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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rune" data-source="post: 5421622" data-attributes="member: 67">When Raccoon went into the Wildernesspart oneCome, gather around and hear the tale of how Raccoon tricked his way into trouble, and was tricked out of it again.It happened in the winter, with snow on the ground, but mostly melted away.  Life on the Farm was slow, now, and Cat had gotten bored.  By way of amusing himself, he had taken to bullying some of the smaller folk--toying with them, chasing them about.  So it was, that Cat had been chasing Field-mouse through the dead winter grass all day.Cat’s cruel game had made its way down to the Pond, where Dog was dutifully herding Boy away from the icy water.  Now, Dog and Cat never got along; Cat would taunt Dog when he could, and Dog would chase Cat from sunup to sundown, if no other pressing business demanded his attention.  Seeing Cat come down this way, chasing after Field-Mouse, Dog barked a challenge to Cat, warning him to back away.  “Come no further!” Dog growled, and Cat took heed, leaving to find some other game.  Field-mouse timidly thanked his new protector, but a new threat soon became evident, for now Boy had taken an interest in the little fellow, and now attempted to catch Mouse for himself.  Dog retaliated by licking Boy’s face every time he reached for the wretched little mouse, until, finally, Boy tired of this turn of events and went away.  Dog followed after.Now, the Pond is where Turtle recites her rites and makes her abode and, so, Turtle saw all that had transpired.  But Turtle is a patient sort, and she was content to take it all in and see how events would unfold.  This is what she saw:Once Dog was gone, Cat came slinking back, and the Cat-and-Mouse game was begun again.  Field-mouse was wily and evaded the feline bully for the remainder of the day, eventually outlasting Cat’s attention.  Some time later, Field-mouse met with Raccoon and seemed to come to some arrangement.  Turtle watched, but could not quite hear their words, though she could discern that Raccoon had something in store for tonight which he promised would be “fun.”The day waned and night fell in upon it.  Back at the House, the Humans had all gone to sleep and the cold was setting in.  Dog was restless.  Something was trapped inside the over-turned trash-can.  A sinister whisper spoke in his ear, “You should set it free.  Release it and find out what is trapped inside.”Dog looked around to find Black Widow hanging from the eave.  Indecision gripped him for but a moment; he had no trust for the Spider, but curiosity must be sated.  He knocked the trash-can over.Cat came bolting out, and Dog was obliged to chase his nemesis, enthusiastically and vocally.  The Humans stirred.  Man came out, wearing fury as he would a coat.  Cursing, he righted the trash-can and commanded Dog by his Truename, compelling him to return.  Once Dog had done so, he found himself chained to Old Oak for the remainder of the night.Now, Turtle had heard all the commotion and started the long trek from the Pond to the House.  She had finally reached her destination by the time Grandfather Owl convened a community meeting to determine who was guilty for trapping Cat and what the punishment should be.“Whooo has done this dastardly deed?” asked Grandfather Owl of the animals around him.  “Whooo has trapped poor Cat under the trash-can?”No one would admit to anything, but Cat did have an answer.  “It was Dog, Grandfather Owl, who trapped poor Cat under the trash-can,” he purred.  “He trapped me, and then he knocked it over so he could chase me.”Dog let out an indignant whine.  “I did no such thing!  Ask Black Widow; she saw who did it!”  But, when Grandfather Owl turned his head around, Black Widow was nowhere to be found.About this time, Turtle saw Field-mouse trying to hide.  “Please don’t say anything,” he squeaked.  “I hear that Grandfather Owl eats mice!”  Turtle had heard the same.  Torn with indecision, she held her tongue and bided her time.With no further witnesses forthcoming, Grandfather Owl passed judgment down.  Dog was ordered to wind his way around Old Oak until there was not but a foot of length left.  With the sentence passed down, the meeting was disbanded and Cat immediately set to taunting poor Dog.“Arrowrowrowrowrowrowrowr!” Dog wailed, but to no avail; Cat was beyond his reach.  Man came out, angrier than before, cursing the stupid dog and threatening dire consequences should silence not prevail.Sly Fox was watching and took this opportunity to sneak into the Hen-house, for Dog was not free to keep him at bay.  His entrance went undetected, but not his theft.  He only managed to steal a single egg before Hen started squawking in alarm.  Soon the entire Hen-house was in an uproar and Sly Fox had to make his escape.Once again, Dog called forth the vengeance of the gods upon the intruder, but, alas, only Man came out with righteous wroth for the mongrel mutt who would not keep quiet.  The night passed miserably for Dog.</blockquote>

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