This is a Quack Quack publication

First published on line in 2017

Soon to be published in hard copy.

I have been aided in my endeavours by two talented people:

Sylvia Pitman

Our illustrator who brought the stories to life.

And

Robyn Popaditch

A very able IT graduate specialising in Web based design.

There are more Quack Quack stories in the pipeline so watch this

space……

We hope you enjoy the stories as much as we have enjoyed writing

them.

Quack Quack doesn’t understand copyright so I have done it for him.

Copyright © John Peter Kelly 2016

The right of John Peter Kelly to be identified as the

Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

The right of Sylvia Pitman to be identified as the

Illustrator of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

All rights reserved.

ProtectMyWork.com

Reference Number: 030516S004

Print design and Typeset by Robyn Popadich

This is a Quack Quack publication

First published on line in 2017

Soon to be published in hard copy.

I have been aided in my endeavours by two talented people:

Sylvia Pitman

Our illustrator who brought the stories to life.

And

Robyn Popaditch

A very able IT graduate specialising in Web based design.

There are more Quack Quack stories in the pipeline so watch this space……

We hope you enjoy the stories as much as we have enjoyed writing them.

Copyright © John Peter Kelly 2016

Quack Quack doesn’t understand copyright so I have done it for him.

Copyright © John Peter Kelly 2016

The right of John Peter Kelly to be identified as the

Author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

The right of Sylvia Pitman to be identified as the

Illustrator of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with

The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988

All rights reserved.

ProtectMyWork.com

Reference Number: 030516S004

Print design and Typeset by Robyn Popadich

4 The Raft

By

J.P.Kelly

Story 4

The Raft

“Grandad,” asked Leila the following night,

“did they build their raft?”

“Not yet,” I replied. “We left them walking up the meadow towards the wood, where Roger Rook had seen some broken branches on the ground, much better for floating on the pond.

So…..”

As they walked up the meadow, Quack Quack, Billy

Bunny, Sammy Squirrel and Tommy Dormouse started to sing:-

“Fie fo fiddle de dee, It’s off to build a raft are we,

Seeking broken branches free, Fie fo fiddle de dee.”

As they reached the edge of the wood, Roger Rook turned to the left and they followed him until they

came upon the broken branches. They were all shapes and sizes, but nothing that Billy Bunny

couldn’t handle.

“We need to cut some of these they’re too long,” said Billy Bunny as he inspected the branches.

“Ollie Otter could do that for us,” said Quack

Quack, “with his sharp teeth.”

“But he’s not here,” added Tommy Dormouse.

“We’ll have to find some other way of cutting them then,” said Quack Quack.

The friends sat down to think.

“Grandad,” said Syd., “they need a knife.”

“Yes, but they don’t have them in these stories.

So how do you think they can cut the branches?”

“They need someone with sharp teeth,”

continued Syd thoughtfully.

“So, who in the animal world has sharp teeth apart from Otters?”

“Sharks!” shouted Leila gleefully.

“Yes, but we don’t have sharks in the pond; they are only in the big oceans. Anyway, even if there were sharks in the pond – which there aren’t –

they couldn’t breathe on land because they breathe water, not air. And they couldn’t get to the branches as they only have fins that are for swimming in the water and not for walking on

land.”

“Who else has sharp teeth?” I asked.

“A fox!” cried Syd triumphantly.

“Yes, a fox. Freddy Fox. Also, one of the friends.”

Now, Freddy Fox lived in a lair – because that is

what foxes’ homes are called – in amongst the roots of one of the trees in the wood.

“Let’s get Freddy Fox to help,” said Quack Quack. “We can use his sharp teeth to gnaw the branches

and help to make them the right size.”

“Good idea,” added Sammy Squirrel, “I’ll go and find him and bring him to help.” And off he

scampered, climbing the nearest tree, before leaping from branch to branch, and tree to tree, until

arriving above Freddy Foxes home. He scampered down the tree trunk and stood at the entrance of

Freddy Foxes lair and shouted for Freddy. Mrs Fox came out of the tunnel.

“Oh, hello, Sammy, are you looking for Freddy?”

“Yes, Mrs Fox,” replied Sammy.

“Freddy,” shouted Mrs Fox, “Sammy is here for

you.”

Freddy came to the entrance.

“What’s up Sammy?”

“Nothing Freddy. We’re building a raft to float on the pond and would like your help in cutting the branches to size.”

“That’s great Sammy. Mummy, can I go with the

boys?”

“Just so long as you don’t get into trouble,” replied Mrs Fox. In an instant, Freddy Fox was out of the tunnel entrance and running down the track with

Sammy.

When they arrived where the others were waiting, Freddy Fox quickly sized up the situation. “How

long do you want the raft to be?” he inquired.

“So long that we can all get on it,” replied Billy Bunny, before adding,” OK. That size,” pointing at

one of the branches, which looked as though it could take Billy Bunny and Freddy Fox seated

behind each other.

They agreed that seemed almost right and set about collecting all the same size branches together. But of

course, they were different sizes, and Freddy Fox started chewing the ends of those that were too long

to make them all the same size.

Soon the branches had been completely cut, but they needed some more to finish off.

“Those long ones over there are too long for me to chew,” said Freddy Fox. “We need to cut them in

half first.”

“How do we do that?” queried Quack Quack.

“Well, see that stone over there,” continued Freddy Fox. “We need to put the branches on it at the point where we need them cut. If everyone stands on one end holding it down, then Billy – being the heaviest – can jump on the other end. That would make the

branch bend and it should snap in the middle.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Quack Quack. And they set about moving one of the large branches into

place. Tommy Dormouse stood on one end of the branch, giving out instructions to the others, while they lifted it and placed the middle over the stone. Seeing the branch in place, Billy Bunny took a hop

and a jump and landed on the end sticking in the air. The branch came down to earth with a thump, while the other end with Tommy Dormouse on rose into the air catapulting (sending) Tommy into the sky.

“Help!” Came a strangulated cry from Tommy Dormouse as he continued his upward flight.

The others watched in horror as Tommy Dormouse soared into the air, his arms flailing. Quick as a flash, Quack Quack flapped his wings and flew up into the

air after Tommy Dormouse. Just as Tommy’s upward movement stopped and he started to fall

back to the ground, Quack Quack arrived underneath Tommy and caught him on his back, preventing him from falling to the ground and

hurting himself. Tommy clung onto Quack Quack’s feathers as slowly they glided back to the ground to

the relief of everyone.

“You were supposed to wait until we were all on one end, Billy,” said Quack Quack.

“Sorry, Quack Quack,” replied Billy Bunny. “I got excited and wanted to try it out. I never thought you

weren’t ready.”

“No harm done,” added Sammy Squirrel. “But only because of Quack Quacks quick action. Well done

Quack Quack. Now, shall we get started?”

They replaced the branch and carefully Quack Quack, Sammy Squirrel, Freddy Fox and Tommy Dormouse got on the one end. When they were

ready, Billy Bunny took a hop and a skip and jumped on the end sticking up. Snap went the

branch in the middle. Billy Bunny landed with a thump on the ground on his bottom. “Ow,” he said.

But he was OK. Success.

The boys kept snapping branches until they had enough to finish the raft. Then Freddy Fox chewed the ends to make sure they were all the same size.

Their next job was to carry them to the pond. Freddy Fox and Billy Bunny lifted the thickest

branches, while Sammy Squirrel pulled a narrower branch. Quack Quack couldn’t move anything as his

bill was not made to pull anything, so he and Tommy Dormouse contented themselves by supporting the others. Soon they had all the

branches down at the pond beside the remaining weeds.

“Now what can we do?” asked Billy Bunny.

“We tie them together,” replied Quack Quack.

“How do we do that?” continued Billy Bunny.

“We use reeds, intertwining them between the branches, and then tying them at the ends. Sammy

has the best, nimblest hands for doing that,” continued Quack Quack.

“No problem,” said Sammy Squirrel. “But I’m

hungry.”

“Later,” said the friends together. “We’ll eat later.”

“Oh. OK,” said Sammy Squirrel sadly. He felt so hungry. But he always felt hungry.

So, they got to work, laying the branches side by side. Then Sammy Squirrel got a reed and wove it

first under a branch, then over the next branch and so on until the ends of the reeds stuck out on each

side of the line of branches. It was beginning to look more like a raft all the time. When he had finished

weaving the reeds in between the branches, he started to tie the reeds together at the ends using his

sharp claws.

“There. Finished,” he said, as he stood back and looked at the now complete raft.

“Something’s missing,” said Quack Quack.

“What is it?” queried Tommy Dormouse.

“There’s no sail,” he replied.

“What’s a sail?” asked Tommy Dormouse.

“Well a sail catches the wind and blows the raft across the pond. It’s just like my wing feathers,

which catch the wind underneath them and it allows me to rise up into the air and fly.”

“What do we use as a sail then?” queried Billy Bunny.

“A sycamore leaf should be big enough,” replied

Quack Quack.

“There’s a sycamore tree near the chestnut tree at the side of the woods. I’ll go and get one,” said Roger Rook and he flew up into the air heading

towards the wood to find the sycamore tree.

“Can you bring me a chestnut?” shouted Sammy Squirrel at Roger Rook.

“No!” said the others. “We’ll eat later.”

“What’s a chestnut, Grandad?” asked Syd, still wide awake.

“Well it’s the fruit from the chestnut tree – sometimes called a horse chestnut, and they

taste very sweet,” I replied.

“Oh!”

“Now we also need a pole, just in case the raft gets stuck,” said Quack Quack,” and a paddle to push

the raft forward just in case there is no wind.”

“We’ve got a spare branch here,” said Freddy Fox.

“Yes, that will do,” replied Quack Quack.

“What about a paddle?” queried Billy Bunny.

“We use a short stick and tie some twigs to it with reeds,” said Quack Quack.

“What do we do with it?” asked Tommy Dormouse.

“Well we put it in the water and move it backwards and forwards. It acts just like my webbed feet in the

water,” added Quack Quack.

“That’s a great idea,” said Tommy Dormouse. “We’ll all be little ducks like Quack Quack,” he

continued.

“Not quite,” said Quack Quack, “but the same idea.”

Roger Rook returned with a large sycamore leaf held

in his mouth.

“That’s great,” said Quack Quack. “Just the job.”

“How are we going to fix it to the raft?” asked Billy Bunny.

“How do you think kids?” I asked.

“Glue,” said Leila.

“Sticky tape,” said Syd.

“Good answers – but they don’t have glue or sticky tape in the animal world,” I replied, “Just

listen…”

“Sammy, you hold the leaf upright by its stem. I’ll go to the middle of the raft and put my beak between

two of the branches, prising them slightly apart. When I do that, I want you to carefully push the

stem of the leaf into the hole and hold it there. I will pull my beak out slowly and the sticks moving back together should hold the stem in place, leaving the

leaf standing upright” instructed Quack Quack. “OK?”

“OK, Quack Quack,” replied Sammy.

So carefully Quack Quack stood on the raft and pushed two branches slowly apart. Sammy Squirrel pushed the stem of the leaf into the gap made by

Quack Quack and held it there while Quack Quack removed his beak, and the branches sprang back

together. The leaf stood tall above the raft. The leaf had now become a sail.

“Time for a sail on the pond,” said Billy Bunny

excitedly.

“No. Time to go home and have some food, said Quack Quack. “We can go sailing tomorrow,” he

added.

“Wonderful!” exclaimed Sammy Squirrel. “I’m hungry and I need something to eat. All this work

has made me very hungry.”

“I think that’s a good days’ work,” said Quack Quack. “Well done guys. See you in the morning for

school, and then in the afternoon we can go sailing……”

“Goodnight everyone.”

5 Adventures on the

pond

By

J.P.Kelly

Story 5

Adventures on the pond

“What happened the next day, Grandad?” asked Sydney.

“Shall we find out?” I asked.

“Yes!” came the chorus reply from Sydney and

Leila.

“Let us find out then…” I replied.

The next day dawned fine, with the brilliant sun casting rays of sunshine over the animal world.

Quack Quack had already eaten his breakfast and was paddling across the pond to where the raft sat

on the shore. Much to his surprise when he reached the raft he saw Billy Bunny, Sammy Squirrel, Freddy

Fox and Tommy Dormouse already there.

“Hi guys,” said Quack Quack.

“Hi,” they all replied in unison.

“You guys are up early,” continued Quack Quack.

“We’re excited,” said Tommy Dormouse.

“Yes, excited,” repeated Sammy Squirrel.

“How do we launch the raft into the pond?” asked Billy Bunny.

“That’s easy,” replied Quack Quack, “you just push it.”

“I thought that’s what you would say,” grumbled

Billy Bunny.

“Oh, be quiet Billy,” said Freddy Fox. “Let’s get on with it. I want to float on the pond.” And with that

he started to push the raft from behind.

“Just a moment,” said Quack Quack. “We have to name the raft. Any ideas guys?”

Umm. A pause for thought. Everyone was silent.

“I know,” said Tommy Dormouse, “Tommy’s

Triumph!”

“No,” said Sammy Squirrel. “We all made it so we can’t call it after any of us.”

“Oh,” said Tommy Dormouse crestfallen.

“Rover,” suggested Billy Bunny.

“That sounds like a dog’s name,” said Syd.

“You’re right,” I replied. “What would be a better name then?”

“Roaming Raft?” said Leila.

“That sounds good. Tell Quack Quack,” I replied.

“Roaming Raft, Quack Quack,” shouted Leila.

“No. Rover sounds more like a boy’s name. How about Roaming Raft?” suggested Quack Quack.

“No. It’s too much like - nothing,” answered

Freddy Fox. “What are we going to do on the pond? Sail and have adventures. Why don’t we call it

Adventurer?” he added.

“That’s a great idea,” the boys all replied together.

“And so, without further ado, I name this raft Adventurer,” said Quack Quack, and the boys all

cheered.

Billy Bunny and Freddy Fox got behind the raft and

pushed it slowly, until Billy Bunny gave an extra

strong shove and it leapt into the water. It took Freddy Fox by surprise and left him sprawled out on

the shore.

“Hurray,” they all shouted together. And “hurray,” again. They were so pleased with their work.

Quack Quack steadied the raft. “All aboard,” he

cried.

Tommy Dormouse scrambled on and held the mast to steady himself, while Sammy Squirrel, Freddy Fox and Billy Bunny got on behind him. The raft tilted

backwards with the weight of the friends.

“Sammy, Freddy, move to the front, otherwise the raft might tip over,” said Quack Quack. They

moved forward, leaving Billy Bunny at the back and slowly the raft became level.

“Good, let’s get going,” shouted Freddy Fox.

“Who’s got the paddle?”

Billy Bunny looked back and saw it on the shore.

“It’s on the shore,” he said.

“I’ll get it,” said Quack Quack. He swam to the shore and pushed the paddle into the water with his

beak. It floated to the side of the raft where Billy Bunny picked it up.

He started paddling and the raft began to move

across the pond. The boys were happy. They were floating on the pond like Quack Quack. Something

they had never done before.

The raft – sorry – Adventurer, started to go in circles. Billy Bunny paddled faster and faster, and

the raft turned faster and faster.

“Billy, stop paddling!” shouted Quack Quack. Billy Bunny stopped paddling and the raft slowed it’s

turning. “You were paddling one way only Billy, so it sent the raft into circles.”

“What should I do then?” asked Billy Bunny,

bewildered by what had happened.

“You should paddle from the left and then the right-hand sides, alternating, first one way and then the

other, so the raft travels in a straight line,” continued Quack Quack.

“Oh!” said Billy Bunny.

At that, they set off again, Billy this time paddling

the right way. Freddy Fox and Sammy Squirrel sat in the front. Tommy Dormouse stood holding onto the mast, while Billy Bunny kept paddling in the

rear. Quack Quack swam beside the raft and made sure it floated easily across the calm pond.

“This is the life,” squeaked Tommy Dormouse.

The boys were contented. All their hard work had

paid off, and they were now floating happily on the pond where Quack Quack lived.

They had plenty to see as they floated along. They passed the reed beds where Quack Quack’s home was, along with the nests of other ducks who also

lived there.

After the reed beds the pond widened out, and as they moved towards the middle the shore moved

further away. It wasn’t really a big pond, but for the boys - who were quite small – it seemed big. Soon they were in the middle of the pond and looking all

around. The shore seemed so far away.

Billy Bunny stopped paddling, and they all lay back on the raft, enjoying the warmth of the sun. In fact,

they were effectively sun bathing, but they didn’t change colour because they were all covered with

fur.

“No, they weren’t, Grandad,” said Leila. “Quack Quack had feathers!”

“Of course, you’re right,” I replied. “I was just

about to say….”

All except Quack Quack who was covered with feathers.

“Hey guys,“ said Quack Quack, “we’ll be late for

school. It’s great sailing on the pond, but we don’t want to upset Mr. Badger or he might give us some

extra schoolwork.”

“Oh, fiddlesticks,” muttered Freddy Fox, “just as we were enjoying ourselves.”

“If we get to school on time, then we can come back later and float on the pond again,” added Billy

Bunny. “Where’s the paddle?”

Unfortunately, while lying down, Billy Bunny had not kept hold of the paddle and it had floated away

across the pond.

“Well done Billy!” said Quack Quack loudly. “I’ll swim to get it, then you can paddle back to where we entered the water. Then we can go to school.”

And that’s what they did.

+ 6

More adventures on the pond

By

J.P.Kelly

Story 6

More adventures on the

pond

The news of the raft had got around school, and everyone was talking about it. Even Mr. Badger had heard about it.

“So, who’s built a raft then?” he asked.

“We have, Sir,” replied Quack Quack.

“Why?”

“So that we can all float on the water and have adventures,” said Billy Bunny proudly.

“OK,” said Mr. Badger. “What is the first thing we should do when we go to the pond?”

Silence.

“Well, we have to make sure that we are safe,” he continued. “Now, how do we do that?”

“Don’t go there in the first place!” said Flippy Frog.

“That’s fine for you to say,” said Mr. Badger,” but you live

on the pond. So why do you say that?”

“Well, Sir, there are all sorts of things that can happen on the pond,” added Flippy Frog.

“Such as?” queried Mr. Badger.

Everyone was listening very carefully to what was being said.

“Well, firstly the pond is deep in some places, and it is easy

to get into the water too deep, and that can cause difficulties for those who can’t swim.”

“That’s true.”

“Also, there are fish in the pond that live there. And if you

go in too much you can upset them, as it is their home. How would you feel if someone came into your burrow or nest and played there? I’m sure you wouldn’t like it. Nor do

the fish. Even though I live both in and out of the pond there are still parts where I don’t go so as not to upset the

fish.”

“A very good point, Flippy Frog,” said Mr. Badger.

“Also, if you were meant to be on the pond, then you would be able to float and paddle like Quack Quack or

me.”

But some times it is interesting to do things outside our

own normal area and I don’t see how floating on the pond is going to upset anyone,” butted in Billy Bunny. “It gives

us the chance to see what Quack Quack sees and to experience what Quack Quack experiences.”

“Good point,” said Mr. Badger. “Life is all about learning about many different things, and using that learning to

make things better.”

They continued their lessons until it was time to go home. The boys all walked together down to the pond, excited at

the thought of sailing into “new” adventures.

“Right, let’s get going,” ordered Quack Quack as the boys made ready, Billy Bunny and Freddy Fox pushing the raft

into the water – carefully this time. They all got on – except Quack Quack – and Billy Bunny pushed away from the

side using the paddle.

“Now what do you think happened next kids?” I asked (not knowing what to do.)

“Don’t know, Grandad,” mused Syd. “What do you

think?”

( Umm! Stuck now. Get the inventive juices working – and quickly…..)

This time Billy Bunny paddled both left and right, and the raft sailed straight across the pond. The sun shone brightly.

There was a little island in the middle of the pond, and Billy Bunny steered the raft towards it.

“Let’s get off and explore the island,” suggested Sammy

Squirrel.

“Good idea,” replied Freddy Fox. “Billy, head for the island and do it slowly. We don’t want to fall off!”

Billy Bunny made for the island, but he didn’t know how to slow down and the raft hit the land with a bump. Tommy

Dormouse was catapulted from the mast over Sammy Squirrel’s head and onto the island, where he landed on a

patch of grass.

“Ouch,” he cried. “Billy, that’s twice now you’ve made me fly into the air. Be careful in future!”

“Sorry, Tommy. It’s not easy sailing on the pond,” replied

Billy Bunny sadly.

“OK, guys. No harm done,” said Quack Quack. “Let’s get on the island.”

So carefully Sammy Squirrel, Freddy Fox and Billy Bunny jumped off the raft onto dry land. The island was small. There were a few small bushes and grass everywhere.

Nothing very interesting – except that it was in the middle of the pond.

“This could be our camp,” said Billy Bunny excitedly. “Whenever we want to be alone together, we can come here and enjoy ourselves without anyone telling us to

stop.”

“Yes, but we’ll have to bring some food with us, otherwise we’ll get hungry,” added Sammy Squirrel.

“You’re always hungry Sammy,” said Freddy Fox. “Don’t

you ever think of anything else?”

“No,” was the simple reply from Sammy Squirrel.

“Well we could build a camp here,” said Quack Quack, “if you want to.”

“That will be great,” said Freddy Fox. “Let’s look for

something to build a camp with.”

So, the boys started to search the island for things they could use to build a camp. Soon they had found some

sticks and twigs, which they used to build a circular wall around a patch of lovely green grass.

“This will shield us from the wind – when it is windy,” said Freddy Fox, “and no-one can see us from the shore so we

can hide whenever we want.” “Great,” said Sammy Squirrel. “But you know, guys, there’s

no food on the island. The trees don’t have acorns on them, they’re too small.”

“We’ll have to bring food with us then,” said Freddy Fox.

“Look guys, you can argue as much as you want, but I’m going to have a rest,” said Quack Quack. And with that he sat down in the middle of the camp, tucked his head into

one of his wings and settled to sleep. Billy Bunny lay down against one of the walls and closed his eyes. Freddy Fox

curled up with his head resting on his forelegs, while Tommy Dormouse lay against Quack Quack and fell

asleep.

“This is boring, Grandad,” said Syd. “They’re not

doing anything.”

“They are,” said Leila, “They’re sleeping.”

“Well, they’re tired from school, and paddling across the pond, and making the camp, so it’s right that they

take a rest. Aren’t you tired after your long day?” I added.

“No,” came the resounding response from two very wide-awake children. (Oh, oh! Here we go again, I

thought.)

“What do you think happened next?” I asked

.

Silence.

They were tired and slept for some time. When they awoke it was getting dark.

“Oh my,” said Sammy Squirrel. “I’m hungry.” Well he always says that, but no-one had a go at him as they were

hungry too. The sun had faded.

“Time for us to leave and go home,” said Quack Quack.

“Where’s the raft?” asked Freddy Fox.

While they had been asleep, the raft had floated away and was now on the other side of the pond. The boys hadn’t made sure it had been tied down on the island. So now

they had a problem.

“Oh no, it’s over there,” said Tommy Dormouse pointing, “on the other side of the pond. Now what can we do?”

“I’ll have to go and get it then,” sighed Quack Quack.

Having his friends on the pond was causing him quite a few problems. “Wait here,” he added before diving into the

water and paddling quickly to where the raft floated.

“As if we could go anywhere else,” grumbled Sammy Squirrel.

Quack Quack reached the raft, got behind it, and pushed with his beak. It hardly moved. It was heavy and he was

too small. Oh, I’ll have to find Daddy and ask him to help. So, he swam to his home in the reeds, told his Dad what

had happened and asked for his help.

Quack Quack and his Dad swam to the raft and together they managed to push it across to the island.

“Now boys, get on quickly and we’ll help get you back

home,” said Quack Quacks’ Dad rather severely.

The boys jumped on the raft, and with Billy Bunny paddling and Quack Quack and his Dad pushing, they

made good speed back to the shore where they jumped off

ready to run home. But first they tied the raft securely to the bank.

“In future boys, make sure we know where you are going so that if it gets late we can come and find you before it

gets dark. OK?” added Quack Quacks Dad.

The boys agreed and rather sheepishly ran off to their homes.

All’s well that ends well.

I looked at my grandchildren fast asleep in bed. They must have been bored, I realised, for them to be asleep so soon. Just wait until tomorrows’

adventure. I’ll have to make it interesting!