Big Yellow

“Hey Racum!” exclaimed Sly Fox. “How are you today?”

“Good,” said Racum. “And you?”

“Good,” said Sly Fox. “Want to do something today?”

“Sure,” said Racum. “But what?”

“Well,” said Sly. “Let’s go find Big Yellow.”

“No,” said Racum. “I’m not going to go anywhere near Big Yellow.”

“You are scared,” said Sly.

“You bet I’m scared,” said Racum. “And so should you.”

“I’m not scared,” said Sly. “You think what my dad said to everyone last night is true?”

“Absolutely,” said Racum. “I trust your dad one hundred percent and so does everyone in this town. After all, he is the police chief.”

“Yes,” said Sly. “But how can there be a big yellow bird that goes around stealing things?”

“Well,” said Racum. “Even your dad said it was unbelievable but several animals in the Big Dark Forest have seen it.”

“True,” said Sly. “I’m going to get to the bottom of this mystery.”

Racum watched his friend saunter off into the bush and when he saw Sly enter the thickest section of the bush, he began to worry about him.

“I’ve got to follow him,” said Racum. “I can’t let anything happen to my best friend.”

Racum felt the fur on his neck stand straight up. He was quite frightened to be walking around the bush by himself. Moments later, Racum heard a scream and it came right from the direction that Sly had just gone.

“Sly!” yelled Racum. “Sly, what is going on? Are you okay?”

Just then, a big yellow object came out of the bush and straight toward Racum. As the big yellow object came closer, it brushed his head on a nearby branch.

“Mad Dog!” exclaimed Racum, as he recognized the face in the yellow costume. “What are you doing in that yellow suit?”

Mad Dog was surprised to see Racum and he turned and ran away.

“Gee,” said Sly. “Did you see big yellow?”

“Oh yes,” said Racum. “I saw it alright.”

Racum didn’t want Sly to know that it was Mad Dog in the big yellow costume. Sly would just think even worse of Mad Dog than he already did and he would make sure that Mad Dog was punished. Racum wanted to hear Mad Dog’s side of the story first.

Racum went to Mad Dog’s den and sat on his front porch quietly waiting for his friend. It was almost an hour before Mad Dog appeared.

“Racum,” said Mad Dog. “Let me explain.”

“Okay,” said Racum. “That is why I am here.”

“I have been hired from Chief Fox to dress up like a big yellow bird,” said Mad Dog. “He’s doing an experiment to see what the animals would say or do if there was something big walking around in the bush.”

“I see,” said Racum, glad that he let his friend explain what was going on. “I didn’t think you have turned into a thief again.”

“So far,” said Mad Dog. “Chief Fox’s research has been really good. We have found out that a big yellow bird has stolen things and we have found out that everyone is terrified of it.”

“That is true,” said Racum. “But I hope that the research project is now over.”

“Yes,” said Mad Dog. “I will make sure it is.”