The Bunnikins-Bunnies and the Moon King

In Short

This whimsical tale follows the Bunnikins-Bunny family and their neighbors, the Gray-Squirrels, as they board an airship for an excursion to the Moon and beyond. Through a series of surreal encounters—from dining with the Man in the Moon to navigating the topsy-turvy architecture of Mars—the travelers confront their own anxieties and the discomforts of the unknown. Written with a gentle, fable-like quality, the narrative has endured as a charming example of early twentieth-century juvenile fantasy, capturing a sense of wonder that balances the excitement of discovery with the comforts of domestic life.

The Story

The story begins in the domestic sphere of a rabbit burrow, where Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny is feeling under the weather. His friend, Mr. Gray-Squirrel, proposes a radical cure: a trip to the Moon in a new airship. Despite the initial protests of the cautious Mrs. Bunnikins-Bunny, the family—including children Bobtail, Rosamund, Ruddy, and Chippie—eventually agrees to join the voyage. They equip themselves for high-altitude travel with an array of warm clothing, hiring a hawk to steer by day and an owl to navigate by night.

As they ascend, the family experiences the awe of celestial travel, passing through the Milky Way, which they learn is a celestial pasture for the Moon King’s snow-white cows. Upon arriving at the Moon, they find a cold, rocky island made of ice. The experience is challenging for Mr. Bunnikins, who spends much of his time shivering and lamenting his decision to leave home. The group checks into an ice hotel, where the food is unappealing and the environment is alien, but they are soon summoned to the Palace to meet the Moon King himself.

The encounter with the Moon King is the centerpiece of their journey. They find him to be a surprisingly gentle, giant figure who enjoys green cheese and keeps a lookout for his long-lost dog, Sneezer. The children’s curiosity leads to a few scrapes, including Bobtail getting caught in a mouse trap and nearly falling into the void while peering at the Dog Star. After a cordial exchange, the travelers depart, though their thirst for travel is not yet quenched.

They proceed to Mars, where they encounter a reality even more disorienting than the Moon. The Martians are dwarf-like people who walk on their heads and inhabit houses built entirely upside down. The Bunnikins family finds the architecture and the customs of the inhabitants deeply unsettling; the furniture on the ceilings and the prospect of being perpetually "admired" by the locals drive Mr. Bunnikins to the brink of a nervous breakdown. Terrified that they might never be allowed to leave, the family stages a quiet, early-morning escape. They board their airship and make a swift descent back to Earth. Once their feet touch the solid ground, the relief is profound. Mr. Bunnikins, having satisfied his curiosity, concludes that while the adventure was remarkable, he is perfectly content to remain a rabbit on the Earth.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny, suffering from a variety of ailments, is convinced by his neighbor to seek a change of scenery among the stars. The family prepares for the cold journey with layers of clothing and boards an airship staffed by a hawk and an owl.

Arrival at the lunar landscape The travelers land on the Moon, a desolate and freezing world composed of ice. They struggle to find comfort in an ice-bound hotel while anticipating a formal audience with the sovereign of the Moon.

A royal audience The group meets the Moon King, a lonely giant who shares his cheese and reveals the history of his lost dog. The children explore the palace, nearly getting into trouble as they look toward other stars from the King's lookout window.

The Martian inversion Seeking further exploration, the travelers land on Mars, only to discover a civilization that functions in defiance of terrestrial logic. The upside-down houses and ceiling-based furniture baffle the rabbits, leading to physical mishaps and deep anxiety for Mr. Bunnikins.

The flight home Overwhelmed by the strangeness of the Martians and fearing they might be trapped, the group escapes under the cover of early morning. They return to Earth, where Mr. Bunnikins finds solace in the stability of his own burrow.

The People

Mr. Bunnikins-Bunny is the emotional anchor of the tale, moving from a sickly, sheltered father to an adventurous, if reluctant, traveler. His vanity—evidenced by his insistence on wearing a gold sword to a royal meeting—is matched only by his intense desire for comfort. Mrs. Bunnikins-Bunny serves as the protective, pragmatic voice of reason, constantly fretting over her children’s safety and the logistical impossibilities of their journey.

The children, Bobtail and Rosamund, represent the unbridled curiosity of youth. They are the ones most likely to stumble into danger—such as Bobtail’s encounter with a mouse trap—but they also experience the world with a wonder that their parents eventually lose. Mr. Gray-Squirrel acts as the catalyst; he is the confident, forward-thinking instigator who pulls the family out of their rut. The Moon King is a figure of gentle melancholy; he is powerful enough to rule a celestial body, yet he remains tethered to the past by his grief over a lost pet. These characters all begin as archetypes and are shifted by their shared trauma and joy, eventually finding that the "extraordinary" world is perhaps too vast for a small family of bunnies.

In Its Own Voice

“You’ll have plenty of fresh air, and not too much heat, unless we happen to fall into the Sun.”

Mr. Gray-Squirrel uses this lighthearted, if slightly alarming, logic to convince his friend to embark on the trip.

“Oh, how I wish that I had stayed at home,” groaned poor Mr. Bunnikins.

The immediate regret of the traveler sets in as soon as he experiences the biting cold of the lunar surface.

“Well, my dear, I have always thought that I should like to be a bird and fly in the air; but now, I am quite contented to be myself, and stay on the good old solid Earth!”

This reflection marks the end of the journey, as the protagonist reconciles his earlier ambition with the reality of his own nature.

What It's Really About

The book explores the tension between the human (or animal) desire for novelty and the fundamental need for safety. It highlights the way that "the grass is greener" mentality leads characters to abandon their comfortable lives for exotic, dream-like settings, only to find that these places lack the basic components of well-being, such as warmth and predictable food. It is a subtle argument for the value of the familiar. By placing the rabbits in increasingly surreal environments, the author emphasizes that identity is tied to one's environment; the rabbits are fundamentally "of the earth," and their attempts to exist in the sky or on an inverted planet highlight the absurdity of trying to be something one is not.

Why Read It Today

This book appeals to readers who enjoy the gentle, surreal aesthetic of early twentieth-century children's literature. If you appreciate a story that moves with a brisk, episodic pace, you will find the rapid traversal of planets quite engaging. The book feels like a long-lost bedtime story, complete with a clear moral that does not feel overly heavy-handed.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific tropes. The prose reflects a 1912 sensibility, including a view of "the wild" that is both charming and occasionally quaintly condescending. The rabbits are portrayed as very traditional, middle-class characters—obsessed with their clothes and their comfort—which serves as a humorous juxtaposition to the fantastical situations they encounter. The dialogue is simple, and the pacing is relentless, which might feel sparse to those accustomed to more modern, character-driven depth. Yet, there is a genuine, warm-hearted quality to the writing that remains intact. It is a brief, imaginative escape that doesn't overstay its welcome. You will likely walk away remembering the image of the rabbits in their blue-and-white nightcaps, and the comforting realization that the most heroic thing one can do is sometimes just to return to the safety of one's own front door.