| abstract | - Later that night, music was playing at the woodland animals' cottage. Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, Br'er Bear, Br'er Frog, Mr. Bluebird, and several other critters were all gathered around the window watching as the woodland animals danced and yodeled. Kairi was sitting on a miniature chair daintily and clapping her hands. Greasy and Stupid danced around. Smart Guy played the bass. Simon the accordion, and Warren T. Rat played the pipe organ. Smart Guy, Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid: Ho-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ay-ee-la-ee-ay-ee-lee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ay-ee-la-lee-ay-lee-o-lee-ay The music was terrible seeing that neither Smart Guy nor Simon knew how to play the particular instruments they were playing. Smart Guy: Ho-la-la-ee-ay Simon: Ho-la-la-ee-ay Psycho and Stupid: Ho-la-la-ee-ay-ee-la-ee-ay-ee-lee-ay Greasy came to stand in front of Kairi and cleared his throat. Greasy: I'd like to dance and tap my feetBut they won't keep in rhythmYou see, I washed them both todayAnd I can't do nothing with 'em Smart Guy, Warren T. Rat, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid: Ho hum, the tune is dumbThe words don't mean a thingIsn't this a silly songFor anyone to sing? Greasy tap danced while Stupid played the drums. He accidentally let loose several drumsticks that slipped through his sleeves and the hit the drum. Greasy and Psycho dragged Simon into the middle of the room. Simon began, "I. . ." But he giggled bashfully, making the other woodland animals (except Warren T. Rat, who was still playing the organ) laugh. "Oh, g-gosh!" Simon stammered, while playing with his glasses. That made the woodland animals laugh even louder. "Well, get on with it!" Warren T. Rat shouted impatiently, as he played a horrible note that got Simon to sing his part. Simon: I chased a polecat up a treeWay out upon a limbAnd when he got the best of meI got the worst of him The chipmunk's face turned beet red with embarrassment as the woodland animals continued to sing. Smart Guy, Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Psycho, and Stupid: Ho hum, the tune is dumbThe words don't mean a thingIsn't this a silly songFor anyone to sing? Stupid played a cymbal and then placed it on his head like a Chinese hat and walked off sideways. Smart Guy, Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid: Ho-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ay Greasy began to yodel, and Kairi decided to sing along. Greasy: Ho-la-la-ee-ay-ee-la-ee-ay-ee-lee-ay Wheezy began to yawn while holding a recorder. The flew near his mouth during the yawn and back far from it again. Wheezy saw this and started swatting at it. "Shoo! Go away!" Smart Guy, Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid: Ho-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ay-ee-la-ee-ay-ee-lee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ayHo-la-la-ee-ay-ee-la-lee-ay-lee-o-lee-ay Smart Guy dragged Kairi to the dance floor. Kairi danced around with Smart Guy, Simon, and Psycho while Greasy took over the bass. The fly decided that it had enough of Wheezy and landed on Stupid's ear. Stupid tried to swat it, but hit the cymbal instead. Stupid wanted to play the drums better, and the fly landed on top of the drums that Stupid needed to hit. Finally, the fly landed on Wheezy's nose again. He reached for something, anything to swat it with. Stupid handed him a cymbal. He brought the cymbal down hard. But the fly just flew off in time, and Wheezy only hit himself in the face and looked extremely disoriented. Kairi danced with Smart Guy, Greasy, and Simon while Psycho played the guitar, and Warren T. Rat was still playing the pipe organ. Even Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, Br'er Bear, Br'er Frog, and the other critters danced along while the woodland animals cheered. Stupid climbed up on Psycho's head. "Be careful. Watch out," he sputtered, as he was about to sneeze. "Be-- Be care-- Watch it! Watch it! Watch--Watch-- Ah--" Stupid stopped Psycho from sneezing by holding his finger under his nose. "Thanks, Stupid!" Psycho sighed. "You're welcome." Stupid said, as he put a long teal coat around Psycho and himself. The two weasels headed toward the dance floor. Stupid, with his tongue hanging out, smiled happily and snapped his fingers while Psycho walked and peeked through the coat. They headed towards Kairi. Kairi curtsied, and Stupid tried to bow, only to fall over, Psycho saved him by reaching up and grabbing his rear end. Then Kairi danced with them. While Kairi was dancing with Psycho and Stupid, Smart Guy played the guitar, and Simon played the accordion. Mistakenly, Stupid played the drums. Now Smart Guy was playing the bass, Simon was still playing the accordion, and Warren T. Rat was still playing the organ. The happy woodland animals cheered as Kairi clapped in rhythm, Greasy played the drums, Wheezy and Simon clapped their hands, Smart Guy played the bass, Wheezy played the recorder, and Psycho danced with Stupid still on top. Unfortunately, the music abruptly ended as Psycho's nose felt an intense tickle. "Ah-ch--Ah-ch--Ah--Ah--Ah-ch--Ah-ch--Ah-ch--AAAAHHHH--" Kairi covered her ears. Smart Guy, Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, Br'er Bear, Br'er Frog, Mr. Bluebird, and the other critters hid while Stupid tried to stop the sneeze frantically. Eventually, Stupid tried to stop the sneeze by putting his finger under his own nose. Of course, that didn't work. "Ah-CHOOOOO!!!!" Psycho sneezed loudly, sending Stupid sailing through the air. The coat came down around Psycho, and he smiled cutely. Smart Guy, Greasy, Wheezy, and Simon laughed out loud ad they, Br'er Rabbit, and the other critters came out of hiding. Kairi sat down, laughing. Stupid was stuck up on a rafter, and Smart Guy, Greasy, Wheezy, and Simon laughed harder. Stupid slid down a decorative beam. Smart Guy, Greasy, Wheezy, and Simon laughed at Psycho again, and Stupid joined in. Kairi calmed down, stopped laughing, and happily said, "That was fun." "Now you do something," Greasy said, pointing to the auburn-haired girl. "Well, what shall I do?" Kairi asked the woodland animals. "Tell us a story." pleaded Wheezy. "Yes, tell us a story," Smart Guy, Greasy, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid echoed in unison. "A true story." added Greasy. "A love story!" added Simon. "Duh, really lovely!" added Stupid. Kairi thought for a moment, but she had an idea. She wanted to tell Smart Guy, Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid a story of herself. "Well,... Once upon a time, there was a princess." "Was the princess you?" Smart Guy asked hopefully, as he pointed to her. Kairi nodded as she continued, "And she fell in love." "Was is hard to do?" Psycho asked, while sobbing. Kairi smiled and shook her head, "Oh, it was very easy," she said rather truthfully. "Anyone could see that the Prince was charming. The only one for me." "Was he strong and handsome?" Smart Guy asked. "Was he big and tall?" Psycho asked, while smiling. With a far away look in her eyes, Kairi replied, "There's nobody like him, anywhere at all." "Did he say he loved you?" asked Simon. "Did he steal a kiss?" asked Greasy. "He was so romantic, I could not resist!" Kairi smiled. Then she walked over to a small piano. "I got practice now, boys." And she sat down on the bench and began playing the piano. She was interrupted by a couple of wrong notes. She stopped playing and turned her head to see Warren T. Rat pawing at the piano. "Oh, you wanna practice, too!" she giggled. And with that, she carried on playing the piano and began to sing while turning some pages in a songbook. Kairi: You and me together we'll beForever, you'll seeWe, too, can be good companyYou and meYes, together we, too The woodland animals all sat on the floor by the fireplace and listened to her sing, except for Warren T. Rat, who was hiding behind the piano. "Ha! Mush!" he muttered. Kairi: Together, that's youForever with meWe'll always be good companyYou and meYes, together we'll be The woodland animals found the sound so powerful that they all (except Warren T. Rat) started to get sleepy-eyed. Kairi: You and me together we'll beForever, you'll seeWe, too, can be good companyYou and meYes, together we, tooTogether, that's youForever with meWe'll always be good companyYou and meYes, together we'll be Later on, it was time for the woodland animals to put on pajamas. Smart Guy was now wearing a red undershirt and pink boxers. Warren T. Rat was now naked (just like when the six woodland animals did to him before they got ready for supper). Greasy was now wearing a green T-shirt and white boxers with red hearts. Wheezy was now wearing an off-white nightshirt. Simon was now wearing a blue two-piece pajama set. Psycho was now wearing blue footy pajamas. Stupid was now wearing purple footy pajamas, and he was holding his stuffed bunny. After all the woodland animals (except Warren T. Rat) got their pajamas on, Kairi finished the last part of her song. Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, Br'er Bear, and Br'er Frog snuggled. Wheezy yawned and smacked his lips because he knew now that it would be time for the woodland animals to go to bed before too long. Kairi: You and me together we'll beForever, you'll seeWe'll always be good companyYou and meJust wait and see After Kairi finished her song, Smart Guy, Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid sighed in a lovesick way, and suddenly, the cuckoo clock went off. The clock said, "10:00 PM." Kairi stopped singing and playing the piano. Then she got up from the piano as she looked at the clock. "Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed, "It's past bedtime." She gently shoved the woodland animals up the stairs. "Go right upstairs ta bed." They all started up the stair with Stupid in the lead. Smart Guy grabbed Stupid's pajamas and said, "Wait! Hold on, boys." He shoved Stupid back, and the fat weasel hit the wall with his head. He stood up, rubbing it. "Oh! My head!" he groaned. "The princess will sleep in our beds upstairs." Smart Guy told Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, Psycho, and Stupid. "But, where will you sleep?" asked Kairi. Smart Guy smiled warmly. "Oh, we'll be quite comfortable down here in a...in a..." "In a pig's eye!" Warren T. Rat finished the sentence. "In a pig's eye? A sty." Smart Guy said, confused. Then he snapped out of what Warren T. Rat said and faced Kairi again. "No! No! I mean, we'll be comfortable. Won't we, boys?" The woodland animals (except Warren T. Rat) answered, "Oh, yes! Mighty comfortable." Stupid spotted a giant pillow (with a red pillowcase over it, golden buttons, and golden draw tassels on each end) on a bench. "Now, don't you worry about us. We'll be alright, Kairi." Smart Guy told the auburn-haired girl. "Go right on up now." Stupid laid down on the bench, cuddled up with the pillow. "Well..." Kairi says skeptically, "if you insist. Good night." She head on upstairs. "Good night, Princess." Smart Guy, Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, and Psycho said in unison. Kairi reached the top of the. "You're sure you'll be comfortable?" she asked. "Oh yes, very comfortable." all five woodland animals said. "Well," said Kairi. "Pleasant dreams." "Pleasant dreams." Smart Guy, Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, and Psycho all said. And Kairi went into the woodland animals' bedroom. As soon as the door was closed, all the woodland animals rushed to the pillow. Stupid tried to hold on, but they grabbed it and pulled it in several directions at once. "Let go!" Psycho yelled. Out of the seven of them, the only ones who were not pulling on the pillow were Smart Guy and Stupid. Smart Guy tried to calm them down, unsuccessfully, by saying, "Now, boys. Don't get excited. Remember, share and share alike." But Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, and Psycho did not listen, and the pillow was being stretched to its limits. "Look out!" gasped Wheezy. "It's gonna rip!" added Simon. And that's what happened! The pillow ripped, and feathers, Warren T. Rat, Greasy, Wheezy, Simon, and Psycho went flying across the room. Stupid grabbed a feather and uses it as a pillow, and he soon fell asleep. In the animals' bedroom, Kilala had put on her hot pink silk nightgown and her matching hair-bow, bloomers, camisole, and slippers. Now she was kneeling beside Lil' Urle's bed, praying. "God bless Simba, Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, Zazu, and all of the other African animals. And god bless all the seven little animals who have been so kind to me: Timothy Q. Mouse, Jim Crow, Big Daddy Lou, Lil' Gavin Urle, Reverend Zachariah, Tyrone, and Dumbo. And may my dreams come true. Amen," She finished her prayer and prepared to go to bed, but she remembered one more thing. "Oh yes, and please make Jim like me." Downstairs, the nimals have used various spaces to sleep in. Jim was laying in the cauldron. "Hmph, girls!" he scoffed and tried to settle down, but there was something under him. He pulled out a spoon. "A fine kettle of fish!" He spat on the dimming fire, and it glowed brighter. Snores from Zachariah, Big Daddy Lou, Timothy, Tyrone, Dumbo, and Lil' Urle were heard coming from around the room. Jim, who was still awake, looked over at Zachariah (with his glasses off), asleep in a drawer and then up at Big Daddy Lou, who was curled up in a cupboard. Timothy was curled up in the sink where water dripped in his mouth and made him gargle. Tyrone was sleeping on the bench, using Dumbo's rear end as a pillow. Dumbo had a strange dream and began whimpering like a dog and shaking. Tyrone sat up and poked him with his elbow. After a while, Dumbo calmed down, and Tyrone fluffed up his rear end and laid back down. Lil' Urle (with his glasses off) was asleep on the floor near log pile while curled up in a blue sleeping bag with a medium-sized pillow (with a white pillowcase over it), and the fly landed on his beak. He flicked it away with one wing and then went back to sleep. Eventually, the fly landed on his beak again and fell asleep, as well. They all fell fast asleep for the rest of the night.
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