Pappy and the Snake - a tale for children or your inner child

[editor's note: pictures of this story are not yet available...stay tuned...]




"Uh, oh," said Pappy. "A doggie is barking and won't stop. Nana, why don't you go outside and see what is going on?"

"I can't right now" said Nana, I am cooking our dinner and trying to talk on the phone to our son. "Why don't you go out?"

"Arggghhhhh" said Pappy, but he went out.



"It's a snake, there's a snake in the fence!!" shouted Pappy when he returned to the kitchen.

"Well then, bring in the dog, and I'll take care of it after dinner" said Nana. "Okay", said Pappy.



After dinner, Nana quickly cleaned up half of the dishes then left the pots and pans to soak. It was getting dark, so she thought she should check on that snake soon.



"Uh, oh" Nana said to herself when she saw the snake; he was caught up in the fence netting and looked terrible, but was still alive. He was pretty big, and awfully scary. But Nana knew she had to try to free him from the netting.



"Ugh" she thought. "What should I do?". Meanwhile, Pappy was watching the news and the weather.



Nana got out two barbecue tools with long handles, and a scissors. Her plan was to try to hold the snake's mouth away from her while she tried to cut him free. That might work!



Outside, Nana could see she would have a big job ahead. The snake was very close to dying, and yet he still could bite, couldn't he? Nana knew she needed help, and looked around the neighborhood to see who might be there. A noise from across the street - Mr. Rogers! He can help! Nana didn't want to "bother" Pappy with this whole snake business, after all, he had a busy day at work.



Just then it started to rain, rather hard. Nana and the snake were getting soaked, so Nana went down the hill as fast as she could to get Mr. Rogers. Her shoes fell off in the wet grass! But Nana kept going, barefoot and holding the barbecue fork and spatula and scissors, and rang Mr. Roger's doorbell.



Mr. Rogers is always a big help, and sure enough he put on his raincoat right away and trudged up the hill after Nana. He was puffing a little, but he made it! They passed Nana's wet shoes on the way.



Poor Mr. Snake! He was tangled even worse. "He's pretty long" said Mr. Rogers, but he's a good snake, so we'll help him. I'm glad he's not a copperhead snake. "Me, too" said Nana.



Mr. Rogers went right to work. He took the barbecue fork and pinned Mr. Snake's head down to the ground, not too tight, but just enough to hold him. Then he put the spatula on his head, gently, and said to Nana, "hold this steady while I try to free him. He shouldn't be able to move with the fork and spatula in place". Nana did as she was told, and Mr. Rogers went right to work, with his pocket knife, cutting gently away every little bit of mesh that was strangling Mr, Snake. Nana's scissors weren't needed. Mr. Roger's pulled the snake's long tail out and checked it all over for any more mesh. He was free!!!



Just then, the front door of the house burst open, and Pappy came out! "Hi, Shorty (that was Mr. Rogers first name)! I would have come out and helped but it started to rain!"



Nana couldn't believe her ears...is THAT why he didn't come out to help? Oh, that makes sense! She thought it was because he didn't like snakes. But, no, Pappy didn't like the rain.



Mr. Rogers didn't seem to notice Nana's surprising look, but he took the snake (carrying it with the barbecue fork) over towards the woods, and said "get going, fellow!".



Nana and Mr. Rogers talked a little more about the big rescue, and both went home feeling glad that they could help out Mr. Snake. Nana did get her shoes back, too.



So THAT is the TAIL of PAPPY and the SNAKE!!!!!



Watch for our series of stories: Pappy and the Mouse, Pappy and the Broken Air Conditioner, Pappy and the Bat, etc.