Ballad of the Lost Hare

"Ballad of the Lost Hare" by Margaret Sidney is a whimsical children's poem written in the late 19th century. This work is a blend of storytelling and verse, capturing the adventures of a carefree and reckless hare who delights in mischief and evasion rather than heeding the warnings of his family. The book evokes themes of freedom, nature, and the consequences of heedlessness through delightful and engaging illustrations. The story follows a young hare known for his playful nature and propensity to escape from home, despite the concerns of his family. As he ventures into the world, he encounters various animals, including a goat, mustang, and bull, emphasizing his fearfulness coupled with a whimsical spirit. Each encounter showcases the hare’s flight, as he cleverly eludes potential dangers, perpetually racing through fields and woods without a hint of reckoning, until he ultimately becomes a lost and homeless creature. The narrative wraps up with a contemplation of his wandering existence, suggesting a sense of longing for home and family, leaving readers to ponder the balance between adventure and the warmth of belonging. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Harriett Lothrop was an American author also known by her pseudonym Margaret Sidney. In addition to writing popular children's stories, she ran her husband Daniel Lothrop's publishing company after his death. After they bought The Wayside country house, they worked hard to make it a center of literary life.