The Velveteen Rabbit

And a tear, a real tear, trickled down his little shabby velvet nose and fell to the ground.

And while the Boy was asleep, dreaming of the seaside, the little Rabbit lay among the old picture-books in the corner behind the fowl-house, and he felt very lonely

Hurrah!" thought the little Rabbit. "To-morrow we shall go to the seaside!" For the boy had often talked of the seaside, and he wanted very much to see the big waves coming in, and the tiny crabs, and the sand castles

and toys that the Boy had played with in bed must be burnt.

and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about

and he scarcely looked like a rabbit any more, except to the Boy. To him he was always beautiful,

Weeks passed, and the little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his ears turned grey, and his brown spots faded. He even began to lose his shape

Oh, dear!" he thought. "Why did they run away like that? Why couldn't they stop and talk to me?"

"I am Real!" said the little Rabbit. "I am Real! The Boy said so!" And he nearly began to cry.

He doesn't smell right!" he exclaimed. "He isn't a rabbit at all! He isn't real!"