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Hello, I'm Cheryl, and

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this is sleep Tight Relax, a

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calming bedtime show for the young

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and young at heart. In

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Tonight's story, set in

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the Sunny Three Rivers Forest, a

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group of animal friends called the

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Gang can't decide if they

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should play in the pond or float

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down the river. Harry

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the hare is worried about the river's

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strong currents, but Fiona

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the fox thinks swimming would be fun.

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Hazel the hedgehog, and Daisy

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the deer have their own worries, but

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they all end up choosing the pond

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after discussing it together. Sammy

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the squirrel feels a bit sad because

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his older friends don't listen to

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his idea, but

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then he talks to Goosey the crow,

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who gives him advice about being patient

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and trying to share his thoughts in a way

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that others will listen. Sammy

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also visits Oliver, the wise

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old owl, who teaches him

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more about patience and how

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to be understood. In

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the end, Sammy feels hopeful

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about trying again with his friends,

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using what he's learned about patience

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and speaking up. Before

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we get started with our story, why

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don't you take a moment to relax and

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get comfortable with some deep belly

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breaths. Maybe

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you can even use your imagination

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and pretend you are in a forest

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surrounded by all kinds of

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animal friends by

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yourself. Take a slow, deep

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breath in through your nose, and

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as you do, imagine you

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are breathing all the wonderful fresh

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air of the forest. It's

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very refreshing when

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your belly is full of air. Hold

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your breath for a moment, then

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slowly breathe out through your mouth

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and let all the air out of your belly.

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Let's do it again. Breathe

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in slowly, feel

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the sun on your face, hold

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your breath for a moment, enjoying the sunshine,

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and breathe out feeling

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calm and peaceful. Remember,

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just like the forest grows slowly

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and patiently, you can

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take your time and feel calm with

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each breath you take. Now

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let's continue with our story. Sammy

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learns about patience. The

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gang was arguing over what to

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do next. It was

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a hot day in the forest at three

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rivers, and they were trying to decide

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whether to go to the pond and swim

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or float down the river towards the

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great big ocean. I

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think the river is too dangerous today.

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Harry the hare said, we might

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get caught in a current and end up

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all the way to that big land called

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Nova Scotia. And I like

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it here too much to go so far away.

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You are being silly. We are

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all strong swimmers, so what

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could there be to be worried about. We

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can help you if you like. You can

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even ride on Buster's back. Besides,

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the water is so nice and cold,

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it will be refreshing. Fiona

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the fox said, with her usual

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smile. I

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don't really want to be refreshed. Why

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don't we just hang out at the pond. It's

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relaxing and we don't have to worry

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about all those fast boats. Hazel

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the hedgehog added she wasn't

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a very good swimmer either. But

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what about Eddie the Eagle and Hank the

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hawk. Won't they try to catch us

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in the pond. I don't want to be caught,

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Daisy the deer said. Daisy's

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family were the only deer on the whole

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island, and her parents were very

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protective of her. They

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won't bother you. You are too big.

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They only like bothering us small animals.

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I think the pond sounds like a good idea.

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It's my favorite place to be. Fred

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the frog said with a ribbit, guys,

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I know a good place. I heard about

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it from the huge humans. I could take you there.

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Sammy the little squirrel suggested, in

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his super quiet voice, so

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quiet that few could hear him.

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Oh, Sammy, you are too young.

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We don't listen to young quiet squirrels.

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Bella the bear said, what do you

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know that us older animals don't nothing?

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The others laughed. So

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it's decided then we all

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go to the pond this afternoon and play.

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Fiona the fox announced, Bella,

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you should stand guard in case some humans

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come or Eddie tries to catch

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one of the little ones. And Sammy,

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you should be careful or you will

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be caught by a cat or a dog or

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Hank the hawk. Randy the raccoon

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said. Sammy

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simply nodded his head. Why

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doesn't anyone ever listen to me?

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He thought? Just because I am

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small and quiet doesn't mean I don't

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know anything. And if they would

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listen to me from time to time, they

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might discover that I have some talents

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that they don't know. And I

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know of a super secret place where we can

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play. I know

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they like me and don't mean to be rude,

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but it just seems so unfair.

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Sammy followed the others as they went

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to the pond, feeling a little bit

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sad as he walked.

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Goosey, the old crow who liked

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to hang out with the gang from time to time,

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swooped down and walked beside Sammy.

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Why do you look so down, Sammy? It's

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a beautiful day here in the Three Rivers.

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The sun is shining and the sky

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is clear. Going to

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the pond to play is always super fun,

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don't you think? I am old?

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And even I think it is. Goosey

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got her name because her caw sounded

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more like a goose's hank than

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a crow's cock. It

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is a nice day, and I am sure going

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to the pond will be fun. I

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just wish that the gang would listen to me sometimes.

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I know and can do stuff too,

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Sammy said, his head hanging

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down a bit. Yes,

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it can be hard when you are the youngest

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and the smallest, especially

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when you are quiet like you are. I've

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never had that problem because we

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crows are loud by nature. But

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I bet if you are patient and

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keep trying to give your suggestions.

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One day they will listen, and

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then you will have your chance to shine,

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Goosey said, followed by a honk.

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Thank you, Goosey. I try

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to be patient, but sometimes it's so

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hard. My mother says

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that patience is a virtue. I

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don't know exactly what that means, but

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I know it's hard to have. Just

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because something is hard doesn't mean you shouldn't

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try, right, Goosey

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said, as she had the urge to take to the sky

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again she saw a couple

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crows nearby. I

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am not the best with advice, and

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I'm not very patient either, But

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if you have more questions, I

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am sure the wise old owl

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might have some ideas for you. He

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has been around longer than time itself.

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I think, Thank

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you, Goosey. I will try to talk

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to him after we play at the pond, Sammy

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said, as he picked up his pace a bit. The

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others were faster walkers than Goosey.

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The whole gang spent the hot part

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of the day playing in the water. Buddy

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the Beaver floated on his back under

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the shade of a tree as he

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acted as a referee for a game of

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splash between Randy and

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Fiona Goosey

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flew down once in a while and had a bath

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in the water, which made Daisy

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upset because she didn't want to

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get bath water on her beautiful hair.

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Harry the Hare skipped rocks because

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he didn't like swimming very much, which

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is the main reason why he didn't want to

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go into the river. It's

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not a good idea to swim in the river

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if you can't really swim.

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Sammy kept suggesting games that would

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involve everyone, games

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that they could all play together and maybe

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have more fun, but no

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one would listen. He

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was too quiet and too

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young to know more than them,

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which was all he heard. Despite

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this, Sammy still had fun.

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He skipped rocks with Harry and

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gathered some sticks for Buddy. He

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also found some delicious acorns

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to eat for himself. Mostly,

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it was just fun to be by the pond

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in the shade, surrounded by

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his friends. When

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the sun started to be covered by the clouds

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and more people came out with their dogs,

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it was time for everyone to say good bye.

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See you guys later. Sammy

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said so quietly that

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only a few heard him.

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As he was scampering through the hidden

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trails in the forest, he remembered

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Goosey's advice to

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be patient, which was what he

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was trying very hard to be, and

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to talk to Oliver, the wise old

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owl. Oliver

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didn't play with the gang any more. He

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mostly sat around drinking tea

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with the other elders, of which

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he was most certainly the eldest.

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It was rumored that he was around before

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the land was even formed, before

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anyone knew about the beauty of this place.

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Sammy didn't think it was possible, but

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he knew he must be very old. So

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instead of turning right on the path

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to home, Sammy turned left

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at the birch tree and continued

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on the old path, past the stand

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of poplars and the old beaver

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dam that was abandoned long before

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Sammy was born. This

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was a very quiet part of the neighborhood,

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deep in the forest where

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people seldom walked, and

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where the trees were so thick you

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couldn't hear any machines in the distance.

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All you could hear was the wind, the

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rustling of trees, and the

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chirping of the birds. Sammy

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thought that maybe that was why Oliver liked

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to live here, so that he could have

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some peace and quiet free

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from the interruptions of people, and

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of course they're dogs.

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Sammy arrived at a small clearing

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where another elder, Ruby the rabbit,

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greeted him. She was also

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very old and was a great friend

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of Oliver a long

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time ago. When Oliver was young, he

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tried to catch Ruby, but she

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was much too fast for him. One

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time, when he tried to catch her, he

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got stuck on the ground between some fallen

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branches. Ruby,

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being very kind, came over

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and helped him get free, and

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they have been close friends ever

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since. Or so the story

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goes, Hi,

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there, young squirrel, what brings you over

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to our quiet end of the forest. We

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don't see many young animals in these

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parts, Ruby said as she hopped

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over. Hi Ruby, my

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name is Sammy, and I was hoping

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to talk with Oliver. Goosey

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said he was very wise and might have some

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advice for me. Sammy said,

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a little bit nervous. Sometimes

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older animals had that effect on him.

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Well, well, I'm sure Oliver

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would love to talk to you. Now

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settle yourself. There is no need

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to be so shaky. In fact,

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here he comes now, Ruby

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said, as she left the two of them

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to have a chat. Hello,

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there, young squirrel. What brings

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you to this neck of the woods, Oliver

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said, as he swooped down to

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a branch low enough for Sammy

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to hear him talk. I

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have a problem, and Goosey said

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that you might be able to help me. Sammy said,

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trying to be brave and talk a little bit

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louder A

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problem? Eh? What kind of problem?

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Oliver asked, scratching his

13:54

small chin with his wing. Well,

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my friends don't listen to me because I am

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too young and quiet. I

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often have good suggestions for what we can

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do together, but I never get

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a chance to share them. Goosey

14:10

said, to be patient. But isn't

14:13

there more I can do? I mean,

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I am smart and have many talents,

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and they don't even know that. Like

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I can understand many languages like

14:23

people languages, and because of that,

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I learn many things. Sammy

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said, out of breath, because all

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of a sudden couldn't stop talking. You

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certainly seem passionate about your problem

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with your friends, and Goosey is

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pretty wise too. Having

14:41

patience is important. Have

14:43

you mentioned to your friends that you don't like it

14:45

when you aren't listened to? Communication

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is important, and it's something

14:51

you need to be comfortable doing as you

14:53

get older. Oliver said with a hoot.

14:57

No, I hadn't thought of that. They

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are good friends, but I guess they don't

15:02

realize how I feel. Well.

15:06

They need to learn too.

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They need to learn how to listen, just

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like you need to learn how to communicate

15:13

and be patient. Sammy

15:17

tilted his head a little confused. I'm

15:20

not sure I know what patience is and

15:22

how to be like that. I keep

15:24

saying I am trying, but maybe

15:27

I am not trying the right thing because

15:29

it is taking too long. Patience,

15:33

Oliver explained, is the ability

15:36

to wait calmly and keep a

15:38

positive attitude even

15:41

when things take longer than you want.

15:44

It's like when you plant an acorn and

15:47

wait for it to grow into a mighty oak.

15:50

You can't rush it. Nature

15:52

takes its time. But

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how do I learn to be patient, Sammy

15:58

asked, flicking in thought.

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First, Oliver said, you

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practice observing. Look

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at the world around you, the way

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the leaves flutter down to the ground,

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how the stars emerge one by one

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at night. Notice how

16:17

all beautiful things take

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time to unfold. Sammy

16:23

nodded, trying to understand. Next,

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continued Oliver, you practice

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doing things that take time, like

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building a nest or learning a new skill.

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It teaches you to appreciate the steps

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it takes to achieve something and

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remember, Oliver added, every

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time you feel impatient, take

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a deep breath and remind

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yourself that good things

16:51

come to those who wait. Patience

16:54

is a virtue that grows inside you like

16:57

a tree, slowly but

16:59

shortly. Now

17:02

you should be off before it gets too late.

17:05

Your parents might start worrying about you soon.

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Thank you, Oliver, Sammy said

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as he started to walk away. Stopping

17:15

and turning, he yelled and thank

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you Ruby, come

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again anytime, she replied,

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we like having you young ones around.

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Sammy ran through the quiet part

17:29

of the forest towards home, where

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he knew his parents would be waiting for

17:34

him with a delicious meal of

17:36

nuts and berries. One

17:39

of his father's favorite things to

17:41

say was that tomorrow was another

17:44

day, and Sammy was

17:46

looking forward to trying to be patient

17:49

and practice communicating with his friends.

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If you are still awake, I would like

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you to whisper to yourself or just

18:02

say in your mind, I

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find joy in waiting for

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every moment is a chance to learn

18:10

something new and wonderful.

18:16

Patience is my superpower.

18:19

It helps me learn and grow,

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making me stronger. Every day,

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every moment is a chance to grow,

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just like a seed patiently waiting

18:34

to become a beautiful flower.

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I am calm, relaxed

18:43

and peaceful. Good

18:49

night, sleep tight

19:15

o