Godspeed To an Old Bed

"Godspeed To an Old Bed" by T.K. Wade

There is something to be said of a bed that one has traveled the endless Dreamscape with for the better part of one's life. This, indeed, was the case for me. Without stating the claim that the nightly cradle had really any choice in the matter, I could not go through the inevitable transition without a certain level of sentimentality. A dimittere of the highest order with respect to my perceptions.

Oh! But I was in a dire need of a replacement, to be sure. This ship which had voyaged the endless seas of dreams and nightmares had grown old, and its boards were splitting in dangerous ways. More than once a storm came about and pummeled her hull like so many waves. I encumbered her. Velut vincti caedebantur, we were destined to sink into an abyss of carpet if action were lacking.

Veritably, the constant creaking of the vessel would prove a constant reminder of her mortality. I was, at once, plagued with knowledge of impending consequences. Inevitable! She would need be scuttled! But how does one ratify such notions of desuetude when half a life's accomplishments have been sonorously placed on record?! Should we deny it?! Sadly, it cannot be denied.

The Olympians cast aside their gaze, and I was forced to quit the seas for the moment. A substitute of no greater resplendence was in order, and inevitably came the day when I acquired new bedding. It rained the entire occasion and failed to cease until the transaction was one hour past. Even so, the clouds remained, and the wind bellowed through the trees expressing sorrow for something most considered trivial. My intentions were immediate, but my actions were lacking.

Upon arriving home, I took my place upon the failing galley. There was magic in the moment, for she gave little complaint of my presence. "Ultimo momento," she said to me. The breaking waves did not break this time. Queerly, I found an unfamiliar comfort. It was as if she drew from waning strength to achieve a perfect cruise. Goodbyes are not always so sweet, but in these final moments, I saw peace beyond the collected voyages through dreamland. And I slept in fifteen minutes a journey of a thousand years. Godspeed ye child of oak. Godspeed.

-Author Notes-

This little story was intentionally written in a style very similar to that of Kenneth Grahame. He has a nasty habit of injecting Latin into his works. Here are the translations:

dimittere: release

velut vincti caedebantur: as prisoners of fate

ultimo momento: the last moment

The Poor Mouse Who Sought Mersis

"The Poor Mouse Who Sought Mersis" A fable by T.K. Wade

A poor mouse pleaded to the goddess Mersis, “Please bestow upon me some gold that I may give unto others in need!” So touched by the mouse’s selflessness, Mersis did bestow upon him the gold he requested. The mouse then did indeed hand out the money to those in need; however, once his task was done, he bragged about his deed to increase his status among his rodent brethren. Mersis, presently disgusted by the mouse, took what little he had left and bestowed upon him a disease, which would quickly have him banished from civilization.

-Author Notes-

This story is set in what I call my "Tooth and Tail" universe where all the characters are rodents. This story references one of the goddesses known as Mersis. This is the goddess of mercy. I am unsure if she would actually do what she does in the second half of the fable; however, the story is intended to make a point which should be clear to the reader. Charity should always be given by one with a sincere heart; otherwise, it means nothing at all.

"A New Friend" has been published on Smashwords!

Great news! "Adventures in Cottontail Pines: A New Friend" is available FREE OF CHARGE on Smashwords! It can be downloaded in multiple formats at:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/583258

Here is a synopsis:

Welcome to the magical town of Cottontail Pines, where animals talk, and there is always a friend around the corner. In this story entitled “A New Friend,” a new bunny named Koy moves into town, and as usual, Flopsy wants to be the welcome-wagon. She soon finds out that this Koy is very shy and cannot seem to enjoy himself around other animals. Never daunted, she tries her best to show him just how wonderful Cottontail Pines really is. Can Flopsy do it? Find out what happens in this cute new story by T.K. Wade!

Mustelidae Spotlight: Sea Otter

You know, my research into sea otters may have proved them to be the most popular. They are not my personal favorite, but I was rather astounded how much more material there was on them than with all the "otter" guys. It may be because they are endangered, and when cute and endangered come together, there tends to be a fair bit of outcry about it. That said, there really are a lot of interesting things to talk about concerning this mustie. So, let us begin!

The sea otter can only be found in the North Pacific Ocean on both the eastern and northern coasts. They average about 3 and a half feet in length. It may just be my opinion, but I always found their faces particularly odd to look at. It almost looks like they aren't even real--something like a plush animal that was just sewn together that way.

These musties are "otterly" unusual. For one, they are very competent with the use of their front paws. They can pick things up and hold them like hands. They can use tools like rocks to open up clams. It's actually rather odd to see them do it. All the other otters I have seen struggle in this area. Another really odd thing about these guys is that they have pouches like kangaroos. They are actually up on their chests which makes them seem like little pockets to put things in. Unlike kangaroos who put there babies in them, these pockets are actually there to put whatever the heck they want into them. Let's jabber about the pockets for a bit.

Sea otters spend a lot of time underwater catching fish, clams, and other sea life. If you think about it, the entire ocean is like a big buffet where you can just choose what you want. But who wants to come up to eat for each individual bit of food. That's one of the uses for those pockets. After they catch the food, they store it in the pocket and keep going until their pockets are full. It's "otter" brilliance! It is fun watching them float on their backs while they eat right off of their chest. How cute! These pockets also store a little rock in them that they use to break open the clams they find. Sea otters are like living, mobile tool chests! How awesome is that?!

I found their social habits both cute and disturbing. Like the North American river otters, they love intermingling with one another--males and females alike. The males are known for having multiple mates. The disturbing part has to do with the actual act of breeding. Without going into too much detail, it is shockingly a rough affair. I am serious. The males are quite horrible to their women. Often times, the females come out of it with bite marks all over. Some of the wounds never heal. Even worse, the male tends to shove her head under water during the act. It reminds me how dangerous libertine lifestyles can actually get.

I do not know of any sea otters in fiction, but I am willing to bet that they do exist. These musties are very popular. I think the most striking thing about these guys were their social behavior--especially when it came to mating. I imagine the men to be quite chauvinistic when it comes to their feminine counterparts. They are fishermen of course and likely were the first ones to invent a modern style of fishing reel. In this respect, they would also be mechanically inclined. Despite their smiles and friendly outward appearance, I see them having a dark side that comes out if they are pushed. What do you think? It would sure fit the Asian lore, wouldn't it?

It is clear that the sea otter proves to be one of the most fascinating of his brethren. The ocean is his smorgasbord, and he swims about taking what he wants. Like most of his type, he is out there to have fun and enjoy himself. That is why we love otters after all. Stay tuned for yet another otter next week. It's gonna be a big one. I "otter" know!

Thank you for reading this blog. If you enjoyed it, you can comment below, or you can email me at tooie@tooiekangaroo.com. Splish!

The Coyote and his Meal

"The Coyote and his Meal" A fable by T.K. Wade

A hungry coyote, having trapped a man in his den, was soon to slay and feast upon his flesh, however the man protested, “I forbid you to feast upon me. As a man, I possess a name, and those who are named are dominant over those who do not.” With a chuckle, the coyote replied, “Name yourself what you will, for by tomorrow, you will fill my belly.”

Pride is no saving grace.

Mustelidae Spotlight: North American River Otter

How about those European otters? Remember how grumpy and unsociable they were? Well, you won't find any of that stuff in THIS blog! Yes, the North American river otter is 42 inches of fun and fancy free! That's right! This guy is way more playful that that "otter" one!

These guys really are really cute. As the name suggests, you find them entirely in North America. This includes Canada and the American state of Alaska. In the U.S., they are located closer to the east and west coasts. The middle is almost entire left out; however, a lot of American soil is still covered. We have enough of these guys to make us smile anyways. Canada really does win the award though. Up there, these cuties are everywhere sliding across ice like it's the best thing in the world!

The North American river otter--like most otters--love seafood. They hunt by sneaking and ambush tactics--much like felines. If the ambush fails, they are perfectly capable of giving chase. With as much energy as they have, often the prey will run out of breath and get caught. Sometimes several others will get in on the chase as well, and then it becomes a matter of sport. These otters are carnivores, and beyond seafood, they also eat any small animals they can catch and kill. They are also known to eat some species of birds, and they don't mind this even one bit.

Most musties are not known for good social interactions. The European otter was a good example of how we usually find these guys behaving. With the North American river otter, we find something that is "otterly" different! These musties tend to love each other's company and often with no exception. Even when it's mating season, it does not mean two males cannot enjoy each other's company. Perhaps, a contest of some sort would be in order. I wouldn't throw such a sport past them since they always seem to be playing at some game or another. The spirit of family and good will seems to always be present with these guys, and it is marvelously fun to watch them in action.

On the latter information, you must understand how positively rare it is for males to enjoy each other's company when it comes to female competition. The most common trend is for things to get violent. It feels like to me that these particular otters just like to have fun, play, and live a relaxing and lazy lifestyle. In a way, that is still very animalistic. I have a cat who spends her entire day eating and sleeping, and that is perfectly fine for her. The difference here is that otters enjoy a good play, and between the two, I would rather watch the otters. Few other things bring me such joy as seeing these little hams put on a performance for my viewing pleasure.

So, I think you get what I mean. These guys are a free spirit that cannot be suppressed in any way. They are the hippy, surfer dudes of the animal kingdom. In fiction, I see them in a similar light. The fact that they are river-bound, makes me think of a more tribal setup. I see them walking about their little village wearing trinkets around their necks and leafy loincloths between their legs. Everyone knows and likes everyone, and they spend their days playing in a river paradise.

I wrote an unpublished story called "Fairyland Detectives" with something similar. There was a little otter village called Conceitia where otters all played and would try to get visitors to watch them. They were very vain, and did not really care for visitors but for how much they could show off for them. I think that these otters very likely were of the North American variety--not the "otter" kinds.

What is not to love about this wonderful musty. They produce almost an escapist ideal. I have many times wished I could just join in on the fun and swim about in an otter paradise. That's why I love fiction. In a way, it allows me to do just that. Stay tuned for more otters in next week's blog, or else I'll be "otterly" devastated!

Thank you for reading this blog. If you enjoyed it, you can comment below, or you can email me at tooie@tooiekangaroo.com. Splish!

The Child and the Hyena

"The Child and the Hyena" A fable by T.K. Wade

A curious child separated from his father when he heard the cackling of a hyena in the distance, and when he did approach the beast, he asked, “Are you laughing at me?” To which the hyena replied with a sinister glare, “I do not laugh at you but for the folly of a father who does nothing to keep watch over his own child in such a dangerous place.”