Once upon a time, in the Christmas Tree Forest there lived the Christmas fairies. They spent most of their time practising sitting on top of the Christmas trees. There was just one rule they had to stick to... it was strictly forbidden for a fairy to kiss anyone! The trouble was that Floella was a wicked little fairy.
One day Harry the Hare was hopping through the forest when he saw Floella sitting on top of a toadstool, combing her hair.
Floella said, "Hello, handsome, give us a kiss!"
Harry the Hare was shocked. "Father Christmas doesn't allow that!" he gasped. "Anyone caught kissing a fairy will be turned straight away into Goon!"
But Floella tickled his ears - just the way hares love and whispered, "Don't worry, we won't get caught!"
Harry the Hare trembled with fear and excitement. He looked carefully over his furry brown shoulder, saw that no one was looking ... and kissed Floella the fairy!
Suddenly there was a FLASH, a CRASH and a mighty WHOOSH!!! of wind. Through the magic of the Christmas Tree Forest Harry the Hare found himself in the court of Father Christmas! And Father Christmas was furious! "Harry the Hare! You have been found guilty of kissing a forest fairy! Have you anything to say?"
"I never meant to!" Harry snivelled. "If you let me off I promise I'll never do it again just please, please!!! PLEASE!!! don't turn me into a Goon!"
Father Christmas took pity on the pathetic creature and said,
"I'll give you one more chance, but just one more!"
Again there was a FLASH, a CRASH and a mighty WHOOSH of wind. Harry the Hare found himself back in the forest. And there, combing her hair on a toadstool was Floella the Fairy.
"Hiya, handsome," she whispered. "Give us a kiss!"
Harry was horrified! "Certainly not!" he cried.
But when she tickled his ears his legs turned to jelly and he started to tremble. "Oooh! No! I'll be turned into a Goon!"
"For one little kiss from me it's worth it!" Floella murmured.
And Harry the Hare gave in. He kissed the fairy.
Once more there was a FLASH, a CRASH and a mighty WHOOSH!!! of wind. And once again Harry the Hare found himself in front of the now furious Father Christmas!
"You foolish hare!" Father Christmas roared. "You have had your chance! Guards! Take him away - turn him into a Goon immediately!"
"Please Father Christmas," implored Harry. "Can't my penalty at least wait until tomorrow? After all, it's Christmas day."
"Very well," answered Father Christmas, "Take him away, but don't turn him into a Goon until tomorrow!"
Harry the Hare hung his head and let himself be led away. As he reached the door of the court he turned to all the gnomes and forest creatures and said tearfully, "Ah, well, that's life! Hare today ... and Goon tomorrow!"