What's Real?...

[netsis61]

While the cloth rabbit and the stuffed horse were lying
on the bedroom floor, the rabbit asked-
"What is Real? Does it mean having a stick-out handle and things inside of you that go around?"
"Real isn't how you are made" said the horse-
"It's a thing that happens to you when a child loves you for a long time-not just to play with, but really, really loves you, then you become real".
"Does it hurt?" asked the rabbit.
"Sometimes" said the horse, "but when you are real, you don't mind being hurt".
"Does it happen all at once like being wound up?".
"No" said the horse. "You become real over a long period of time so it doesn't often happen to those who break easily, have sharp edges, or have to be kept carefully".
"Generally, by the time you are real, most of your hair has been loved off, your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby- but these things don't matter when you are Real".

-Adapted from the Velveteen Rabbit.

[Gumball1960]

By that definition then, my DD has a doll that's VERY real. :) One hand has been chewed off & replaced countless times, one eye was been bleached out during one of it's many "baths", due to the same "baths" the yellow color of the terrycloth body has faded to a pale dingy shade, and it has had the stuffing replaced so many times I've lost count. Yes, "Dolly" is very real now. :)

[ocvachick]

Hmm I had one of those poor old dolls. I think shes in our attic now. An old cabbage patch doll... her butt busted open one time and Mom had to go and buy some new stuffing, then i washed the yarn hair and half of it fell out LOL

[netsis61]

The Velveteen Rabbit was one of my favorite books as a child. As a child, I had a doll that was very real also until the unfortunate day my older brother was playing cowboys and indians with his friends and burned her at the stake!