We've always enjoyed having our up north cabin, but once the grandkids came along it got way more fun. They love running around inside and out - weather depending - and all manner of small person traditions have evolved. Macaroni and cheese with sliced up hot dogs as the sole approved sleep over supper are but one example.
Somewhere along the line the Rat and Snake story began.
Grandson is much interested in nature stuff. Fish, bugs, reptiles, mammals, you name it. And he's very realistic about predators and prey. So at some point the stuffed animal collection became a little drama troupe in which Snake, and later Fox, were constantly on the prowl trying to catch and eat our hapless protagonist, Rat.
Eventually Rat started asking me for advice on how to evade the predators. Rat appropriately speaks in a "Mr. Bill" voice.
"Hey, Human. Could you use your gigantic primate brain to help me figure out how to fool Snake?"
"Why sure, Rat. Let's see. You're warm blooded, right? So let's put you in the freezer for a while. Then when Snake touches you he'll get cold and sleepy and you can run away"
(dubiously) "Well......OK."
Of course this and many other variations on disguises, hiding places, use of improvised tools never, ever works out. Afterwards a disheveled, but oddly still alive Rat, comes back and says: "You give the worst advice ever!" Not that it stops him from coming back later and getting even more impractical counsel. It has a Coyote and Roadrunner vibe to it, although having real voices to work with instead of "Meep! Meep!" makes it way more fun. For me and for my grandson. For Rat, oh not so much.
Between visits the trio usually just sit await for our return. But sometimes the game goes on in our absence. Here I posited that Rat wearing hunting garb would frighten off Snake and Fox. Hmmm...I think the predators are on to us, Rat".
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