mistake, / And when friends you chance to meet, / Say ‘Good Morning’ on the street.”

Pretty Bunny teaches this simple song to her brother so he will remember to be civil to those around them.

“Good manners help us everywhere, / And one should never rudely stare.”

The father reinforces the importance of self-control while they are traveling on a crowded street car.

“Don’t you hear me really scolding? / Hang pictures only from the moulding.”

The house itself acts as a guide, providing rhythmic instructions that encourage Pretty Bunny to treat her surroundings with care.

What It's Really About

The book argues that manners are not merely social veneer but a form of self-respect and consideration for others. It posits that the environment reflects the character of those who inhabit it; when Pretty Bunny is tidy and polite, her world literally "speaks" back to her with encouragement. At its heart, the book explores the transition from thoughtless childhood to a more disciplined, socially aware state. It suggests that if one pays attention to the "little things"—like closing a door quietly or waiting one's turn—life becomes more orderly and harmonious.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the charm of early 20th-century juvenile literature will find this book a delightful artifact of a bygone era. It feels like a series of gentle, rhythmic bedtime stories, with a tone that is earnest, sweet, and unabashedly didactic. The conceit of the "living house" gives the narrative a dreamlike, fable-like quality that keeps the lessons from feeling overly dry or punitive.

However, the modern reader should be aware that the book reflects the period attitudes of 1922. The insistence on strict obedience and the occasionally stern view of "proper" behavior can feel dated, and the dialogue is peppered with the moralizing tone typical of children’s instructional books from that time. The plot is fairly repetitive, as it centers on teaching the same themes of etiquette in different settings. Despite these constraints, the warmth of the writing and the sheer imagination behind the "talking house" make it a unique, cozy experience. Those who find comfort in orderly, rhythmic prose will likely find that the lessons—and the memory of the "Looking-Glass Bunny"—stay with them long after the final page is turned.