Resolving a Family Dispute
I am going to tell another story of the Rabbit family today.
A teary Baby Rabbit hopped onto Mother Rabbit’s burrow one day and complained that Sister Rabbit had bullied him. She had shouted at him in front of the other rabbits and told him a lot of nasty things. Mother Rabbit comforted him, and told him that he was a good rabbit, and need not think too much of what Sister Rabbit had said. She made a mental note to talk to Sister Rabbit later, since she was busy with her spring cleaning.
A little while later, Brother Rabbit stormed into her burrow! He was livid, and demanded an answer why Sister Rabbit had bullied Baby Rabbit. He also mentioned that Sister Rabbit had said nasty things about him as well.
Now, Baby Rabbit was a favourite brother of Brother Rabbit, and he had taken care of him and loved him from a young age. Mother Rabbit had to calm Brother Rabbit down, and assured him she would be talking to Sister Rabbit about the matter. Brother Rabbit was muttering angrily when he left her burrow. Mother Rabbit knew that this family dispute would need resolution as quickly as possible – but the spring cleaning had to continue.
Spring cleaning was finally over, and Mother Rabbit asked Sister Rabbit into her burrow. The story from Sister Rabbit was somewhat different. She had noticed a badly-trimmed piece of fur on Baby Rabbit, and had offered to help trim it, but Baby Rabbit had refused. He wanted Brother Rabbit to trim it instead. Sister Rabbit thought it would be better for her to trim it immediately, or he would be laughed at by the other rabbits by the time he got to Brother Rabbit, but he had refused and then raised his voice at her.
Mother Rabbit knew that Baby Rabbit had never liked Sister Rabbit’s manners (she tend to handle matters curtly), so he probably did not want Sister Rabbit to touch his fur at all. Baby Rabbit did not tell her this part of the story. She would have to arrange a meeting between Brother Rabbit and Sister Rabbit in front of Father Rabbit to resolve the family dispute then.
The meeting went on well. Brother Rabbit and Sister Rabbit behaved themselves in the presence of their parents, and began to go through the events leading to the present quarrel. Brother Rabbit was quite surprised to hear the story from her, and realised that he might have been too impulsive when it came to his beloved baby brother. The two siblings made up and left Father Rabbit’s burrow, agreeing to communicate more closely with each other regarding issues of Baby Brother in future.
Mother Rabbit still had one worry – resolving underlying issues normally require great emotional expenditure and upheavals, but there was none. Both Brother Rabbit and Sister Rabbit were really cool and calm. It might mean that there was really nothing much, or that the underlying issues had yet to be settled.
Still, Mother Rabbit had to smile. When one looks at each other as family, one begins to look at things differently.
A teary Baby Rabbit hopped onto Mother Rabbit’s burrow one day and complained that Sister Rabbit had bullied him. She had shouted at him in front of the other rabbits and told him a lot of nasty things. Mother Rabbit comforted him, and told him that he was a good rabbit, and need not think too much of what Sister Rabbit had said. She made a mental note to talk to Sister Rabbit later, since she was busy with her spring cleaning.
A little while later, Brother Rabbit stormed into her burrow! He was livid, and demanded an answer why Sister Rabbit had bullied Baby Rabbit. He also mentioned that Sister Rabbit had said nasty things about him as well.
Now, Baby Rabbit was a favourite brother of Brother Rabbit, and he had taken care of him and loved him from a young age. Mother Rabbit had to calm Brother Rabbit down, and assured him she would be talking to Sister Rabbit about the matter. Brother Rabbit was muttering angrily when he left her burrow. Mother Rabbit knew that this family dispute would need resolution as quickly as possible – but the spring cleaning had to continue.
Spring cleaning was finally over, and Mother Rabbit asked Sister Rabbit into her burrow. The story from Sister Rabbit was somewhat different. She had noticed a badly-trimmed piece of fur on Baby Rabbit, and had offered to help trim it, but Baby Rabbit had refused. He wanted Brother Rabbit to trim it instead. Sister Rabbit thought it would be better for her to trim it immediately, or he would be laughed at by the other rabbits by the time he got to Brother Rabbit, but he had refused and then raised his voice at her.
Mother Rabbit knew that Baby Rabbit had never liked Sister Rabbit’s manners (she tend to handle matters curtly), so he probably did not want Sister Rabbit to touch his fur at all. Baby Rabbit did not tell her this part of the story. She would have to arrange a meeting between Brother Rabbit and Sister Rabbit in front of Father Rabbit to resolve the family dispute then.
The meeting went on well. Brother Rabbit and Sister Rabbit behaved themselves in the presence of their parents, and began to go through the events leading to the present quarrel. Brother Rabbit was quite surprised to hear the story from her, and realised that he might have been too impulsive when it came to his beloved baby brother. The two siblings made up and left Father Rabbit’s burrow, agreeing to communicate more closely with each other regarding issues of Baby Brother in future.
Mother Rabbit still had one worry – resolving underlying issues normally require great emotional expenditure and upheavals, but there was none. Both Brother Rabbit and Sister Rabbit were really cool and calm. It might mean that there was really nothing much, or that the underlying issues had yet to be settled.
Still, Mother Rabbit had to smile. When one looks at each other as family, one begins to look at things differently.
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