Once upon a time, there was a soft, brown velveteen rabbit with floppy ears and a little pink nose. He lived in a toy box in a boy’s room, surrounded by shiny metal robots, flashy cars, and a very loud drum. The rabbit wasn’t flashy or loud, but he longed for one thing more than anything else: to be loved.

One evening, just before bedtime, the boy’s nanny rummaged through the toy box, looking for something cuddly. “Here, take this,” she said, pulling out the velveteen rabbit. The boy hugged the rabbit tightly, and from that moment on, the rabbit became his favorite. They went everywhere together—tea parties in the garden, wild pirate adventures, and even snuggly bedtime stories. The rabbit’s velvety coat grew a bit worn, his whiskers bent, but he didn’t mind. Being loved felt wonderful.

One day, the rabbit was lying on the nursery floor when an old and wise toy horse, with patches of fur rubbed bare from years of play, spoke to him. “What’s the matter, little fellow?” the horse asked.

“I want to be real,” the rabbit whispered. “The boy loves me so much. Does that make me real?”

The horse chuckled softly. “Real isn’t about how you’re made,” he said. “It happens when someone loves you so much that you become more than a toy. It doesn’t happen all at once, and sometimes it’s tricky. But when it happens, it lasts forever.”

The rabbit thought about this for a long time. He wanted to be real more than anything, so he continued to love the boy with all his little bunny heart.

Seasons passed, and one summer, the boy became very sick. The rabbit stayed by his side day and night, his soft body a source of comfort to the boy. When the boy finally got better, the doctor said, “Everything the boy touched needs to go—his bedding, his pajamas, even his toys.”

The rabbit was placed in a big bag and set outside in the garden. He felt forgotten and sad, but deep down, he knew the boy had truly loved him. “If this is what love feels like,” the rabbit thought, “then it’s worth it.” A tear trickled down his face and landed on the ground.

Just then, something magical happened. A kind fairy appeared, shimmering in the moonlight. “Little rabbit,” she said with a smile, “you were loved so deeply that you’re already real in the boy’s heart. Now, I’ll make you real here in the world too.”

With a wave of her wand, the rabbit’s velveteen fur turned into soft, warm fur. His button eyes became bright and twinkly, and his legs became strong. He hopped around the garden, discovering he could move on his own for the first time.

The next morning, the boy came outside to play. He saw a real rabbit hopping nearby, with familiar-looking floppy ears and a pink nose. He didn’t know it was his old toy, but he felt a strange, happy memory fill his heart. The real rabbit stayed close by, watching over him.

And from that day on, the rabbit hopped freely, loved in the truest way, as he had always dreamed.

When someone loves you, their love can make you real in ways you never imagined.