Video 19
Ricky is the oldest son of Roscoe and Ranita Raccoon. He's one of six siblings and he has always been the most mischievous of all the raccoon children. The furry family of ringtails live in a log on a peaceful hollow in Tennessee. They have a clear-water creek running through the woods they call home and lush green meadows throughout the hollow where they run and play with their friends the deer, rabbits, squirrels, possums, fox, chipmunks and even the stinky skunks, who all live nearby.
Ricky's favorite thing to do is to explore, and he does his best exploring late at night. He makes his way through the woods under the watchful eye of Hootie-etta Owl and all the other creatures of the night. Ricky makes his way through the trees and most often his wanderings find him farther and farther away from the safe boundaries of the woods. His Mama is always warning him about the dangers of wandering too far from home. She's tried to tell him of all the troubles lurking at nearby farms and yards, where farmers set traps and dogs with big teeth hide underneath porches and behind barns, waiting for critters like Ricky to amble by. But Ricky just can't seem to resist the thrill of the hunt. He knows there are treasures to be found near the farm houses and barns where "people" live. He finds all kinds of shiny objects he takes home to his brothers and sisters and almost always finds something delectable to eat in the big tall cans on the sides of houses.
One particular night, Ricky hit the midnight-snack jackpot! One of the farmer's dogs had knocked over a garbage can and litter was scattered all across the yard. There was a half-eaten baloney sandwich, a bag of crushed cookies, some fruit and some fish bones. He found a bright shiny silver can with sweet gooey-goo dripping down the sides. He picked it up in his clever little hands and tipped it forward so the goo would trickle down into his eager little mouth. He stuck his snout into the can to lick the sides and couldn't seem to get enough of that heavenly goo that tasted like sweet ambrosia and made his whiskers tingle. He stuck his head in further so his tongue could reach the bottom of the can and he slurped up the last of the tasty treat. Yum that was good!
Oh, but now Ricky had a real problem. His head was stuck inside the can and no matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't seem to get himself free. He shook his head back and forth, wiggled his ears up and down, but nothing seemed to work. He tried to walk but he couldn't see and he kept bumping into everything. Every time he bonked his head into a rock or a tree trunk, the can would ring so loud it made his teeth rattle. He'd run in spurts, back and forth across the grass, then plop himself down on the ground and roll all around trying to get himself free of the can. It seemed like hours he was wandering around blindly, not knowing where he was or what was around him. He wished he could call for help, but no one could hear him with his head inside the can. Oh how he wished he had listened to his Mama now! What was he going to do?
All of a sudden, he felt something near him in the grass. What could it be? Oh please, don't let it be one of those big dogs with the long pointy teeth! But no, it wasn't a dog, it was a "person!" And the person was actually trying to help him get loose of the can! Hooray! I'm going to be saved! The person tugged and tugged on the can until finally Ricky could see and smell and breathe in the cool air. And look! The night had passed and it was now daylight! Boy was he ever going to be in trouble for being out so long!
He hurried off into the woods as fast as his little legs could carry him, chattering all the way and telling himself he would NEVER venture that far away from home ever again!
Ricky is the oldest son of Roscoe and Ranita Raccoon. He's one of six siblings and he has always been the most mischievous of all the raccoon children. The furry family of ringtails live in a log on a peaceful hollow in Tennessee. They have a clear-water creek running through the woods they call home and lush green meadows throughout the hollow where they run and play with their friends the deer, rabbits, squirrels, possums, fox, chipmunks and even the stinky skunks, who all live nearby.
Ricky's favorite thing to do is to explore, and he does his best exploring late at night. He makes his way through the woods under the watchful eye of Hootie-etta Owl and all the other creatures of the night. Ricky makes his way through the trees and most often his wanderings find him farther and farther away from the safe boundaries of the woods. His Mama is always warning him about the dangers of wandering too far from home. She's tried to tell him of all the troubles lurking at nearby farms and yards, where farmers set traps and dogs with big teeth hide underneath porches and behind barns, waiting for critters like Ricky to amble by. But Ricky just can't seem to resist the thrill of the hunt. He knows there are treasures to be found near the farm houses and barns where "people" live. He finds all kinds of shiny objects he takes home to his brothers and sisters and almost always finds something delectable to eat in the big tall cans on the sides of houses.
One particular night, Ricky hit the midnight-snack jackpot! One of the farmer's dogs had knocked over a garbage can and litter was scattered all across the yard. There was a half-eaten baloney sandwich, a bag of crushed cookies, some fruit and some fish bones. He found a bright shiny silver can with sweet gooey-goo dripping down the sides. He picked it up in his clever little hands and tipped it forward so the goo would trickle down into his eager little mouth. He stuck his snout into the can to lick the sides and couldn't seem to get enough of that heavenly goo that tasted like sweet ambrosia and made his whiskers tingle. He stuck his head in further so his tongue could reach the bottom of the can and he slurped up the last of the tasty treat. Yum that was good!
Oh, but now Ricky had a real problem. His head was stuck inside the can and no matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't seem to get himself free. He shook his head back and forth, wiggled his ears up and down, but nothing seemed to work. He tried to walk but he couldn't see and he kept bumping into everything. Every time he bonked his head into a rock or a tree trunk, the can would ring so loud it made his teeth rattle. He'd run in spurts, back and forth across the grass, then plop himself down on the ground and roll all around trying to get himself free of the can. It seemed like hours he was wandering around blindly, not knowing where he was or what was around him. He wished he could call for help, but no one could hear him with his head inside the can. Oh how he wished he had listened to his Mama now! What was he going to do?
All of a sudden, he felt something near him in the grass. What could it be? Oh please, don't let it be one of those big dogs with the long pointy teeth! But no, it wasn't a dog, it was a "person!" And the person was actually trying to help him get loose of the can! Hooray! I'm going to be saved! The person tugged and tugged on the can until finally Ricky could see and smell and breathe in the cool air. And look! The night had passed and it was now daylight! Boy was he ever going to be in trouble for being out so long!
He hurried off into the woods as fast as his little legs could carry him, chattering all the way and telling himself he would NEVER venture that far away from home ever again!
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