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Between the Lions . Printable Stories | PBS Kids

Printable StoriesHere's a list of direct links to all the printable read-aloud versions of Between the Lions stories: Art Party

Be Bop

Bobby the Hopping Robot

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Bug Beard

But, Mama, But...

The Chap with Caps

The Chess Mess

Clickety-clack, Clickety-clack!

Dance in Smarty Pants

Dreaming Shakespeare

Farmer Ken's Puzzle

Five, Six, and Thistle Sticks

The Fox and the Crow

Fuzzy Wuzzy, Wuzzy?

Giants and Cubs

Good Night, Knight

The Good Seed

Grow, Mane, Grow!

Hay Day

Help!

The Hopping Hen

Huff and Puff

Hug, Hug, Hug!

Humph! Humph! Humph!

Icarus's Wings

A King and His Hawk

Out in Outer Space

Pandora's Box

Pebble Trouble

A Peck of Peppers

Pecos Bill Cleans Up the West

Piggyback, Piggyback

Pigs Aplenty

Poetry Day

The Popcorn Popper

Quest, Quest, Quest!

The Ram in the Pepper Patch

Rats

Red Hat, Green Hat

The Roar That Makes Them Run

The Sad Dad

Sausage Nose

Shooting Stars

Something Fishy

The Spider and the Lie

Step by Step

Stop That Chicken!

Teacher's Pet

There's a Fly in My Soup

Three Goats, No Waiting

To the Ship! To the Ship!

Too Cool

Touching the Moon

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http://pbskids.org/lions/printables/stories/story_fuzzy.html

Between the Lions . Printable Stories | PBS Kids

The Last Cliff Hanger

Lionel's Antlers

Lionel's Great Escape Trick

Little Big Mouse

The Lost Rock

The Lucky Duck

Oh, Yes, It Can!

The Old Man

Trains and Brains and Rainy Plains

Treats!

Tweet! Tweet!

Two Coats, One Goat, and One Boat

What Parakeets Need

Why the Baboon's Balloon Went Ka-boom!

You Can't Catch Me!

Zoop! Zoop!

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Between the Lions . Art Party | PBS Kids

The Gypsy and the lionWent speeding in a carAnd came upon a charming farmBefore they had gone far.

"The party must be here," they said,And found a place to park.They waited near the large red barnUntil it grew quite dark.

Out came the moon and sparkling stars;They marveled at the sight.A skylark started singing,Making music in the night.

"Let's party!" said the lionAs he drank tea from a jar.The Gypsy played the lute,Which looks a lot like a guitar.

The lion danced the CharlestonAnd did cartwheels across the floor.The Gypsy marched around the yardAnd played the lute some more.

But as the yard grew darker,The lark sang a slower tune,And the Gypsy soon fell fast asleepBeneath the harvest moon.

The End

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Between the Lions . Be Bop | PBS Kids

Adapted from "Charlie Parker played be bop"by Chris Raschka

Charlie Parker played be bop.Charlie Parker played saxophone.

The music sounded like be bop.Never leave your cat alone.

Be bop.Fisk, fisk.Lollipop.Boomba, boomba.

Bus stop.Zznnzznn.Boppitty, bibbitty,bop.

BANG!

Charlie Parker played be bop.Charlie Parker played no trombone.

The music sounded like be bop.Barbecue that last leg bone.

Alphabet, alphabet, alphabet, alph,Chickadee, chickadee, chickadee, chick,

Overshoes, overshoes, overshoes, o,Reeti-footi, reeti-footi, reeti-footi, ree.

Charlie Parker played be bop.Charlie Parker played alto saxophone.

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Between the Lions . Be Bop | PBS Kids

The music sounded like hip hop.Never leave your cat . . .

alone.

The End

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Between the Lions . Bobby the Hopping Robot | PBS Kids

"The Ballad of Bobby the Hopping Robot"

Lionel had patiently waited and waited,But now it was hereHe was getting frustrated.He'd got all the bits and bobs spread on the table,But finish the job?No - he was unable.

Assembling robots should be a great hobby;This one was a whopper - a hopper called Bobby.He read the instructions,He read them some more,But Bobby the Robot stayed stuck to the floor.

It looked so neat in the ad on TV,"As easy to make him as 1, 2, and 3!"So Lionel and Theo had been to town shoppingTo purchase the robot who's famous for hopping.

Pieces all over the whole tabletop -Pieces of robot refusing to hop.

Lionel was sad at that ad that was bad.Maybe he would get some help from his dad.

Theo was listening -You could say eavesdropping:Lionel's new robot had not started hopping.They reread the instructionsFrom bottom to top.Just what was it making that robot not hop?

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Between the Lions . Bobby the Hopping Robot | PBS Kids

They spent over an hourWith no progress from Theo,So saving the day - in pounces Cleo.

But even she could do no good;It seemed that maybe no one could.

It wasn't just Mom,It wasn't just Pop,A library of people made Bobby not hop.

Leona was thinking, despite all the racket;She found a phone number on top of the packet.So Click called the number -Found something fantastic:It wasn't the fault of the cubs or the plastic.

"We tried to make poor Bobby hopBy spinning the tip upon his prop,But they made a mistake when they printed the guide.Now we know what we all should have tried:You don't spin the tip upon Bobby's prop.To make him start hoppingYou must TAP the TOP."

Success! Yes, he's hopping -Looks like he's not stopping.

He really was moving, That robot was grooving.And yes, he was jumping,His big feet were thumping.

There at last was this toyTo sit back and enjoy.It hopped through the book stacks and into the lobby,That non-stopping, hop-hopping robot called Bobby.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Boy Who Cried Wolf | PBS Kids

"The Boy Who Cried Wolf," by The Boy Who Cried Wolf

That's me. I'm the boy. This is my story.

I was given a big job to do: watching a big herd of sheep. I had to protect them from the big hungry wolf.If I saw the wolf, the people from the village would come running to catch him.This is a pretty tough job, so I got a book from the library called "How to Watch Sheep." It said:

YOU MAY BE SCAREDYOU MAY BE WORRIEDTHAT YOU WON'T KNOWJUST WHAT TO DO

IF SOMETHING BIGAND BAD AND FURRYCOMES TRYING TO STEALTHOSE SHEEP FROM YOU!

JUST CRY "WOLF!"

I was practicing shouting "wolf!" and the villagers heard me. They came running."Somebody cried 'wolf!' Where's the wolf?""I heard you cry 'wolf'? Are the sheep okay? What's happening?"But there was no wolf, so I said, "False alarm! Sorry!" I went back to my job, and the villagers went back to the village.

After a while, I decided to let the sheep know they were safe with me. I told them that if I see a big wolf . . .

I'LL JUST CRY "WOLF!"A BIG BIG WOLF!

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Between the Lions . The Boy Who Cried Wolf | PBS Kids

JUST CRY "WOLF!"ALL THE FOLKS WILL COME A-RUNNING.ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CRY "WOLF!"

The villagers heard me talking to the sheep. They came running again."Somebody cried 'wolf!' again! Where's the wolf again?""I heard you cry 'wolf'? Are the sheep okay again? What's happening?"But there was no wolf again, so I said, "False alarm! Sorry!" I went back to my job, and again the villagers went back to the village.

This was fun! It's not often a whole village will listen to a kid like me. After a while, I decided to practice one more time. If I see a big wolf . . .

I'LL JUST CRY "WOLF!"A BIG BIG WOLF!JUST CRY "WOLF!"ALL THE FOLKS WILL COME A-RUNNING.ALL I HAVE TO DO IS CRY "WOLF!"

A big crowd from the little village came running to help me again. But there was no big wolf again."Wow, you came even faster this time!" I said. The villagers were not happy. Not one bit. "I don't believe this. That's the third time I came running for nothing! I think this big job has gone to that little boy's head!"And they all headed back to the village.

But then the big hungry wolf really did come to steal the sheep!

I cried "WOLF!" No one came.I shouted "WOLF!" No one came again.I yelled "WOLF!" No one came some more.I screamed "WOLF!"

"That's me," said the wolf, and without so much as a huff or a puff, he disappeared with all my sheep - the big ones and the little ones.

Boy, I was in big, big trouble! So, what did I learn from this?Good question. I think I learned three things.

1. If you need help, people will come and help you, if they know you're telling the truth.

2. Never lie about something as important as needing help.

3. If you see a wolf, keep a good watch on your sheep.

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Between the Lions . Bug Beard | PBS Kids

A woodsman known as Mr. CutterSaw a sight that made him splutterA grubby man with bugs in his beardDancing a dance both strange and weird

And the man sang:

Bug-da waddily, uggidy-wuggidyBug-da buggidy, buggidy ba!Bug-da waddily, uggidly sluggidyBug-da buggidy, buggidy ba!

Mr. Cutter ignored the chin hair.And the insects living in thereThe dance was the funnest he'd seen in his lifeSo he asked Mr. Grubby to meet his wife.

And the man sang:


The wife was upset to see small buggy creaturesLiving in hair by the man's facial features.In other words, not trying to be meanShe thought the man would be better clean.

And the man sang:

Bug-da waddily, uggidy-wuggidyBug-da buggidy, buggidy ba!

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Between the Lions . Bug Beard | PBS Kids

Bug-da waddily, uggidly sluggidyBug-da buggidy, buggidy ba!

In the tub, they scrubbed and scrubbedThat grubby man was soon de-bugged.They taught him how he should behaveAnd gave his hairy chin a shave.They taught him how to sit up straightAnd how to eat French fries from a plate.

And the man sang:


But when the man returned to the treesHe found the forest was on its knees.Despite his new manners, his washing and dryingThe whole of the forest was slowly dying.

And the man sang:


There was only one thing for him to do:He ran into the woods. His beard re-grewGrubby again, and buggy too.The man and the forest were good as new.

And everyone sang:


The End

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Between the Lions . But, Mama, But... | PBS Kids

From "I Miss You, Stinky Face" by Lisa McCourt. Illustrated by Cyd Moore.

"I miss you, my little Stinky Face," said Mama on the phone.

But I had a question. Mama, do you miss me so much that you're coming right home to me, no matter what?

"I'm coming home today," said Mama, "on a big silver airplane."

But, Mama, but, Mama, what if the airplane forgets how to fly?

"If that airplane forgets how to fly, I'll hop in the basket of a hot-air balloon. I'll soar past clouds and stars until I see your window, then I'll float right into your room."

But, Mama, what if the balloon runs out of hot air and you have to land in the middle of the desert?

"If I have to land in the middle of the desert, I'll climb up on a camel and ride him like a racehorse all the way home."

But, Mama, but, Mama, what if the camel gets so tired that he just won't take another step and he leaves you stranded in the jungle?

"Then I'll search that jungle for a cheetah, the fastest animal there is. I'll jump on her back, and she'll race me straight home to you."

But, Mama, what if the cheetah doesn't want to leave the jungle?

"If the cheetah doesn't want to leave the jungle, I'll hunt down some pirates digging for buried treasure and ask them to sail me home to you on their big scary ship."

But, Mama, what if the terrible pirates make you walk the gangplank?

"Then I'll find the speediest shark in the ocean. I'll grab on to his fin and use it to

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Between the Lions . But, Mama, But... | PBS Kids

steer, and we'll skim through the high seas all the way home to you."

But, Mama, what if the shark wants to nibble you into a million tiny pieces?

"If the shark tries that, I'll leap from his greedy jaws and body surf to shore. I'll call the bravest astronauts and hitch a ride on their supersonic spaceship, and we'll all be home to you faster than the speed of light."

But, Mama, what if their spaceship gets sucked through a black hole and takes you far back in time to a big old castle instead of to our house?

"If the spaceship lands that far back in time, I'll look around for a magic dragon. I'll climb way up on her back and whisper in her ear just how much I miss you. The magic dragon will fly me through time right back to you."

But, Mama, where would such a big magic dragon land?

"I think there's enough room on the driveway if you make sure your bike's put away."

I'll put it away....

But, Mama, the airplane is how you'll probably come home, right?

"Probably."

I miss you, Mama.

"And I miss you, my little Stinky Face."

The End

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Between the Lions . The Chap with Caps | PBS Kids

There once was a chap who sold caps. After walking all day, the chap with caps was ready to collapse, so he had a nap. But when he awoke, the chap with caps was taken aback . . .His caps were gone! All that was left was the cap on his head. He looked up todiscover . . . chattering monkeys had snatched his caps!

"Rats!" the chap thought, "I need my caps. Perhaps if I set a trap, I'll get them back."The chap set a trap, but, alas, he did not get his caps back.

So he hatched a plan: he offered to trade them the caps for a cape with a map on the back. But the chap still did not get his caps back.

The chap snapped! He was mad!He jumped up and down!And so did the monkeys.

Then he clapped his hands and he flapped his arms and he stamped his feet.The monkeys copied everything he did, but he didn't get his caps back.

Then the chap had a fantastic idea!He threw his cap to the ground.The monkeys did the same, and all the caps fell down and landed at the chap's feet."Hooray!" he cheered. "My caps!"And that's how the chap got his caps back.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Chess Mess | PBS Kids

It was Alice Day in the library. Everybody was celebrating the book called "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There" by Lewis Carroll.

On Alice Day everything is the opposite of what it usually is. Up is down! Good is bad! And everyone sang a song . . .

It's Alice Day! Callooh! Callay!We're all dressed up for Alice Day.We're all dressed up!All dressed up!We're all dressed up for Alice Day!

The lions read the book. They learned about Tweedledum and Tweedledee. They learned about the Walrus and the Carpenter. And they learned about giant chess games.

"What's chess?" asked Leona. Theo said, "Chess is a game of skill. I used to love to play chess. I beat everyone I played." "You cannot beat me," said Click.

So the challenge was on. They played one game, and Click won. They played two games, and Click won. They played 27 games, and Click won every time!

"Applause for mouse!" said Click. Theo smiled. "Let me get a snack, and I'll be right back!" he said.

Leona and Lionel began to worry about their dad. He SEEMED happy, but it was, after all, opposite day. If he seemed happy, did that mean he was sad?

Lionel got an idea. He said, "Click, you have to let my father win. He can't be happy. He has lost every game!"

When Theo returned, he and Click began to play again. They played one game, and Theo won. They played two games, and Theo won. They played 27 games, and Theo won every time!

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Between the Lions . The Chess Mess | PBS Kids

But instead of looking happy, Theo looked sad. "How can I be winning every game. That's impossible. Unless . . ."

"They made me do it!" squealed Click. "The cubs thought you were sad because you lost every game, so they told me to let you win."

Theo turned to the cubs and said, "I really WAS happy losing. I just like playing. And I would rather play and lose than win unfairly. You know, you can learn a lot from losing."

And Theo began to sing a song, on this crazy Alice Day . . .

Yes, you can win when you lose,It's up to you to choose,To give up or start to play.

Yes, you can win when you lose,Forget about boo-hoos!Just stand up and yell hooray!Just stand up and yell hooray!

The End

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Between the Lions . Clickety-clack, Clickety-clack! | PBS Kids

From "Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type" by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Betsy Lewis

Farmer Brown has a problem. His cows like to type. All day long he hears click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety, clack, moo. At first he couldn't believe his ears. Cows that type? Impossible! Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety, clack, moo.

Then he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We'd like some electric blankets.

Sincerely, The Cows."

It was bad enough the cows had found the old typewriter in the barn, now they wanted electric blankets! "No way," said Farmer Brown. "No electric blankets."

So the cows went on strike. They left a note on the barn door.

"Sorry. We're closed. No milk today."

"No milk today!" cried Farmer Brown.

In the background, he heard the cows busy at work: Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety, clack, moo.

The next day he got another note.

"Dear Farmer Brown.

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The hens are cold too. They'd like electric blankets.


The cows were growing impatient with the farmer. They left a new note on the barn door.

"Closed. No milk. No eggs."

"No eggs!" cried Farmer Brown. In the background he heard them. Click, clack, moo. Click, clack, moo. Clickety, clack, moo.

"Cows that type. Hens on strike! Whoever heard of such a thing? How can I run a farm with no milk and no eggs!" Farmer Brown was furious. Farmer Brown got out his own typewriter.

"Dear Cows and Hens: There will be no electric blankets. You are cows and hens. I demand milk and eggs.

Sincerely, Farmer Brown."

Duck was a neutral party, so he brought the ultimatum to the cows. The cows held an emergency meeting. All the animals gathered around the barn to snoop, but none of them could understand Moo. All night long, Farmer Brown waited for an answer.

Duck knocked on the door early the next morning. He handed Farmer Brown a note:

"Dear Farmer Brown, We will exchange our typewriter for electric blankets. Leave them outside the barn door and we will send Duck over with the typewriter.


Farmer Brown decided this was a good deal. He left the blankets next to the barn door and waited for Duck to come with the typewriter. The next morning he got a



note:

"Dear Farmer Brown, The pond is quite boring. We'd like a diving board.

Sincerely, The Ducks."

Click, clack, quack. Click, clack, quack. Clickety, clack, quack.

The End


Between the Lions . Dance in Smarty Pants | PBS Kids

Once upon a time there was a king who didn't want anyone to have fun. "If people have fun, they don't get their work done," he said. To make sure no one had fun, he passed a law. The law said, "No Fun!" To remind people about the law, the king put "No Fun!" signs around the entire kingdom. So no one had any fun, and everyone was sad.

Then, one day, a knight named Sir Arty Smartypants came to the kingdom. Sir Arty said, "I, Sir Arty Smartypants, would like to do my dance in smarty pants."

The king shook his head. "I order you not to dance," said the king, "because dancing is fun. Remember the rule: No Fun!"

Arty thought for a moment. Then he said, "Okay. So, I guess I will not dance my smarty pants dance... which goes a little something like this." And before the king could stop him, Sir Arty showed the king the exact dance he said he was not going to dance!

And what a great dance! Soon everyone in the kingdom was dancing. Even the king!

They danced baking tarts.They danced building carts.They danced training ponies.They danced making bolognas.

It was wonderful! Everyone was having fun! But what about the work? Did it stop? Did everyone go home? No, they most certainly did not.

The king saw that everyone baked more tarts, built more carts, trained more ponies, and made more bolognas. So the king (who really liked to dance, it turned out) changed the law to "Have fun while you work." And everyone in the kingdom had fun while they worked, happily ever after.

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Between the Lions . Dreaming Shakespeare | PBS Kids

Lionel came on stage and said, "Hoorah for Shakespeare Day!"

Shakespeare Day is when everyone wears funny clothes and quotes Shakespeare all over the place. (William Shakespeare was a famous writer. He wrote many plays and poems.)

"The actors are at hand; and, by their show,You shall know all that you are like to know.I, prologue like, your humble patience pray,Gently to hear, kindly to judge our play."

The day began amid the hustle and bustle of visitors in the library, all of them dressed up to celebrate Shakespeare Day. Well, maybe not all of them. A chicken pushed her way through the mob to the front desk.

"Excuse me," said the chicken. "I need to borrow a book on plumbing."

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be," said Theo.

"Huh?" said the chicken. "I thought this was supposed to be a library! You lend, I borrow!"

"It is a library," said Cleo. "But today is Shakespeare Day. Theo was saying something that Shakespeare wrote."

"Well, that's all well and good," said the chicken, "but I've got a leaky pipe in my coop."

Just then, an actor in a funny hat and tights walked up to the desk. "Good morrow, friends," he said.

"Ah, welcome, Romeo!" said Theo. "Where is your Juliet?"

"She is sick and could not come," said the actor. "I know not what to do, for we have

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Between the Lions . Dreaming Shakespeare | PBS Kids

a play to put on."

"And I've got a nest under five feet of water!" cried the frustrated chicken. "A book about plumbing! A book about plumbing! My chicken coop for a book about plumbing!"

"What passion! What feeling!" said the actor. "You will play my Juliet."

"Who, me?" said the chicken.

"Yes! Come! We must away and study lines!"

And so the actor and the chicken rehearsed Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" recited the chicken. "Wait a minute. What does he mean, 'wherefore'? You're right here in front of me!"

The actor explained. "In Shakespeare's time, 'wherefore' meant 'why.' Juliet is asking Romeo why his name has to be Romeo. You see, she loves him, but her parents don't like his family."

"Oh, I see," said the chicken.

When it was time for the show, the chicken and the actor went on stage and delivered a stunning performance. The crowd was well pleased.

"That was wonderful, my bird," said the actor to the chicken.

"You weren't too bad yourself, fella," said the chicken.

At the end of the day, Lionel came out on stage and said:

"If we shadows have offended,Think but this, and all is mended,That you have but slumb'red hereWhile these visions did appear.And this weak and idle theme,No more yielding but a dream."

In other words . . . anything can happen on Shakespeare Day!

The End

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Between the Lions . Farmer Ken's Puzzle | PBS Kids

Here's a brainteaser, just for you.Can you figure it out before the story's through?

I am a farmer and my name is Ken.Got a cat, sack of seed, and a hungry hen.Have to cross a river, but what to doWith a tiny little boat that will only hold two?

If I leave the cat and the hen together,My little hen will be gone forever.If I leave the hen and the seed together,My sack of seed will be gone forever.

I look at my cat and my seed and my hen.I have to take one and come back again.Who should go first? I don't have a clue.Who should go first? What should I do?

So I row across and I take the hen.I leave her there and go back again.Who should go next? I don't have a clue.Who should go next? What should I do?

I row across and I take the cat.But the cat eats the hen, and that is that!

That did not work, let's try againTo move the cat, the seed, and the hen.So this time first I take the cat.But the hen eats the seed, and that is that.

That did not work, let's try againTo move the cat, the seed, and the hen.I row the hen to the other side.

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Between the Lions . Farmer Ken's Puzzle | PBS Kids

But who goes next? Help me decide!

I row across with my cat, and then . . .I pick up the hen and go back again.I pick up the seed, let off the hen.I leave the seed with the cat, and row back again.I take the hen to the seed and cat.Yes! We've figured it out, and that is that!

The End

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Between the Lions . Five, Six, and Thistle Sticks | PBS Kids

Theo and Cleo were at the front desk when Lionel arrived carrying lots of stuff.

Lionel said, "I have here everything Lenny and I will need to have a great day: the official Cliff Hanger Fan Club patch, the official Cliff Hanger Fan Club hat, and the official Cliff Hanger Fan Club banana suit! I can't wait until he gets here!"

Lionel and Lenny were best friends. They met when they both wanted to read the same Cliff Hanger book at the same time. They decided to share the book and read it together. When they were done, they both said, "Wow, what a great story!" And they have been best friends ever since.

When Lenny arrived, he and Lionel hugged. "Lenny!" said Lionel. "Lionel!" said Lenny. "Hey, Lenny," said Lionel. "I bet I know what you want to do. Let's put on our official banana suits and go read Cliff Hanger!"

Lenny said, "Uh . . . okay," but he looked a little worried.

Lionel put on his banana suit, but Lenny didn't. "How come you're not putting on your suit?" asked Lionel. Lenny said, "Lionel, I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't like Cliff Hanger anymore."

Lionel could not believe his ears. "You don't like Cliff Hanger?!" said Lionel.

Lenny said, "No, I like another hero, Justin Time. He is much cooler than Cliff Hanger."

Lenny told Lionel all about his new hero. His name was Justin Time. He was always saved just in time. He showed Lionel a Justin Time book where he was attacked by a 600-pound skipping chicken, and was saved just in time.

Lionel did not like it one bit. "That's boring," he said.

"Oh, no," said Lionel, "do you know what this means?"

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Between the Lions . Five, Six, and Thistle Sticks | PBS Kids

"What?" said Lenny. Lionel said, "If you don't like Cliff, and I don't like Justin, then we like different things. And if we like different things, then we can't be best friends anymore!"

Lenny looked sad. Lionel looked sad. They gave each other a hug. "Good-bye, best friend," they both said.

Even though Leona didn't like Cliff or Justin, she wanted Lionel to be happy. So she told her parents about the problem.

Cleo said, "That's just silly. Your dad and I like different things, and we're still best friends. Just because you like different things doesn't mean you can't be best friends."

Leona went back to Lionel and Lenny, who were moping about. Leona said, "Mom and Dad said just because you like different things doesn't mean you still can't be best friends."

"It doesn't?" said Lionel. "So we can still be best friends?" said Lenny.

"Yay!" they both cheered.

"Let's go have a meatcicle to celebrate," said Lionel. "Meatcicles? I LOVE meatcicles!" said Lenny. "I know," said Lionel, and they went off together.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Fox and the Crow | PBS Kids

One day a fox took a walk in the woods. The fox saw a crow in a tree. The crow had a tiny but very tasty smelling piece of cheese in her beak. "Mmmmmm! That is one tiny but tasty smelling piece of cheese!" said the Fox. The fox wanted that piece of cheese. She had to think of a way to get the crow to drop it. The fox looked up at the crow and said, "Look at that beautiful bird! Oh! Is she gorgeous or what?!" The crow puffed herself up with pride as the fox continued to talk. "I'm telling you, if that bird could sing, she would be the queen of all birds. That's right! The queen of all birds! If she could sing, that is . . ."

The crow wanted to be known as queen of all birds, so she opened her beak and let out a Caw! Unfortunately, she also let out the tiny piece of cheese. The poor crow watched the tiny piece of cheese drop, drop, and drop. It did not stop, until it popped into the fox's mouth with a tiny kerplop! The fox swallowed and said, "That was deliciously cheesy and surprisingly easy!" And she ran off into the woods with a skip and a hop.

The crow realized that she had learned a very, very, very, very, very, very big lesson: Beware of flatterers - you know, people who say nice things about you as a trick, just to get something from you.

But the pigeons, Walter and Clay, didn't like that ending. They didn't like the way that the fox seemed to be so smart. They didn't like the way that the bird seemed to be such a birdbrain. So the cubs wrote a new story.

"The New Fox and Crow," by Lionel and Leona, and illustrated by Click the Mouse, who scanned the pictures and printed the book!

A fox saw a crow in a tree. The crow had a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very big piece of cheese in her beak. The fox said, "Look at that beautiful bird! If she could sing, she would be the queen of all birds! That's right! The queen of all birds!" The crow opened her beak and let out a Caw!

She also let out the very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very big piece of cheese. And then she watched it drop, drop, drop, and drop onto the fox's head,

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Between the Lions . The Fox and the Crow | PBS Kids

with a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very big . . . KERPLOP!

"Ouch!" said the fox. The crow laughed! And the fox learned a very big lesson: Sometimes flatterers get flattened. And not all birds are birdbrains!

The End

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Between the Lions . Giants and Cubs | PBS Kids

Lionel burst into the library. He was holding a newspaper. "Aaaaah! I wish I didn't know how to read! Then I wouldn't have to read this," he said.Theo read the headline: "Giants Clobber Cubs." "Don't be angry, Lionel," said Theo. "It's only a baseball game. I think you'd like the Giants if you met them. Let's ask Click to bring the Giants here." Lionel's eyes grew wide. "No way," he said. "I don't want those Giants here."

Lionel left the room and bumped into Leona. "What's wrong?" asked Leona. Lionel said, "Dad wants to bring Giants into the library - the same Giants who clobbered the Cubs!"

"Giants? In the library?" said Leona. She didn't know that they were talking about a baseball team called the Giants. Leona thought they were real giants, the Fe Fi Fo Fum kind - big, humongous giants. "We must stop him," said Leona.

Leona said to Lionel, "If we hide Click, then Daddy can't bring the giants into the library." So the cubs quietly snuck up on Click, grabbed her, and ran away. They tried to hide Click under Lionel's hat.

Theo found Click under Lionel's hat. Leona said, "We wanted to hide her, so that you can't bring any giants into the library." Theo took Click in his paw. Cleo said, "Leona, you don't have to worry. Let's go meet those Giants." Leona looked up at her mom and said, "Well, okay. If you say so."

Leona and Lionel were very worried. Click took the Giants out of the newspaper, and brought them into the library. "Hello," said one of the tiny Giants. "Boy, am I glad to get out of that newspaper," said the other tiny Giant. "I was beginning to get all wrinkled."

Leona looked at the tiny Giants and said, "Wait a minute - THOSE are the giants who clobbered the cubs?" "That's us," one little Giant said. "We beat a baseball team called the Cubs in a baseball game. Of course, last time we played them, the Cubs clobbered us. See, it's all here on the sports page. I carry this around for inspiration." He held up a tiny newspaper clipping.

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Between the Lions . Giants and Cubs | PBS Kids

"See," said Theo, "it all evens out. And nobody was actually clobbered. It's just a saying. Leona, you didn't think I would bring ACTUAL giants into the library, did you?"

"No, of course not," said Leona. She was quiet for a moment. "Well, maybe a little bit . . ."

The End

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Between the Lions . Good Night, Knight | PBS Kids

When puppeteer Sal Macri and his troupe came to perform at the library, Lionel and Leona were very excited. They sat in the front row of the theater and watched the troupe prepare for the show. "I can't wait!" said Leona. "I know this story better than the back of my own mother."

"I'm going to interview Sal for my school report," said Lionel. Lionel found Sal backstage working on one of his puppets. "Excuse me," said Lionel. "If I wanted to write about you and your puppets for school, could I ask you a couple of questions?"

"Sure," said Sal. "What would you like to know?"

"Well, how long have you been working with puppets?"

"Let me see," said Sal. "When I was about your age, I used to work backstage at my father's theater and watch the puppeteers move the puppets while my father did all the voices."

"Cool!" said Lionel.

"When I was fifteen, I was big enough to handle a puppet of my own." Lionel looked at the puppet that Sal was working on. It was a knight holding a mighty shield and sword.

"What is this puppet made of?" asked Lionel.

"It's made of wood and iron. The armor on this knight is solid brass, hammered by hand."

"Wood and iron and armor?" said Lionel. "Wow! It must weigh a ton!"

Leona came backstage looking for Lionel. She spotted the puppet of a beautiful princess wearing a light gown. "These puppets are even more beautiful up close!" she cried. "Especially this one!"

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Between the Lions . Good Night, Knight | PBS Kids

Leona threw her arms around the princess puppet to hug her. But when she did, the body of the puppet fell to the floor and the head stayed suspended from the string!

"Oh, dear," said Sal. "We don't have time to fix her. I guess we have to cancel the show today."

"I'm sorry!" said Leona. "I didn't mean to tear her head off! How could I know? My head never came off when anyone hugged me!"

"I can't believe Leona won't get to see the play," said Lionel. "She knows it by heart." Sal got a bright idea.

"Leona," he said, "would you play the part of the princess in our show? You look just like her, if her face were covered with fur." Leona thought about it for a moment. Then she said, "Yes, I will be the princess!"

And so, with Leona's help, Sal and his troupe told the story of a brave knight who broke a curse and brought an end to an endless night.

The audience cheered. It was a wonderful performance.

"Great job, everyone!" said Lionel. "Leona, you saved the show!"

"Thanks," said Leona with a big, bright smile. And she felt very proud.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Good Seed | PBS Kids

From "The Empty Pot"by Demi

A long time ago in China there was boy named Ping who loved flowers. Anything he planted burst into bloom. Up came flowers, bushes, and even big fruit trees, as if by magic! Everyone in the kingdom loved flowers, too. They planted them everywhere, and the air smelled like perfume.

The Emperor loved birds and animals, but flowers most of all, and he tended his own garden every day. But the Emperor was very old. He needed to choose a successor to the throne. All the children in the land were to come to the palace. There they would be given special flower seeds by the Emperor.

"Whoever can show me their best flowers in a year's time will succeed me to the throne," said the emperor.

This news created great excitement throughout the land! Children swarmed to the palace to get their flower seeds.

When Ping received his seed from the Emperor, he was the happiest child of all. He was sure he could grow the most beautiful flower. Ping filled a flowerpot with rich soil. He planted the seed in it very carefully. He watered it every day. He couldn't wait to see it sprout, grow, and blossom into a beautiful flower!

Day after day passed, but nothing grew in his pot. Ping was very worried. He put new soil into a bigger pot. Then he transferred the seed into the rich black soil. Another two months he waited. Still nothing happened. By and by, the whole year passed.

Spring came, and all the children put on their best clothes to greet the Emperor. They rushed to the palace with their beautiful flowers, eagerly hoping to be chosen. Ping was ashamed of his empty pot. He thought the other children would laugh at him because for once he couldn't get a flower to grow. His clever friend ran by,

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Between the Lions . The Good Seed | PBS Kids

holding a great big plant.

"Ping!" he said, "You're not really going to the emperor with an empty pot, are you? Couldn't you grow a great big flower like mine?"

"I've grown lots of flowers better than yours," Ping said. "It's just this seed that won't grow." Ping's father overheard this and said, "You did your best, and your best is good enough to present to the Emperor."

Holding the empty pot in his hands, Ping went straight away to the palace. The Emperor was looking at the flowers slowly, one by one. How beautiful all the flowers were! But the Emperor was frowning and did not say a word. Finally he came to Ping. The Emperor asked him, "Why did you bring an empty pot?"

Ping started to cry and replied, "I planted the seed you gave me and I watered it every day, but it didn't sprout. I put it in a better pot with better soil, but still it didn't sprout! I tended it all year long, but nothing grew. So today I had to bring an empty pot without a flower. It was the best I could do."

When the Emperor heard these words, a smile slowly spread over his face. Then he exclaimed to one and all, "I have found the one person worthy of being Emperor!" He turned to the other children. "I do not know where you got your seeds from," he said. "The seeds I gave you had all been cooked. So it was impossible for any of them to grow. I admire Ping's great courage to appear before me with the empty truth, and now I reward him and make him Emperor of all the land!"

Leona had been listening to this story. "I guess the moral of THAT story is, it really pays to tell the truth," she said. "And that as long as you've done your best, you've done enough."

The End

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Between the Lions . Grow, Mane, Grow! | PBS Kids

One day, Cleo and Theo were checking books in at the front desk. Suddenly, Lionel ran into the room. "Is it here? Is it here?" he said. Then he saw the box. "It's here! It's here!" he said. "Now I will have a big mane, just like Dad."

"How will that box give you a big mane?" asked Leona.

Lionel sighed. "It's not the box. It is what's IN the box: a kit to help me grow a grown-up mane!"

Theo opened the box. "Let's see what we have," he said. "One special helmet. One head scratcher. One DVD. One set of instructions. And one note that says 'You cannot return this once it is open.'"

"Let's watch the DVD!" said Lionel. "Let's watch the DVD!" So they watched the DVD.

"Do you have a baby mane?" asked Dave the Rave on the DVD. "Does your mane make you feel ashamed? Is it a disgrace to your face? Well, it's time to make a change! Use this kit to grow a grown-up mane. It is guaranteed... or not."

"Wow!" said Lionel. "I can't wait to have a grown-up mane!"

Cleo looked a little worried. "Lionel," she said, "This doesn't sound so good to me. Are you sure you don't want to try to return it?"

"What?" gasped Lionel. "Return it? Then I won't have a grown-up mane for years! Besides, it is guaranteed. That means it has to work."

So Lionel followed the instructions. First, he scratched his head with the head scratcher. Then he put on the special helmet. Then he said the magic words: "Grow, mane, grow! Grow, mane, grow! Grow, mane, grow!"

After a few minutes, Lionel said, "Leona, do I have a grown-up mane yet?"

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Between the Lions . Grow, Mane, Grow! | PBS Kids

Leona looked under the helmet. "Not yet," she said. "Keep trying."

So Lionel sang the special mane song:"Grow, mane, grow, maneMake it grow.Grow, mane, longerGo, go, go!"

"Now THAT should do it!" Lionel said. "Ooh, I think I can feel it growing! Quick, Leona. Check my new mane!"

Leona looked under the helmet again. "Lionel, your new mane...""Yeah? Yeah?" said Lionel."...looks just like your old one," finished Leona.

"It didn't work," said Lionel. "Why didn't it work? They said it was guaranteed."Theo said, "Guaranteed? I think you should watch the DVD again."So they watched the DVD again.

On the DVD, Dave the Rave said, "Use this kit to grow a grown-up mane. It is guaranteed... or not."

"'Or not?'" said Lionel. "I didn't hear that part before. Well, I want my money back!" Then Lionel remembered the note in the box: "You cannot return this once it is open."

"Oh, isn't there anything I can do?" said Lionel. "That was a lot of allowance!"

"Actually, there is one thing you can do," said Click. And she whispered to the cubs.

So the cubs made their own DVD. "The mane kit is a shame!" said Lionel. "It's a disgrace! I'm Lionel Lion, and I want my money back." For good measure, Leona added, "Please!" And they sent the DVD to the company.

A few days later, Lionel got his money back! "Boy, am I glad that worked out," he said, running his paw through his normal mane.

Cleo asked, "And did you learn anything from this, Lionel?"

"Did I ever!" said Lionel. "I learned to read ALL the words on something I buy. I learned that if I don't like something someone does, I can write and complain about it. And I learned that I'll just have to wait until I'm a grown-up to get a mane like Dad's."

The End

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Between the Lions . Hay Day | PBS Kids

Once upon a time a man took his lovely daughter, Fay, to see King Ray. To seem important, the father bragged, "You know, Fay can spin hay into gold."

Now, King Ray loved gold more than almost anything else. He took Fay to a room full of hay and said, "Spin all this hay into gold in one day. If you do it, we shall marry. But if not, your father will stay in my dungeon!" And King Ray and the father left.

Fay was worried. Her father had not told the truth. She did not know how to spin hay into gold. As she sat alone with the hay, she pleaded, "Oh, won't somebody help me?"

Just then, a green troll appeared. "I can help you, my dear," he said, "but only if you give me your... bracelet!" Fay thought for a moment. She really liked her bracelet. But her father was locked in the dungeon. So she gave her bracelet to the troll.

The troll took the bracelet, laughed with glee, and began to spin the hay into gold. He spun and spun all night. By morning, all the hay was gold!

When King Ray saw the gold, he was amazed. So much gold! But he was a greedy king, and he wanted more. "Tonight, Fay, you shall spin even more hay into gold. If you do it, we shall marry. But if not, your father will stay in my dungeon!" And King Ray and the father left.

"Oh, what will I do now," cried Fay. "Once was bad enough!" Again, the troll appeared. "I can help you, my dear," he said, "but only if you give me something else."

"But I have nothing else to give," said Fay. "You already took my bracelet."

The troll thought, then said, "You will marry the king. Then one day you will have a baby. Promise to give me that baby, and I'll help you." Now, Fay did not think she would ever marry the king. She did not think they would ever have a baby. So she

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Between the Lions . Hay Day | PBS Kids

agreed.

The troll laughed with glee, and began to spin the hay into gold. He spun and spun all night. By morning, all the hay was gold!

When King Ray saw all of this gold, he was even more amazed. This was more gold than he had ever dreamed of! He said, "Fay, will you marry me?"

Marry the king? Then Fay would be the queen! "Yes, I will. I will marry you," said Fay. But she forgot her promise to the troll.

So King Ray and Fay got married. A year later, Fay had a baby. And one day, while Fay and her baby were alone, the troll appeared. "Give me your baby," said the troll. "You promised."

But Fay loved her baby, and she said, "No, no! Please, no! Anything but my baby!"

The troll felt a little bad (even a troll has feelings, you know), so he gave Fay a chance. "If you can guess my name by tomorrow," he said, "you can keep your baby. If not, she's mine!" And the troll disappeared.

Fay did not know what to do. How could she guess his name? She took a walk in the castle to think. Suddenly, in an old part of the castle, she saw the troll dancing. And as he danced, he sang this song:

"Today I'll brew, tomorrow I'll bake.Soon I'll have the queen's namesake.How hard it is to play my gameFor Rumpelstiltskin is my name!"

Fay was very excited. She knew his name. The next day, as she sat with her baby, the troll appeared. "Well?" he said, with a toothy smile on his green face. "Do you know my name?"

"Is it Charlie?" said Fay. "Harry? Fernando? Malik?"

"No, no, no, and no!" laughed the troll. "You will never guess it!"

"Well, then, how about... Rumpelstiltskin!" said Fay.

The troll stopped laughing. "How did you...? How could...? Aaaaah!"

And the troll disappeared, never to be seen again.

The End

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Between the Lions . Help! | PBS Kids

There once was a little red hen who lived on a farm. The hen's friends were a little black dog, a big orange cat, and a little yellow goose. One day, the red hen found some grains of wheat. "I can make bread from this," thought the red hen.

The little red hen asked, "Who will help me plant the wheat?"

"Not I," said the little black dog."Not I," said the big orange cat."Not I," said the little yellow goose.

"Then I will do it myself," said the little red hen. And she planted the wheat without any help at all.

The little red hen asked, "Who will help me cut the wheat?"


"Then I will do it myself," said the little red hen. And she cut the wheat without any help at all.

The tired little red hen asked, "Who will help me take the wheat to the mill and grind it into flour?"


"Then I will do it myself," said the tired little red hen. So she took the wheat to the mill and ground it into flour without any help at all.

The very, very tired little red hen asked, "Who will help me bake the bread?"

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Between the Lions . Help! | PBS Kids


"Then I will do it myself," said the very, very tired little red hen. And she baked the bread without any help at all.

The hot, fresh bread smelled very good. The little red hen asked, "Now, who will help me eat this bread?"

"I will!" said the little black dog."I will!" said the big orange cat."I will!" said the little yellow goose.

"No, you won't! I will do it myself!" yelled the little red hen. And she ate the bread without any help at all.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Hopping Hen | PBS Kids

It was a normal day in the Lions' library. Kids were reading. grownups were looking at magazines. Lion cubs were prowling and pouncing on each other. Hens were hopping. This counts as a normal day for this library.

Theo found a box on his desk and shouted, "Cleo, my dear! The signs are here!" These were the new signs that tell everybody the rules for the library. Suddenly, Click scurried in and squeaked her loudest squeak. "There's a plumbing emergency in the basement. There's water everywhere!" Theo turned to Lionel and said, "Get all the signs, and then put them wherever you think they go best." Then Cleo and Theo ran off to stop the flood before it became a lake.

Lionel was excited! He and Leona opened the box. "Well, let's see what's in here," said Lionel. He read the first one: BARE . . . FEET . . . ALLOWED . . . IN THE . . . COMPUTER ROOM. And the next one: MONKEYS . . . ON THE . . . STAIR . . . RAILING. 'Monkeys on the stair railing? What a weird rule!"Then he found a sign that said: HOPPING . . . HEN . . . HERE. There were more. It looked like the new rules were going to make some big changes around the library. Hens were supposed to hop. Folks were supposed to eat and whistle in the library. Or play saxophone! Or slide down the stair railing! Or break bricks! Maybe today wasn't going to be so normal after all.

They had just finished putting up the signs when Click reported that strange things were happening. They certainly were! Saxophones were playing! Bare feet were in the computer room! Crackers were being whistled all over the place! It was crazy! Lionel said proudly, "Now I understand why Mom and Dad got all these signs! This is fantastic!"

When Theo and Cleo came up from the basement, Lionel shouted happily, "Mom! Dad! You guys are the greatest! These signs were the best idea!""Wait a minute . . . SAXOPHONE PLAYING?" said Cleo. "BREAKING BRICKS?" said Theo. "Oh no!" said Cleo. "The printer forgot the NOs." "I've got mine," said Leona, pinching her nose. Cleo explained, "The printer forgot to put the word NO on all the signs." "It should be NO breaking bricks. NO saxophone," added Theo.

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Between the Lions . The Hopping Hen | PBS Kids

The delivery guy brought the box of NOs, and soon the new rules were in place. NO saxophone. NO bare feet in the computer room. NO hopping hens.NO fun . . . "Wait a minute, that's not right," said Cleo. "We've used one NO too many. We like hens hopping! We welcome bouncing poultry! That HOPPING HEN HERE sign needs no NO." So with the hen hopping happily outside, the library went back to normal. Well, as normal as it ever gets.

The End

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Between the Lions . Huff and Puff | PBS Kids

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. And each one built a house to live in.

The first little pig built his house out of straw. "A straw house is easy to build," he said.The second little pig built her house out of sticks. "A stick house is easy to build," she said.The third little pig built his house out of bricks. "A brick house is hard to build, but it is very strong," he said.

Then one day, a big bad wolf knocked on the door of the straw house. "Little pig, little pig, let me come in," said the wolf in his deep voice.

The first little pig called out from behind the door, "No, no, you can't come in, not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!"

Well, the wolf did not like this answer one bit, so he said, "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!"

So the big bad wolf huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house in! The first little pig ran all the way to the second little pig's house. As you remember, this house was made of sticks. But as soon as the door was shut, they heard a deep voice. "Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in," said the big bad wolf.

This time two little pigs called out from behind the door, "No, no, you can't come in, not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!"

Well, the wolf still did not like this answer, so he said, "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" So the big bad wolf huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house in!

This time, two little pigs ran all the way to the third little pig's house. And THIS house was made of bricks. But as soon as the door was shut, they heard a familiar deep voice. "Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in," said the big bad wolf.

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Between the Lions . Huff and Puff | PBS Kids

This time three little pigs called out from behind the door, "No, no, you can't come in, not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin!"

Well, the wolf was getting tired of this answer, so he said, "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" So the big bad wolf huffed, and he puffed... but he did NOT blow the house in! The brick house was too strong!

The three little pigs were very happy, but the wolf was very angry. "If I can't blow your house in," the big bad wolf said in his deep voice, "then I'm coming down your chimney to eat you!"

The wolf started down the chimney. But there was something he did not know: there was a big pot of boiling water in the fireplace. The wolf came down further, and further, and further. He was almost in the house when he landed in the water!

"Yeeeeow!" yelled the big bad wolf. And he went straight back up the chimney!

So, the big bad wolf - who was tired of huffing and puffing - ran away. And the three little pigs lived happily ever after. But they all learned a lesson: don't build a house out of straw or sticks. It may be easier, but a brick house is more wolf-proof!

The End

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Between the Lions . Hug, Hug, Hug! | PBS Kids

Theo read everyone a story . . .

In Ancient Greece there once lived a great sculptor named Pygmalion, who made statues out of stone. One day he decided to carve a statue of a woman. It would be his masterpiece. So he gave his sleeves a tug, gave his shoulders a shrug, picked up his favorite mug, and took three sips - glug, glug, glug. Then he got to work.

When he was finished, he looked at the statue. She was beautiful - the most beautiful work he had ever done. And even though she was made of stone, Pygmalion fell madly in love with her. "I'm in love!" he said. "Oh, how she makes my heart thump and go bumpity-bump!" Pygmalion loved her so much, he gave her a hug. "Hug, hug, hug!" he said. But alas, she could not hug him back, for she was only a statue. Pygmalion was very unhappy.

Leona wanted to help poor Pygmalion, so Click brought him into the library. Leona told Pygmalion to pretend that the statue was real, and that the statue was hugging him back. "Hug, hug, hug!" he said, while hugging the statue. "Hey, don't hug me too hard, now," he pretended. And that made him very happy. Pygmalion gave Leona a big hug, too. "Thanks for all your help, Leona," said Pygmalion, as Click put him back in his book.

But before long, pretending was not enough for him, and once again, he was sad. "Oh, what can I do?" said Pygmalion. "Can't anyone help me? I can't spend my whole life hugging a rock. The neighbors already think I'm a little weird."

Luckily, Venus, the goddess of love, was watching him. She saw how much Pygmalion loved the statue, and she knew that Pygmalion was a good man. She took pity on him. With a wave of her hand, Venus brought the statue to life. The statue turned to Pygmalion and said, "Give me a hug, you big lug." Pygmalion was very surprised, as you can imagine, and he was so happy that he gave the statue a big hug - hug, hug, hug! The statue hugged him back - hug, hug, hug!

"Let's get married!" said Pygmalion. "Okay," said the woman who was once a

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Between the Lions . Hug, Hug, Hug! | PBS Kids

statue, "but can I sit down for a few minutes first? I've been standing up for a really long time." So the next day they were married, and they lived happily ever after.

The End

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Between the Lions . Humph! Humph! Humph! | PBS Kids

From "How the Camel Got His Hump" by Rudyard Kipling

In the beginning of years, when the world was so new-and-all, and the Animals were just beginning to work for Man, there was a Camel. He lived in the middle of a Howling Desert because he did not want to work. And when anybody spoke to him, he said "Humph." Just "Humph!" and no more.

One day the Horse came to him with a saddle on his back and said, "Camel, O Camel, come out and trot like the rest of us. There's lots to do."

"Humph!" said the Camel; and the Horse went away.

Then the Dog came to him, with a stick in his mouth, and said, "Camel, O Camel, come and fetch and carry like the rest of us. We could use some help."

"Humph!" said the Camel; and the Dog went away.

The Ox came to him, with the yoke on his neck and said, "Camel, O Camel, come and plow like the rest of us. There's work to be done."

"Humph!" said the Camel; and the Ox went away.

Now all this made the three very angry (with the world so new-and-all). Presently there came along the Djinn in charge of all deserts. A Djinn is kind of like a wizard.

"Djinn of All Deserts," they said, "is it right for any one of us to be idle, with the world so new-and-all?"

"Certainly not," said the Djinn.

"Well, there's a thing in the middle of your Howling Desert, and he hasn't done a stroke of work since Monday morning. He won't trot," said the Horse.

The Dog barked his complaint. "He says, 'Humph!' and he won't fetch and carry."

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Between the Lions . Humph! Humph! Humph! | PBS Kids

"And he won't plow," said the Ox.

"Very good!" said the Djinn. "I'll humph him if you will kindly wait a minute."

The Djinn found the Camel, looking at his own reflection in a pool of water. "My long and bubbling friend," said the Djinn, "what's this I hear of your doing no work, with the world so new-and-all?"

"Humph!" said the Camel.

"You've made the other three animals do all of the work ever since the world began. That would be Monday."


"I shouldn't say that again if I were you," said the Djinn.


But no sooner had he humphed than he saw his back puffing up and puffing up into a great big lolloping humph.

"That's your very own humph," said the Djinn. You've brought it on your very own self by not working. Now you are going to work."

"How can I work, with this humph on my back?"

"You missed three days of work. You will be able to work now for three days without eating, because you can live on your humph. It's full of fat that you can use when there is no food to be found."

And the Camel humphed himself, humph and all, and went away to join the Three. And from that day to this, the Camel always wears a humph (we call it a "hump" now, not to hurt his feelings).

Hoof Note:

The deserts where camels live are very hot. But camels' humps are not filled with water - it really is fatty tissue. Camels use very little water when they're not working, as long as they can eat a plant or two now and then. When they do find water, they can drink 30 gallons in less than ten minutes. Humph! Slurp! Gulp!

The End

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Between the Lions . Icarus's Wings | PBS Kids

Daedalus lived on the ancient Greek island of Crete with his son Icarus. Daedalus could build anything. But Icarus was not as brilliant as his father.

One day, the king heard that Daedalus had done some work for one of the king's enemies. The king was very angry. He ordered Daedalus and his son imprisoned. So Daedalus and his son Icarus were locked in the labyrinth, from which there is no escape.

Fortunately, the king forgot that Daedalus had built the labyrinth, a kind of maze, and knew how to get out. So Daedalus and Icarus escaped.

The king called for his guards, who chased after them. Daedalus and Icarus were still trapped on the island. They could not get away by walking, and the king's ships guarded the sea. Icarus said, "If only we could fly, we could escape!"

Then Daedalus had an idea. "We will escape by flying! I shall build wings!" he said. And so the amazing Daedalus worked hard, sewing each feather with string. He held the wings together with wax.

By evening, the wings were ready. Icarus tested his wings . . . and they worked! "Look at me! I'm flying!" cried Icarus.

But Daedalus had a warning for his son. "Tomorrow, do not fly too close to the water, or the dampness will make your wings heavy. And do not fly too close to the sun, or the heat will melt your wings. Make sure to follow me, and everything will be fine."

The next morning, Daedalus flew a safe path between the sea and the sun. Icarus was following his father but flew higher and higher. "Look how high I can fly!" sang Icarus. He didn't notice that the sun was melting the wax on his wings.

Daedalus yelled, "Icarus, my son! Your wings! They're melting!" But Icarus was too high to hear him. He flew higher, and higher, and higher. His wings melted

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Between the Lions . Icarus's Wings | PBS Kids

completely.

Icarus realized he had made a mistake, but it was too late. He fell into the sea! He didn't listen to his father's warnings, so that was the end of Icarus.

The End

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Between the Lions . A King and His Hawk | PBS Kids

A great king was coming home from a distant land. He became lost. The only one with him was his best friend, a hawk. By night, the wind chilled their bones. By day, the sun singed their skin. They had no food. They had no drink. The king feared they would die of thirst. But on the third night, when all seemed lost, the king suddenly heard the splash of rushing water. The king's hawk flew off his shoulder, and led the king to something twinkling in the moonlight: a rippling silver river, springing from the hillside. Quickly, the king held his cup in the waterfall, and filled it with cool water. But as he lifted it to his lips to take a sip, the hawk suddenly flew at him, ripping the tin cup from his fingers.

Quickly, the thirsty king again filled his empty cup. But again, the hawk hit it from his hand before he could drink. A third time, the king filled his cup, and a third time, the hawk hit it away. In a great rage, the king drew his sword, and with one swift blow, killed his friend, the hawk.

His fingers shaking, the king picked up his tin cup once more and began to dip it in the water. Then he saw something else glistening in the moonlight. There, amid the silver ripples, slithered a snake. Poison dripped from its fangs into the water. The king knew that a single sip would have killed him. The hawk was simply trying to save his life.

The king dropped his cup, sat beside his friend, and cried.

The next morning, as the sun rose, the king looked down from the high hill. Below him he saw his kingdom. And it was there, standing alone on this hill, that the king promised never to raise his sword in anger again. And so, with his feet as heavy as his heart, the king carried the hawk slowly down the hill to his home.

The End

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Between the Lions . Out in Outer Space | PBS Kids

Lionel and Leona ran into the library. "Is Grandpa here? Is Grandpa here?"

"He'll be here any minute," said Theo.

"Actually, he IS here," said Cleo."He is?" asked Theo."Hello, everybody," said Grandpa."Aiieee!" said Theo.

"Hi, Grandpa," said Lionel and Leona. "Gee, you're a great sneaker-upper!"

"It's great to see all of you!" said Grandpa. "And I have a few presents." Grandpa reached into his bag. "Some meat chowder for Theo. For my daughter Cleo, a trick squirty flower. And for the cubs, I brought a story."

"Ooh. Ooh. A story!" said Lionel and Leona. "Tell us now! Tell us now!" So Grandpa told the story.

"This story is about Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space," said Grandpa. "When she was 11, she saw the first man walk on the moon. When she was in college, she saw Sally Ride, the first woman in outer space. She knew then she wanted to be an astronaut. She worked hard, and finally went into outer space in the space shuttle. So, remember: follow your dreams, and they just may come true."

Lionel and Leona were very excited. "That story was outstanding!" said Leona. Lionel said, "You are the greatest, Grandpa! Somebody should write your biography."

Grandpa laughed. "Me? Nah! I'm just your average talking lion. I never did anything outstanding. But what I WILL do is go talk to my daughter." And Grandpa left the room.

"We should write Grandpa's biography," said Leona. "Good thinking," said Lionel.

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Between the Lions . Out in Outer Space | PBS Kids

"Come on!"

Later that afternoon, the cubs found their grandpa. "Grandpa!" said Lionel. "We have a story for you!"

"A story for me?" said Grandpa.

"Yes," said Leona. "It's a biography of an outstanding person."

"Wow!" said Grandpa. "That sounds great. Who is it?"

"You!" said Lionel and Leona, and they began their story...

"When he was a little cub," said Lionel, "his family had no idea that some day he would do something outstanding. When he visited his family, he brought special things for them. He brought meat chowder, and squirty flowers, and wonderful stories."

Leona continued, "But he still had no idea that he'd ever do something outstanding."

Lionel said, "Then one day Lionel and Leona told him that he was already doing something outstanding."

"What? What am I doing?" said Grandpa.

"Being our Grandpa!" said Lionel.

"The end!" said Leona.

Grandpa smiled and said, "Thank you for that wonderful story, cubs. Come here, give Grandpa a hug!" So the whole family hugged, and were very glad they were all together. As a matter of fact, it was outstanding!

The End

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Between the Lions . Pandora's Box | PBS Kids

The lion cubs were busy pouncing on each other when they discovered a dusty book called 'Greek Myths.' It was full of magical stories, written a long time ago in Ancient Greece. Theo began to read one of the stories. It was called Pandora's Box, and was all about a woman called Pandora and her . . .Well, you'll see.

A long, long, long time ago in Greece, a woman named Pandora lived with her husband, Epimetheus. One day, Pandora was in a little-used part of the house when she discovered a beautiful box. It was the most interesting box Pandora had ever seen. The box had lots and lots of designs on top. Pandora saw a sign on the box that said "Do not open!"That ! at the end was an exclamation point. It turned "Do not open" into "DO NOT OPEN!" But Pandora said to herself, "That is the most interesting box I have ever seen. I wonder what could be inside.""The End," said Theo.The End? But what happened next?Well, you'll see.

The rest of the story was missing. The pages must have fallen out. "Oh no!" said Leona. "Now we'll never find out if there was a pony in the box!" Cleo and Theo hunted for the missing pages, leaving the cubs with the book, waiting. The cubs wondered what was in the box.Leona had an idea. "Let's get Click to take the box out of the book. Then we can open it up and look inside!" Click dragged and dropped the box out of the book and into the library. This might have seemed like a good idea, but . . .Well, you'll see.

The box sat on the counter. Leona was just about to open it when Lionel said, "No!!! Wait! There are signs all over the box that say 'Do not open!' With exclamation points! An exclamation point means the signs don't just say 'Do not open.' They say 'DO NOT OPEN!'""But they don't say 'DO NOT PEEK!'"said Leona. And she opened the lid just a little, to peek.

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Do you know what came out of the box? Was it a pony? Do you know?Well, you'll see.

"Hic," said Lionel. He had hiccups."Hic," said Leona. She had hiccups."Hic," said the silver knight. He had hiccups."Hic," said the green duck. He had hiccups."Hic," said the telephone, the lamp, the chairs, and tables. They had hiccups."Hic," said everyone in the library. "Hic, hic, hic."Some kind of floating, green, ghosty thingy had floated out of the box when Leona peeked into it. Now this hiccup monster was hiccuping everyone in sight. Hic!What were they going to do?Well, you'll see.

Theo and Cleo came back with the missing pages, and before you can say "hic," they were saying "hic," too.Lionel confessed - kind of. "Taking the box out of the book - hic - peeking -hic . . . The whole thing - hic- was Leona's idea!!!""But I'm a little cub! - hic. You're not - hic- supposed to listen to me! Hic!"Theo said, "Okay, okay. Next time - hic - when you see a sign - hic- that says 'Do not open' - hic- exclamation point, do not - hic- open it!"With some effort they got Click to drag the box back into the book. But was that the end of their problems?Well, you'll see.

The hiccup monster was still in the library. Meanwhile, back in the book, all kinds of bad things were coming out of the box. Pandora had opened it! Hurricanes flew out of the box! Floods flew out of the box! The flu flew out of the box! Chicken pox flew out of the box! Sadness flew out of the box! Indeed, all the evils and troubles of the world had been inside the box. And now they were out in the world. Pandora was very sad at what she had done. She looked at her husband and said, "Well, at least we don't have hiccups."

Back in the library, the lions let the hiccup monster know that hiccups were not in the book. Being a mean, hiccuppy thing, it jumped into the book to give hiccups to everyone in the book.The lions stopped hiccupping. The library was hiccupless at last.

All was not lost for Pandora and Epimetheus, even though they also now had hiccups. Luckily, one good thing had been let out of the box when Pandora opened it, and that thing was hope.Hope is a beautiful thing. Whatever there is in your life that isn't going the way you would like it to, as long as you have hope, you can get through anything. Remember hope next time things are not going the way you'd like and . . .



Well, you'll see.

The End


Between the Lions . Pebble Trouble | PBS Kids

From "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble"by William Steig

Sylvester liked to collect unusual pebbles. One rainy day he found a very special one. It was shiny, round, and bright red. Sylvester held the pebble, trying to see it in the pouring rain. "I wish it would stop raining," he said.

And as Sylvester said that, the rain stopped. Sylvester was surprised! "This is a magic pebble!" he thought. "Father and Mother will be so amazed." Sylvester began to walk home.

When he got to Strawberry Hill, he saw a lion - and the lion saw him! Sylvester was scared. What should he do? Then Sylvester remembered the pebble. He could make a wish! Sylvester wished for the first thing he could think of. "I wish I were a rock!" said Sylvester.

Before you know it, Sylvester was a rock, with the magic pebble next to him on the ground. He was safe from the lion, but . . . oh, no! He had to touch the pebble to wish himself back into a donkey, but he had no hands. Sylvester was trapped as a rock! And he was all alone.

Sylvester's parents were very worried. He never stayed out after dark. The next day, they talked to all their neighbors, but no one had seen Sylvester. None of his friends knew where he was either.

Sylvester's parents were very sad. They looked day after day, but he was nowhere to be found.

Back in the field, Sylvester missed his parents. He felt he would be a rock forever. Fall came, and he was cold. Winter came, and he was colder. Finally, spring came, and the flowers bloomed, but Sylvester was still a rock. "I wonder if my parents remember me?"

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Between the Lions . Pebble Trouble | PBS Kids

Just then, he heard voices. Could it be? It was! His parents sat down right next to him for a picnic. But he couldn't talk. Sylvester's father saw the magic pebble, and picked it up. "What a beautiful rock," he sighed. "Sylvester would have loved this pebble." And he placed the pebble on the rock - right on top of Sylvester!

"Oh, how I wish I were me again!" wished Sylvester. And just as he said it, he turned into a donkey again. "Sylvester, we missed you so much!" cried his mother and father, hugging him. "I missed you, too," said Sylvester.

So, the whole family went home, together again. As for the magic pebble, Sylvester's father placed it in an iron safe. Maybe one day they would use it, but for now, they had everything they could ever want - each other.

The End

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Between the Lions . A Peck of Peppers | PBS Kids

Peter PiperPicked a peckOf pickled peppers.

A peck of pickled peppersPeter Piper picked.

If Peter PiperPicked a peckOf pickled peppers,

Where is the peckOf pickled peppersPeter Piper picked?

A pickled pepperPicked a peckOf Peter Pipers.

A peck of Peter PipersA pickled pepper picked.

If a pickled pepperPicked a peckOf Peter Pipers,

Where is the peckOf Peter PipersA pickled pepper picked?

The End

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Between the Lions . Pecos Bill Cleans Up the West | PBS Kids

Now, everyone knows Pecos Bill was the best,The neatest cowboy in all the West.But Bill was also the tidiest, cleanest,The plain best dressedHombre to wear a well-pressed vestOf buckskin on his manly chest.

Pecos Bill was the best,The best in the West.

One day, Bill was riding the range on Tess,The fastest and smartest steed in the West,When he saw a most unwelcome guest.It was a twister, picking up litter and dust and trash,And plumb making a messOf the entire West.


Bill said to Tess, "I must confess,If there's one thing I detest, it's a mess!"Tess knew that meant Bill wouldn't rest'Til he'd put that twister under arrest,Or tamed that blustery, gusty pestThat was messin' up the pristine West.


Bill started to ride, astride his steed,Through the dust and the tumbling tumbleweed,Swinging his lasso over his head,On his quest to stop that twister dead.

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Between the Lions . Pecos Bill Cleans Up the West | PBS Kids

Tess sprang with the springiest spring that was ever sprung.Bill flung his lasso with the flingiest fling that was ever flung.And Bill whooped, "Whoa!" to that whirling wind, untilIt stopped, like a bulldogged steer, stock still.


And with old Tess holdin' that twister steady,Bill jumped on its back, and he got himself ready,And then old Pecos Bill was sent onThe wildest ride that anyone ever went on!Well, buckaroos, you can guess the rest of it.That twister knew Bill had got the best of it.And so, at Pecos Bill's request,It cleaned up the mess it had made of the West.


And easy as you please, that tame twisterStarted dumping every last little bit of litterInto trash cans, not forgettingTo separate out all the recyclables.


The End

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Between the Lions . Piggyback, Piggyback | PBS Kids

There once was a king named King Zack of Hackensack. He was a dirty, smelly king. King Zack of Hackensack was so dirty and smelly, he was not very popular. When his people would greet him, instead of saying "Your Majesty," they would say, "Oh! What a stinkpot!"

And that's a fact.

King Zack of Hackensack asked me, Sir Jack of Nyack, why he was so unpopular. "Is my crown on backwards?" he asked. "Is my jacket tacky? What is it, Jack?"So I had to tell him: "Take a bath. Go jump in the lake, Zack!" So, dirty, smelly King Zack of Hackensack jumped in the lake and took a bath. When he came back, he was no longer dirty and smelly, and he was very popular! His people once again called him "Your Majesty," and one even said he smelled like roses! But then King Zack of Hackensack looked down. He was standing in the mud!"Hey! My feet are dirty!" he said. So, back in the lake walked King Zack of Hackensack. But when he was done washing his feet, and he walked backout . . .

"Hey! My feet are dirty again!" So, he went back in. And back out.And back in. And back out.Back in. Back out.

King Zack did not know what to do. He didn't want to be unpopular again. Then he got an idea! King Zack jumped on my back. He said, "From now on, I will ride piggyback on you, Jack! My feet will never touch the ground, so they won't get dirty!" I grunted to myself, "Maybe Zack should cut back on the snacks!"

We played a game of kick the sack. But for King Zack, there was a drawback. King Zack couldn't kick the sack while he was on my back. "This is no fun, Jack!" said Zack. "I never get to kick the sack!" But if he got off my back, his feet would get dirty.Just then, a man named Mack invented shoes, and gave them to King Zack.

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Between the Lions . Piggyback, Piggyback | PBS Kids

King Zack said, "Thanks, Mack," and got off my back."Yes, thanks, Mack!" I said, breathing a big sigh of relief.And so King Zack and I played a game of kick the sack. But King Zack's feet still got dirty. You know why? Because the king wouldn't wear his shoes.

"Are you cracked?" he said. "These shoes are brand new. I don't want to ruin them!"

The End

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Between the Lions . Pigs Aplenty | PBS Kids

From "Pigs Aplenty, Pigs Galore!"by David McPhail.

Late one nightAs I sat reading,I thought I heardThe sound of feeding.

Through the kitchenDoor I crept,Barely watchingWhere I stepped.

A crash, a bang,A shout, a yell!I slipped on something,Then I fell.

I landed onA pile of pigs,Some eating dates,Some eating figs.

In the cupboards,On the floor,Pigs aplenty,Pigs galore!

Black pigs, white pigs,Brown and pink,Making oatmealIn the sink.

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Pigs from England,Pigs from France,Pigs in justTheir underpants.

Pigs arriveBy boat, by plane.A bus pulls up,And then a train.

A band strikes up,A piggy sings,Then, at tenThe doorbell rings.

Someone yells,"The pizza's here!"And all the pigsBegin to cheer.

Flying pizzasFill the air.One goes SPLAT!Against my chair.

The piggy piggiesEat their fill.I get nothing,Just the bill.

"I've had enough!"I scream and shout."Get out, you pigs!You pigs, get out!"

"Please let us stay,"The piggies cry."Don't make us go,Don't say good-bye."

"You can stay,"I tell them all."But sweep the floorAnd scrub the wall."



I give them brooms,A pail, a mop."Now sweep and scrubTill I say stop."

The piggies work,And when they're done,Upstairs they staggerOne by one.

They brush their teethAnd comb their tails,Then wash their snoutsAnd clean their nails.

The pigs and IClimb into bed.I plump the pillows,Plop my head.

I close my eyesAnd try to sleep.Before too longI'm dreaming deep

Of pigs and pigsAnd pigs some moreOf pigs aplenty,Pigs galore.

The End


Between the Lions . Poetry Day | PBS Kids

"Waiting for the Train"by Theodor Lion

Far away and long ago,Across the still, deserted plain,My Great-Great-Uncle Fezwick LionWas waiting for the coming train.

It was three days overdueBut on that spot he did remain,Waiting cold and tired and hungry,Waiting for the coming train.

Two hundred miles away from Fezwick,Delayed by trees and floods and rain,The engineer said, "Stoke the engine!He's out there waiting for the train!"

"This pleading message we received,I fear that he might be in pain. We won't be stopped by anything,I will not make him wait in vain!"

She knew that they could not slow down,Lost time they never could regain.The engine almost shook to piecesTaxed by the tremendous strain.

When finally in Uncle FezwickBarely any hope remained,He heard the sound, he saw the smoke,He could barely be restrained!

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Between the Lions . Poetry Day | PBS Kids

"We faced death," she told him,"When your frantic message we obtained.Against all odds, we've made it to youSo you did not wait in vain."

Fezwick said, "I'm glad you made it.I really need not one thing more.Now I can go home so happy . . .I'd never seen a train before."

The End

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Between the Lions . The Popcorn Popper | PBS Kids

"Lionel is my Designated Reader today, and he won't read to me," complained Leona. That meant it was Lionel's turn to read to her. Every cub who is learning to read should have a Designated Reader who can read to them every day."But Leona doesn't want to read any of the books I like," said Lionel.

Cleo found 'The Popcorn Popper.' The cubs agreed it was a great choice. The cubs settled into their book . . .

Once upon a time, a girl who really loved popcorn was digging in her garden, when a popcorn popper popped out of the ground. Luckily, it came with instructions. But she did not know how to read! Suddenly, a woman popped out from behind a poplar tree. "I'm your Designated Reader Fairy," she said. "I read to people who don't have anyone to read to them." The girl asked the Fairy to read the instructions. The Fairy read, "To start the popcorn popper, say: 'Popcorn popper, pop, pop, pop. Popcorn popper, do not stop.'"

The popcorn popper started popping popcorn.

Soon, the popcorn popper popped popcorn all over the village. The Designated Reader Fairy read how to stop it. "To stop the popper, say: 'Poppity, bobbity, pop, pop, pop. Hoppity, poppity, hop hop hop. Dop and a loppity. Lop and a doppity. Pop and a boppity. Stop pop stop!'"

The popper stopped popping. The villagers put all the popcorn in little bags and went to the movies.

"Yummy! That story always makes me hungry. I wish we had some popcorn," said Leona."Me, too. I wish we had a popcorn popper," said Lionel."We would if we got Click to take the popper out of the book! Click! Could you please drag and drop the popcorn popper out of this book?""Of course!" said Click, their computer mouse. She dragged the popper out of the book and into the garden on the roof, where the cubs were ready and waiting for popcorn.

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Between the Lions . The Popcorn Popper | PBS Kids

"All right!" said Lionel. "Let's make some popcorn! Now, how does this thing work again?"

The instructions were gone. When Click had dragged the popper out of the book, the instructions had blown away. They were stuck in a bush. The cubs remembered the instructions and how to get it started.

"Popcorn popper, pop, pop, pop. Popcorn popper, do not stop."Sure enough, the popper popped, and it did not stop.After a few minutes of eating popcorn, the cubs were stuffed. They were full of perfectly popped popcorn. The pigeons, Walter and Clay, were still hungry.

The cubs tried to remember the instructions to stop the popper.

Leona tried: "I think we're supposed to say, 'Poppity poppity pop . . . stoppity stoppity stop.'" The popcorn kept on popping.Lionel tried: "That's not it. It's 'Poppity boppity stoppity stop.'" The popcorn kept on popping.Leona tried: "No! Poppity boppity bippity bip!" The popcorn kept on popping.Lionel tried: "Hop on poppity!" The popcorn kept on popping.Leona tried: "Bippity boppity boooo . . ." The popcorn kept on popping.

The pigeons were still very happy with the popping of the popcorn popper. They were eating and eating and eating. The cubs looked for the lost instructions. They knew they had to stop the popcorn popper's popping. "Let's get Click to put the popper back in the book! Maybe that'll work." But even after Click popped the popper back into the book, the popcorn kept on popping right out of the book!Popcorn was starting to pop into the library. Then one of the pigeons found the instructions. Lionel read them: "Poppity, bobbity, pop, pop, pop. Hoppity, poppity, hop hop hop. Dop and a loppity. Lop and a doppity. Pop and a boppity. Stop pop stop!"

The popcorn stopped. At last!

Now the cubs had to clear up the popcorn before their parents got back. But how?

Walter and Clay had an idea. The two pigeons ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate. Then they ate some more, and they rolled off into the sunset.

The End

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Between the Lions . Quest, Quest, Quest! | PBS Kids

Lady Esther and Lester the Jester were on a quest for the precious Chest of Budapest! And as they rode, they sang this song . . .

Quest, quest, quest, quest,Quest, quest, quest, quest.We quest for the Chest,The Chest of Budapest.We quest for the Chest,The one we just mentioned.

The Chest of Budapest was stolen by the vilest, rottenest, most detestable villain, the evil Count Chester the Congested! So Lady Esther and Lester the Jester went to pay him a visit.

Lady Esther and Lester the Jester knocked on Chester's door.

When Chester opened it, Lady Esther said, "I am Lady Esther, this is my jester, Lester, and we are on a quest for the Chest of Budapest."

"Never heard of it," said Chester.

But just then, Lester the Jester gestured. "Gadzooks! That's it, over there!" said Lester, pointing at the Chest. "We request that you give us the Chest," said Lady Esther.

Chester smiled his best smile. "You may have the Chest - if you pass a test! I will write the word CHEST on one piece of paper, and GUEST on another. If you choose the CHEST paper, you get the Chest. If you choose GUEST, you will be a guest in my dungeon . . . forever!

And Chester laughed his best laugh.

Count Chester was tricky. He wrote GUEST on both pieces of paper so they could not win! But Lady Esther suspected that the detestable Chester would cheat, so she

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Between the Lions . Quest, Quest, Quest! | PBS Kids

cooked up a plan. She chose one piece of paper, and tossed it into the fire!

"How will we know what was written on that paper?" asked Chester.

Then Lady Esther took the other paper from Chester's hand, and opened it. It said GUEST. "If this one says GUEST, then the one I chose and threw into the fire must have said CHEST. Right?"

Chester sighed, "Yes, you are correct," and gave them the Chest.

Lady Esther had bested Chester, so she and Lester the Jester left, taking the Chest back home where it belonged. And as they rode, they sang this song . . .

Chest, chest, chest, chest.Chest, chest, chest, chest.We went on a quest For the Chest of Budapest. Now we've got the Chest.The one we just mentioned.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Ram in the Pepper Patch | PBS Kids

There was a gal, not long ago,Who had some land in Mexico.She labored hard to raise a batchOf peppers in her pepper patch.One morning, about half past eight,The girl came to her garden gateAnd saw, as she undid the latch . . .A ram was in her pepper patch!She watched the ram,Whose name was Sam,Eat peppers by the kilogram.

Is that as many as it sounds?Yes, a little more than two pounds.

She offered Sam a yam and ham,But only peppers pleased that ram.

A passing hen was certain thatShe knew a way to make rams scat.She cackled, "Scram, you ram!"The ram butted the hen,And the hen was never seen again!

A little dog yapped, "Scram, you ram!Do I have to draw a diagram?"He told that ram, "Get out of here, sir!"The dog was fierce. The ram was fiercer.He became a battering ram.You should have seen that dog scram!

The hen had failed. So had the pup.But then a big bad bull walked up.The bull was strong, but the ram was stronger.

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Between the Lions . The Ram in the Pepper Patch | PBS Kids

That bull won't be around much longer.

Just then a little bee buzzed byAnd told the girl she'd like to try."I'll send that nasty ram away!"The ram said, "That will be the day!No little bee will make me ramble!Make me scamper! Make me scramble!"

But the ram forgot one little thingAnd that's that bees know how to sting!

"I want my ma!" cried the ram."I want my nanny!Someone stung me on the fanny!"The ram jumped up and ran away!The little bee had saved the day.

The End

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Between the Lions . Rats | PBS Kids

Theo and Lionel were talking to Frank the Rat in the library when Leona burst in, followed by her mother. "Oh, Daddy, it was terrible!" sobbed Leona.

"What's the matter, my little cub?" asked Theo. Cleo answered, "We were in the playground, and Leona's friend Tammy called her a nasty name."

"And it really hurt my feelings!" said Leona. "I'm never going back to that playground again!"

Lionel tried to cheer Leona up. "Leona, it's okay," said Lionel. "Sticks and stones can break your bones, but names can never hurt you."

"That's easy for you to say," sobbed Leona. "You're not hysterical!"

Frank the Rat said, "You know, I've always thought that 'names can never hurt you' stuff is a lot of rubbish. Words can be very powerful things.

I was just looking into a book about the very subject. It's lovely old book called 'Tales of the Irish Rats, Volume 1: How the Rats Were Rhymed Out of Ireland.'"

Frank read from the book. "In Ireland long ago, there lived a great king named King Connor. One morning King Connor's breakfast egg was not on the table. King Connor blamed the rats, so he called for his bard (a bard is kind of like a poet).

'Bard, rhyme me a rhyme that will drive those dratted rats out of Ireland!' said the king.And the bard began to speak. . .

"'Rats, rats,Nasty and BadNobody likes youYou make them all mad

You smell like a jar

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Of old rancid jamSo, get out of here, ratsScram, scram, I said. SCRAM!'

The rats did not like to be called names. The names hurt them. They packed their bags and sailed away, swearing never to return to Ireland."

That story didn't help Leona feel better. But Lionel had an idea. With Heath's help, he wrote an insulting poem for Leona to read to Tammy.

"Roses are red, Violets are blue.You are a tacky malefactor."

"I'm not sure what that means," said Leona, "but it sounds bad. I couldn't say something to hurt someone. It's not me."

So Lionel tried another type of poem: a poem of praise.

"To see a cub who has no match,Just steal a glance at Leona.Her eyes, more bright than any lamp,She is the champ, yes, she's Leona! There's no small animal as enchanting asLeona! Leona!"

Leona listened, and said, "Thank you. I feel much better now. But I still can't go back to the playground. I won't go where I'm not wanted."

Nothing they did could convince Leona to go back to the playground. So Frank read her volume 2 of the book, "Tales of the Irish Rats: How the Rats Came Back."

"The rats had sailed out to sea, but then one rat became angry. 'We are rats!' she said. 'We should be proud of that! Are we going to scram every time someone says bad things about us? I say that rats are fantastic!'

The other rats agreed. Just because the bard said those things did not make them true.' We will not let the king kick us out of our homes,' yelled all the rats together.

With that, the rats turned their ships around and sailed home. They swam to shore, and went back to the castle. And that's how the rats came back to Ireland."

Then Cleo asked Leona, "And the moral of the story is?"

Leona took a deep breath. "Just because someone says something that hurts and makes you feel bad, it shouldn't stop you from going where you want to go or doing



what you want to do, or following your dream to sit in sand! Come on! To the playground!"

So they all went to the playground, and they had a great time.

The End


Between the Lions . Red Hat, Green Hat | PBS Kids

Two best friends stood in a field. "Nice day," said Upendo to his friend. "It is," said Kendi to his friend. Just then, a farmer walked between the two friends. She was going to the village. On her head was a hat that was half red and half green. "Hello," said Upendo. "Hello," said Kendi. "Hello," said the farmer.

Upendo saw only the red half of the hat. Kendi saw only the green half.

"Nice hat," said Upendo. "Yes, it is," said Kendi. "Thank you," said the farmer, and she walked on.

"Nice hat, that red hat," said Upendo."Nice hat, yes, but that hat is green," said Kendi.

The two best friends began to argue about the color of the hat.

"It was red," said Upendo."It was green," said Kendi."It was red," said Upendo."It was green," said Kendi.

The two best friends argued for hours.

"Red," said Upendo."Green," said Kendi."Red," said Upendo."Green," said Kendi."Red!" said Upendo."Green!" said Kendi.

Then the farmer walked between the two friends again. She was returning from the village. This time, Upendo saw only the green side of the hat. Kendi saw only the red half.

"Green!" said Upendo."Red!" said Kendi.

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Between the Lions . Red Hat, Green Hat | PBS Kids

"Green!" said Upendo."Red!" said Kendi."Green!" said Upendo."Red!" said Kendi.

"Stop!" said the farmer. She took off her hat and showed the friends that it was two different colors. "My hat is red AND green. Green AND red."

"Oh, I see . . . ," said Upendo."Oh, I see . . . ," said Kendi."I was wrong," said Upendo."No, I was," said Kendi."It was me," said Upendo to his friend."It was me," said Kendi to his friend."Sheesh!" said the farmer.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Roar That Makes Them Run | PBS Kids

All was quiet in the library. Theo delivered books on his cart. Cleo stamped dates in books. Suddenly, the cry of a hawk filled the library! It was Lionel and Leona playing on the computer. "Mute volume!" yelled Click. Lionel turned the sound down. "I'm sorry, was that too loud?" Lionel asked. "Yes!" came the yell from everybody in the library. "Oops!" said Leona. "It's just that we've found this cool Web site about the wild!"

Leona and Lionel looked at the site. There was a lot of information about all kinds of animals. "Click on the lion," said Leona. Lionel clicked on the lion, and they learned all about the lion's mighty roar that makes the other animals run. "Cool!" said Lionel. "Hey, Dad, YOU have a mighty roar that makes them run, right?""Of course I do, Son," said Theo. Lionel and Leona were very excited. "Can you show us your roar, Dad? Please?" they asked. So Theo stepped back, took a humongous breath, and . . .

"Sorry, no can do," said Theo. "You see, kids, that roar is to be used in the wild to express anger. I can't even THINK what would make me use that in the library." And Theo went on his way, delivering books."Oh, no," said Leona. "What if he has no mighty roar?""That's ridiculous," said Lionel. "He just has to get angry. Let's see, what would make Dad angry? Hmm. Maybe if . . .""Excuse me," said a very nervous-looking man, "but where do I renew a book that is 15 years overdue?""15 years?" asked Lionel. "Wow, Dad sure is going to be angry when he . . . hey, that's it! Right this way. Follow us."They all walked up to Theo, and Leona said, "Daddy, this man has a book that was due 15 years ago.""Did you say 15 years?!" said Theo, starting to shake."Here it comes," whispered Lionel to Leona, and they both covered their ears. Theo stepped back, took a huge breath, and . . .

"Roar," said Theo. But it was only a tiny roar. They could hardly hear it. Lionel and Leona watched as their dad led the man to the library desk.

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Between the Lions . The Roar That Makes Them Run | PBS Kids

"What if Dad has no mighty roar because he is really just . . . a big dog?" said Lionel."That would be terrible," said Leona. "We have to find out." So they walked to the library desk. "Daddy," said Leona, "are you sure you are a lion, and not just a big dog? Where is your mighty roar?"

"A big dog?" Theo laughed. "Okay, kids, I'll do the roar, but just once." He turned to the people in the library. "Hello, everybody? I'm going to do my mighty roar, but it is not for real, so there is no need to run." Theo stepped back, took a huge breath, and . . .

ROOOAAAARRRRRRRR!

Everybody ran out of the library. "No, wait! Come back!" said Theo.Leona and Lionel looked at each other, and then at their dad. "Wow!" they said. "That was great! Do it again!"Theo shook his head and said, "Although it is tempting, you two should go tell everybody to come back in. We have a whole library full of books that aren't being read."So Lionel and Leona walked out of the library to get the people. "I guess Dad is a lion after all," said Leona."Yeah," said Lionel, "and I want to have a mighty roar just like his when I grow up!"

The End

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Between the Lions . The Sad Dad | PBS Kids

Long ago, in a very small farmhouse, there lived a very big family. There was barely room to eat porridge. There was barely room to read a book. There was barely even room to put on pants. This made everyone mad - very mad! It was very bad. It made Dad very sad.

So the sad dad went to the wise woman to get some advice. He said, "Oh, wise woman, there is no room in my house for all of my family. It's bad - very bad." And the wise woman said,"Here is my advice: Go back and bring all your animals into the house."

The sad dad gladly followed this advice. But now there was even less room to eat porridge, less room to read a book, and less room to put on pants. This made everyone mad - very, VERY mad. It was very, VERY bad. It made Dad very, VERY sad.

So the VERY sad dad went back to the wise woman. He said, "Oh, wise woman, now there is even less room. It's bad - very, VERY bad." And the wise woman said, "Here is my advice: Go back and take the chickens out of the house."

The sad dad gladly followed this advice. Now there was a little more room, but there was still not enough room to eat porridge, still not enough room to read a book, and still not enough room to put on pants. Everyone was still mad - very, VERY mad. It was still bad - very, VERY bad. The dad was still sad - very, VERY sad.

So the very, VERY sad Dad went back to the wise woman. He said, "Oh, wise woman! It is still bad - very, VERY bad! And the wise woman said, "Here is my advice: Go back and take the goats out of the house." The sad dad gladly followed this advice. Again, there was a little more room, but things were still bad.

So the sad dad went back to the wise woman. The wise woman said, "Here is my final advice: Go back and take all the animals out of the house." The sad dad gladly followed this advice. He sent all of the animals out of the house.

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Between the Lions . The Sad Dad | PBS Kids

And now, even though there was still barely room to eat porridge, read a book, or put on pants...it was not so bad. "It could be worse," said the man.

And with that, he yelled out, "Hoopa!" And they all danced.

The End

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Between the Lions . Sausage Nose | PBS Kids

A woman sat in the kitchen of her little house. "My dear sweet husband will be home soon, and all we have for dinner is one radish. Well, at least we are very, very happy."There was a knock at the door. At the door was a strange old lady."I am a strange old lady," said the strange old lady. "Can I borrow a radish?"The woman let her into the house and said, "This radish is all we have, but you may take it, strange old lady.""Thank you," said the strange old lady. "You are so kind. In return, I will give you three wishes." The strange old lady held up three strange old fingers."Three wishes!" said the woman. "Wow! I think I'll wish for a nice big dinner for my dear sweet husband. I wish for . . . a sausage!"

A sausage appeared.

Soon the woman's husband returned. She met him and said, "Doesn't that smell delicious, dear? A strange old lady gave us three wishes, and I wished for a sausage!"The husband was not happy. "A strange old lady gave us three wishes, and you wished for a SAUSAGE? You blew it! You could have wished for anything in the world!" The man was angry. He said, "Phooey! I wish that sausage were on your NOSE!"The sausage stuck to the woman's nose. She could not get it off."Aaaah!" she cried. "Now see what you've done! You blew it this time! You wasted another wish, and now I have a sausage on my nose!"The man looked at her and said, "I am so sorry! And we only have ONE WISH LEFT!"

Now, you have to remember, this husband and wife had lived their whole lives with very little stuff. They didn't know what to wish for. They went to the library to read about all the stuff there was in the world that they could wish for.

"We must wish for something, like a castle of gold!" said the husband to his wife, who still had a sausage on her nose.The wife shook her head. "If we get a castle of gold, I will still have a sausage on

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Between the Lions . Sausage Nose | PBS Kids

my nose! I've got a better idea . . ."The husband knew he must listen to his wife. "I'm ready for your wish, bobolink. Whatever your heart desires."The woman began her wish. "I wish that the sausage be moved from my nose onto this dish . . . in the kitchen of our new castle filled with boxes of jewelry and sports cars and beautiful art and books and free Internet access and a home gym!" And their little house was transformed into a castle full of stuff, and the sausage was off her nose.

"Let's eat, chickadee," said the husband. The woman served him a sausage on a plate. "Is that the same one that was on your nose, poopsie?" asked the husband."It is . . . ," she replied."I don't think I want to eat that. Can I have a radish instead?" he asked.

But the radish was gone . . .

The End

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Between the Lions . Shooting Stars | PBS Kids

The mighty star lion who lives in the skySends a meteor storm into flight.

The meteors flash in a fiery danceThat parts the deep darkness of night,Like star after star after sparkling starShedding beautiful showers of light.And one little lion looks up at the skyAnd welcomes the marvelous sight.

Like dream after dream after silvery dreamThe starry-like shower falls bright,And one little lion looks up at the skyAs she sits, all alone, in the night.

Then one and then two and then three lions moreSoftly steal in from left and from right.And four sleepy lions all bathe in the glowOf the magical meteors' light.

The End

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Between the Lions . Something Fishy | PBS Kids

Cleo signed for a new delivery of books."Is it here? IS IT HERE?" shouted Lionel. Theo looked for the book as Lionel eagerly waited.Could it be "The Selfish Giant" by Trish Tishman?"No! That's not it!" said Lionel.Could it be "A Very Squishy Fish" by Kishma Fishburn?"No! That's not it!" said Lionel.Could it be "A Dishful of Knishes" by Misha Fisher?Lionel was sad. "No! That's not it either! Oh! It was supposed to be here today!""Ah!" said Theo. "Could this be the book you've been waiting for, Lionel? As if I didn't know.""Yes! Yes! This is it! 'Cliff Hanger and the Fish and the Eagle,' by Livingston Dangerously."

Leona followed Lionel into the Reading Nook. She didn't like Cliff Hanger books. "They're silly. They begin and end the same way every time! Cliff Hanger is hanging from a cliff at the beginning. Cliff Hanger is hanging from a cliff at the end," she explained. But she did like books about eagles, and she wanted Lionel to read to her. "I LOVE eagles! Eagles fly way up high! I wish I could fly like an eagle!"Lionel began to read.

In the book, Cliff is hanging from a cliff. Maybe today would be his day to get off the cliff.

Eagerly, Cliff reaches into his backpack and extracts his trusty survival manual. Using his expert decoding skills, Cliff begins to read. "If you wish to get off the cliff, dress yourself as a big fish."An eagle swoops by.

Leona thought that was crazy. "Disguise himself as a fish? Why a fish?""Because then the eagle will fly down and pick him off the cliff! Because eagles eat fish! Yeah! That's it! Because eagles eat fish!" said Lionel.They began to argue. "Eagles don't eat fish," said Leona."Yes, they do!" said Lionel. "They wouldn't put it in a Cliff Hanger book if it wasn't

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Between the Lions . Something Fishy | PBS Kids

true.""Sorry, Lionel. It just doesn't make sense in my brain."

What better way is there to settle an argument in a library than to look in a book?

The cubs found some books on eagles to see if Lionel was right. Do eagles eat fish? Lionel read from a book: "There are many different types of eagles. The largest in the world is the African Harpy Eagle. It eats monkeys.""Monkeys aren't fish! Ha!" cried Leona."But the Harpy is not the eagle that was in the Cliff Hanger book!" said Lionel.Lionel continued until . . .

"Bald eagles have white feathers on their heads. They are sometimes called sea eagles because they eat fish! They eat fish! F . . . I . . . S . . . H, fish! And that is the same kind of eagle that was in the Cliff Hanger book. And what does it have in its mouth? A fish."Leona said, "Lionel, you may have just helped make your little sister's greatest wish come true!""Huh?" said Lionel. And Leona left.

Leona came back to where they were looking at the eagle book.She was dressed as a fish, and she talked to the eagle in the book. "Look, eagle. I'm a fish! See? I'm wiggling like a fish! Come pick me up! I want to fly!"Lionel laughed at her. "Leona, an eagle is not going to pick you up.""Oh, yes it will, and I'm going to fly! You'll see! You said that eagles eat fish, Lionel. And Cliff Hanger dressed up like a fish."

Meanwhile, back inside the Cliff Hanger book, an eagle picks up Cliff in his fish costume. "Yippee! The eagle thinks I am a fish, and I am getting my wish!" But the eagle drops him in her nest for her eagle chicks to eat. Cliff jumps out, and ends up back on his branch, hanging from a cliff. (And that's why he's called Cliff Hanger.)Lionel kept on reading.

Lionel noticed his sister was in the book with Cliff, still dressed as a fish. She was being carried away by an eagle, high in the sky. She was flying! But sea eagles eat fish, not lion cubs. When the eagle discovered that Leona was really a lion cub in a fish suit, the eagle dropped her.

She fell and fell and fell . . .

Back in the library, Theo got Click to drag and drop her out of the book.Phew! Click saved her in the nick of time."Mom? Daddy? Know what?" said Leona. "Eagles eat fish, but they get upset if you dress like one."

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Between the Lions . The Spider and the Lie | PBS Kids

Leona was helping out at the front desk. A monkey came up and asked to borrow a book. "You need a library card," said Leona.

"Oops! I forgot my card," said the monkey, "but that spider over there can be the witness." Leona thought about it, and then gave the book to the monkey. "Make sure to bring it back tomorrow," said Leona.

The next day, Leona saw the same monkey. "I need the book back today," said Leona. "Who, me?" said the monkey. "I have never seen you before in my life." Leona did not know what to do. She really needed that book back.

So they went to court. Judge Click asked Leona what happened.

"Mr. Monkey C. Monkeydew promised to return the book," said Leona. "He said he would borrow it, and then bring it back today. And he didn't." Next, Judge Click questioned Mr. Monkeydew.

"No! It never happened, I tell you!" said the monkey. "I never took the book like she said I did. I never said what she said I said. I never saw the little fur ball in my life!" Everyone in the courtroom gasped.

Then Leona remembered the spider, and she whispered to her dad. Theo asked, "Mr. Monkeydew. Did you happen to SEE anything or anyone unusual when you were talking to this adorable, innocent little lion yesterday?"

Mr. Monkeydew answered, "I already told you. I did not talk to Miss Lion yesterday!" Then Cleo took over the questioning. "You did not talk to Miss Lion yesterday? Then I suppose you didn't notice that there was a witness to the scene? A spider?"

Mr. Monkeydew snorted and said, "A spider?! That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard!" Cleo continued, leaning closer. "A spider who heard everything? Who heard you promise? A spider on your HAT?"

Mr. Monkeydew laughed. "That shows how much you know! The spider wasn't on

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Between the Lions . The Spider and the Lie | PBS Kids

my hat, it was on that BOOK over there!" Mr. Monkeydew stopped, and his eyes grew very wide.

"AHA!" cried Cleo. She had tricked him into telling the truth.

"So, you admit there was a spider there!" said Theo. "And that the spider was present when you TALKED TO LEONA! " said Cleo.

"You promised her you would RETURN THAT BOOK, is that correct, Mr. Monkeydew?" said Theo. "If that's your real name!" said Cleo.

"Yes, yes, I admit it!" cried the monkey. "I lied! I did it! I lied about the whole thing!"

Everyone in the courtroom started talking at once. Click banged her gavel. "Order! Order in the court!" she said. Cleo turned to Judge Click and said, "No more questions, Your Honor."

Then they walked to the front desk. Theo said to the monkey, "You know, Mr. Monkeydew, library cards are free. If you get one, you can borrow as many books as you want." Mr. Monkeydew looked grateful. "Thank you, Mr. Lion. Thank you very much."

The End

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Between the Lions . Step by Step | PBS Kids

Cleo was busy closing up the library when Lionel ran in. "Mama, Mama, I found a treasure map! It fell out of a book! It looks like a map of the library."

Leona jumped up and down. "A treasure map! A treasure map!" she yelled.

Cleo looked at the map. "This was drawn by Barnaby B. Busterfield III," she said. "This library was his boyhood home."

"That means the treasure is here in this building!" Lionel exclaimed.

Busterfield heard the lions talking from up in the tower. "That's my treasure map," he said, "and it leads to my treasure!" He turned to the pigeons. "Walter! Clay! Stop them! They must not find my treasure!"

Walter said, "Okay, we will stop... uh...""Them?" said Clay."Yeah, them," said Walter.

"And step on it!" said Busterfield.

Back downstairs, Lionel, Leona, and Cleo followed the map to a red X on the big library desk. "Here it is!" said Lionel. They pushed the X, and a secret drawer opened. And inside the drawer there were step-by-step directions to the treasure!

The directions read:1. Face the desk.2. Turn left.3. Turn left.4. Turn left yet again.5. Get ready, get set. Take 27 steps to the left.

So the lions turned, and turned, and turned. Then they stepped, and stepped, and stepped some more. When they finished turning and stepping, they were standing in front of a shelf. They pulled out the seventh book from the left and... the

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Between the Lions . Step by Step | PBS Kids

bookcase slid open. Inside was a chest! But what was inside the chest? It was a SECOND set of step-by-step directions!

These directions led them to a rock with a red X on it. And who was sleeping on the rock but Theo. "Wake up, Daddy!" yelled Leona. "Treasure coming through!"

Theo jumped straight up in the air. "Ahh! I'm up! I'm up!"

Now that Theo was awake, he helped them move the rock. When the lions looked under the rock, they saw... the final set of directions! "There sure are a lot of steps in these step-by-step directions," said Lionel.

The lions followed these last directions. At the end they found a second chest. But this time, when they opened the chest, it was empty. Empty except for a single pigeon feather!

"Why would Busterfield keep a feather in a chest?" asked Lionel. "A feather is not treasure."

Leona held her stuffed animal up to her ear. "What's that, Luvy?" said Leona. "It looks like the perfect place to store a teddy bear? I think you may be right."

High above the library books, the pigeons gave Busterfield his teddy bear. Busterfield was very happy. "Oh, Wetty Beddy Teddy, how I've missed you all these years!" he said. "Now that we are back together, we will never be parted again!"

So someone got a treasure after all!

The End

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Between the Lions . Stop That Chicken! | PBS Kids

"Fun With Chicken Jane and the Pond"

"Look, Dot, look!" said Scot. "There is a rock."

"Yes, Scot, yes!" said Dot. "Let us hop onto the rock."

"Oh, Dot, oh!" said Scot. "We are on top of the rock."

"Let us hop on the rock top, Scot," said Dot.

"Hop! Hop! Hop! Hop! Hop! Hop!" said Scot.

"Oh, it is fun," said Dot. "It is fun to hop on top of a rock."

"Look, Dot, look," said Scot. "Chicken Jane is writing the letters s-t-o-p. St-op. Stop."

"Stop, Scot, stop!" said Dot. "Do not hop!"

Crash!

"Look, Scot, look," said Dot. "Chicken Jane is in the pond."

"We are not in the pond," said Scot.

"Thank you, Chicken Jane!" said Scot and Dot.

Look, look, see, seeGoing up the laneThere goes ScotThere goes DotThere goes Chicken Jane!

"Cluuuuuck!" said Chicken Jane.

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Between the Lions . Teacher's Pet | PBS Kids

"I'm so excited about taking the kids to my pride's reunion," said Cleo as she packed the suitcases. "It won't be the same without you there, Theo."

Theo flipped through the pages of the pride's newsletter. "Well, someone has to stay behind and take care of the library," he said. "Besides, look at all these great activities for you and the cubs!

"There's the 'Sneaking through the Bushes without Being Seen' competition. And the 'Long Distance Team Smell' competition. You're sure to win both of those, Cleo."

"Thanks, honey," said Cleo. "But I'm most eager to see Teacher Jean Creaky. I wrote down everything she taught me in my journal so I'd never forget it. Teacher Creaky was a really terrific teacher."

"ROAR!" Leona and Lionel sprung out of nowhere and pounced on Cleo.

"Pounce on mommy! Pounce on mommy!" sang Leona.

"Wait a minute," said Lionel. "That's the first time we were ever able to pounce on Mom."

"You're right, Lionel," said Cleo. "I couldn't hear or smell or tell you were sneaking up on me." Cleo stopped. "Uh-oh . . ."

"Ah-CHOOOOO!" Cleo's sneeze was so strong, it knocked Lionel and Leona right off their feet.

"Oh, no!" she cried. "I must have the 'I Can't Hear or Smell or Tell-If-Someone's-Sneaking-Up-On-Me Flu!'" Cleo pulled a tissue from the New Lion-Size Box and blew her nose. "I'b soddy, cugs. We riddy cad go on deh trib."

"Isn't there anything we can do to help?" asked Leona.

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"The last time I had this flu," said Cleo, "I was not much older than Leona. My teacher, Jean Creaky, cured me. If only I could remember how she did it."

Cleo suddenly jumped up.

"That's it! I don't have to remember because I wrote down everything she taught me in my journal! Now where did I put that journal?"

"Don't worry, honey," said Theo. "We've got three good noses here. We'll sniff it out. Lionel, you go that way. Leona, you go that way. I'll go this way."

And Theo and the cubs were off to look for the journal.

"Ahhhhh-CHOOOOOOOO!"

Cleo let out another humongous sneeze. Just as she finished wiping her nose, Leona ran in holding an old tattered book.

"Mommy! I found your journal!"

"I would have found it, too, if you'd sent me in the right direction," Lionel told Theo as they returned to the den.

Cleo opened the journal. "August 1," she read. "Today I had the 'I Can't Hear or Smell or Tell-If-Someone's-Sneaking-Up-On-Me Flu.' My teacher, Miss Creaky, treated me. Her cure made me heal."

Cleo read about how Teacher Creaky wrapped her in a blanket of banana leaves and made her breathe steam. So Theo wrapped Cleo in a battery-operated electric banana blanket and brought her a steaming humidifier.

Next, Cleo read about how Teacher Creaky put one eardrop in each of her ears and gave her meat ice cream to eat. So Theo put one eardrop in each of Cleo's ears, and brought her a nice big helping of meat ice cream on a stick.

"Then," read Cleo, "Teacher Creaky said she would count to ten, and I would be all better."

Lionel, Leona, and Theo all counted to ten together. ". . . seven, eight, nine, ten!"

They all looked at Cleo, wondering if the cure had healed her. Suddenly, Leona jumped toward Cleo from behind. But Cleo stepped out of the way and . . .

CRASH!!! Leona landed on the ground.

"Cleo, you ducked! You could hear her pouncing!" said Theo.



"Yes, and I smelled her, too!"

"Mom's cured!" said the cubs.

"All thanks to that journal," said Theo. "I sure am glad you wrote it all down."

"I sure am glad I had a teacher like Teacher Creaky. Cubs, let's finish packing!"

The End


Between the Lions . There's a Fly in My Soup | PBS Kids

Man:Waiter, there's a fly in my soup.Waiter:Don't say that, sir. Everyone will want one.

Man:Do you serve lobsters?Waiter:We serve anyone, sir.

Man:Waiter, there's a fly in my soup.Waiter:I'll put it in Lost and Found, sir. If nobody claims it in seven days, it's yours.

Man:Waiter, you've got your thumb on my cheeseburger!Waiter:Well, you wouldn't want me to drop it again, would you, sir?

Man:Waiter, why is there a fly in my soup?Waiter:Because there was no room in the potato salad, sir.

Man:Call the manager! I can't eat this terrible food.Waiter:There's no point, sir. He won't want to eat it either.

Man:Waiter, what's this fly doing in my soup?

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Between the Lions . There's a Fly in My Soup | PBS Kids

Waiter:I think it's the backstroke, sir.

Waiter:This is the best fish we've had for years.Man:Can I have some you haven't had for so long?

Man:You've got your thumb in my soup.Waiter:Don't worry, sir. It's not very hot.

Man:What's this spider doing in my soup?Waiter:I think he's trying to catch the fly, sir.

The End

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Between the Lions . Three Goats, No Waiting | PBS Kids

Once upon a time, there was a valley. And in this valley lived three billy goats Gruff. Now, these goats were very hungry. But wherever they looked, they found the same thing: dirt. No grass, just dirt. They looked, and looked, and then they looked some more. Finally they saw loads of fresh green grass on a hill past the river.

"Shall we go over to that hill, then?" asked the smallest goat."Most certainly," said the middle goat."I agree," said the biggest goat.So they headed for the hill.

But there was a problem: the only way to reach that hill was to cross a bridge. And under that bridge lived a big, hungry troll who liked to eat goats!

The little goat tried to cross the bridge first. Her hooves went trip-trap, trip-trap.

"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" croaked the troll, who needed a bath."Only the smallest, skinniest billy goat Gruff," said the little goat."Well, I'm going to gobble you up!" the troll roared.

Then the little goat said, "Excuse me, Mr. Troll, but why eat me when there's a bigger, juicier goat coming up the road behind me?"

The troll thought for a moment. "Okay," he said. "Go ahead. I want the bigger goat!" And he let the little goat go.

Soon the middle goat began to cross the bridge. Her hooves went trip-trap, trip-trap.

"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" croaked the troll, who needed his teeth brushed."Only the small and skinny billy goat Gruff," said the middle goat."I'm going to gobble you up!" the troll roared.

The middle goat said, "Excuse me, Mr. Troll, but why eat me when there's an even bigger, even juicier goat coming up the road behind me?"

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Between the Lions . Three Goats, No Waiting | PBS Kids

The troll thought for a moment. "Okay," he said. "Go ahead. I want the biggest goat!" And he let the middle goat go.

Soon the biggest goat crossed the bridge. His hooves went trip-trap, trip-trap.

"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" croaked the troll, who needed a haircut."Only the biggest goat you ever saw!" said the big goat."I'm going to gobble you up!" the troll roared.

"Oh, no you're not!" the big goat roared right back. And the big goat lowered his head, charged, and threw the troll into the river!

After the troll made a big ker-SPLASH in the water, the big goat crossed the rest of the bridge - trip-trap, trip-trap - and went up the hill. And so the three billy goats Gruff still live on their green hill, eating all the grass they want, and having a grand old time.

The End

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Between the Lions . To the Ship! To the Ship! | PBS Kids

Once there was a pirate called Mississippi Skip.He sailed a pirate ship with his first mate, Kip,One day he said, "Kip, I've got a big itch!Let's go on a trip, and make ourselves rich!"

So Kip steered the ship, with his parrot named Chip,And the cabin boy, Pip, started swabbing the ship,While Mississippi Skip read a treasure mapHe had secretly hidden in his big pirate cap.

X marked the spot where the treasure was found,On Hippo Rock Island, buried deep underground."Arrrgh!" said Skip. "It's buried treasure!Except for cookies, 'tis me greatest pleasure!"

"Set course for Hippo Island!" Skip yelled out to Kip,"And we'll surely be rich by the end of our trip!"But Skip didn't know that the trip would be tough,For a storm up ahead made the sea very rough.

Then the rain rained down! The wind whipped around!If they didn't watch out they might find themselves drowned!"Shiver me timbers!" cried Skip. "Hang on, me hearties!I don't want to go swimming for none of me party!"

Thunder rumbled! Lightning flashed! The boat began to tip!But Skip, Kip, Chip and Pip all held onto their grip.Until a huge wave crashed over the bowAnd dumped the ship on Hippo Island somehow!

"Hooray!" they all cried, "The storm's gone awayNot a cloud in the sky. It's a beautiful day!Now that we're out of the rain and the coldLet's all look around for that silver and gold!"

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Between the Lions . To the Ship! To the Ship! | PBS Kids

So Skip looked for Xs on small rocks and big boulders.And Kip did the same, with Chip on his shoulder.Skip searched the lowland, Kip searched the highland, And all the meanwhile Pip swabbed the island.

So Pip swabbed and swabbed, when surprise of surprisesHe saw a big X on the ground with his eyeses"Come quick! Here it is! Come dig in the ground!"And can you imagine what it was that they found?

A chest full of silver and rubies and goldAnd emeralds and diamonds - what a sight to behold!They were richer than rich! They were finer than fine!There were no pieces of eight, but some pieces of nine!

So they set sail for home, and a job well doneFor now they were rich, and they'd had lots of fun.Kip steered the ship, with Chip and with SkipAnd Pip returned to swabbing the ship.But now he used a gold-covered mopWith a big sparkly diamond on top!

The End

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Between the Lions . Too Cool | PBS Kids

From "Earl's Too Cool for Me"by Leah Komaiko; illustrated by Laura Cornell

Earl's got a bicycle made of hay.He takes rides on the Milky Way.Earl's too cool for me.

Earl's got a hat with a real horse feather.He wears socks made of chicken leather.Earl's too cool for me.

Earl knows all the letters in the Zulu alphabet.He caught wild boars in a butterfly net.Earl's too cool for me.

Earl's been to France and South Zanzibar.He drove to China in an egg roll car.Earl's too cool for me.

Earl swings with gorillas and when he's tired of that,He plays jazz with the alley cat.Earl's too cool for me.

Earl's friendly with the Martians and a few movie stars.He keeps monster eyes in empty jelly jars.Earl's too cool for me.

Now here comes Earl, and he's going to ask whyI'm not cool like he is, but all he says is, "Hi."We smile at each other

He's a regular guy!

Yes, Earl's pretty funny, and he's really nice.

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Between the Lions . Too Cool | PBS Kids

He's eight years old and only thrown up twice!We're cool as cool can be.

The End

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Between the Lions . Touching the Moon | PBS Kids

There once was a queen named Oona CartoonWho gazed at the moon over her lagoon."What a beautiful sight!I'm going to swoon.I want to touch that moonAnd I want to touch it soon!"

So, Queen CartoonOrdered her brother and her platoonsTo build a tower so highIt would reach to the moon."Use every box!Use every chair!Start the pile right hereAnd make it reach up to there!"

The queen's brother and platoonsPiled everything high.It rose over the kingdomAnd up into the sky.The queen climbed up,To be there soon,But when she got to the top,She could not touch the moon."Drat," she said,"The moon is still above my head."

"Higher! Higher!" she yelled."Get me more stuff!"But her servants didn't have enough.

"Don't give me excuses!There's not far to go!I know what will reach . . .

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Between the Lions . Touching the Moon | PBS Kids

That big grand piano!""Come on now, just do it! We're burnin' moonlight!I want to touch the moon,And I want to touch it soon, all right?Come on! Let's go!Get me that piano!"

Well, the servants were loyalAnd so they obeyed.They pulled out that piano,And the whole pile swayed.The tower collapsedWith a Crash! Bang! Boom!And that was the endOf Oona Cartoon.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Last Cliff Hanger | PBS Kids

Cliff is on his cliff!"Can't . . . hold . . . on . . . much . . . longer!"

Cliff sees a whale.Cliff reads his book."If you see a whale, jump onto it."

Cliff jumps onto the whale.

Then Cliff lands on the beach."What a blast! I'm free at last!" shouts Cliff.

"Are you Cliff Hanger?" asks a boy."Where is your cliff?"Cliff is sad. He misses his cliff.

A big wave puts Cliff back on the whale.

The whale shoots Cliff into the air with a water spout.But then the whale swims away.

Ah! Home at last."Can't . . . hold . . . on . . . much . . . longer!"

The End

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Between the Lions . Lionel's Antlers | PBS Kids

"The Story of Lionel's Antlers" by Leona. I'm the author.

One day, Lionel said, "Aaaaaaaaaaahhh! There are antlers on my head!"Mom said, "Hey! There ARE antlers on your head!"Lionel had woken up with antlers on his head. This was pretty weird, even for Lionel. He asked me to pinch him, in case it was a bad dream. I think that when he said "OW!" it meant he wasn't dreaming.I tried to cheer him up. I made some antlers. "Look! I have antlers, too!" I said.

"Maybe Santa will let me pull his sleigh this year . . . ," said Lionel sadly.I asked if I could pinch him again. But no. Lionel was still sad. Then Mom and Daddy had an idea. "You're a COAT RACK!" said Mom and Dad. But even giving Lionel a big job to do in the library didn't help. He didn't want to be a coat rack. Lionel just didn't want antlers. So, I did what I had to do - I made up a play. It went like this:

Once upon a time, in a magic forest, there was a beautiful magic princess. (That's me.) The animals of the forest were searching for food. Of course, animals like Click search for food on their computers."Searching . . . PLANTS . . . search yields 105,319 plants," said Click.The beautiful magic princess found a lion cub with antlers on his head. She did her magic antlers-off-your-head dance. "Antlers off your head. Off off off. Get the antlers off your head." And sure enough . . . They were still there! Rats! Poor Lionel.

There was only one thing left to do . . ."OW! Quit pinching me, Lionel." Now I was being pinched."WAKE UP," he said.It had all been a dream! It was just a story I made up in my sleep. Lionel's head was as flat as it ever was. No antlers!

Last night, Daddy had read me 'Imogene's Antlers.' I love that book. It's about a girl who wakes up one day with . . . can you guess? I must have still been thinking about it when I was asleep.Lionel laughed. "What a crazy idea, me with antlers."Yeah, that was crazy. I can't believe I really thought that Lionel had . . .

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Between the Lions . Lionel's Antlers | PBS Kids

"Ahhhh!!!" Lionel screamed. He had seen himself in the mirror. That branch behind him really looked like antlers. Maybe he could be a coat rack after all. Then I could hang my beautiful magic princess wand on him!

The End

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Between the Lions . Lionel's Great Escape Trick | PBS Kids

Lionel was hopping from one end of the library to the other. Hopping is easier than walking when you're tied up from head to tail in rope. "Lionel! Why are you all tied?" asked Leona."I'm training to be an escape artist like . . . Harry Houdini!" Lionel said from under the ropes."Harry Hou-who?""Harry Houdini! He's only the greatest magician who ever lived!""Ohhhh! Never heard of him," said Leona.Lionel showed Leona all about Harry Houdini, on the Harry Houdini Web site. "That's him! That's Harry Houdini! He lived a long time ago, but there's never been a better magician since." They explored the Web site. They clicked on Houdini's Greatest Tricks:The Lock TrickThe Rope TrickThe Milk Can TrickThe Sunken Box Thrown in a Big Cold Wet River Very Tricky Escape Trick

"Oooohhh," they said.

Lionel picked the trick he wanted to try. Can you guess which one it was?The Sunken Box Thrown in a Big Cold Wet River Very Tricky Escape Trick!But luckily, there was no big cold wet river in the library, so instead, Lionel climbed into the closet. With a very grand voice, he said, "And now I, Lioneldini, super escape artist, will escape. Could you close the door, please?"

Leona knew a few things about magic tricks, too. "Wait a minute!" she said. "Magic words! Do you know Houdini's magic words?""No," said Lionel. "Houdini didn't use magic words! It takes skill to do a trick, not magic words! Now close the door - I'm escaping!"

But Leona still wanted to help Lionel get out, so Click helped her pick some magic words. "Thick, brick, fiddlestick, tickle, pickle, limerick, magic words do the trick!" said Click. Back at the closet, Leona spoke the magic words. "Thick, brick, fiddlestick, tickle, pickle, limerick, magic words do the trick!" She opened the door

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Between the Lions . Lionel's Great Escape Trick | PBS Kids

and . . . Lionel was gone! Her mind filled with questions. Where could he be? Was her magic too strong? How would her mom and dad feel about having one cub instead of two?

Theo and Cleo arrived, and soon were very worried. "Be calm," said Click. "Lionel has not disappeared. I know where he is. I sent him into the Houdini Web site, as he requested." As quick as they could, they went online on the computer to find him.

Oh no! Lionel was in the thick of The Sunken Box Thrown in a Big Cold Wet River Very Tricky Escape Trick. He was getting thrown into the Big Cold Wet River!"Quick, Click, get him out of there!" they shouted."Executing command," said Click. "Lionel has been extricated from the crate with 4.78 seconds to spare! Applause for mouse!"Extricated from the crate? That means Click had saved Lionel. But where was he? Click explained, "I put him back in the closet where I found him, of course." Leona said her magic words again. "Thick, brick, fiddlestick, tickle, pickle, limerick, magic words do the trick!"At the same time, Lionel popped out of the closet, untied and very happy."Tah-dah!" he said proudly.The cubs began to argue."I did it! My magic words escaped you," said Leona."No, they didn't. I escaped from the ropes myself! I learned how to do it from Houdini," said Lionel. "I'm going to go learn a new trick, and then you'll see it wasn't your magic words!" He left."I better get some new magic words for when you get stuck and need help again!" And she left, too.

Theo and Cleo turned to their trusty mouse. Click had saved their Lionel from The Sunken Box Thrown in a Big Cold Wet River Very Tricky Escape Trick, and they remembered the most powerful magic words of all:"Thank you," said Theo."Thank you," said Cleo.

The End

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Between the Lions . Little Big Mouse | PBS Kids

Once upon a time, a little mouse walked up a big hill on her way to the cheese shop. But when she got to the top of the hill, the hill tilted. "Eek!" she cried. "Earthquake!" But it wasn't an earthquake. As it turns out, the hill wasn't a big hill at all. It was a big lion!The big lion jumped up and grabbed the little mouse by her tail. "Mmmm," said the lion. "What a tasty little tidbit. I think I can fit this little nibble in before dinner."

But the little mouse didn't want to be eaten. She was going to have a big cheese party that night, and she was really looking forward to it. So just when the big lion was about to drop her into his mouth, she said, "Please don't eat me! If you let me go, I'll return the favor and help YOU out one day!"

When the lion heard what the mouse said, he stopped, and began to roar with laughter. That was the funniest thing he had ever heard. "What, a little mouse like you? Help a big lion like me? That's so ridiculous!" The lion laughed some more, until his sides began to hurt. "Whoo! That's a good one!" But when he calmed down, he said to the little mouse, "Okay. Since you are such a comedian, I will let you go. But don't walk on my back anymore." And with that, he put the little mouse on the ground, and watched as she scampered away.

One day, a year later, the big lion was walking in the jungle on the way to his club when suddenly he was swept up into the air and was hanging from a tree. It was a hunter's net, and he was trapped! "Help! Help!" he cried. "Somebody come help me, quick!"As it happened, the little mouse was just then walking by, and she heard his scream. "Sounds like someone is in trouble," she said, and she ran over there lickety-split. She looked up in the air, and saw . . ."Hey, isn't that you?" she asked. "Aren't you the big lion who didn't eat me?"Although the big lion was in a fix, he recognized the little mouse."That's me," he said, sounding angry and scared. "Quick, now is your chance to do your favor. Run and go get help!"

But the little mouse heard the hunters' footsteps approaching. "There's no time for that," she said. She thought for a second, and then snapped her little fingers. "I've

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Between the Lions . Little Big Mouse | PBS Kids

got it. I'll get you free myself.""What? Are you crazy?" said the lion. "How can a little mouse like you free me from this great big net?"But while he was busy complaining, the mouse was busy running up the tree and chewing through the net. "Almost . . . there . . ." panted the little mouse between nibbles, hearing the hunters getting closer and closer . . .Suddenly, the ropes snapped, and the big lion was free! The lion stood up, roared a mighty roar, and the hunters all ran away. When the hunters were gone, the lion and the mouse shook hands.The mouse said, "See? I told you I would help you someday!""Wow!" said the lion. "I'm sure glad I didn't eat you! That was some quick thinking you did!"And from that day forward, the little mouse and the big lion were best friends. He would even let her walk on his back sometimes - when he wanted his back scratched.

The End

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Between the Lions . The Lost Rock | PBS Kids

"Radish: a crisp, spicy root, often eaten raw." Mr. Webster was walking through the library while reading the dictionary again."Watch out, that dictionary is heavy," said Theo."No, actually, it's not too . . . " But he didn't finish the sentence, because suddenly something whizzed through the air and landed on the desk with a crash!"Look, it's a rock," said Cleo."I hope I didn't hurt anybody," said the rock.Lionel's eyes got very wide. "Hey, he's a TALKING rock. Cool!"Leona patted him on his top. "Oh, he is so cute," she said. "Can I keep him? I'll wash him and polish him and call him Larry."

The rock looked at everybody and said, "Like, thanks for the invitation, man, but I need to return to my book. The problem is, I don't know which book is my home. I think I remember a rooster, a rocket, and a robot.""Well, let's search with those words and see what we find," Cleo said, as she typed on the keyboard. "Aha, here we are: a video called 'Rocket-Doodle-Doo.' Let's watch it and see if this is the rock's home." So they started the video, and this is what they heard . . .

"Well, a rocketship landed on my roof last night,And out came a robot and a rooster, that's right.The robot played guitar, and the rooster played kazoo,And they played a little song called Rocket-Doodle-Doo.Rock, rock, Rocket-Doodle-Doo . . . "

"Wait, stop the tape," said the rock. "Like, that's not my home, man. They say 'rock,' but it's not me. Plus, I think I'm from a book. Oh, I'll never get home!" Larry started to cry tiny pebbles.Leona patted him again and said, "Don't cry, Larry. We'll find your home. It has to be in the library somewhere. We just have to think where that might be. Hmm . . . ""Excuse me," said Mr. Webster. "I don't mean to bother all of you, but there is a problem with this dictionary. Right here, just after 'robot,' there should be a picture of a rock, but it's missing."

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Between the Lions . The Lost Rock | PBS Kids

Lionel looked at the book and said, "Hey! It's your home! You are the rock from the dictionary. Wow! You are a very important rock.""Hooray!" the rock yelled. "I can go home now." The rock turned to the lion family and said, "Like, thanks for everything, man. And now, if you will excuse me, I have a job to do in that book."And with that, he was gone, back into his book. "Bye, Larry," said Leona, with a tear in her eye. "I'll always remember you!"

"Well, I'm glad he found his home," said Theo.Cleo hugged Leona and said, "Cheer up, Leona. It's important that the rock is back in the dictionary, because . . . " But she didn't finish the sentence, because suddenly something rolled down the stair banister and landed with a crash! It was a bowling ball, and he looked kind of lost."Ooh!" said Leona. "Can I keep him? I'll wash him and polish him and call him . . . Steve. Please?"

The End

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Between the Lions . The Lucky Duck | PBS Kids

Theo was reading a book to Leona and Lionel. It was called "The Lucky, Lucky, Lucky Duck." And it went like this . . .

The cute little duck jumps in a cute little puddle. Oh, what a lucky duck! "Quack!" says the lucky duck.The cute little duck splashes in the cute little puddle. Oh, what a lucky, lucky duck! "Quack, quack!" says the lucky, lucky duck.The cute little duck jumps out of the cute little puddle and takes a nap in the sun. Oh, what a lucky, lucky, lucky duck! And so the lucky, lucky, lucky duck snores quietly, "Quack, quack, quack..."The End

Leona sighed. "That duck is so cute. He may be the cutest thing I have ever seen."Lionel grabbed his head and said, "Aaaah! I can't take it anymore! All this cuteness! It's just so . . . so cute! I have to change this story somehow to make it less cute." Lionel left the room, carrying a pen and some paper.

A little later, Lionel came back into the room. "I've got it," he said. "I've made the story less cute - and a lot better, if I do say so myself." He cleared his throat. "This is the story of the yucky, yucky, yucky duck."

The cute little duck jumps in a cute little mud puddle. Oh, what a yucky duck! "Quack!" says the yucky duck.The cute little duck splashes in the cute little mud puddle. Oh, what a yucky, yucky duck! "Quack, quack!" says the yucky, yucky duck.The cute little duck jumps out of the cute little mud puddle and takes a nap in the sun. Oh, what a yucky, yucky, yucky duck! "Quack, quack, quack!" says the yucky, yucky, yucky duck.The End

"So, what do you think?" asked Lionel, closing his book.Leona wrinkled her nose. "I liked it better when he was cute," she said."Well, I like MY version better," said Lionel. "Dad, which one did YOU like better?""Yeah, which one?" asked Leona.But Theo liked both versions. Each was good in its own way, and he told them so.

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Between the Lions . The Lucky Duck | PBS Kids

"Aw, Dad!" said Lionel and Leona. "You ALWAYS say that."

The End

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Between the Lions . Oh, Yes, It Can! | PBS Kids

One day, storyteller Karen Kandel visited the library. She told a story from the Ashanti people of West Africa. It was about a yam that could talk! When the story was over, Leona picked up the storyteller's yam and said, "I wonder what this yam would say if it could really talk." Suddenly, the yam slipped out of Leona's hands and fell to the floor.

"Oops!" Leona said as she picked it up. "Sorry."

"Hey! Next time be more careful!"

"Who's that talking?" said Leona.

"I am," said the yam.

"Aaah!" cried Leona, and she dropped the yam and ran to find Lionel.

When Leona found Lionel, he was hunting for something. "Hey, Leona, have you seen my baseball glove? I know I dropped it around here somewhere . . ."

But Leona said, "Lionel! The yam! The yam talked!"

"I don't think so, Leona," said Lionel. "Yams can't talk." Lionel pulled his baseball glove out from under a heap of books. "There you are!" he said.

"I thought you'd never find me."

"Who's that talking?" said Lionel.

"I am," said the glove.

"Aaah!" cried Lionel. He dropped the glove, and the cubs ran off to find Cleo. When the cubs found her, she was hammering a nail into the wall.

"Mom! Mom!" cried the cubs.

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"The yam talked!" said Leona.

"And then my glove talked!" said Lionel.

"Oh, that's silly! Yams and gloves can't talk!" said Cleo. "Ow! I hit my thumb! Bad hammer!"

"You should be more careful."

"Who's that talking?" said Cleo.

"I am," said the hammer.

"Aaah!" cried Cleo. "This can't be happening!" And the hammer said, "Oh, yes, it can!"

Cleo dropped the hammer, and all three lions ran off to find Theo. When they found him, he was outside taking a walk around the library. "Theo, the hammer talked to me!" said Cleo.

"My glove talked to me!" said Lionel.

"The yam talked to me!" said Leona.

"Take it easy now! You know very well that yams and gloves and hammers can't talk."

"They can! They can! Oh, yes they can!"

"Who's that talking?" said Theo.

"I am," said the library. "And my roof could use a few repairs." The lions all looked at each other.

"We'd better scram!" they cried, and they ran as fast as they could to find the storyteller.

"Karen!" cried Theo. "The library, the hammer, the baseball glove, the yam - they're all talking! Can you imagine that?"

"Yes, I can!" said Karen. "All the things you heard talk were reminding you all to be more careful and pay better attention."

"Really?!" said the lions.



"Then again," said Karen, "it might just be your imaginations running wild."

"Yes! That's it!" said the lions. "Just our imaginations. Thanks, Karen!"

Karen picked up her stool and the rest of her things. As she walked out of the library, she said to herself, "A day in the library can be quite exciting, can't it?" And the stool said, "It can! It can! Oh, yes it can!"

The End


Between the Lions . The Old Man | PBS Kids

I am done! My latest story is complete!

"The Old Man," by Babs Caplan!

It was a dark and stormy night. The old man had a story to tell, and this is the story the old man told . . .




The End.

Why, this may be the best story anyone's EVER written!

The End

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Between the Lions . Trains and Brains and Rainy Plains | PBS Kids

From "Bringing the Rain to the Kapiti Plain"by Verma Aardema.

This is the great Kapiti Plain,All fresh and green from the African rains -A sea of grass for the ground birds to nest in,And patches of shade for wild creatures to rest in.

But one year the rains were so very belated,That all of the big wild creatures migrated.

Then Ki-pat helped to end that terrible drought-And this story tells how it all came about!This is the cloud, all heavy with rain,That shadowed the ground on Kapiti Plain.

This is the grass, all brown and dead,That needed the rain from the cloud overhead-The big, black cloud, all heavy with rain,That shadowed the ground on Kapiti Plain.

This is Ki-pat, who watched his herdAs he stood on one leg, like the big stork bird;

Ki-pat, whose cows were so hungry and dry,They mooed for the rain to fall down from the sky;To green-up the grass, all brown and dead,That needed the rain from the cloud overhead-

The big, black cloud, all heavy with rain,That shadowed the ground on Kapiti Plain.

This is the eagle who dropped a feather,

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Between the Lions . Trains and Brains and Rainy Plains | PBS Kids

A feather that helped to change the weather.

This is the arrow Ki-pat put together,With a slender stick and an eagle feather;

This is the bow so long and strong,And strung with a string, a leather thong;A bow for the arrow Ki-pat put together,With a slender stick and an eagle feather.

This was the shot that pierced the cloudAnd loosed the rain with thunder LOUD!

It fell near Ki-pat, who watched his herdAs he stood on one leg, like the big stork bird;

So the grass grew green, and the cattle fat!And Ki-pat got a wife and a little Ki-pat Who tends the cows now, and shoots down the rain,When black clouds shadow Kapiti Plain.

The End

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Between the Lions . Treats! | PBS Kids

The lions were sitting in the library, waiting for the ad team to arrive.

"I can't believe we will have our own commercial for the library," said Theo.

"Yeah," said Lionel. "And this team is sooooo good!"

"When will they be here?" asked Leona.

Cleo sniffed the air and said, "Right... about... now."

A monkey and his two assistants came into the room. "Do I have a great ad for you!" said Jeff Kidding, the ad monkey. "You will love it, love it, LOVE it! Do you want to see it?"

"Sure!" said the lions.

"Well, in that case, here it is!" said Jeff. He pushed the "play" button, and they all watched the ad.

The ad said, "Jump!"The ad said, "Pump!"The ad said, "Ride!"The ad said, "Slide!"But the ad did not show even one book.

When the ad was done, Jeff said, "Well, what do you think? Was that GREAT or what?"

The lions looked at each other. Lionel said, "Well... the words were cool, I guess."

And Leona said, "Um... the music was kind of good."

But Theo said, "I think the ad needs some books in it."

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"This IS a library, you know," added Cleo.

Jeff thought for a moment. "Oh, yeah! Books! It needs books! Okay. Tomorrow, books!"

The next day, Jeff returned with the new ad. "This one is FULL of books. You will love it, love it, LOVE it! Do you want to see it?"

"Sure!" said the lions.

"Well, in that case, here it is!" said Jeff. He pushed the "play" button, and they all watched the ad.

The new ad showed books.The new ad showed lots of books.The new ad showed lots and lots of books.The new ad showed lots and lots and lots of books.But it did not show anyone in the library.

When the ad was done, Jeff said, "Was that CLASSY or what? And did you see the books? Those were lots and lots of books!"

The lions looked at each other. Theo said, "Well, there WERE lots of books..."

"But where is everyone?" asked Cleo. "A library should always be full of lions and monkeys and chickens reading the books."

The monkey stared for a moment, and then began to cry. "Oh, I don't know anything about libraries! It's hopeless!"

"Well, I can help with that," said Leona "The library is like a beautiful garden. The books are the flowers. And you can pick any book you want and read it with someone you love."

"Okay, I will try one more time," said the ad monkey, drying his eyes.

The next day, Jeff returned with the NEW new ad. "I really hope you like this one. Do you want to see it?"

"We think so," said the lions.

"Well, in that case, here it is," said Jeff. He pushed the "play" button, and they all watched the ad.

There was music!There was dancing!



There were books!And there were lions AND monkeys in the library!

The ad was great!

In fact, the ad was so great that in no time at all the library was full of monkeys looking for books! Leona said, "Thank you very much, Mr. Jeff Kidding. I knew you could do it!"

Jeff smiled and said, "I guess the best commercial for the library is the library itself. With a cute cub included, of course," he added.

The End


Between the Lions . Tweet! Tweet! | PBS Kids

"Something to Think About If It's True That Birds Are Descended from Dinosaurs" by Jeff Moss and illustrations by Tom Leigh

What colors were the dinosaurs?Well, no one's ever seen one.Some think that if they saw a dinoIt might be a green one.

But here's another theory -Think of birds and then you'll knowThat these are the true colorsOf the dinos long ago.

There were:Purple spotted stegosaurs,And blue Iguanodons,There were orange Oviraptors,Bright red Hypsilophodons,

And each pink TyrannosaurusHad a yellow polka dot -And there you have the colorsOf the dinosaurs . . . (Or not.)

"Something Else to Think About If It's True That Birds Are Descended from Dinosaurs" by Jeff Moss and illustrations by Tom Leigh

Tyrannosaurus walked down the street.He opened his mouth and roared, "Tweet! Tweet!"

The End

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Between the Lions . Two Coats, One Goat, and One Boat | PBS Kids

From "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat"by Simms Taback.

Joseph had a little overcoat. It was old and worn. So he made a jacket out of it and went to the fair.

Joseph had a little jacket. It got old and worn. So he made a vest out of it and danced at his nephew's wedding.

Joseph had a little vest. It got old and worn. So he made a scarf out of it and sang in the men's chorus.

Joseph had a little scarf. It got old and worn. So he made a necktie out of it and went to visit his married sister in the city.

Joseph had a little necktie. It got old and worn. So he made a handkerchief out of it and drank a glass of hot tea with lemon.

Joseph had a little handkerchief. It got old and worn. So he made a button out of it and used it to fasten his suspenders.

Joseph had a little button. One day he lost it. Now he had nothing.

So Joseph made a book about it. Which shows you can always make something out of nothing!

The End

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Between the Lions . What Parakeets Need | PBS Kids

Leona and Lionel were playing in the roof garden when they saw their parents coming. But it wasn't just their parents. It was their parents carrying something big covered with a sheet! Cleo said, "We have a surprise for you, cubs!"

Theo said, "Yes, your mother and I thought you were ready to take some responsibility."

"Yay! You got us a responsibility!" yelled the cubs. Leona stopped yelling. "Wait a minute," she said. "What's a responsibility?"

"Responsibility," said Cleo, "is when you have a job to do, and you do it carefully and well. Sometimes responsibility is about taking care of something or someone."

"Like your mother and I take care of you," added Theo.

"Wow, cool!" said Lionel.

"Yeah, but I still want to know what's under the sheet!" said Leona.

"Okay, cubs, here you go!" said Theo, and he pulled off the sheet.

"Aw, a little parakeet," said Leona. "It's so cute!"

"Yeah, thanks!" said Lionel. "But... uh... how do we take care of it?"

Theo handed Lionel a book. "See," said Theo, "that's where this book comes in. It tells you everything you need to know about parakeet care."

"Lionel, I think you'll be able to read the book yourself," said Cleo. "But if you need any help, you can come get us." And Theo and Cleo went back downstairs.

Lionel opened the book and started reading. "Hey, look at this," he said to Leona. "It says here you can train your parakeet to talk."

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"To talk?" gasped Leona.

"Yes, that's what it says," said Lionel. "Just repeat something over and over again."

Leona thought for a moment. "Oh, I know," she said. "My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety."

"Sweety Tweety?" asked Lionel.

"Yes," said Leona, "that's the perfect name for a parakeet. My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety."

Leona was getting a little tired. And the parakeet wasn't saying anything. "Does the book say when it will talk, Lionel?" she asked.

"Let's see," said Lionel, picking up the book again. "You have been talking for three minutes. The book says it can take up to... three weeks."

"Three WEEKS?" sighed Leona. "Well, okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety."

Three weeks went by. And Leona was still trying! "My... name... is... Sweety Tweety. My... name... is... Sweety Tweety." Leona was very tired. And Sweety Tweety was very... quiet. Leona was about ready to give up. "This is NEVER going to work," she said.

Leona's parents came up to see her. They saw that she needed cheering up. Leona said, "Mama, maybe I should just give up. Maybe Sweety Tweety won't ever learn to talk."

"Leona, honey," said Cleo, "some things take time. Keep trying, and believe in yourself."

Leona looked at her mother and said, "Yes, you are right. I can't give up now. Sweety Tweety needs me! My name is Sweety Tweety. My name is Sweety Tweety."

And then suddenly, the following day, Sweety Tweety talked! "My name is Sweety Tweety! My name is Sweety Tweety! Squawk!" said Sweety Tweety.

The lion family was thrilled. "Leona, you did it!" said Lionel. "That's great!"

"Yes, Leona. You really stuck with it," said Theo.



"We're all very proud of you," said Cleo.

And then someone else spoke: the parakeet! "Excuse me, I'm Sweety Tweety. As long as I'm talking, I would like a new perch - my feet are getting sore - and some new toys, and better food, and..."

The lions stared at Sweety Tweety as he kept talking, and talking, and talking.

"Hmm..." said Leona. "I wonder how you get a parakeet to STOP talking."

The End


Between the Lions . Why the Baboon's Balloon Went Ka-boom! | PBS Kids

From "Because a Little Bug Went KA-CHOO!" by Rosetta Stone. Illustrated by Michael Frith.

You may not believe it, but here's how it happened. One fine summer morning . . . a little bug sneezed. Because of that sneeze, a little seed dropped. Because that seed dropped, a worm got hit.

Because he got hit, that worm got mad. Because he got mad, he kicked a tree. Because of that kick, a coconut dropped. Because that nut dropped, a turtle got bopped.

Because he got bopped, that turtle named Jake fell on his back with a splash in the lake. Because of that splash, a hen got wet. Because she got wet, that hen got mad.

Because she got mad, that hen kicked a bucket. Because of that kick, the bucket went up. Because it went up . . . the bucket came down. Because it came down, it hit Farmer Brown. And that bucket got stuck on his head.

Because it got stuck, Farmer Brown phoned for help. Because of his phone call, policemen came speeding. Because they were speeding, they hit a big stone. And so one policeman flew up all alone.

Because he flew up . . . he had to come down. And because he came down on the boat Mary Lou . . . and because he hit hard . . . he went right on through. He made a big hole in the boat Mary Lou.

Because of that hole, the boat started to sink. And because it was sinking . . . well, what do you think? Everyone, EVERYONE started to yelp. And Mrs. Brown called on the phone for more help.

Because of her phone call, MORE help came . . . FAST! They tied a strong rope to

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Between the Lions . Why the Baboon's Balloon Went Ka-boom! | PBS Kids

the Mary Lou's mast. And because of that rope the boat didn't go down. But it had to be fixed. So they started for town.

And because they went THERE - it's true, I'm afraid - they ran right into a circus parade. And THAT started something they'll never forget. And as far as I know, it is going on yet.

And that's how it happened. Believe me. It's true. Because . . . just because . . . a small bug went KA-CHOO.

The End

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Between the Lions . You Can't Catch Me! | PBS Kids

Once upon a time there lived an old man and an old woman who had no children. So they baked a gingerbread man. When they took him out of the oven, they were happy. But then he jumped out of the pan and ran away.

"Come back!" called the old man and the old woman. But the gingerbread man just laughed and said, "Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm the gingerbread man!" And they couldn't catch him.

The gingerbread man ran and ran. He ran past a cow standing on a patch of grass. The cow said, "Mmm! A gingerbread man. I'm going to eat you!" But the gingerbread man just laughed and said, "Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm the gingerbread man!" And the cow couldn't catch him.

The gingerbread man ran and ran. He ran past a ram in a carrot patch. The ram said, "Mmm! A gingerbread man. I'm going to eat you!" But the gingerbread man just laughed and said, "Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm the gingerbread man!" And the ram couldn't catch him.

The gingerbread man ran and ran, until he came to a river. Just then a fox walked by and said, "Mmm! A gingerbread man. I'm going to eat you!" But the gingerbread man just laughed and said, "Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm the gingerbread man!"

"Maybe I can't catch you," said the fox, taking a step closer, "but if you try to cross that river, you will surely get wet and crumble to pieces. Hop on my tail, and I'll carry you across." So the gingerbread man did just that.

The fox began to swim. As he did, his tail dipped into the water, and he said, "Oh, dear. My tail is getting wet. Climb onto my back to stay dry." So the gingerbread man did just that.

The fox swam on. But soon he said, "Oh, dear. Now my back is getting wet. Climb onto my nose to stay dry." So the gingerbread man did just that.

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Between the Lions . You Can't Catch Me! | PBS Kids

The gingerbread man looked back and saw the old man, the old woman, the cow, and the ram, standing at the bank of the river. He laughed and said, "Run, run as fast as you can! You can't catch me! I'm..."

But before the gingerbread man could say another word, the fox flipped him into his mouth. And that was the end of the gingerbread man.

The End

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Between the Lions . Zoop! Zoop! | PBS Kids

From "Abiyoyo - A Story Song" by Pete Seeger; illustrated by Michael Hays

Once upon a time, there was a little boy who played the ukulele. Around town he'd go, clink, clunk, clonk, clink, clunk! The grownups would say, "Take that thing out of here!"

Not only that. The boy's father got in trouble. The boy's father was a magician. He had a magic wand. He'd go ZOOP! ZOOP! and make things disappear.

But he played too many tricks on people. He'd come up to someone about to drink a nice cold glass of something. ZOOP! The glass disappears. Someone doing a hard job of work, ZTT, ZTT, ZTT, up comes the father with his magic wand. ZOOP! No saw. He'd come up to someone about to sit down after a hard day's work. ZOOP! No chair.

People said to the father, "You get out of here. Take your magic wand and your tricks, and you and your son just git!" The boy and his father were ostracized. That means they made 'em live on the edge of town.

Now, in this town the old people used to tell stories about the giants that lived in the old days. They used to tell about a giant called ABIYOYO. They said he was as tall as a tree and could eat people up! Of course, nobody believed the story, but they told it anyway.

One day, the sun rose blood red over the hill. The first people got up and looked out the window. They saw a great big shadow in front of the sun. They could feel the whole ground shake.

Women screamed. Strong men fainted. "Run for your lives! ABIYOYO's coming!"

He comes to the pasture. He grabs a whole sheep. YEOWP! He grabs a whole cow. YUNK! Men yelled, "Grab your most precious possessions and run! Run!"

Just then, the boy and his father woke up. "Hey, Paw, what's coming over the

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Between the Lions . Zoop! Zoop! | PBS Kids

fields?" "Why, son, that's ABIYOYO! Oh, if only I could get him to lie down, I could make him disappear!"

The boy says, "Come with me, Paw." He grabbed his father by one hand. The father gets the magic wand, and the boy gets his ukulele. They run across the field. People yelled, "Don't go near him! He'll eat you alive!"

There was ABIYOYO! He had long fingernails 'cause he never cut 'em. He had slobbery teeth 'cause he didn't brush 'em, stinking feet 'cause he didn't wash 'em, matted hair 'cause he didn't comb it.

ABIYOYO raised up his claws . . .

Just then, the boy whips out his ukulele. The boy starts strumming. PLINK! PLUNK! PLINK! "A-BI-YO-YO, A-BI-YO-YO . . ." he sang.

Well, you know, the giant had never heard a song about himself before. A foolish grin spread over his face. And the giant started to dance. The boy went faster, "A-BI-YO-YO, BI-YO-YO, YO-YO-YO, A-BI-YO-YO, BI-YO-YO, YO-YO-YO."

The giant got out of breath. He staggered. He fell down flat on the ground. Up steps the father. ZOOP! ZOOP! The giant vanished.

People looked out their windows. "He's gone! ABIYOYO's disappeared!" The people ran across the fields. They lifted the boy and his father up on their shoulders.

They said, "Come back to town! Bring your darn ukulele. We don't care anymore." And they all sang: "A-BI-YO-YO, A-BI-YO-YO, A-BI-YO-YO, A-BI-YO-YO, A-BI-YO-YO, BI-YO-YO, YO-YO-YO, AB-I-YO-YO, BI-YO-YO, YO-YO-YO."

The End

http://pbskids.org/lions/printables/stories/story_zoop.html (2 of 2) [6/11/2002 23:40:03]

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