"Suzie," said Porcy, "I met the Squirrel Twins today. They seemed very nice and they are very excited about flying!' I can't wait to fly them too!"

"Porcy those are not flying squirrels ", said Suzie. "You may be able to see them leap a bit but they are not going to be flying through the air."

Puffin up really big and getting very excited, Porcy replied, "Oh yes they will Suzie, I can make them fly! Just like the Squirrel Kids at my home with Larry."

"The Squirrel Kids were flying?" questioned Suzie. "I don't remember you mentioning that the Squirrel Kids flew. Please tell me all about this Porcy."

Actually Larry had already told Suzie all about this adventure but she had been waiting to see if Porcy was going to mention it also when he came to visit her.

"Well, said Porcy, as he stretched himself getting ready to tell his tale, "It all started on a windy day when I had a great idea!"

And with that he puffed up even bigger and proceeded to tell Suzie the rest of the story. And now Suzie will tell the tale to you.

Barney Bear, Sammy Fox, Porcy Porcupine and the Squirrel Kids were running through the meadows playing tag. Their little heads were bobbing up and down, barely peeking out from the tall grasses that were growing wildly this Spring. All of a sudden a big gust of wind came sweeping down through the meadow. It was so forceful that it almost picked up the Squirrel Kids and swept them into the air. The Kids giggled and remarked about how nice it would be to really fly. And that is when and how Porcy got one of his most brilliant Porcy idea!

"Come on gang", he cried as Porcy ran up the hill toward the house he lived in with Larry. "Come help me, here, come into the garage. Lets see, we will need the saw, this old sheet, some glue, some nails and string and oh yes, we need wood. Here Sammy and Barney you grab these and help me carry all of this outside. Kids, how about you carry this string?"

"What are we going to do Porcy?" asked the Kids.

"We are going to make a kite!" said Porcy excitedly, "A kite so you can fly in the sky!"

Four pairs of big wide eyes looked at Porcy in expectation. Porcy's eyes twinkled delightedly thinking of his new scheme.

Following Porcy's instructions the little friends all worked together. They sawed and they hammered, they glued and they tacked. The sounds of laughter echoed through the forest. They were having so much fun!

"Ouch!" yelled Porcy, "Watch out Barney Bear that was not wood, that was my thumb!"

Finally they were finished and they all looked down at what they had built. It was the very best flying kite that a group of friends could have ever put together. The whole gang puffed up really big with pride. Of course Porcy, as always, puffed up the biggest because that is one of the many things he does best.

Now all they needed were some old rags for a tail. Porcy ran into the garage and got some old cloths that Larry used for working on his trucks. They all had fun tearing them into strips and then tying them together to make their spectacular multicolored kite tail.



CLICK HERE

There was some discussion on what to name the kite. For everyone knows if you have a kite you have to give it a name. And a very special name is needed for a kite you have built yourself. That way when it is in the sky and possibly around other kites it will know the instructions are coming from you.

After several name choices were voted out, like fox tail and even bear behind! The group decided that they would let the Squirrel Kids name the kite. After all they were going to be the passengers on this flight, thanks to the strings they were putting on for the Kids to hold on to.

Finally, all was ready and Porcy proudly wrote the chosen name of Secret Flyer across the kite. The group raced down the hill and over to the meadow where the wind was really picking up.

They laid the kite on the ground and the Squirrel Kids got set in their places. Then the other three, Sammy Fox, Barney Bear and Porcupine Porcy all grabbed the launching string and took off running as fast as all their little legs could go!

Whoosh!! Came a big gush of wind!

"Yippee!" came the cheer from the ground crew; as the squirrel kids were launched into the air, "Go! Secret Flyer!"

"Wheeeeee we are flying!" exclaimed the Squirrel Kids, as they yelled down from the sky.

"Whoa! Wait a minute there fellows," came a voice from behind them. "Bring them down and let me see what you have constructed there."

"Larry," said Porcy, as he gave him a look, "we just got them launched!

"I know Porcy," said Larry, "but I have an idea and you just might all like it."

As the kite came down, Larry grabbed it and helped the Kids get out of the strings that they were holding on to.

"Fantastic kite!" said Larry, "You all did a wonderful job! I don't think I could have made a better kite myself."

"It was my idea", said Porcy, as he puffed up big again. "I told them how to make it too."

"Very good construction, I am truly impressed with the work that you all did. Now I have an idea that would make the kids more like real flyers", Larry replied.

"Real flyers? "The whole gang replied.

You could tell that Larry had their full attention now. He asked them to follow him as they again went back to the garage to do just a little more work on the Secret Flyer kite.

As Larry gave instructions, the gang again did the building. While they worked he talked to them about what being a real flyer meant.

"Real Flyers", explained Larry, "always do things safely. Whether they are part of the ground crew or up in the air flying, the number one rule is safety first."

"We want to make sure, " Larry continued, "that if there is any problem in the air that the flyers always have a means of escape. That is why we are building these latch attachments for the Squirrel Kids. Any trouble and they just need to pull these latches and they will be able to escape from the kite."

"Ms. Bear has kindly made these little parachutes for the Kids to wear too. So should the string break or the kite starts to head where it should not, they always have a way to get safely away from the flyer. That is how real flying is done, as safe as you can possibly make it."

"Oh!" remarked Porcy, "I did not even think of that. Just knew how much fun it would be for all of us to have the Kids flying. I would not want my friends to get hurt!"

"This is a great kite Porcy and that was a wonderful idea. You have anymore ideas you just come talk to me and together we can make sure that everyone has fun and that they are safe too."

"Ok Larry! Is good deal!" Said Porcy, as he scampered off with his friends to again launch the Secret Flyer with the Squirrel Kids high in the air.

As Larry looked up in the sky at the lone flying kite he chuckled, "Kids, what will they think of next!" And then he smiled, really big!


Chapter 7



Porcy would like you to please go read his thank you list whenever you see "Porcy Says Thank You."
He would like to remind you to remember to thank the people who have helped you do something too.

Porcy Says Thank You
 







The Stories of "Porcy" were created by Jenny
©Copyright 1998 - 2002, J.S. All Rights Reserved.