Paws & Tales

Ned: Welcome to another episode of my personal podcast Ned Knows. Today I'm talking to the creator of Paws & Tales, Dave Carl. Well, thanks for being with me today, Dave.

Dave Carl: It’s a pleasure to be here, Ned.

Ned: So because I'm me, I happen to know that you have written the first-ever Paws & Tales book. Well, tell me more about that.

Dave Carl: I'd love to. It's called The Overcomers, and reading this book will be like reading maybe five regular episodes. The club is in the middle of a big new adventure and there are new characters we introduced.

Ned: That’s fascinating, Dave. I have it though by good authority that this book centers around Ned and how he saves the day for everyone.

Dave Carl: Well, no, that’s not what the book is about. It is significantly about the struggle against evil that lurks high up in Wild Mountain. If anything, I'd have to say it centers around Staci.

Ned: What? I gave you really good notes when you were writing this. What happened to all my great ideas?

Dave Carl: Well, mostly I didn’t read them. There was a lot of notes, Ned. In the book I did write, we meet Smidge, a badger who really wants to become someone who will make a difference. And he meets up with Crocket, a genuine overcomer who begins to teach him how to survive in the woods and how to take care of the miners digging for gold in the tunnels of Wild Mountain.

Ned: Ned knows what this book was supposed to be about. In those notes you did not read, Ned inherits a million dollars, but he does not let anyone know about it and he sneaks around and secretly helps those in need and uses all kinds of really neat gadgets to fight crime.

Dave Carl: I did read that part of the notes. But in this first Paws & Tales book, The Overcomers, we follow the club as they begin a new adventure and we see how Crocket battles bandits and the evil Minion in only the way an overcomer can.

Ned: Well, I did not know that you changed the whole book, Dave. This is a bitter disappointment. Well, this ends this episode of Ned Knows. Thanks for joining me, Dave Carl, who ignored all my notes. I'll see you all next time for another episode of Ned Knows. Don’t stop tape.

Dave Carl: Welcome to the world of Paws & Tales. Wild Mountain can be a pretty dangerous place. If you stay on the trails and stick with me, there’s adventure to be had there too.

Staci: Come on CJ, jump.

CJ: It's too far.

Staci: It wasn't too far for me.

Insight for Living: Insight for Living is proud to bring Paws & Tales.

Dave Carl: Howdy and welcome to Wildwood. Have you noticed that just before the weather changes, there are signs? Little things that if you know where to look, you can tell that the wind's about to change. Those little signs, they’re all over Wildwood.

Assistant (Male): Mr. Rockler, just got a telegram. It says we got six more rail cars full of supplies arriving Tuesday.

Mr. Rockler: Excellent.

Assistant (Male): But sir, there’s no place to store them. We’ve quietly rented up all the storage buildings in town and they’re full. I couldn’t store a pack of gum in this town.

Mr. Rockler: So we build another warehouse. Folks are going to start to take notice if we just start throwing up new buildings. I don’t think we want that yet.

Mr. Rockler: No, we don’t. Rent some barns. We need these supplies ready when the work starts.

Joseph: I have them. They finished them only moments ago.

Mr. Rockler: Ah, let’s have a look.

Joseph: It’s quite complete. I think you'll be pleased.

Mr. Rockler: Good. The new track for the timbers is here. Ah, the train track will run along the southern base, then turn west here and go over Fortress Rock.

Joseph: Fortress Rock. Fortress Rock. Why do I recognize that name?

Mr. Rockler: I can’t imagine. There’s literally nothing there.

Ned: Wow, I didn’t think this many people would show up. Why are they here? I just thought it would be our parents, Ms. Harbor.

Staci: I don’t know. Unless they’re just here for the free cake.

CJ: Free cake?

Gooze: You know, like it says on the poster. Free cake.

Staci: Poster? Who put up a poster?

Gooze: You guys said to tell folks we’re dedicating the fort, so I made some posters.

CJ: You made "come to the fort dedication" posters?

Gooze: Yep.

Staci: How many?

Gooze: Oh, I don’t know. A couple dozen. Got my little sisters to help. That was fun.

CJ: Gooze, I hope you brought enough cake to feed all of these people.

Gooze: Me? Oh, nobody said I was in charge of refreshments. I’m the poster maker.

CJ: Why don’t we just get started? Maybe no one will notice that there’s no cake.

Staci: Okay. Excuse me everyone, can we have your attention please?

Guest (Male): Say, where’s the cake?

CJ: Yeah, we want to thank you all for coming to the dedication of our new clubhouse, the Fortress.

Staci: We finished building the fort a couple weeks ago, but now we want to officially celebrate. I will now present these scissors to the person we’ve chosen to cut the opening ribbon. Papa Chuck, please come up front here.

Papa Chuck: Thanks, Staci.

Gooze: Papa Chuck, without you, this clubhouse would never have been possible. So we want to show our thanks by having you cut the ribbon.

Papa Chuck: Thanks, Gooze, I'm honored.

Staci: And we thought maybe you could make a little speech or something.

Papa Chuck: I'd be glad to. First of all, the fortress looks just great. It really does. This spot, Fortress Rock, has been an important place for the town of Wildwood. It’s especially important to me. This is where I dedicated myself to God a long time ago.

This place itself was dedicated to God some 35 years ago and I know it'll be very important in the future. Congratulations kids, use it well.

Guest (Male): Now where’s that cake?

Papa Chuck: Here we go.

CJ: I’m proud of you.

Staci: Big bang.

Papa Chuck: So I didn’t really hear anyone say, what are you dedicating the fort for?

CJ: We were just dedicating it. I don’t know. What were we dedicating it for?

Ned: I thought we were dedicating it so that we would have a place to have fun. Play games like chess and checkers, you know?

Marsha: Well, I’m almost asleep. Don’t you think it would be better to do something that everyone would enjoy? Like having fancy tea parties?

Staci: No, Marsha. I mean like putting on plays. If we build a stage at one end of the fortress, then people can come and-

CJ: Staci, it’s a fortress, not a theater.

Staci: What’s that supposed to mean?

CJ: A fortress is where you build things and keep your tools and store supplies for when you go on big adventures.

Gooze: Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the classic definition of a fortress a place where people gather to do arts and crafts involving beautiful flowers and fun shiny stuff?

CJ: Sorry Gooze, but no, it isn't.

Papa Chuck: Sounds like this is something you kids need to talk more about and come to a decision on it together.

CJ: Thank you, Papa Chuck.

Staci: See you at our first play.

CJ: Staci, there aren’t going to be any plays.

Staci: We'll see about that.

Gooze: And don’t forget to come back and buy some of our arts and crafts.

CJ: Gooze, we’re not turning the fortress into an arts and crafts shop.

Guest (Male): So why don’t you turn it into a bakery and start making some of that free cake?

CJ: Ceremony's over.

Dave Carl: Well, it wasn't the auspicious event they’d all imagined. But the real trouble started early Saturday morning. Staci arrived at the fortress bright and early to find that someone was already there and hard at work. What’s more, she couldn’t get the front door open.

Staci: Hey, who’s in there? And why is the door locked?

CJ: What’s the password?

Staci: CJ, open the door. What are you doing in there?

CJ: Building shelves for our tools and supplies.

Staci: Why is the door locked?

CJ: It’s the new security lock I designed so nobody can get in and steal our stuff.

Staci: Well, open it. Now.

CJ: I can’t.

Staci: CJ.

CJ: When I built the security lock, it’s possible I might’ve nailed the door shut. Come in the side window. It’s open. Look out, here comes the box.

CJ: What’s in there? Is that a bedsheet?

Staci: Not a bedsheet. A theater curtain. It goes right- Hey, you nailed shelves where the stage is going to be.

CJ: No, actually I didn’t. Because there’s not going to be a stage.

Gooze: What happened to the ladder? It was right- Hey, who locked the door?

CJ: Come to the side window.

Gooze: Okay. Box coming in.

CJ: What’s all this garbage?

Gooze: Arts and crafts supplies.

CJ: Sorry Gooze, not in here.

Gooze: Hey, if we don’t make arts and crafts, there are going to be some long faces when people show up for the arts and crafts fair where there will be no arts and crafts.

Marsha: Excuse me, who locked the door?

Gooze and CJ: Side window.

Marsha: Oh guys, could someone please help me with these dishes?

CJ: Marsha, we told you yesterday, this is not a tea house.

Marsha: But that’s not fair.

Ned: Hey, who locked the-

Gooze, Marsha, and CJ: Window.

Ned: Okay, look out.

Marsha: You brought a table? Where is that supposed to go?

Ned: Okay, careful. Don’t step on my dishes.

Ned: Hey, how are we supposed to play a quiet game of chess with all this junk in here?

Staci: I can’t believe you brought a table.

Ned: Well, if there’s enough room for all the stuff you guys want to do, then there’s enough room for a small game table and some chairs.

Staci: Chairs? Too? All right, that’s it. I’m calling an official club meeting to settle this once and for all. Where’s the official gavel? It’s supposed to be right here.

CJ: You guys do what you want, I’m putting up these shelves.

Gooze: Watch it. You’re stepping on my jars of glitter.

Staci: Where’s my scissors? Ow. There they are. Sorry, Ned.

Marsha: I'll just set up the tea party by the window.

Staci: Club notebook isn’t where it’s supposed to be either. Has one of you been taking stuff from the clubhouse? Hello, is anyone listening? Everybody just stop this before you all- Ladder. Oh, look out. Ladder. Ladder. No. Oh, my dishes.

Gooze: My glitter. It’s everywhere.

Staci: Look what you did to my curtain.

CJ: And my shelves.

Ned: That’s it. I’m leaving. Hey, what’s with the door?

Gooze, Staci, Marsha, and CJ: Window.

Milo: Hi, I’m Milo from Michigan. I love listening to Paws & Tales when I’m getting ready for bed at night. Oh, and my parents listen too.

Ned: Welcome everyone, Ned the Beaver here, beloved star of Paws & Tales. We have some parents with me today that would love to tell you what they think about the fun, the biblical teaching, and the music of Paws & Tales. Go right ahead, please.

Guest (Female): Well, I love-

Ned: A bit closer to the microphone, please.

Guest (Female): Oh, sorry. I love that Paws & Tales is fun for kids and parents. I kind of expect my kids to learn from the episodes, but so do we.

Ned: Very nice. And you sir, you’re next.

Guest (Male): I love that some of the episodes are telling the Bible stories. My kids totally know the story of Esther now because of Paws & Tales.

Ned: Yes, yes, so good to hear. Now you ma’am, that I have never met before.

Guest (Female): Well, I love that the kids in the club are so fun and take care of each other while they’re all learning about God. Mom, read the whole script. And I love that Ned Cleaver character. He is my favorite.

Ned: Better, much better. Stop slouching, Ned. Mom. You’re slouching. Mom, stop.

Dave Carl: Later that afternoon, CJ found himself wandering by Papa Chuck's workshop. Papa Chuck was tinkering with an old grandfather clock.

Papa Chuck: CJ, surprised to see you here. Thought you'd be playing up at the newly dedicated clubhouse.

CJ: Nope. It's not too fun up there right now.

Papa Chuck: Really?

CJ: Everybody's fighting to use it for what they want. It's not really working out.

Papa Chuck: So you still haven’t come to a decision on what the fortress should be dedicated to?

CJ: Not even close. We’ve got five members and five different decisions.

Papa Chuck: That’s a tough one.

CJ: We could take a vote, but it would just be a five-way tie.

Papa Chuck: That’s quite a situation you got there.

CJ: Hey, what if you came to the clubhouse and we all told you our ideas and then you could pick the best one?

Papa Chuck: No thanks. I think this is something the club needs to work out on its own.

CJ: Then I don’t think there’s any way to solve this.

Papa Chuck: Oh, there’s a way.

CJ: You know the answer?

Papa Chuck: I have a pretty good idea.

CJ: And you’re not going to tell me.

Papa Chuck: Some lessons you just remember better when you figure them out yourself.

CJ: Can you at least give me a hint?

Papa Chuck: Well, first thing you need to do is decide who’s the most important member of the club.

CJ: And then that person gets to make the decision. That makes sense.

Papa Chuck: Tell you what. Why don’t you kids see if you can come up with an answer? And when I’m done here, I'll stop by the clubhouse and see how you’re coming along.

CJ: Thanks, Papa Chuck. See you later.

Dave Carl: On his way back to the clubhouse, CJ ran into Ned.

CJ: Hey, Ned.

Ned: Hey, CJ.

CJ: Hey, we need to have a meeting at the fortress.

Ned: What good is that going to do? You know we’re never going to agree.

CJ: That’s why Papa Chuck says we have to decide who’s the most important member of the club.

Ned: Huh. I always kind of thought we were all equal.

CJ: Nope, somebody has to be the most important.

Ned: Well, who?

CJ: Whose idea was it to have a club in the first place?

Ned: I don’t know. Staci’s?

CJ: It was mine.

Staci: So that makes you more important?

CJ: The person who starts a club gets to be the leader.

Ned: But if we’re all members of the club, then it seems like choosing a leader should be something we all get to vote on.

Staci: We can vote if you want, but I think it’s only right that I get to be the leader.

Dave Carl: A little ways up the road, they ran into the girls. And after explaining CJ's plan, they weren't entirely convinced of CJ's argument.

Staci: It doesn’t matter who started what. The person who’s most qualified should be the leader.

CJ: And I suppose you think that person is you.

Staci: Well, I was in charge of the third-grade fundraiser. And the captain of our Sunday school scripture memory team two years in a row. Gooze, who are you going to vote for?

Gooze: Oh, I think maybe this should be a secret election.

Staci: That’s fine with me.

CJ: Fine. When we go to the clubhouse, we'll take a secret vote.

Marsha: I’ve got a suggestion. To keep things fair, what if whoever wins the vote for club leader can’t choose their own idea, but has to pick one of the others?

Ned: Oh, that’s very clever, Marsha. I like it.

Gooze: Great idea.

Staci: I don’t like it.

CJ: Me either.

Marsha: All in favor of Marsha's idea, say aye.

Marsha, Gooze, and Ned: Aye.

CJ and Staci: Nay.

Marsha: Well, Marsha's idea wins three to two.

CJ: Let’s just get to the club and get this thing over with. Okay, secret ballot. CJ, I’m really getting tired of this door.

CJ: It just needs a few more adjustments and then we'll have a foolproof security door that nobody but us will ever get through.

Ned: I don’t mean to be rude, but we need to make this a short meeting. It’s almost dinnertime.

Gooze: And give me a leg up. Climbing in windows is kind of fun. Hey, there’s something in there.

CJ: What do you mean, something?

Gooze: Something, someone is moving around in there.

CJ: Someone’s trying to steal my tools. Hey you, get out of our clubhouse.

Staci: Ned, was that really necessary?

Ned: Well, he’s trapped. This window is the only way he can get out.

CJ: Okay, we’ll guard the window. Gooze, you go get Officer Hunt.

Gooze: What was that? Let me see. Oh, well.

Staci: What is it?

Gooze: Hey, there’s a cougar running into the woods.

Staci: How’d he get out?

CJ: Looks like he just opened my security door. Oh, CJ.

Dave Carl: It was late in the evening by the time Officer Hunt arrived at CJ's house with an update on the situation.

Officer Hunt: Hey, CJ.

CJ: Hey, Officer Hunt. Hi, come in.

Officer Hunt: We got him.

CJ: Wow, that’s great.

Officer Hunt: Well, it's not like we tracked him down. He came to the station.

CJ: Really?

Officer Hunt: His name's Henry Longtooth. He may have sounded ferocious, but he was just scared more than anything.

CJ: So he’s not dangerous.

Officer Hunt: Oh, Longtooth? I seriously doubt it. He apologized up and down for scaring the kids the way he did. I think he felt pretty bad about it. He’s been living up in the old mine shaft for some three months or so.

CJ: Now why’d he move into the clubhouse?

Officer Hunt: He says there’s been all kinds of activity around there lately. He got run off.

CJ: At the old mine? Now that’s odd.

Officer Hunt: That’s what I thought. I'll be looking into that tomorrow. For the last few nights, he’s been sleeping in the kids' fort, making sure he’s out of there every morning before anyone shows up. He’s got himself a ticket to sail to South Bay in a couple of weeks. Seems he’s got some family there. He was just going to stay in the fort till his ship comes in.

CJ: Did you ask him about our missing stuff?

Officer Hunt: He never did take anything. He was using some stuff, but he never took anything. It’s all still in the fort.

CJ: Well, will the other families be pressing charges?

Officer Hunt: I don’t think so. They’re all pretty shook up at first, but I think now they see that Longtooth meant no harm. He was just trying to get out of the cold.

CJ: All right, so if no complaints are filed-

Officer Hunt: I'll keep him locked up for the night. He needs a place to sleep. After that, he’ll be free to go.

CJ: Well, I want to press charges.

Officer Hunt: Do you? Why is that, CJ?

CJ: That’s our clubhouse. People can’t just go walking in there and get away with it.

Officer Hunt: Now, there’s no question that what Longtooth did was wrong. But he is spending a night in jail and he did apologize.

CJ: Well, he messed with the wrong club. He broke into our fort. I want him locked up. I want him locked up for good.

Landon: Hi, I’m Landon from Mount Pleasant, North Carolina. Don’t go away, there’s more Paws & Tales coming right up.

Dave Carl: Hey everyone, this is Dave Carl, creator of Paws & Tales. Wait, Staci, is that what you wanted for this?

Staci: Yeah, Dave, that’s fine. Keep going.

Dave Carl: Okay. Well, I’ve been trying to get Staci to tell us about her welcome cookies. As you know, Staci's pretty famous around Wildwood for baking cookies and giving them to folks that have just moved in or- what else, Staci?

Staci: If someone is sick or just needs a cookie hug.

Dave Carl: I love that. Who doesn’t need a cookie hug on occasion? Well, she bakes them with her mom and I think we’re going to have a sample here. Where are the cookies? Ned, did you eat all the cookies?

Ned: Well, they smell amazing. You can get a copy of Staci's welcome cookie recipe and bake them yourself, with the help of your parents of course. Just log on to pawsandtales.org and head into the clubhouse to get your copy of Staci's welcome cookie recipe.

Why is everyone mad at me? Why do I get blamed for everything? Ned, you have cookie crumbs on your chin. Well, maybe I did it this time, but I get blamed for everything all the time.

Dave Carl: And we’d love to see your plate of cookies. So take a photo and upload it to the clubhouse. We'll post them all on the Wall of Fame so the whole world can see what a great baker you are. But don’t forget to give them away.

Ned: Oh, and try a couple first. It’s just good quality control.

Dave Carl: I would try a couple first. Happy baking.

Dave Carl: You want him locked up for good. That’s a very long time.

CJ: Well, he messed with the wrong kids. Nobody trespasses in our clubhouse.

Dale: Officer Hunt, if you don’t mind, I think we'll sleep on this and give you our answer in the morning.

Officer Hunt: Oh, right, Dale. Good night then.

Dale: Good night, Officer Hunt. CJ, why don’t you join me on the porch?

CJ: Okay. I can’t believe we got him.

Dale: Beautiful night.

CJ: You don’t think I should press charges, do you?

Dale: Well, CJ, why don’t you make your case?

CJ: Are we doing the judge thing again?

Dale: Mr. CJ Brown, you may present your case.

CJ: I think it is an open-and-shut case. Mr. Longtooth trespassed. He got caught and I think he should be punished.

Dale: Correction, he did not get caught. He turned himself in.

CJ: Okay, he turned himself in. But there’s no doubt that he entered a building, the fort, without permission. Can you tell me why, Mr. Brown?

CJ: Dad.

Dale: Can you tell me why you think it’s up to you to decide if he’s punished or not?

CJ: Sure. It’s our fort and he broke in.

Dale: I see. Do you own the land it is on?

CJ: Well, no, but-

Dale: Really? Who does?

CJ: Papa Chuck just told us that we could build there.

Dale: Uh-huh. You don’t own the land. Hm. Does Papa Chuck own the land?

CJ: No, but he told us that he knows the guy who does.

Dale: Did you pay for the materials?

CJ: Well, we earned some of it.

Dale: Is it not true that much of the fort's, even most of the fort's lumber and other materials was provided by Papa Chuck?

CJ: Yeah, but some of it-

Dale: So you don’t own any of it and Papa Chuck doesn’t own it. Fortress Rock has apparently been dedicated to God. I’d say you’re taking care of it. Using it.

CJ: Yeah, I guess.

Dale: Now, what are you using it for?

CJ: That’s what we’ve been fighting over. Everyone thinks it should be used for something else.

Dale: Well then, what’s the club for?

CJ: Well, having fun, but also to sort of help folks. But we never meant helping criminals.

Dale: Well, I think it’s time for this court to take a recess. I’ve got some work to finish up. Why don’t you think through your case and present- or you can just tell me what you’ve come up with in the morning.

CJ: Okay. I hate it when he does the courtroom thing.

CJ: Hey, guys.

Gooze: Hey, CJ. Morning. Did you forget your mitt?

CJ: No, it’s in my backpack. I’ve been working on this. Sorry about the "who’s the most important" thing.

Gooze: So you think Staci's most important?

CJ: She’s very important. But so are all of us.

Gooze: So if no one’s in charge, how do we decide how to use the fort?

CJ: We had all these things we were going to use the fort for when we started, remember?

Marsha: Yeah, we were going to find ways to help out around town.

Staci: We do that. We’ve done it with the old folks' home.

Gooze: The Shady Days Rest Home.

Ned: Okay, the Shady Days. But it’s ours. Can’t we use it for fun too?

CJ: Yes, we can use it for fun.

Staci: Sure, but what’s it dedicated for?

Gooze: Fortress Rock was dedicated to God. Papa Chuck said so.

Ned: So we give it to God?

Marsha: Well, I wanted to have fun with it.

Gooze: Marsha, God already owns it. He owns everything. We’re just using God's stuff.

CJ: So maybe we need to dedicate the fort to God too.

Ned: Well then what? What do you do with something you’ve dedicated to God?

CJ: Well, I got an idea. How about to start out with, what if we let Mr. Longtooth stay in the fort?

Ned: What?

CJ: For a couple of weeks until his ship comes in.

Staci: That’s a pretty good idea.

Marsha: He could use my tea set if he wants.

Gooze: Really good idea. He could use my arts and crafts stuff. Want to go to the jail and tell him?

Staci: We’re dedicating our fort to God.

CJ: Yeah.

Marsha: This is really fun. Let’s go tell him.

Mr. Rockler: Joseph, you told me there was nothing on Fortress Rock.

Joseph: Mr. Rockler, that’s just a children’s playhouse. It’s of no consequence.

Mr. Rockler: I doubt the children will see it that way. And that’s right where our tracks need to go. So we’ll buy it and tear it down.

Joseph: I hope it’s that easy. Mr. Rockler, they’re just a bunch of school children. This will not be a problem.

Mr. Rockler: I hate to do it. But that clubhouse will have to go. I'll take care of it.

Insight for Living: Who does this world belong to? Who does this world belong to? Who does this big old world belong to? It all belongs to God.

Who does this world belong to? Who does this world belong to? Who does this big old world belong to? It all belongs to God.

See that flower, see that tree, you might think they’re property. But they’re not really ours, you see. I know that may sound odd. But the one who owns each hill and brook ain’t listed in some mortgage book. But you’ll know if you take a look, it all belongs to God.

Who does this world belong to? Who does this world belong to? Who does this big old world belong to? It all belongs to God.

Well Mercury, the moon, and Mars, Lord they declare just who you are. Your name is written in the stars. It’s glorious, it’s true. And though you have no earthly street address, your landlord over east and west, that is why I do confess, it all belongs to you.

Who does this world belong to? Who does this world belong to? I said, who does this big old world belong to? It all belongs to God.

This is my Father's world, I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, His hand the wonders-

Who does this world belong to? Who does this world belong to? Now who does this big old world belong to? It all belongs to God.

I said, who does this world belong to? Oh, who does this world belong to? Who does this big old world belong to? It all belongs to God. The rocks and trees, the sky, the sea. It all belongs to God.

To order a copy of today's program, The Dedication, just log on to pawsandtales.org. The Dedication was written by Clark Corkum and directed by David Carl. Our script supervisor was Phil Lollar.

The song, Who Does This World Belong To?, was written by Sandy Howell and Nick Brown. Music was by John Campbell and our sound designer was Jerry Swafford. Paws & Tales is an Insight for Living production.