64 FLUFF-BUTTON THE RABBIT 
each of them had her white lamb (or maybe two) 
running beside her ; but only one White-Lamb 
comes into this story, because he was the only one 
who had anything to do with the course of events 
in Knockdane Wood, and even his influence was 
only indirect through Fluff-Button the Rabbit. 
Fluff-Button was a great hero in Knockdane, as 
any of the Fur Folk can tell you ; but he would 
never have grown up at all if it had not been for 
White-Lamb, as this story will relate. 
In the year of which I write, March and April 
changed places ; for although the human calendars 
said that it was March, and in the woods the catkins 
had not shrivelled on the hazels, yet all day the 
westerly wind drove rain-storms over Knockdane. 
The lambs huddled close to their mothers with 
nothing but their restless tails appearing, when 
hey presto no sooner had they tucked themselves 
away comfortably, than the squall passed, and the 
sun blazed out upon the wet skirts of the rain. 
Raindrops dripped merrily from the hazel-catkins 
as the wind or a leaping squirrel shook them, and 
the air was full of the scent of wet earth and breaking 
buds. 
Towards evening the showers became less frequent, 
and the sun shot long slanting rays over Knockdane. 
The old sheep coughed as they snatched at the wet 
