Upset that his mother will not let him go out until he cleans his playroom, Little Rabbit sneaks away to join the circus and sells tickets by promising the audience a view of The Meanest Mother on Earth.
When Mother Rabbit knits a warm winter hat for Little Rabbit, he likes it so much that he suggests they make hats for all of their friends as Christmas gifts.
As his fifth birthday party approaches, Little Rabbit decides to invite only those friends who are also too old to cry--until he learns that others of all ages weep for all sorts of reasons.