Mrs Rabbit was in such a hurry Red nearly had to hop just to keep up.

“Now, make sure you don’t dawdle,” Mrs Rabbit warned, “and stay on the path. You do remember the way, don’t you?”

Red nodded. It was hard to talk when they were going so fast. Luckily, just then they stopped to let a wagon pass.

It was the most beautiful wagon Red had ever seen. She had a closer look while she caught her breath. The wagon was painted so many beautiful colors. It had red wheels, blue sides and a yellow roof. The window on the side had pink shutters, and there were so many colorful decorations Red couldn’t even begin to count them. On the side she read:

Mr Fox’s Miracle Elixir. There is no sore it will not heal. No pain it will not—

She didn’t get to read it all, because just then one of the wagon’s wheels bumped into a puddle, splashing Mrs Rabbit with mud. “Ooh! Those crooks!” Mrs Rabbit complained, “Coming here to swindle decent folk.”

A little fox was sitting on the back of the wagon, swinging her legs. She waved to Red as she went past. Red waved back, but just a quick wave so her mom wouldn’t notice.

When they continued on their way, Mrs Rabbit had even more instructions like, “Be careful crossing the stream,” and “Don’t talk to strangers.”

“Yes Mom,” Red would say each time.

They were in such a rush that neither Red nor her mother noticed that a wolf had started to follow them. What was worse, the wolf was licking his lips.