1 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: Hey friends, it's Mr Jim and welcome back to Kids 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 1: Short Stories. Before we hop into today's very special sneak 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: peak episode, it's birthday time. Drum rolled Lee's Happy birthday. Brooks, 4 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: who's turning four years old, loves construction trucks, playing in 5 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: his new sandbox whoa and has a digger birthday party 6 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: with all his friends. That's so amazing. Well, happy birthday, Brooks. 7 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,160 Speaker 1: I hope you have the best birthday ever. And who 8 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 1: is ready for today's adventure? Me too? Let's go. Hello 9 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: Critter Protectors. Mr Jim here and welcome to Kids Animal Stories, 10 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: a place where there's always a mystery and adventure around 11 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: every single corner. If you love critters of all shapes 12 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: and sizes, I need you on our critter Protector team 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: in our adventure as we learn about critters from around 14 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: the world and in our back yards. Well, my friends, 15 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: are you ready for today's adventure? Me too, Let's go. 16 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:23,760 Speaker 1: Today's story is about an amazing critter, a snake, and 17 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: I even found one of these so down in the 18 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 1: show notes below, I would love to show you a 19 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: video of what this critter actually looks like, So with 20 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: your parents, click on that link. So you can see 21 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: exactly what he looks like. It was a beautiful day 22 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: in the prairie. All the grasses were blowing in the breeze, 23 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: the sun was out, and Finn the fox was on 24 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: his way out to the woodlands. He just finished a 25 00:01:54,640 --> 00:02:00,080 Speaker 1: huge lunch and was ready for some hard training. You know, 26 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: fox snakes, they're actually one type of rats snake. Their 27 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: bodies are like brown with black splotches all over them. 28 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: You see, grown snakes measure three to six feet long 29 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: and they feast on anything from mice to rats, eggs, 30 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: even rabbits. Do you think a fox snake is venomous? Well, 31 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: if you said no, you're right. Fox snakes are not venomous. 32 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: They have to constrict their prey before whole swallowing them whole. Well, 33 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: Fan was heading out to the woodlands nearest home in 34 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: his prairie home in Ontario, Canada. He was training for 35 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: his big chance at the Fox Snake Annual wrestling Competition. Wow, 36 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: do you like to wrestle? Oh? It can be fun 37 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: and well fox snakes they're very good wrestlers. Each year, 38 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: all the grown fox snakes in his town competed in 39 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: this tournament and the top winners were chosen by the 40 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: grown females to get married and start a family. Wow, 41 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: this is a big deal. Finn was determined to win, 42 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: but he was getting a little tired of all of 43 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: his daily workouts. Wow, as as a good slither. I 44 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: think I slitered it all the way around the pod 45 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: faster than I've ever had before. He This afternoon, Finn 46 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: decided he take his time heading out to the woods. 47 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 1: Instead of this straight path, he turned right to loop 48 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: around the long way. Taking the long route gave it 49 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: a chance to do some of his favorite things, like 50 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: check out his secret clubhouse underground, saying hey to some 51 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: of his friends, and climbings and trees. He did like 52 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: taking the long way sometimes, and actually so do I. 53 00:03:57,760 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: I kind of like taking the long way home so 54 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 1: times on, you know, on my way home from a 55 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: friend's house. It's kind of fun to mix things up 56 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: a little bit and not always go home the same 57 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: way every single time. You know you might find something 58 00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: new and cool. The first stop that Finn took was 59 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 1: a super special secret ford. Last summer, he and his 60 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: good friend Johnny had spent hours digging and designing the 61 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: most amazing fort right under some large boulders. Wow, that 62 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: sounds like a lot of work to dig a big 63 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,919 Speaker 1: hole in the ground like that. This ford had two entrances, 64 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: a main area, some tunnels, and even a tiny secret lookout. 65 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: Finn slithered through each little area to make sure everything 66 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 1: still looked well maintained. Just a couple of leaves over 67 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: here that need to get cleaned out, and then it's 68 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: back to good as new. On his way out of 69 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: the fort, he heard him hollering and laughing. It sounds 70 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 1: just like Johnny and his brother. WHOA, this is awesome, bro. 71 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: Jump over here, Bro, it's the best spot to start across, 72 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: Finn her. Johnny, talking to his brother, realized they were 73 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 1: just across the path at a little watering hole. Finn 74 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: had to be in the mood to swim, but when 75 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: he decided to, he was actually pretty good. It was 76 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 1: one of his special skills. Hey, guys, let's go on, 77 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: Finn asked the boys. Hey, Finn, yo, bro, we just 78 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: figured out the sickest way to jump in. What's this 79 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 1: called James as he jumped in off the perfect log 80 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: and swam across the watering hole. Wow that that looks 81 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: so Finn, said Finn. I guess I'll give it a 82 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 1: quick try. Fin headed to the log and jumped into 83 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 1: the water. Splash. It was actually really refreshing. Thanks for 84 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: letting me tray, guys, that's so cool. I'm headed the 85 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: train in the woodlands though, so I'll see you later. 86 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:19,799 Speaker 1: Bye bye, fining Bro shouted the brothers, and Finn kept 87 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: on down the path. When he reached his favorite tree, 88 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: he stopped and climbed up to the top and looked 89 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: out over the whole trail. Since Finn was a Western 90 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: fox snake, he was surprisingly good at climbing. I just 91 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: love climbing that tree. It's it's actually my favorite tree 92 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: in the whole wide world. It's got the best climbing branches. 93 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,679 Speaker 1: Do you remember one of those three things that Finn 94 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: really liked about taking the long way, Yeah, he got 95 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,479 Speaker 1: to climb one of his favorite trees. Do you like 96 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: climbing trees like Finn does? Oh, Climbing trees can be 97 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 1: really fun, especially when they're built just right and they 98 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: have a whole bunch of branches that are you can 99 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: reach and you can step on, and it's strong enough 100 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: where the branches don't crack. Yeah, you don't want to 101 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: go falling out of trees. Well, as Finn started slithering 102 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: up the trunk of this tree and reaching out with 103 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: his head to the different branches he was up and 104 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: zooming up that tree. Wow, you see, snakes are actually 105 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: really good at climbing because their body is pretty much 106 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: all muscle. Some snakes are better than others at climbing trees, 107 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: but western fox snakes are really good at climbing trees. 108 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,559 Speaker 1: And as he got all the way to the top 109 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: and laid out on his favorite branch, he took a 110 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: lookout ahead. Wow, I just love climbing up there because 111 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: it gives me the best view of the whole area. 112 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: There's the woodlands, there's the prairies, and and it's that 113 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: good smocks. Oh, let's going on there. I can't believe 114 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: my eyes, Finn said, Oh no, what what did Finn 115 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: just see? What will he do next? Is it's something 116 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: amazing or terrible? I can't exactly tell what. We're definitely 117 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: gonna have to come back and see what happens on 118 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: part two of Kids Animal Stories. Great job you listened 119 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: all the way to the end. Friends, So all my 120 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 1: kids your stories listeners, this is your special invitation to 121 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: Come on over to my other podcast, Kids Animal Stories, 122 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: where you can hear part two of this adventure right now. 123 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: And there's also a pretty cool video of me finding 124 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: a fox snake just like Finn in the wild. It 125 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: was very exciting to find. Well. Both of the links 126 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 1: to the video and Kids Animal Stories podcast is down 127 00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: in the show notes below. Go grab your parents and 128 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: they can click on that link for you. I will 129 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: see you on our next adventure by h m hmmm.