Paws & Tales

Ned: Hi, this is Ned the Beaver, beloved star of Paws & Tales! Deep in the basement of the world headquarters of Paws & Tales, the creative team has developed some really amazing coloring sheets. But mine is the best!

Dave Carl: Hey, Ned, ready to start recording?

Ned: Oh, hi, Dave Carl, creator of Paws & Tales. I was just—

Dave Carl: I was thinking on these spots today. We want to be sure to tell folks about the new character coloring sheets available on our webpage. The kids can color in a bunch of the Paws & Tales characters while they listen to the podcast. It's a free download for everyone in the whole world. We're pretty excited about it.

Ned: I had a vision for the spot today, but yes, I'm happy to overload that in somehow.

Joel: That web address is pawsandtales.org/staci.

Ned: Staci? Oh, thank you, Joel. This is not what I envisioned for this commercial, people! Take five, everyone, take five!

Insight for Living: 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 adventures to be had there, too. Inside for Living is proud to present Paws & Tales.

Howdy and welcome to Wildwood. It's a beautiful Saturday morning, and CJ is getting a pretty slow start on his day. It's 9:30, and he promised Mrs. Collins he'd help her move some old boxes at 10:00.

It's about a 20-minute walk to the Collins mansion. The way he's moving, it looks like he'll make it with time to spare, barring anything unforeseen.

Hugh: Good morning, Cyclops. You know, I've pounced on CJ before, but something about it always cracks me up. It's fresh every time.

Mange: You know, roses are like this. We've seen a million of them, but each one still holds me in wonder.

Multi: Mange, you are not a balanced person.

Mange: I was having a moment of introspection. Sorry. You started it with your musings.

Multi: What? There! There, you did it again! I was trying to be tough in front of CJ, and you call it my musings. I hate—

CJ: Are you two nutballs finished?

Multi: See what you've done, you two? You ruined the whole thing. Get up, CJ. Forget this ever happened.

Mange: If Multi wasn't so afraid of his feelings—

Multi: What? I'm not afraid of my feelings! I don't even know what you're talking about. You make me so crazy.

Mange: That's why you have to sing yourself to sleep at night. You're conflicted.

Multi: How could you say that in front of him? How rude!

Staci: Those guys are so nutballs.

Ned: They are bonkers, both of them.

Goos: What in the world is that? Hey, CJ, is everything all right? You okay with these guys?

CJ: Yeah, I'm fine.

Staci: Hugh Maclaw, you better not be picking on my friends.

Hugh: Yeah, okay. How do you explain that?

Goos: What's with the— I bought a punching balloon. Pretty neat, huh?

CJ: Not that. I mean—

Goos: See you later, guys! I mean it, you guys!

Staci: Hey, did you see that? I can't believe it, even for Goos. That was the weirdest haircut I've ever seen.

Hugh: You call me unbalanced? She takes the cake in weird.

Multi: Yeah, it was kind of strange.

Mange: Not kind of. That's the funniest thing I've ever seen.

CJ: Hey, we're all laughing at the same thing. Yeah, all of us.

Ned: That's weird, huh?

Mange: How does that make you feel?

Multi: Oh, pity! He's doing it again! Why can't we just have a good laugh? Goos is funny, we laughed. That's it.

Mange: You're frustrated, aren't you?

Multi: I'm going to show you frustrated!

Ned: Bonkers. Totally bonkers. But not as funny as Goos. That's one dumb-looking weasel.

Staci: You got that right. One dumb-looking weasel.

Ned: Why would she get a haircut like that?

Staci: You should have seen her the time she decided that she didn't like her name. She thought it was too silly. She wanted to be taken more seriously.

Ned: What did she want to change it to?

Staci: Boji. She wanted us to call her Boji.

Ned: Oh, yeah. That's much better than Goos.

Staci: Oh, then there was the time that she decided that her eyebrows were too bushy. She shaved them off and used a pen to draw new ones.

Ned: That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. Wait, wait. How did she look?

Staci: Well, she drew them on pretty badly. She just kind of looked surprised all the time.

Ned: That's a weasel loser! Well, I've got to go. I'll see you guys later.

Multi: Yeah, later.

Hugh: See you, CJ. Surprised! That was—

Insight for Living: CJ felt bad about making fun of Goos. At the same time, he felt pretty good about having, just for a moment, been with Hugh's gang and not been afraid.

The Collins mansion is just filled with trunks and crates from all over the world. Some haven't even been opened since Mr. Collins died. Most of them have never been opened at all.

CJ: In here, Mrs. Collins!

Mrs. Collins: Well, looks like you've made quite a bit of headway. Once we clear out this room, I'll have the piano brought in.

CJ: There is a bunch of neat stuff in here. Is that a camera?

Mrs. Collins: I believe it is. Never seen it before myself.

CJ: What's the story behind this typewriter? It is a typewriter, right?

Mrs. Collins: Sorry, I have no idea.

CJ: Hey, what's this?

Mrs. Collins: Oh, yes. That one I do know about. I haven't seen it in years.

CJ: It's really heavy for wood.

Mrs. Collins: It's from the rainforest. That's a very special carving.

CJ: It's a lion's head?

Mrs. Collins: A panther.

CJ: Whoa. What's it for?

Mrs. Collins: The chief of a remote and primitive tribe gave it to Mr. Collins.

CJ: Really? What for?

Mrs. Collins: It's kind of like a medal, an award. Mr. Collins brought peace to two tribes that had been at war for generations.

CJ: How exactly did he do this?

Mrs. Collins: Well, he actually went and lived with each of the two tribes for several months. He found a way to belong in both tribes, and then he was able to bring them both together.

CJ: Was he ever afraid?

Mrs. Collins: I'm sure he was. Most things that are worthwhile take some courage.

CJ: So this is like a peacemaker award.

Mrs. Collins: That's exactly what it is.

CJ: I wish I could have known him.

Mrs. Collins: So do I, CJ.

CJ: Wow. Oh, no. Is that clock right?

Mrs. Collins: Yes, I believe it is.

CJ: I've got to go. I'm late for a meeting at the fortress. I'll be back and finish the boxes right after, promise.

Mrs. Collins: Okay, CJ. Bye!

Ned: Ned the Beaver here. Did you know that we have a big blank wall in the clubhouse that needs to get filled up? So how about this? Parents, take a photo of your child listening to Paws & Tales wherever they happen to listen. It could be comfy places, funny places, you know, we'd love to see them! And I will personally post these photos on that blank wall for all to see. Got some tape right here. Just send them to pawsandtales.org. This is so fun!

Staci: Guess CJ and Goos aren't coming, so I guess—

CJ: Wait, wait, I'm here! I'm here! Sorry I'm late.

Goos: I'm here too. Sorry.

Staci: So nice of you two to join us. Hey, CJ, Goos, nice hat, Goos.

Goos: Thanks.

CJ: Where's Marsha?

Staci: Marsha has company all weekend. The meeting will come to order.

Goos: Hey, CJ, what were you doing with Hugh and his gang?

Staci: Goos, did I not just call the meeting to order?

Goos: Sorry.

Staci: First order of business. CJ, you were with Hugh and his gang?

CJ: Yeah, well, sort of. You know Mange? He's not so bad. He's always trying to get in touch with his feelings.

Ned: I find that really disturbing in a bully. It just doesn't seem right.

Staci: Like how does he get in touch with his feelings?

CJ: I don't know. While Hugh's running around trying to terrify everyone, Mange wants to know how Hugh feels about it.

Ned: No kidding.

CJ: And Multi sings himself to sleep at night.

Staci: Some tough guy he is.

CJ: Nutballs, really, all of them.

Goos: Lots of folks do silly things. Even me.

Ned: I'm gasping in surprise.

Goos: When Staci goes to sleep, sometimes she sucks on her thumb.

Staci: Goos!

Goos: What? Was that a secret?

Ned: It's okay, Staci. That's funny. I used to, you know, sometimes suck on the corner of my blanky.

Goos: Used to?

Ned: Hey, I've cut way back, okay?

Staci: Goos, what's the hat for?

Goos: Got a haircut. Trying to keep it nice.

Staci: Oh, let's see. Does Multi hum or does he actually sing?

CJ: I don't know. You'll have to ask the nutball.

Goos: I'm not the nutball. He was talking about Multi. No, your haircut! Oh, my! Oh, that's quite a haircut.

Goos: Thanks. I like it a lot.

Staci: Wow, that's really different.

CJ: Can we just have our meeting? I need to get back to Mrs. Collins.

Staci: Okay, okay. First off, we need to talk about the old folks' home. The Shady Days Rest Home. Mrs. Harbor said— Okay, okay. The Shady Days Rest Home needs some help with the lawn and flowerbeds.

Insight for Living: CJ was thinking some pretty big thoughts. He decided that he wanted to bring peace to Hugh's gang and bring them together with the club. He thought of how the whole town would benefit.

Well, he thought of how much Hugh, Multi, and Mange would benefit. And he thought of how much all of them would love him for bringing peace to the town of Wildwood. He thought about it all through the meeting, and he thought about it all the way back to the Collins mansion.

Hugh: Hey, CJ.

CJ: Oh, hey, Hugh.

Multi: Hey, CJ, what's up?

Multi: Nothing much. We're still cracking up over that Goos thing.

Mange: Yeah, that's pretty funny.

Multi: Hey, we're going to our secret tire swing.

Hugh: Multi!

Multi: What? I just thought— Come on, he can come. CJ's okay.

Hugh: Whatever. Come on if you want.

CJ: Oh, well, okay. So where's the tire swing?

Multi: Huge tree, right next to the river. It's a blast!

Insight for Living: CJ managed to make it to Mrs. Collins's house later. He was feeling good about this breakthrough he'd had with Hugh and his gang. He was feeling like Mr. Collins bringing the two warring tribes together.

Mrs. Collins: CJ?

CJ: Hi, Mrs. Collins.

Mrs. Collins: Well, sorry to scare you. Are you okay?

CJ: Yeah, I was just thinking. This peacemaker award.

Mrs. Collins: Oh, yes, for Mr. Collins.

CJ: Yeah, was it dangerous for him with those tribes?

Mrs. Collins: Well, yes, it was. One of those tribes was known for its fierceness and brutality. I learned that from one of his friends years later. He wouldn't have told me that part himself.

CJ: He was really brave.

Mrs. Collins: Yes, he was. I don't know if I could have been that brave.

CJ: Me neither.

Mrs. Collins: But then, I suppose you never know until you're in a situation like that. Mr. Collins used to say, "That's when you find out what you're made of."

CJ: Yeah, I believe it.

Insight for Living: CJ was determined to become a part of Hugh's tribe, and then one day, one day soon, he would bring peace to these warring tribes.

CJ: Hey, Multi, what's up?

Multi: Hey, CJ. Just getting ready to do some fishing.

Hugh: Can we go now? It's getting late. Hey, CJ, you going with us?

Hugh: No, no he's not.

Mange: Now why would you go and say that? How rude! Hugh, CJ's okay.

Hugh: Well, he won't want to go where we're going.

CJ: Oh, where's that?

Hugh: Old Man Wally's Lake. He's chased us off with his shotgun before, and I don't think little CJ Brown has what it takes to go there.

CJ: Well, what do you want to do more? Do you want to catch fish, or do you want to trespass?

Mange: Insightful question, CJ.

Hugh: Pretty stupid question if you ask me.

Multi: I want to catch fish.

Mange: As do I.

CJ: If you want to catch fish, the best place is just above the sawmill. The water's deep and the fish are huge.

Hugh: Says who?

CJ: Officer Hunt told us about it. We fish there all the time. Now, if you want to trespass and get a tired old man upset, then you should go to the Worley Lake.

Mange: Well done, CJ.

Multi: Well done what?

Mange: The question needs an answer. To fish or to trespass?

Multi: Well, trespassing ain't no fun in and of itself. I want to catch fish. I say the sawmill.

Hugh: Oh, well fine. The sawmill, then.

Mange: I'd say you just helped us avoid another delinquent behavior.

CJ: Glad to help out.

Mange: Look at this one! I never seen such big fish.

Multi: This was a real good idea coming here. We're not worried about getting shot at. It's all very peaceful. Hugh, you asleep?

Hugh: No, just thinking.

Multi: Okay, okay. One wish. One wish, what would it be? Mine would be money. More money than Mr. Rockler has. I'd buy up everything he has, everything. Mange?

Mange: Oh, I think world domination. CJ?

CJ: I want to be an architect. I want to build tall, tall buildings. And money. Tall buildings, lots of money.

Multi: Wait a minute, that's two things.

CJ: Okay, you get another. You want lots of money and what else?

Multi: Right, lots of money and a cave full of treasure! Yeah!

Mange: Very creative. Mange, you get another.

Mange: I don't have one. Once I've dominated the world, that pretty much covers it. Hugh?

Hugh: I want a pretty wife that plays the piano. Yeah, and a house with a big tree in the front.

Multi: You go for the trash, if you want. I'm after the same. Oh, great! What are you losers doing here?

Ned: Fishing poles, worms, fishing hole. Oh, yeah! We came to fish in our fishing spot.

Multi: Well, this was not what CJ had been imagining. His dreams of peace and fame looked to be very near disaster.

CJ: Hey, guys.

Ned: CJ, you brought these thugs to our fishing spot?

Multi: Do you own the river? I think not.

CJ: Stop, everyone. We can all fish here. It's a good place. We can all be here together. We should all just try to get along together.

Hugh: You're kidding, right? I'd feel better cuddling up to a porcupine.

Mange: That was a cutting remark from a little weasel girl who should be more careful.

CJ: We don't have to be like this anymore. We can all be friends.

Ned: With them?

Multi: Yeah, give me one good reason to be friends with these chumps when it would be easier just to run them off.

CJ: Because they are the kind of friends you want to have. Staci is very brave and smart.

Mange: Oh, she is brave. Hey, Multi, remember the time she almost knocked you into the next county?

Hugh: Was it really necessary to bring that up?

Multi: Isn't she also the one who sucks her thumb at night?

Staci: Who told you that?

Multi: CJ did.

Staci: You told that to him?

CJ: Well, just I guess—

Staci: Yeah, well, Multi sings himself to sleep at night!

Multi: What? I do not! Where did you hear that?

Staci: CJ.

Multi: This is bad. CJ, I can't believe you would do that! How rude!

CJ: I only said this is bad.

Ned: Ned sucks his blanky!

Ned: I do not! CJ!

CJ: Sorry, it just sort of—

Ned: Well, Hugh thinks Mange and Multi are nutballs.

Mange: Well, I think that's common knowledge.

Multi: Yeah, I've known that for years.

Ned: Yeah, well, Multi's afraid of his feelings.

Multi: CJ!

Ned: And Ned thinks Goos has a ridiculous haircut.

Staci: CJ!

Staci: Hey everyone, Staci here from Paws & Tales. What if you could help kids around the world hear about the great love of God for his children? We do it in a fun way that is full of music, laughter, and storytelling that makes kids want to listen. This is exactly what we do here at Paws & Tales. To help out with a donation of any size, just jump over to pawsandtales.org and click the donate button. Thank you so much for the help!

Insight for Living: Well, not only had CJ's visions of world peace and personal fame not come about, now he had everyone in both tribes so angry with him that no one would even say a mean word to him.

When a fellow's made a real mess of things, the best course of action is to figure out what you did to make them mess up, ask forgiveness, and start picking up the mess you made. CJ, well, CJ went and hid in the Collins mansion.

CJ: Big bad. Really big and bad. This is a big bad mess.

Mrs. Collins: CJ, now can I get you something, or are you still suffering?

CJ: I believe I still have some suffering to go. Thanks.

Mrs. Collins: I see. Well, you can only suffer here for another 20 minutes. It's getting to be supper time. You'll need to go and suffer at home. You close these curtains?

CJ: Yeah, can I come back and suffer some more tomorrow? I like it dark.

Mrs. Collins: Well, I expect if you don't get up and make some of this right with your friends, you'll be suffering tomorrow wherever you're at.

CJ: So you know.

Mrs. Collins: Goos came by. Told me all about it.

CJ: I just wanted there to be some peace. What's so wrong with that? Blessed are the peacemakers.

Mrs. Collins: So what went wrong?

CJ: It was just timing. It happened too soon. I needed more time to warm everyone up and then bring them together slowly.

Mrs. Collins: So why did everyone get so upset?

CJ: Well, it could have been any number of things. It could have been the fact that the Club and Hugh's gang never have got along anyway.

Mrs. Collins: I suppose. Anything else?

CJ: Could have been that I took Hugh's gang to our special fishing hole.

Mrs. Collins: That could do it. Anything else?

CJ: Or could have been that I told everybody's secrets to everybody.

Mrs. Collins: I'd guess that's the one.

CJ: I didn't do it on purpose. Those things just kind of came out. and they really helped for a while.

Mrs. Collins: Those tribes Mr. Collins helped?

CJ: Yeah.

Mrs. Collins: They didn't know why they were fighting. It started generations before any of them had been born. But they knew why they kept fighting.

CJ: And that was?

Mrs. Collins: They didn't trust one another. They were afraid of each other. A lack of trust will keep folks fighting forever. You told secrets about one group to the other. Made your two groups trust each other even less than they did before.

CJ: I know this is bad. I was trying to do the right thing. Doesn't God want there to be peace between us?

Mrs. Collins: Yes, he does, CJ. It was a good and noble thing you tried. I brought this for you to listen to.

CJ: Is it about the tribes?

Mrs. Collins: It is. Mr. Collins recorded this tube when things looked the darkest.

CJ: Really? What happened?

Mrs. Collins: I think you should let him tell you.

Mr. Collins: Tuesday the 15th. Terrible day. I'm afraid that all might be lost. Today I revealed to both tribes what I've been up to here. Now they each know that I'm a friend with their enemy.

I underestimated the fear, the anger, and the complete lack of trust that each one has for the other. They both think that I'm a spy for the other tribe. They cannot seem to understand how a friend of theirs could be able to find anything good in their enemy.

Stanley: Mr. Collins!

Mr. Collins: Yes, Stanley.

Stanley: It's getting worse. I can hear the drums from both villages. I think it's quite likely that either tribe could come tonight and kill us in our sleep. How could it have come to this?

Mr. Collins: I'm so tired. All I wanted to do was stop the killing and now it seems all I've done is bring you and the others into this jungle to be the next victims.

Stanley: No, sir. Not one of us feels that way. This is a noble quest you've brought us all on. The rest is in God's hands.

Mr. Collins: Well, you're a good man. The problem is that they're afraid of each other and now of us, of me.

Stanley: Yes, sir. I believe that is the thing. But you've never done anything for either of them to have caused to doubt you. You've given no one any reason to doubt you, and that, sir, is what gives me hope. You've always been honest and you've been a gentleman to the end.

Mr. Collins: Thank you, Stanley. Thank you. Are you hungry?

Stanley: Yes, famished, sir.

Mr. Collins: You?

Stanley: I am. Oh, I forgot it was— let me turn this off.

CJ: I'll get it. If he did what I did, those tribes would still be fighting.

Mrs. Collins: He'd seen a lot of things. Hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, and floods. But there were two things he thought caused more devastation and longer-lasting pain than any of those things. One of them is the person who thinks it's all right to sin in order to do God's will.

CJ: Well, that would be me.

Mrs. Collins: Yes, it would be.

CJ: I'm not arguing about being bad, but worse than a hurricane?

Mrs. Collins: When you sin, it moves you away from God. If you sin while you're trying to serve God, you can actually end up pushing others away from him.

CJ: What's the other thing that's worse than a hurricane?

Mrs. Collins: Someone who won't ask for forgiveness and then try to clean up the mess he made.

CJ: So did I ruin any chance of making peace with Hugh?

Mrs. Collins: I don't know. It'll be harder than before. But it's important to try, don't you think?

CJ: Yep. It's important. Guess I'll go and start trying to clean up the mess.

Mrs. Collins: That's just what Mr. Collins would have done.

CJ: Thanks, Mrs. Collins.

Mrs. Collins: You are very welcome, CJ.

Insight for Living: To order a copy of today's program, The Tribe, just log off to pawsandtales.org. The Tribe was written by David Carl, Nathan Carl, Allison, and Jeff Parker and directed by David Carl.

Our script supervisor was Phil Lawler. The song His Ways was written by Sandy Howell and Robin Fisher. Music was by Billy Martin and our sound designer was Eric Basil. Paws & Tales is an Insight for Living production and a proud member of the hiskids.net alliance.