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Today's story is a throwback episode.
Tune in to hear one of our classic stories from the archive that you might have missed the first time around.
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Enjoy the episode!
Kiddo and the Fox Once upon a time…
In a land of rolling green pastures and sprawling flower fields, there lived a great herd of sheep.
There were hundreds of them, each as happy and puffy as a cloud.
They spent their days wandering across the land, chomping down the thick green grass and playing in the flowers.
The shepherd was often away, but it didn't matter.
The sheep were protected by two giant sheepdogs.
The dogs took their jobs very seriously and they spent their days circling the sheep, keeping them close and watching for threats in the distance.
It was a peaceful place, but occasionally a wolf or fox or wild hound would slink close, smelling a hundred dinners.
Of course the great sheepdogs were bigger, even than the wolves, so they had no trouble driving them away from their fluffy friends.
The dogs did a good job, but they weren't perfect.
After all, there were only a few of them, and there were so many sheep.
One little lamb was especially troubling for them.
Her name was Kiddo and she was forever wandering away after flowers or sweet smells on the wind, no matter how many times the dogs warned her not to.
Now listen, Kiddo, Old Cap would growl.
He was the oldest and sternest of the sheepdogs.
There's things in these fields, things in these woods nearby that would just love to have you for dinner.
Do you want to end up a meal for some wild mutt?
Eat me, Kiddo exclaimed, her big dewy eyes going wide.
Jeez, Cap, lay off, said Tatters.
You'll scare the life out of the poor thing.
Yeah, chimed in Kiddo, glad for the interruption.
You'll scare the life out of my poor thing.
Old Cap grumbled and started to pad away.
Just stay closer and pay better attention, he called over his shoulder.
We've got too many of you cotton balls for me to always have one eye on you.
Kiddo looked up guiltily at Tatters.
Don't give the old man too hard a time, Tatters said, tail wagging.
He just wants to keep you safe tatters, she said, smiling in the wide way that always seemed to put the grown-ups at ease.
You're all right kiddo, he said, turning to look out over the flock.
We have good ears anyway.
You ever get lost, you just keep hollering.
All right, all right tatters, she said, but she was already looking off into the distance at a particularly dark green patch of grass.
She trotted over and ate for a while, taking her time as the rest of the herd flowed around her.
Not two days later, the herd swung closer to the forest to find fresh grass.
Being so near the woods made the sheepdogs nervous.
The sheep needed to eat, though, and because there were so many, they always had to keep moving.
Most knew to keep well away from the darkness of the forest, but kiddo!
She was prancing along at the edge of the herd, happy and carefree as always.
She probably would have been fine, if not for a passing butterfly.
Oh, wow, kiddo said.
The butterfly was violet, dappled with blue and gold.
It fluttered by her, just out of reach.
Hey, come back!
She scampered after the butterfly.
It bobbed high and she tried to jump after it.
It dipped low and she crawled along on her belly, giggling.
It danced past one tree and another and Kiddo wound on after it.
Finally, it disappeared over a thorny thicket and Kiddo had to pull up short.
No fair, she said, still giggling.
She tried to look around the thicket, but the butterfly was gone.
Oh, well, she said.
But when she turned to rejoin the flock, she realized a terrible truth.
She had chased the butterfly deep into the woods.
How had she not noticed?
Fear nestled in her little heart and suddenly the friendly trees felt dark and looming.
What do I do?
She said, and then remembered the advice she had gotten from Tatters to holler out if she ever got into trouble.
Tatters!
Old Cap!
I'm lost!
She called and heard her own words echo among the trees.
She listened hard for a moment and... was that...
Yes, it was another voice calling back to her.
It was hard to pinpoint sound in the woods, but she made her best guess and started off towards the noise.
She kept her ears open as she walked, following the voice.
She soon realized it wasn't someone yelling back to her.
It was someone singing.
Tatters?
Old Cap?
Is that you?
She asked, but it wasn't the dogs who answered.
Oh, are you lost, you poor little lamb?
Kiddo turned and felt a squeak escape her lamby lips.
There, perched on an old oak stump, was a giant red fox.
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She had white around her mouth and at the tip of her tail, but whitest of all were her needle teeth, shining out from her wide, unsettling smile.
Oh, hello, said Kiddo.
Were you singing?
But of course, said the fox.
I have the finest voice in the forest.
Everyone knows it's true.
Well, I was just heading back to the pastures.
Which way is out of here?
The fox jumped nimbly from the stump.
She was bigger than the young lamb, and her tongue lolled from her mouth.
Leave so soon?
But you're just in time for dinner.
Oh, dinner?
What, uh, what's for dinner?
The fox circled behind and Kiddo turned to keep her in her sight.
Well, it was going to be a rabbit, but now...
I'm thinking I'll have a little lamb.
Kiddo started to shake.
She couldn't outrun or outfight a fox.
What could she do?
Help!
Help!
She started to call, but the fox put a clawed paw on her mouth and shut it.
Enough of that!
Kiddo squeaked.
What could she do?
She had to make noise so the dogs would hear and come save her.
Now any last requests.
The fox purred before you have the honor of being eaten by the best singer in the forest.
The best singer, Kiddo thought.
Maybe she could use that.
Arr, she swallowed, fighting to keep the tremble from her voice.
Are you truly the best singer in the forest?
No one has a finer voice than I. No one.
That gave Kiddo an idea.
I've always been told I'm the best singer in the flock, she said.
Of course, no one had ever told her any such thing, but the fox didn't know that.
You?
Oh, there's no way a little lamb like you can match the voice of a fine fox like me.
Well, maybe not, but I haven't really heard you sing.
Little lamb, I was singing when you found me.
Were you?
I'm sorry.
With these woolly ears, I don't hear so well.
Doesn't matter anyway.
I'm definitely better.
You can just have me for dinner.
Get rid of the competition.
I get it.
The fox snarled and sat back, her bottle brush tail swaying dangerously.
No, you pull the wool out of those ears and listen before I eat you.
Understand?
Kiddo cowered back, hiding her sudden smile.
Okay, if you insist.
The fox cleared her throat and jumped back on her stump as though it were a stage.
Listen well now, Supper, and learn who is the best.
I'm the finest in the forest, the queen of all you see.
I can sing up high and sing down low, no one compares to me, no question.
It's guaranteed.
Who's the finest?
The finest is me.
I told you.
Yeah, that was really good, I guess.
I don't know.
I don't really know if you're the best yet.
That's ridiculous.
Let me try another one.
Oh, baby, you're adorable.
Cute enough to eat.
But listen to these dulcet tones.
You know you can't compete.
Don't question.
It's guaranteed.
Who's the finest?
The finest is me.
Did you hear how good it was that time?
You know, it might be just the wool in my ears.
Could you try singing a lot louder?
Okay, you asked for it.
I'm the finest in the forest, the queen of all you see.
I can sing up high and sing down low.
No one compares to me, no question.
It's guaranteed.
Who's the finest?
The finest.
The finest is me.
What a wonderful song. came a gruff voice.
Wasn't it, Tatters?
Truly the finest in the forest, Tatters agreed.
The two sheepdogs came from the woods to stand on either side of Kiddo.
Big as the fox was, the dogs towered over her.
Ah, yes, thank you, said the fox.
I think I should be going now.
I'll give you to the count of three, Tatters said.
The fox turned to go.
Three. barked Old Cap immediately, and the fox stumbled and scurried away into the brush.
Kiddo sank to the ground, nearly crying in relief.
Thank you, thank you, she said.
I thought I was a goner.
Tatter smiled at her, tail wagging.
Clever trick with the singing.
We came looking when we noticed you were gone.
But we never would have found you without the sound to follow.
But next time, Old Cap grumbled.
Maybe just don't wander off alone, kiddo.
I won't, she said, and she mostly meant it.
The dogs guided her back to the herd, and as they went, Tatters couldn't help himself.
I'm the finest in the forest, I'm the queen of all you see.
They all laughed together as they rejoined the herd, and while kiddo was still, well, a kid...
After her scare in the woods she cared a little more, strayed a little less and never got lost in the woods again.
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