Guess how much I love you

Little Nutbrown Hare, who was going to bed,
held on tight to Big Nutbrown Hare's very long ears.
She wanted to be sure that Big Nutbrown Hare was listening.

"Guess how much I love you?" she said.
"Oh, I don't think I could guess that." said Big Nutbrown Hare.

"This much!!!" said Little Nutbrown Hare,
stretching out her arms as wide as they could go.

Big Nutbrown Hare had even longer arms.
"But I love you this much," he said.
Hmm, that is a lot, thought Little Nutbrown Hare.

"I love you as high as I can reach!!" said Little Nutbrown Hare.

"I love you as high as I can reach." said Big Nutbrown Hare.
That is very high, thought Little Nutbrown Hare.
I wish I had arms like that.

Then Little Nutbrown Hare had a good idea.
She tumbled upside down and reached up the tree trunk with her feet.
"I love you all the way up to my toes!" she said.

"And I love you all the way up to your toes."
said Big Nutbrown Hare, swinging her up over her head.

"I love you as high as I can hop!"
laughed Little Nutbrown Hare, bouncing up and down.

"But I love you as high as I can hop."
smiled Big Nutbrown Hare, and he hopped so high that his ears touched the branches above.

That's good hopping, thought Little Nutbrown Hare.
I wish I could hop like that.

"I love you all the way down the lane as far as the river!!"
cried Little Nutbrown Hare.

"I love you across the river and over the hills." said Big Nutbrown Hare.

That's very far, thought Little Nutbrown Hare.
She was almost too sleepy to think anymore.

Then she looked beyond the thornbushes,
out into the big dark night.
Nothing could be farther than the sky.

"I love you right up to the moon!!"
she said, and closed her eyes.

"Oh, that's far," said Big Nutbrown Hare.
"That is very, very far."

Big Nutbrown Hare settled Little Nutbrown Hare into her bed of leaves.
He leaned over and kissed her good night.
Then he lay down close by and whispered with a smile.
 
"I love you right up to the moon ----
and back."

---------------------------------------By Sam Mcbrateny