It is springtime at Christopher and Jessica's house. The birds are singing and the flowers are growing. A bunny rabbit visited the back yard looking for something to eat. They tried to feed the rabbit some carrots but it would run away back into the woods.

One day they decided to plant some radishes in the back yard. Maybe the rabbit will like them and he will have something to eat. Their mother showed them how to plant a few rows of seeds and to water them. Radishes grow fast and little green plants were sticking out of the ground in just a few days. Christopher and Jessica watered the plants every day and pulled out any weeds that were in the garden.

  One morning after breakfast, Jessica said, "Christopher, come quick, look out the window. The rabbit is running to it's home and dragging a carrot from the garden next door". "Oh no", said Christopher, "if the farmer sees his carrots are missing, he will shoo away the rabbit". "What should we do", Jessica asked her big brother? "We can replace the carrot with a radish and no one will know", was his reply. 

So they replaced the missing carrot with a radish and the garden looked full again. The next morning another carrot found it's way to the rabbit's house. They had to take another radish out of their garden every day until finally all the carrots were gone. Christopher and Jessica still had some radishes in the garden, so they were happy to give some to the garden next door. The rabbit would be safe and he could still visit the back yard and hop around. 

About dinner time one day, the farmer's wife came to their house to borrow some carrots for their supper. She said, "I do not know what happened to our carrots, it seems they turned in to radishes". Christopher and Jessica did not know what to say. Should they tell her about the rabbit? They thought about it for a while but decided to keep it a secret. They were afraid the rabbit would get in to trouble. 

The farmer's wife said, "we usually plant some extra carrots, some for us and some for the rabbit that lives out back. He usually just takes his share and leaves the rest for us. This year all the carrots are gone and just radishes remain". "Oh dear", she continued, "I am worried about the rabbit, did he have enough to eat? 

Christopher and Jessica knew they had to tell what they did to the carrots. They were worried about getting into trouble until Jessica remembered what her father had told them. "Always tell the truth to your parents and they will help you to fix something you may have done wrong". "When parents know their kids will tell them the truth, it is easier to forgive them for mistakes". 

So they went to their mother and the farmer's wife and told them what had happened to the carrots. They thought the rabbit would get into trouble if they did not do anything to help. Mom thanked them for telling the truth and offered to buy some carrots at the supermarket for the farmer's dinner. "No", she answered, "but you can help me to plant more carrots next spring". They said, "yes they would and were sorry for not telling her". 

What do you think, Christopher and Jessica should have done? Would it have turned out different if they told their parents when it first started to happen? Do you always tell the truth?