The Unicorn Who Loved to Play Tag 🦄

This week, we have a story about a farm mystery. Two siblings notice that the chickens keep flying up into a tree, and the sheep and goats are hiding in the woods! They set out to solve the mystery and learn that the culprit is a playful unicorn who just wants to play tag! Fortunately, everyone gets what they want in the end.

New intro

Transcript

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♪ Foggy Oak Farm ♪♪ Foggy Oak Farm ♪♪ Come on down to ♪♪Foggy Oak Farm ♪- Hi friends. Welcome to Foggy Oak Fairy Tales. Each week, we'll bring you a new story. Some weeks, we'll share a story based on what's been happening on our real-life Foggy Oak Farm, where we have all sorts of animals and adventures. Other weeks, we'll use our imaginations and create new adventures together. I'm so glad you're here. This week, we have a story about a farm mystery. Two siblings noticed that the chickens keep flying up into a tree, and the sheep and goats are hiding in the woods. They set out to solve the mystery and learn that the culprit is a playful unicorn who just wants to play tag. Fortunately, everyone gets what they want in the end. The unicorn who loved to play tag. Once upon a time, and not very long ago, a boy stood in a field on his farm, scratching his head in confusion as he looked up at the tree before him. What on earth has happened here? The boy wondered aloud. In the branches of the tree above his head, was roosting his entire flock of chickens. The sun was still high in the sky, and the chickens were very good about going out each morning to hunt for bugs, take dirt baths, and generally do all the things that chickens like to do when they're able to range freely. They always went into their coop at night, and waited patiently to be let out for explorations in the morning. They did not all fly up into trees in the middle of the day. The boy's little sister came running up to him. I don't think anyone is missing, she said, and there's no sign of a predator around, but in the muddy area near the chicken coop, I saw the strangest thing. It really looked like there were hoof prints, running from outside the chicken coop into the pasture, and not goat or sheep hoof prints, but horse hoof prints, big horse hoof prints, and she trailed off. And what? We don't have a horse right now. The boy said to his sister,"Are you sure you weren't imagining things?" I'm sure I remember what horse hoof prints look like, even if we hadn't had one for a while. The girl replied to her brother. And there is just something strange about them. They all seem like they shimmer. Skeptical, the boy took one last look at the chickens and followed his sister back to the muddy barnyard to see if there really were shimmering hoof prints. Sure enough, there, all over the barnyard, were large horse prints, and the tracks of the flock of chickens, fading away as the chickens moved from the muddy common area to the grassy pasture. He didn't want to admit it, but there did seem to be a certain amount of shimmer about the hoof prints, too. Although they looked, the children didn't see a horse anywhere in the pasture. Eventually, they brought the chickens' food over to the tree, and spread the chicken feed over the ground, calling them down from the tree. chick chick chick heeeere chick chick chick They both called. One by one the chickens cautiously flew to the ground, and then began happily pecking away at their dinner. They'll come in tonight as always, I'm sure. The boy said to his sister, "They walked back to the barnyard together to get food and water for the other animals, and then stopped abruptly." The chicken tracks were still all over the barnyard, but the shimmering hoof prints were not. Do...Do you not see what I don't see. The boy's sister asked quietly. I don't see them either. He responded. I don't think we imagined them. But I don't know what else to believe. Maybe we did. Shrugging, they headed off to take care of their other animals, and then to do their homework. It was weird, but chickens could be pretty strange, and maybe those prints really had been their imaginations. Everything went back to normal for a few days, but that weekend, when the children went out to take care of the animals, they were greeted with yet another strange sight. Not only were the chickens in the tree again, as high up in the branches as their wings could carry them, but the sheep and the goats were nowhere to be seen in the next pasture. Usually, at feeding time, the sheep and goats were close to the fence, calling hungrily to the children and ready for their meal. Today, the siblings had to wander over acres and acres back into the small coops of woods in the back corner of the pasture. There, they found the sheep and goats, who stared at them reproachfully from their huddle in the corner as the children approached them. A strange light gleamed under the trees, as the siblings walked towards the sheep and goats. Near them, in the exposed dirt of the earth under the trees, were more shimmering hoof prints, and dangling from a bush near the sheep and goats, something was glowing brightly. What's that? The boy exclaimed, his sister walked over to the shining object and reached out her hand."It's... I know this sounds even stranger than the hoof prints, but this sure feels like hair from a horse's tail." She told him. They looked at each other in surprise. The girl pulled the long strands out of the bush and held them out in front of her, where they swayed slightly in the breeze, as long as she was tall and glowing beautifully."I've never seen a horses tail with hair like that," her brother said quietly. Suddenly, the girl gasped. Seeing her gaze was focused on the ground, the boy looked down as well. The shining hoof prints were fading away to nothing in front of their eyes. They both looked back up. The hoof prints might be gone, but the hair was very much still there, carefully held in the little girl's hand."I can't explain this, but I guess we'd better help the sheep and goats back out into the pasture for supper." The boy said. Both children called the sheep and goats lovingly back out into the sunlight, where the goats happily bounded away, chasing one another and jumping over logs and rocks. The sheep were less inclined to forget whatever had bothered them and moved in a clump together over to their usual feeding spot, where they stopped and called to the children to feed them."Maaaaaaaa" They cried impatiently. Deciding there was nothing else to do at that moment, the kids divided up the strangely glowing hair and set off to feed the baaaa-ing sheep and finish their other chores. As they walked, they both stuffed the hair into their pockets. By the time they were done with chores, they didn't even remember they had it. That is, until that night when they had shut off the lights in their room. And the room was suddenly awash in a beautiful silver light that made it seem as if the moon itself had come down to their bedroom for a visit."Um, do you see what I see?" The girl asked her brother."Yeah, yeah, I do!" he whispered in awe. The boy climbed down from the top bunk and pulled the hair they had found earlier out of the pockets of their pants, which they had left draped over a chair when they changed into their pajamas. The light in the room became even brighter and more beautiful."Sis!" I think we need to keep an eye on the pastures tomorrow. The siblings who were early risers in general woke up even earlier than usual, dressing quietly and walking together out into the dawn. The sun was just beginning to bathe the fields in a rosy golden light as they let out the chickens and move to their posts. One in the pasture with what they were now calling the chicken tree, and the other behind a tall old stump in the sheep and goat pasture. They passed the time happily enough, whistling back and forth to each other, and practicing bird calls."chick-a-dee-dee-dee! chick-a-dee-dee-dee!" And it wasn't long before the sun rose fully on the new day. When their bellies were just starting to warn them, someone would have to take a break and go bring out breakfast they heard it. Something almost like a beautiful, tinkling bell rang out, followed by the delighted echoing witty they might have just thought came from a horse. But no horse they'd ever heard had a witty that made the hills chime."Neeeeeiiiighhhh!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!" As the whinny echoed and the hills chimed in response, a commotion began in the barnyard. Squawking and flapping noises abounded, which were followed by the sound of thundering hooves. Unable to contain themselves any longer, the children popped up from their hiding place, and wondered if they were imagining things due to their rumbling bellies. For what was gleefully chasing their chickens across the barnyard, but a unicorn, a shining iridescent huge and very real unicorn. The children managed to turn their heads to look at one another in awe across the distance. The dazzling creature whose horn shown like its own beam of sunlight was clearly having fun, prancing into the pasture after the chickens with obvious satisfaction. The chickens on the other hand were not happy. Flapping and squawking, they flopped their way into the chicken tree, or tried to. Some of the chickens made the flight part way up and thudded back to the ground with an offended "BAWK-AH!" As impressive as the unicorn was, scaring the chickens like this was just not okay. Shaking off enough of their begilement to move, the sister began running across the goat and sheep passed towards her brother at the chicken tree, and the brother managed to step out from behind the tree and raise his hands in a stop gesture that he actually wasn't sure the unicorn would understand. To both their surprise, the unicorn did stop. It halted abruptly, close to his hand, and shook its head in what looked like surprise. Suddenly, they both heard the unicorn speak. Why are you stopping me? I'm just trying to play tag, and I'm definitely not supposed to be seen by humans. Ah, what a morning! With this statement, the unicorn began to back up and turn away. Oh wait, please wait! The younger sibling cried out. We didn't know you were only trying to play tag. All we knew was our chickens and sheep and goats seemed to be getting chased, and they're tired and scared. So we waited out here to find out what was going on. Unicorn, animals don't understand tag in the same way that we do. She finished. Her brother nodded. And with a smile said, "Would you like to play tag with us instead? We've never seen a unicorn before, let alone played tag with one. You would play tag with me?" The unicorn exclaimed in surprise."You don't want to hunt me or catch me and put me in a cage? I'm only just old enough to be out on my own, but I'm really not supposed to interact with humans." The unicorn trailed off. At which point, the older brother stepped forward and bowed. Unicorn, we would be honored if you would play with us instead. We love to play tag, and we never have enough opportunities to do so, or people for that matter. A two-person game of tag isn't quite as much fun. And that way we can give the sheep and chickens and goats a break, and hey, maybe some of them will eventually decide they want to join in once they understand what we're doing. I would like that very much. The unicorn responded and bowed her head in return. No longer worried about the animals and forgetting their rumbling tummies in the excitement of the chance to play tag with the unicorn. The children dashed off across the pasture with the unicorn following. They all soon learned that a unicorn is a bit too fast compared to children, and so they brought in a few additional rules to make the game more fun. During the game, the unicorn was allowed to make whoever was being chased invisible, which helped balance out the advantage of the unicorn being so fast. The unicorn was also able to make the children run faster so they could keep up better. Between those two adjustments, the children and the unicorn were able to play very happily for a couple of hours, dashing across the pastures, weaving in and out of the woods, hiding behind rocks, and letting out delighted whoops of you're it! When someone was eventually tagged. While the unicorn could have gone on much longer, the children eventually did feel the absence of their breakfast, and were very tired, even though it was a great deal of fun. Oh, the younger sibling said, "I think we have to stop and have breakfast now, but I really don't want to. I can't stand if this is the only time we ever get to see you and play with you, unicorn. Both children looked sad. Since this has been so much fun, why don't we meet again? Same time next week. Crying out and delight, the children threw their arms around the unicorn's neck and gave it delighted hugs. From that day on, at least once a week, the children and the unicorn both had their dreams fulfilled by wild and carefree games of tag in the pastures of the farm. And while the chickens never cared to join in, the goats at least picked up on how to play, and the games grew in both duration and fun, thanks to their participation. It was a mystery that led to a friendship none of them could have expected. The end. Thanks to my five year old for requesting a story featuring a unicorn. If you have any kind of creature or topic you'd like covered in a story, I would love to hear your suggestion. You can get in touch by emailing us at foggy oak fairy tales at gmail.com or on any of the social media linked on our podcast website foggy oak fairy tales.com. Remember, you're part of the story too, what did you think of this story? What did you imagine when you were listening? We'd love to hear your part of the story. If you and your grown-up want, you can share your thoughts or a picture you drew with our foggy oak podcast family. You might find it easiest to share with us on Facebook at foggy oak farm. But we have lots of options on our website foggy oak fairy tales.com. You can also check out pictures from the farm and learn more about us. Thanks for being part of the story, and I hope you'll join us next week.[Music]