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December 21 and 28, 2006 - A child's Christmas tale16A • The Suffolk Times • December 21 and 28, 2006 A child's Christmas tale rr °^ayfi randpa could always be r, y counted on to tell us kids some of the most interest- ing stories you could imag- =1 t ine. We listened to every word he said, even though some of his stories needed the use of every bit of your imagination. The ones I liked most were his Christmas stories that each year seemed to get better and better. "Pa;' as we kids called him, was a storehouse of information about birds, animals, bugs, fish and just about anything that had to do Focus with the natural ON world. We kids always were bug - NATURE ging him for one of his stories. by Paul One of the sto- Stoutenburgh ries I remember best was the one about a Christ- mas in Mr. and Mrs Muskrat's lodge. You know we have lots of muskrats living in and around our creeks. Some people actually have muskrats living in their underground dens right by their houses Pa watched them through his binoculars, which he was never with- out Pa told us kids he knew every inch of the marsh, since a long time ago, as a kid, he had grown up around our creeks I'll bet he saw a lot of changes in his lifetime, and not all of them good. Now I'll let Pa tell you his story about that special Christmas party the muskrats held in their lodge. He called them Mr. and Mrs. Musky for short... T t seems Mr. and Mrs Musky had spent the whole summer digging and rebuilding their spacious lodge out in the marsh. One Christmas Eve when I was just a little boy, I saw all the tittle folk that lived in and around the marsh holding their Christmas party which started at the Muskys' newly renovated lodge. It was much larger than the old one, and with all the fresh reeds they brought in, the place was ready for that special night. The Muskys had sent out invitations to everyone to come to their place for a Christmas get- together.They were surprised to see so many good folk turn up for the party. There were Mr. and Mrs Gray Squirrel, who lived in a hollow tree at the edge of the marsh.'Ihey brought a whole bunch of hickory nuts that they gnawed open • • . . . . • • . • • • • • r" O • "Pa, h Z• For your wonderful • "focus" Christmas • stories Love from your ' children, grandchildren ' & great grandchildren • . . . . • 0 • • • • • with their sharp front teeth-Then the opened nuts were put out for all to enjoy. Great Blue, you know him, he's the tallest bird around — as a matter of fact, he's so tall he couldn't fit into the Muskys' lodge. He'd just have to stand outside and every once in a while he'd put his head with its long neck down into the lodge to join in the fun. He sure looked funny with his head stick- ing in the through the doorway. Of course, Mr. and Mrs Raccoon were there, even though they almost didn't make it through the doorway, they were so fat. The Muskys hadn't planned on how big some of the guests were. The raccoons brought four ears of dried corn they had borrowed (at least that's what they said) from Al, the farmer who lived close to the marsh. Mr. and Mrs White Flash, the deer, took up the invitation, but, of course, they, too, were much too big to get into the lodge, so they stayed outside nib- bling on some tender salt hay. Old Mr. Opossum turned up. He'd never miss a party when there was food around. He wasn't as frisky as most, but that didn't matter. By now it was getting a bit crowded in the Muskys' newly renovated lodge, but there was still room for more. And who should show up but Mr. and Mrs Meadow Mouse.They had no trouble finding their way to the Muskys' lodge, for they had previously cut a tunnel through the marsh grasses that passed only a short distance from the lodge. In their cheek pouches they brought a dozen cherry pits from a cherry tree at the edge of the marsh. Each cherry pit had been nibbled through to the sweet meat, which was put on the table, along with all the rest of the goodies Who do you think flew in with two slices of bread but Gully, the seagull? He'd gotten them from the nice people on the other side of the marsh who feed the seagulls each day at noontime, so here was some more food for the Christmas party. Now it was really getting crowded in the Muskys' den, and the addition of Mr. and Mrs Mallard, the ducks, didn't help the situation. They were real grub- bers and were always looking for a free handout. Even "Red," the lone fox that had jumped at the idea of a Christmas party, showed up but he, too, couldn't get into the muskrats' newly renovated lodge, so he joined Mr. Great Blue Heron and Mr. and Mrs. White Flash, the deer, outside. Everyone was hav- ing a great time inside but were sorry that some couldn't get into the lodge because they were too big. Something had to be done. You might know who stepped for- ward — yep, Mr. Racky the raccoon said he just might have the solution. In his wanderings, and you know he gets around for you see his foot tracks everywhere, he remembered seeing a Christmas tree all lighted up in one of the summer houses on the edge of the marsh. No one was there. The owners had come out from the city to spend a Christmas in their summer cottage but something urgent had come up and they left in a hurry, leaving the Christmas tree up and all the goodies hardly touched. Probably they would be back after the crisis was over to put things away. Mr. Racky couldn't see why all the marsh folk but then couldn't just have their Christmas party over there raccoon in that big, empty cottage. In that way all the tall folk and all the short folk could party together. It was a splendid idea and all were excited about the idea, but "How can we get in ?" squeaked the tittle meadow mouse. "Hadn't thought of that;'said Mr. Racky, "but there must be some way to get inside. I've got an idea. I'll climb up the tree alongside the cottage and jump over onto the root Then I'll do just like Santa Claus does and go down the chimney. Once inside, I can see about getting the door open:' Every- one clapped with joy, for they knew how clever raccoons were and who could ask for a better reason to use the skilled hands of a raccoon than to open the door. Everyone rushed down to the empty cottage. They stood outside and watched as Racky shinnied up the tree and then onto the roof. Everyone had to admit Racky was a pretty clever raccoon, but then all raccoons are. The last they saw of him was when he chmbed up and onto the chimney and disappeared below. Everyone was quiet, as if they were waiting for something to happen. After sneezing four times and dust- ing himself off, Racky went to the front door and tried to flip the lock so the door could open, but no luck. His little hands worked as hard as they could, but no use — the door wouldn't open. He had to do something; after all his friends were outside counting on him. White Flash, the deer, thought he could help, so he went up on the porch, walked up to the door and gave it a tremendous kick. It didn't move an inch. That door wasn't going to open. In the meantime, Racky was try- ing every window in the house in the hopes the owners had forgotten to lock one, but no luck. Just about when everyone had given up, someone hollered in to Racky, "Did you try the back door ?" No, he hadn't, but it was worth a try. There was another long wait when all not a sound could be heard from inside. Then "POW!' s are. The back door swung open. Everyone rushed to the rear of the house and went in. There was the Christmas tree, still glowing with all its colored lights that the owners of the cottage forgot to turn off, along with all the goodies they left. They must have had to leave in a real hurry. There was even one stock- ing that hadn't been opened and every- one voted to give it to Racky, who had done the impossible. Now everyone was together, just as it should always be at Christmastime, a special time for family and friends P.S. After all the goodies were eaten, they all tidied up the cottage the best they could. Someone wrote a message and left it on the table. It read, "Thanks for all the goodies you left. I enjoyed them immensely. I used the back door, as I'm getting too fat to squeeze down your chimney. — Santa" Everyone had to admit Racky was a pretty clever raccoon, The Suffolk Times •December 21 and 28, 2006 chi*tld's 1!_IC ri s mars t leel her at the little when they couldn't vated lodge. counted on to tell us kids some of the most interest- ing stories you could imag- ine. We listened to every word he said, even though some of his stories needed the use of every bit of your imagination. The ones I liked most were his Christmas stories that each year seemed to get better and better. "Pa," as we kids called him, was a storehouse of information about birds, animals, bugs, fish and just about anything that had to do Focus with the natural ON world. We kids always were bug - N AT v R E ging him for one of his stories. by Paul One of the sto- Stoutenburgh ries I remember best was the one about a Christ- mas in Mr. and Mrs. Muskrat's lodge. You know we have lots of muskrats living in and around our creeks. Some people actually have muskrats living it their underground dens right by their houses. Pa watched them through his binoculars, which he was never with- out. Pa told us kids he knew every inct of the marsh, since a long time ago, as a kid, he had grown up around our creeks. I'll bet he saw a lot of changes in his lifetime, and not all of them good. Now I'll let Pa tell you his story about that special Christmas party the muskrats held in their lodge. He callec them Mr. and Mrs. Musky for short... t seems Mr. and Mrs. Musky had spent the whole summer digging and rebuilding their spacious lodge out in the marsh. One Christmas Eve when I was just a little boy, I saw all the little folk that lived in and around the marsh holding their Christmas party, which started at the- Muskys' newly renovated lodge. It was much larger than the old one, and with all the fresh reeds they brought in, the place was ready for that special night. The Muskys had sent out invitations to everyone to come to their place for a Christmas get - together. They were surprised to see so many good folk turn up for the party. There were Mr. and Mrs. Gray Squirrel, who lived in a hollow tree at the edge of the marsh. They brought a whole bunch of hickory nuts that thev gnawed oven nuts were put out for all to I Great Blue, you know him, he's the tallest bird around — as a matter of fact, he's so tall he couldn't fit into the Muskys' lodge. He'd just have to stand outside and every once in a while he'd put his head with its long neck down mto the lodge to join in the fun. He sure looked funny with his head stick- ing in the through the doorway. Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon were there, even though they almost didn't make it through the doorway, they were so fat. The Muskys hadn't planned on how big some of the guests were. The raccoons brought four ears of dried corn they had borrowed (at least that's what they said) from Al, the farmer who lived close to the marsh. Mr. and Mrs. White Flash, the deer, took up the invitation, but, of course, they, too, were much too big to get into the lodge, so they stayed outside nib- bling on some tender salt hay. Old Mr. Opossum turned up. He'd never miss a party when there was food around. He wasn't as frisky as most, but that didn't matter. By now it was getting a bit crowded in the Muskys' newly renovated lodge, but there was still room for more. And who should show up but Mr. and Mrs. Meadow Mouse. They had no trouble finding their way to the Muskys' lodge, for they had previously cut a tunnel through the marsh grasses that passed only a short distance from the lodge. In their cheek pouches they brought a dozen cherry pits from a cherry tree at the edge of the marsh. Each cherry pit had been nibbled through to the sweet meat, which was put on the table, along with all the rest of the goodies. Who do you think flew in with two slices of bread but Gully, the seagull? He'd gotten them from the nice people on the other side of the marsh who feed the seagulls each day at noontime, so here was some more food for the Christmas party. Now it was really getting crowded in the Muskys' den, and the addition of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard, the ducks, didn't help the situation. Thev were real erub- 'YtA„��, e For your wonderful "focus" • Christmas stories Love from your children, grandchildren & great grandchildren bers and were always looking for a fre handout. Even "Red," the lone fox tha had jumped at the idea of a Christmas party, showed up but he, too, couldn't get into the muskrats' newly renovates lodge, so he joined Mr. Great Blue Heron and Mr. and Mrs. White Flash, the deer, outside. Everyone was hav- ing a great time inside but were sorry that some couldn't get into the lodge because they were too big. Something had to be done. You might know who stepped for - ward — yep, Mr. Racky the raccoon said he just might have the solution. In his wanderings, and you know he gets around for you see his foot tracks everywhere, he remembered seeing a Christmas tree all lighted up in one of the summer houses on the edge of the marsh. No one was there. The owners had come out from the city to spend a Christmas in their summer cottage but something urgent had come up and they left in a hurry, lea vin the Christmas tree up and all EV @I the goodies hardly touched. Probably they would be to a back after the crisis was Was over to put things away. Mr. Racky couldn't see clev why all the marsh folk but couldn't just have their raC Christmas party over there in that big, empty cottage. In that way all the tall folk and all the short folk could party together. It was a splendid idea and all were excited bout the idea, but "How can we et in ?" squeaked the little meadow mouse. "Hadn't thought of that," said Racky, "but there must be some ay to get inside. "I've got an idea. I'll climb up the ree alongside the cottage and jump ver onto the roof. Then I'll do just e Santa Claus does and go down e chimney. Once inside, I can see bout getting the door open." Every- one clapped with joy, for they knew ow clever raccoons were and who could ask for a better reason to use thi killed hands of a raccoon than to ope he door. Everyone rushed down to th empty cottage. Thev stood outside and watched as Racky shinnied up the tree and then onto the roof Everyone had to admit Racky was a pretty clever raccoon, but then all raccoons are. The last they saw of him was when he climbed up and onto the chimney and disappeared below. Everyone was quiet, as if they were waiting for something to happen. After sneezing four times and dust- ing himself off, Racky went to the front door and tried to flip the lock so the door could open, but no luck. His little hands worked as hard as they could, but no use — the door wouldn't open. He had to do something; after all his friends were outside counting on him. White Flash, the deer, thought he could help, so he went up on the porch, walked up to the door and gave it a tremendous kick. It didn't move an inch. That door wasn't going to open. In the meantime, Racky was try- ing every window in the house in the hopes the owners had forgotten to lock one, but no luck. Just about when everyone had given up, ad someone hollered in to dmit Racky R k "D'd th a pretty er raccoon, then all coons are. ac y, i you try e back door ?" No, he hadn't, but it was worth a try. There was another long wait when not a sound could be heard from inside. Then "POW!" The back door swung open. Everyone rushed to the rear of the house and went in. There was the Christmas tree, still glowing with all its colored lights that the owners of the cottage forgot to turn off, along with all the goodies they left. They must have had to leave in a real hurry. There was even one stock- ing that hadn't been opened and every- one voted to give it to Racky, who had done the impossible. Now everyone was together, just as it should always be at Christmastime, a special time for family and friends. P.S. After all the goodies were eaten, they all tidied up the cottage the best they could. Someone wrote a message and left it on the table. It read, "Thanks for all the goodies you left. I enjoyed them immensely. I used the back door, as I'm getting too fat to squeeze down your chimney. — Santa"