Fred washes his happy bunny face...

After Fred's 'rough and tumble' with the little black cat, Fred felt rather dusty and dirty, and he smelled of cat."I should have a wash," thought Fred.

He wandered towards the bathroom.

Having seen the running water and steam, Fred figured it must be the best place to go to get cleaned up.

But once he caught sight of the gigantic bathtub he shrank back in fear, wondering why he had come up with such a ludicrous idea.

The stubborn side of Fred wouldn't let him run away though.

He said "I suppose I should take a closer look first...I don't have to get in." So trying to be brave, he crept closer.

Fred climbed up to the edge of the bath and peered down the shiny white sides into the slippery depths.

There he discovered some bath creatures. "Hello!" they said in unison.

Steve the starfish was delighted to see Fred, hoping for some jovial conversation with someone other than Ronald the grumpy rubber duck.

"Come have a bath with us!" shouted up Steve, "It's really fun!"
Fred was almost persuaded simply by Steve's enthusiasm, but just

then Ronald piped up, "But he's obviously not made for the water like you and me, Steve. What if he drowns? I don't want to have that on my conscience!"

Fred was terrified by this. "I'll find a smaller bath, I think," said Fred. "Thanks anyway!"

Steve was crestfallen as he waved goodbye to Fred, and he wouldn't talk to Ronald the rest of the day.

So Fred went downstairs and there he found a little basin.

"That'll do nicely," said Fred. It was even already filled up with warm water and bubblebath for him.

He edged round closer and sat dangling his feet.

Peering at the water though, he suddenly thought "Is water blue?"

Fred felt certain that water was definitely blue, but this water was very very blue. Bright blue, in fact.

"I don't want to be blue," said Fred, scared of being dyed by the water, and terribly confused by the whole concept.

Fred felt awfully nervous about baths in general by now.

As he was giving up and edging his way round the side of the basin, he spotted the washing machine.

"Aha," he said, "I'll wash myself in the washing machine!"

As soon as Fred stuck his head in the drum of the washing machine,

he realised what a silly idea it was.

After some pondering about what happens in the drum once the door closes, Fred decided that it was only his bunny face that was very dirty and that he should just wash it.

So Fred put the bunny face in the washing machine, fumbled with the buttons and waited for it to come out all clean.

"It worked!" said Fred two whole hours later.

"But its soaking wet," he thought. Luckily it was a very sunny day so he climbed up the washing line and hung the bunny face up to dry.

Fred stood sadly in the sunshine waiting so he could put on his happy bunny face again.

Fred felt very vulnerable without it, and standing watching it fluttering in the breeze he wondered what that meant.

"Am I still a bunny rabbit now?" he wondered quietly.