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The Squirrel Who Squeaked Sideways
Visit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!
Spencer the squirrel was a creature of routine: up at dawn, two nuts for breakfast, and an hour of vigorous tail-brushing. But today, something was dreadfully wrong. When he tried to greet his friend, Penelope the pigeon, instead of a cheerful "Good morning!" what came out was a high-pitched, completely sideways squeak that sounded a lot like a rusty bicycle wheel.
"Did you just… talk in morse code?" Penelope cooed, tilting her head.
Spencer tried again, clearing his throat dramatically. "I'm having a problem with my SQUEAK!" The squeak was followed by a pop sound. He tried to explain his predicament, but everything he said came out as a mix of whistles, honks, and sounds only a foghorn would be proud of.
He visited Professor Algernon, a wise old tortoise who lived in a hat box and collected facts. "Professor," Spencer squeaked, pointing frantically to his mouth.
Professor Algernon slowly lowered his tiny spectacles. "Ah, yes. A classic case of Vocal-Shift-i-cus Nutterus. The tongue of the speaker has become slightly disconnected from the brain's speaking center and is sending all the words out sideways."
"Is there a cure?" Spencer managed to honk.
"Indeed," said the Professor. "You must consume three things that are known for their straightness: a perfectly straight pine needle, a very flat pancake, and a yawn that travels straight up to the sky."
Spencer went immediately to work. The pine needle was easy. He convinced a busy beaver to make him a perfectly flat pancake. Finally, he looked up at the sun and gave the biggest, stretchiest, most wonderfully straight yawn he could manage. His mouth opened wide, the yawn traveled all the way to the blue sky, and when he snapped his jaw shut, he said, in a perfectly normal, cheerful voice: "Hello!"
"It worked!" chirped Spencer, doing a little happy jig. Penelope was impressed. Professor Algernon simply adjusted his spectacles and made a note: Perfectly flat pancakes are also delicious.
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By Matthew MitchellVisit the “A Bedtime Story” show website to submit your story ideas for a future episode!
Spencer the squirrel was a creature of routine: up at dawn, two nuts for breakfast, and an hour of vigorous tail-brushing. But today, something was dreadfully wrong. When he tried to greet his friend, Penelope the pigeon, instead of a cheerful "Good morning!" what came out was a high-pitched, completely sideways squeak that sounded a lot like a rusty bicycle wheel.
"Did you just… talk in morse code?" Penelope cooed, tilting her head.
Spencer tried again, clearing his throat dramatically. "I'm having a problem with my SQUEAK!" The squeak was followed by a pop sound. He tried to explain his predicament, but everything he said came out as a mix of whistles, honks, and sounds only a foghorn would be proud of.
He visited Professor Algernon, a wise old tortoise who lived in a hat box and collected facts. "Professor," Spencer squeaked, pointing frantically to his mouth.
Professor Algernon slowly lowered his tiny spectacles. "Ah, yes. A classic case of Vocal-Shift-i-cus Nutterus. The tongue of the speaker has become slightly disconnected from the brain's speaking center and is sending all the words out sideways."
"Is there a cure?" Spencer managed to honk.
"Indeed," said the Professor. "You must consume three things that are known for their straightness: a perfectly straight pine needle, a very flat pancake, and a yawn that travels straight up to the sky."
Spencer went immediately to work. The pine needle was easy. He convinced a busy beaver to make him a perfectly flat pancake. Finally, he looked up at the sun and gave the biggest, stretchiest, most wonderfully straight yawn he could manage. His mouth opened wide, the yawn traveled all the way to the blue sky, and when he snapped his jaw shut, he said, in a perfectly normal, cheerful voice: "Hello!"
"It worked!" chirped Spencer, doing a little happy jig. Penelope was impressed. Professor Algernon simply adjusted his spectacles and made a note: Perfectly flat pancakes are also delicious.