The Tale of Peter and Benjamin Bunny

Little Benjamin did not very much want to see his Aunt. He came round the back of the fir tree, and nearly tumbled upon the top of his Cousin Peter. Peter was sitting by himself. He looked poorly, and was dressed in a red cotton pocket-handkerchief. "Peter," said little Benjamin, in a whisper, "who has got your clothes?" Peter replied, "The scarecrow in Mr. McGregor's garden"...They went away hand in hand, and got upon the flat top of the wall at the bottom of the wood. From here they looked down into Mr. McGregor's garden...
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny by Beatrix Potter

There once was a little boy who wanted very badly to catch one of the many rabbits that were in his back yard.

And so, his Grandaddy very kindly offered to help him build a rabbit gum (also known as a rabbit trap.)

After perfecting the trap, the boy brought it home and very faithfully kept it set with lettuce and carrots for bait. Until one morning he went out to check his trap and

in it was not one but two small rabbits! This boy was very excited and quickly decided to name his rabbits Peter and Benjamin.

And that is how we came to have our first pets - two bunnies - living in a pen on our back porch.