Come, my child," I said, trying to lead her away. "Wish good-bye to the poor hare, and come and look for blackberries.""Good-bye, poor hare!" Sylvie obediently repeated, looking over her shoulder at it as we turned away. And then, all in a moment, her self-command gave way. Pulling her hand out of mine, she ran back to where the dead hare was lying, and flung herself down at its side in such an agony of grief as I could hardly have believed possible in so young a child."Oh, my darling, my darling!" she moaned, over and over again. "And God meant your life to be so beautiful!
In this excerpt from Lewis Carroll's "Sylvie and Bruno," a tender moment unfolds as an adult tries to gently redirect Sylvie to look for blackberries instead of mourning a dead hare. The adult encourages her to say goodbye and move on, but Sylvie's emotional attachment is too strong.
In a heartbreaking turn, Sylvie's self-control breaks down, and she runs back to mourn the hare deeply. Her intense grief reveals her innocence and capacity for genuine compassion, highlighting the emotional depth often found in her young character.