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: Because I'm me, I happen to know that you have written the first-ever Paws & Tales book. 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 meet.

Ned: 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: 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 Stacy.

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

Dave Carl: Mostly, I didn't read them. There were 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 Crockett, 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 Crockett battles bandits and the evil Minion in only the way an overcomer can.

Ned: 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. Joel, stop tape.

CJ: 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.

Stacy: Come on, CJ. Jump.

CJ: It's too far.

Stacy: It wasn't too far for me.

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, looks like he'll make it with time to spare, barring anything unforeseen.

Hugh: Good morning, Cyclops.

Mange: I've seen you pounce on CJ before, but something about it always cracks me up. It's fresh every time. Roses are like that. We've seen a million of them, but each one still holds me in wonder.

Hugh: Mange, you are not a balanced person.

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

Hugh: There! You did it again. I was trying to be tough in front of CJ, and you call it my muse. I hate it.

Multi: Are you two nutballs finished?

Hugh: They are nutballs. You see what you've done, you two? You ruined the whole thing. Get up, CJ. Forget this ever happened.

Multi: If Multi wasn't so afraid of his feelings...

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

Multi: That's why you have to sing yourself to sleep at night. Conflicted.

Hugh: How could you say that in front of him? How rude.

CJ: Those guys are so nutballs. Both of them. What in the world is that?

Goose: Hey, CJ. Is everything all right? You okay with these guys?

CJ: Yeah, I'm fine.

Goose: Hugh McLaw, you better not be picking on my friend.

Hugh: Yeah, okay.

CJ: Goose, what's with the...

Goose: I bought a punching balloon. Pretty neat, huh?

CJ: Not that. I mean...

Goose: See you later, guys. I mean it, Hugh.

Hugh: Hey, did you see that?

Mange: I can't believe it, even for Goose.

Multi: That was the weirdest haircut I've ever seen.

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

Multi: It was kind of strange.

Mange: Not kind of.

Hugh: It's the funniest thing I've ever seen.

CJ: Hey, we're all laughing at the same thing. Yeah, all of us. That's weird, huh?

Multi: How does that make you feel?

Hugh: He's doing it again. Why can't we just have a good laugh? Goose is funny, we laugh. That's it. You're frustrated, aren't you?

Mange: I'm going to show you frustrated.

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

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

CJ: Why would she get a haircut like that?

Mange: 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.

Hugh: What did she want to change to?

CJ: Bogie. She wanted us to call her Bogie.

Hugh: Yeah, that's much better than Goose.

CJ: 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.

Hugh: That's the funniest thing I've ever heard. How did she look?

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

Hugh: Surprise!

CJ: Well, I've got to get going. I'll see you guys later.

Multi: Yeah, later.

Mange: See you, CJ.

Hugh: Surprise! Stop it.

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

Mrs. Collins: CJ?

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: 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.

Jason: Hi, my name is Jason and I live in Romania. My mom and I love listening to Paws & Tales on His Kids Radio. I have two jokes. What's the difference between the train that goes through Wildwood and Miss Harbor? Miss Harbor says, "CJ, take that gum out of your mouth," but the train says, "Choo, choo." What's Ned the beaver's favorite snack? Wood chips.

Alexander: Hi, I'm Alexander from Ohio. Don't go away. There's more Paws & Tales coming right up.

Ned: Hey, Stacy, I'm helping out today, so I'll direct you whenever you're ready.

Stacy: Hey everyone, Stacy here from Paws & Tales. We've had kids from all over the country send in their announcer recordings, and they are heard every day on the program. But we haven't heard one from you.

Ned: Good, Stacy, but this time with a little more pathos, please.

Stacy: Oh, Ned. Just head on over to pawsandtales.org and pop into the clubhouse to get one of the announcer scripts.

Ned: That's a good start, Stacy, but I need some more sparkle, please. Give me more sparkle.

Stacy: I don't even know what that means. Record yourself on your parents' phone and send it into us so we can get your voice heard around the world. That's pawsandtales.org. This is so exciting.

Ned: Well, let's think about your motivation on this. Good job. Stopping tape.

Stacy: Wait, I'm directing this. Do not stop tape, Joel. Do not stop that tape.

Stacy: Guess CJ and Goose aren't coming, so I guess... Wait, I'm here. I'm here. Sorry I'm late. I'm here too. Sorry.

Goose: So nice of you two to join us. CJ, Goose, nice head, Goose.

Stacy: Thanks. Where's Marsha?

CJ: Marsha has company all week. The meeting will come to order. Hey, CJ, what were you doing with Hugh and his gang?

Goose: CJ, did I not just call the meeting to order?

Stacy: Sorry. 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.

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

Stacy: 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 is wanting to know how Hugh feels about it.

Mange: Okay. And Multi sings himself to sleep at night. What a tough guy he is. Nutballs, really, all of them.

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

Mange: I'm gasping in surprise.

Goose: When Stacy goes to sleep, sometimes she sucks on her thumb.

Stacy: Goose! What? Was that a secret?

Mange: It's okay, Stacy. That's funny. I used to, sometimes suck on the corner of my blanky.

Ned: You still do?

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

Stacy: Goose, what's that hat for?

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

Stacy: Let's see. Does Multi hum, or does he actually sing?

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

Mange: Goose, I'm not the nutball. He was talking about Multi.

Goose: No, your haircut. Oh, my. Oh, that's quite a haircut.

Stacy: Thanks. I like it a lot.

CJ: Wow, that's really different.

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

CJ: Okay, okay. First off, we need to talk about the old folks' home. The Shady Days Rest Home. Miss Harbor said that...

Stacy: Okay, okay. The Shady Days Rest Home needs some help with the lawn and flowerbeds.

CJ: 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 to the Collins mansion.

Hugh: Hey, CJ.

CJ: Ah, hey Hugh.

Hugh: Hey, CJ, what's up?

Mange: Nothing much. We're still cracking up over that Goose thing.

Hugh: Yeah, that's pretty funny. Hey, we're going to our secret tire swing.

Multi: Multi!

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

Multi: Whatever. Come on if you want.

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

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

CJ: CJ managed to make it to Mrs. Collins' 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: Oh, hi, Mrs. Collins.

Mrs. Collins: Sorry to scare you. Are you okay?

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

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

CJ: 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 either.

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. 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.

Multi: Hey, Multi, what's up?

CJ: Hey, CJ, just getting ready to do some fishing.

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

Hugh: No, no, he's not. Now why would you go and say that? How rude, Hugh. CJ's okay.

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

Hugh: Oh, where's that?

CJ: 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.

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

Mange: Insightful question, CJ.

Multi: Every stupid question, if you ask me.

Hugh: I want to catch fish.

Multi: 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 Whirly Lake.

Multi: Well done, CJ.

Hugh: Why? Well done what? Well done why?

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

Mange: Well? Trespassing ain't no fun in and of itself. I want to catch fish.

Hugh: I said the sawmill.

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

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

CJ: Glad to help out. 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. 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?

Multi: Oh, I think world domination, CJ.

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

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

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

Mange: Right, lots of money and a cave full of treasure. Yeah.

Hugh: Very creative. Mange, you get another.

Multi: I don't have one.

Mange: You have to have another. Come on.

Multi: Once I've dominated the world, that pretty much covers it. Hugh?

Hugh: I want a pretty wife that plays the piano and a house with a big tree in the front. You go for the trash if you want. I'm after the same. Oh, great. What are you losers doing here?

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

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

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

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

Hugh: 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.

Stacy: 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.

Stacy: With them?

Hugh: 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. Stacy is very brave and smart.

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

Mange: Was it really necessary to bring that up?

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

Stacy: Who told you that?

Goose: CJ did.

Stacy: You told that to them?

CJ: Well, just I guess.

Stacy: Yeah, well, Multi sings himself to sleep at night.

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

CJ: CJ.

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

CJ: I only said this... This is bad. Ned sucks his blanky.

Ned: I do not. CJ!

CJ: Sorry, it just sort of...

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

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

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

Multi: Well, Multi's afraid of his feelings.

Hugh: CJ!

Multi: And Ned thinks Goose has a ridiculous haircut.

Stacy: CJ!

Goose: CJ!

Ned: CJ!

Multi: CJ!

Kimberly: Hi, I'm Kimberly from Ohio and don't go away. There's more Paws & Tales coming back.

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

Stacy: Yeah, Dave, that's fine. Keep going.

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

Stacy: You know, 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 Stacy's welcome cookie recipe and bake them yourself with the help of your parents, of course. Just log onto pawsandtales.org and head into the clubhouse to get your copy of Stacy's welcome cookie recipe.

Stacy: Why is everyone mad at me? Why do I get blamed for everything?

Dave Carl: Ned, you have cookie crumbs on your chin.

Ned: 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.

CJ: 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 mess them up, ask forgiveness, and start picking up the mess you made. CJ? Well, CJ went and hid in the Collins mansion. 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 this right with your friends, you'll be suffering tomorrow wherever you are.

CJ: So you know.

Mrs. Collins: Goose 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 gotten 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 it could have been that I told everybody's secrets to everybody.

Mrs. Collins: I'd guess that's the one. I didn't do it on purpose. Those things just kind of came out and they really helped for a while.

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.

Mr. Collins: How could it have come to this? 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 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 cause 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. You?

Mr. Collins: I am. Oh, I forgot this was on. Let me turn this off.

CJ: 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 forgiveness and then try to clean up the mess they 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.

CJ: I laughed at all my friends with a gang of our contention. Thought it might help make amends. Yes, I had the best intention. Should our folks have go fishing? You can say I spilled the beans. Now I'm all alone and wishing the ends could justify the means. So many ways that I've tried to be cool to belong. And all of the ways that I tried to make peace were wrong.

That's why the Lord says his ways are not our ways. Only his ways could help bring harmony. So I will always follow his ways because I know he's the Prince of Peace. I was trying to do the right thing, but instead, I just made a big mess. I thought I'd share some secrets. Thought it'd work a double deal. But my thinking stopped before I thought how that would have made me feel.

Wanted everyone to like me. Now they all think I'm the worst. I must ask them to forgive me. Oh, I should have put God first. Because his ways are not our ways. Only his ways can help bring harmony. So I will always follow his ways because I know he's the Prince of Peace. Get on my knees because I need to say I'm sorry, Lord. I did things my own way, and I'll trust him to teach me all my days and lead me in his ways of not our ways. Only his ways bring harmony. So I will always follow his ways because I know he's the Prince of Peace. I must live like him, lean on him, he is the Prince of Peace.

To order a copy of today's program, The Tribe, just log onto pawsandtales.org. The Tribe was written by David Carl, Nathan Carlson, 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-Et. 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.