Stinky Skunk s Self-Control Elizabeth L Hamilton

Stinky Skunk s Self-Control Elizabeth L Hamilton Character-in-Action an imprint of Quiet Impact Inc

CHARACTER CRITTER SERIES Stinky Skunk s Self-Control Copyright 2004 by Elizabeth L Hamilton First printing 2004 Second printing 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided by USA copyright law. Cover design Elizabeth L Hamilton Printed in the United States of America ISBN 0-9713749-6-1 Character-in-Action books are an imprint of the publisher, Quiet Impact Inc. http://www.character-in-action.com

1 Stinky, the tiniest striped skunk in the big forest, pulled her small black nose out of the moist brown dirt and sniffed. Cherries! Sweet red cherries. Cherries were so much better in autumn than insects that lived in the dirt. Whoever has cherries must give them to me, said Stinky. And if they don t psst! Psst was Stinky s very special perfume. Daddy called it musk, but Stinky called it Psst. Musk, Daddy had said, is to be used only when you are in trouble. It chases away Ornery Owl so he won t eat you for late night dinner. It makes Beggarly Bobcat and Crafty Coyote think twice about having you for a sweet dessert. So always carry your musk with you but keep it for emergencies when you are afraid or threatened.

2 Stinky Skunk laughed at Daddy. Other skunks might use Psst only when they were in trouble, but not Stinky. Stinky had many uses for Psst. Stinky used Psst every day. She sniffed the air again and made a soft cooing sound. Then she set off at a slow trot, determined to have the sweet smelling cherries. She trotted across the bubbling blue brook. She felt the icy water on her feet, but she did not stop. She was looking for tasty red cherries. She trotted over golden maple leaves. She felt them crackle as she pressed their dry gold into the brown earth, but she did not stop. She was looking for sweet, red cherries. She could almost taste them as she continued on her way, placing one flat little foot ahead of the other.

3 Just beyond the big stump, Stinky stopped. There were the cherries. They were all over the ground, bright red balls mixing with gold and brown leaves. The problem was that Willy and Winda Weasel were there ahead of her. They were feasting on the cherries. Stinky Skunk walked deliberately into the feast. Give me those cherries, she said. These aren t your cherries, said Willy. We got here first. He wiped the sweet juice from his mouth. We ll share them, but we won t give you all of them. Into Stinky s head popped a huge itch to be naughty. I want them all, said Stinky. She drummed her front feet on the ground. She snarled. She arched her back and raised her tail.

4 Temper tantrums are silly, said Winda. Control yourself, Stinky. I don t want to control myself. Now give me the cherries. And if you don t psst! The weasels looked at each other. They looked at Stinky, but they did not give her the cherries. So Stinky Skunk turned her black and white back, lifted her tail very high and psst! Help! I can t see, squealed the weasels. You stink! We won t be your friends ever again! Away they stumbled to their home. I warned you, Stinky said coolly. She popped a big cherry in her mouth. She went on popping until she was quite full. Then she walked slowly to the brook and had a big drink.

5 Now what shall I do? Stinky looked at the moon high in the sky. I ll tell you what you can do, said a deep voice. Daddy came around the big stump. You can learn self-control. Mrs. Weasel said that you used musk on her children. Now you have lost two friends. You must learn to rule yourself, or you will have to take the results and there always are results. I call them consequences. Stinky shrugged and fluffed her furry tail. Who cared about consequences? As Daddy left, she looked at the moon again. She still had time to play before night school. She began tossing smooth round pebbles into the brook. Kerplink! Kerplunk! Kerplonk! She stopped and listened. There was another sound.

6 It was a squeaky voice. Cha. Cha-chacha-cha-cha. It was Freddy Ferret, running behind the rotten black log by the brook. Hi, said Stinky. Come out and play tag. Shh, whispered Freddy. He shook his little, round brown head. I m playing hide and seek with my brothers and sisters. They don t want to play tag. But I want us all to play tag, said Stinky. Freddy s little black eyes appeared again. Wait until our hide and seek ends. He blinked in the moonlight. Into Stinky s head popped a huge itch to be bad. No. I want to play now, said Stinky. She drummed her front feet on the ground. She

7 snarled. She arched her back and raised her bushy black and white tail. Always wanting your own way is silly, Stinky, whispered Freddy. Control yourself. Stinky glared. I don t want to control myself. Now come and play tag with me. And if you don t psst! Freddy Ferret covered his eyes, but he did not play tag. So Stinky Skunk turned her back, lifted her tail very high and psst! Help! I m going to be sick! yelled the little ferret. You stink! He jumped into the brook. I warned you, Stinky said coolly. She knew she had lost another friend, but she did not care. She had plenty of other friends.

8 Stinky looked at the moon. It was time for night school. She did not want to be late. She padded along the path, churring like an insect on a warm summer evening. Her tummy was full and she had used psst twice already this evening. Stinky was happy. When she reached school, she went to her room but the room was empty. Only the teacher was there. Where is everyone? Stinky asked. They did not want to attend school with you, said the teacher. Do you know why? Stinky shrugged. I don t know. I guess they don t like the way I smell. No, that is not the problem, said the teacher. The other students do not like your

9 behavior. I can make you act right when you have an itch to misbehave in school but that is control that comes from outside of you. What you need is self-control ruling yourself from inside. When you learn self-control, you will act right all of the time, not just when adults make you act right. Then others will like you better. Stinky drummed her tiny black feet. Until you do control yourself, said the teacher, I m going to another room. He picked up his books, and hurried out of the room. He closed the door firmly behind him. Stinky looked at the closed door. She looked at the empty seats. I ll show them, she said. I don t need self-control to have friends. I can make them like me without self-control.

10 She stomped out of the room. She stomped through the woods. She stomped down the long tunnel into her burrow. She stomped into the kitchen and opened the cupboard. Now where was that bag Daddy brought home? There! She pulled it from the cupboard. Cat food with breath sweetener, she read. That will make me smell good. She poured food in her green dish and started to eat. It did not taste as good as red cherries, but that was all right. It would make the other students like her or so she thought. Stinky ate and ate and ate. Her tummy got very full. Her tummy got very sick. But she finished the whole big bag of cat food. Then Stinky waddled back to school.

11 I need two students to go to the library for me, said the teacher. I will go, said Stinky. Her breath smelled very sweet and nice as she said it. I think it s Willy and Winda s turn, said the teacher. Up popped another big itch to be naughty. Stinky got out of her seat and began drumming. You went last week, said the teacher. Control yourself, Stinky. I don t want to control myself. Now let me go to the library. And if you don t psst! Class, we all will go to the library except Stinky. Everyone go. Now! Hurry!

12 The students scurried for the door, and Stinky was left with her fat tail high in the air. Well, how do you like that? Stinky asked the empty room. Sweet breath is not enough. She stomped out of the room. She stomped through the woods, down the tunnel, and into Mother s bedroom. There by the mirror, she found Mother s lipstick and nail polish. That will help, said Stinky. If I look pretty, everyone will like me. Pretty girls are always well liked. Stinky set to work. She painted each toenail bright red all twenty of them. She painted her lips bright red, too. She looked in the mirror. She painted red circles on her cheeks. Then, because the red was so pretty, she painted her nose. Now they would like her.

13 Back to school she went. When she got there, the students were at recess. Freddy kicked a ball right at Stinky, but Bobby Badger got it. Give me the ball, said Stinky. She looked very pretty on the outside as she said it. No. We re playing a game, said Bobby. Into Stinky s head popped a huge itch to be bad. Give me the ball right now, said Stinky. She drummed her feet and raised her tail. I ll tell teacher you can t control yourself, warned the badger. I don t want to control myself. Now give me that ball. And if you don t psst! Run! Bobby shouted and every one ran.

14 They still don t like me, said Stinky. Sweet breath is not enough and neither are pretty looks. She stomped through the woods, down the tunnel, and into Father s bedroom. Beside the bed, she saw a big green comb with several teeth missing. Beside the comb were two orange cans. She read the labels on the cans. Mephitis Mephitis Fur Cleaner, said one label. Mephitis Mephitis Hair Spray, said the other label. These will help, said Stinky. If I am clean and neat, everyone will like me. Stinky twisted to the right and squirted fur cleaner. She twisted to the left and squirted fur cleaner. She combed the cleaner through her fur until every hair sparkled. She twisted again,

15 and misted her fur with hair spray. She made her tail bushy stiff with four big poofs of spray. Stinky looked in the mirror. She was very clean and neat. Her nails, lips, cheeks, and nose were a pretty red. Her breath smelled sweet. Now the students would like her. Back to school Stinky went arriving just as the others sat down to a midnight snack. Stinky hurried to a table with four chairs. I ll sit with you, Willy Weasel, said Stinky. You can t. I m sitting with my sister Winda, Freddy Ferret, and Bobby Badger, he said. There s only room at this table for four. I want to sit here, demanded Stinky. She looked clean and neat as she began drumming.

16 Teacher, teacher! Stinky isn t controlling herself, shouted Bobby Badger. I don t want to control myself. Now let me sit here. And if you don t psst! The students all jumped up from their tables and raced outside. What can I do to make them like me? Stinky began to cry. Sweet breath is not enough and pretty looks are not enough. Even being clean and neat doesn t make them like me. She stomped through the woods, tears flowing over the little red-spotted cheeks. She stomped down the tunnel, and into the living room. She sat down and picked up a magazine. Through her tears, she looked at the pictures.

17 One picture showed a mother ferret dressed in a lacy apron and a fancy little hat. She was working to make her home tidy. Well, said Stinky, I don t know. I am very tired, but everyone likes girls in pretty clothes. And everyone likes a clean playground. If I dress pretty, and make the play ground tidy, the students will like me I hope. Stinky plodded slowly to the closet in Mother s bedroom. She got out Mother s bright red apron. She tied it around her tiny waist. She got out Mother s very bright red hat. She put it on top of her tiny head. Then she found the feather duster Daddy had made for Mother. Carrying the duster, Stinky waddled up the tunnel, through the forest, and back to school.

18 Teacher s yellow asters are dusty, she said. I wonder why. She did not know that she stomped dirt on the flowers every time she passed. I will dust them for teacher. Stinky dusted until the flowers smiled in the moonlight. These dry leaves should be raked into a pile, said Stinky. She got the teacher s big rake, and raked until every red, yellow, orange and brown leaf was caught in a huge, moonlit pile. There. Our playground looks tidy. I am wearing pretty clothes. My fur is clean and neat. My nails, lips, cheeks, and nose are a pretty red. My breath smells sweet. Now they will like me. Stinky was very tired and morning was coming. She picked up the feather duster and the rake. She started to put them beside the

19 school door but the door opened and out came all of the students. Night school was over. Come and see our tidy playground, said Stinky. I cleaned it all by myself. We have to go home, said the students. Our parents are waiting for us. Up popped another big itch to misbehave. You come here right now, Stinky said. She drummed her little black feet and snarled. Stinky, you can t tell everyone what to do. Control yourself, shouted the students. I don t want to control myself. Now you all come here. And if you don t psst! But the students ran off into the forest.

20 Stinky was all alone. Why did they go? Stinky whispered. I guess they will always hate me. She began to cry. Stinky. Daddy stepped from behind the leaf pile. Let s talk about it as we go home. You may be the tiniest striped skunk in the forest, but you don t have to be the most unlikable striped skunk. You know what you must do. You must learn self-control. If you use self-control, the students will like you again. But what is self-control? Stinky asked. Self-control is: knowing how to act, feeling an itch to do wrong, but making yourself do right, even when nobody is watching.

21 You have done things to make others like you, but you have not changed your behavior. I don t understand, Stinky said. Well, said Daddy, I think you know how to act. When you are with your friends, you know what you should do, don t you? Stinky nodded solemnly. And you know when you feel an itch to do wrong to misbehave? Stinky nodded again. When an itch to be bad pops into your head, stop and think. Tell yourself to do the right thing. Then make yourself do it, even when nobody is watching. You don t need someone

22 outside of you to make you act right. You can do it from inside. And remember that there are results consequences if you act wrong like losing your friends. Daddy smiled. Let s make up a song to teach you self-control. His deep voice began to sing to the tune of Pop Goes the Weasel. Self-control knows how to act, With hands and mouth and eyes, And if you don't use self-control, Pssssssst character flies. (Chorus) Stop and think before you act, Tell yourself to be wise, Then do the right or you will find, Pssssssst character flies.

23 That s a funny song, Stinky said, Make up more verses, Daddy. Two more, said Daddy. He sang again in his deep skunk voice, and Stinky tried to sing with him: Self-control knows ev-er-y itch, Of naughty girls and guys, And if you don't use self-control, Pssssssst character flies. (Chorus) Self-control will make you do right, It comes from your insides, And if you don't use self-control, Pssssssst character flies. (Chorus)

24 Daddy patted Stinky s head. You must choose, Stinky. Daddy-control, Mommy-control, and Teacher-control mean that we make you do right and punish you when you do wrong. Stinky-control means that you make you do right and need no punishment. I choose Stinky-control, said Stinky. I am going to control myself starting right now. Daddy smiled. Right now you need to get some sleep, he said. The sun is climbing the sky. Tomorrow evening will be soon enough. For the next three weeks, Stinky worked very hard to learn self-control. Slowly but surely, she became much better at it slowly but surely, she used Psst much less. The other students liked Stinky again until one chilly evening.

25 Last to arrive at the forest park, Stinky suggested that they play tag. Freddy Ferret shook his head. We already voted. Everybody wants to play hide and seek, he said. Without warning, a naughty itch popped into Stinky s head. She knew she should stop and think. She knew she should tell herself to do the right thing. She should make herself do the right thing. Just for a moment, she really wanted to control herself really wanted to do the right thing. But it seemed much nicer to do the wrong thing. Stinky began drumming her tiny front feet. She snarled. She raised her tail. Stinky, control yourself, shouted Freddy. I don t want to control myself. Now you all play tag. And if you don t psst!

26 Freddy Ferret turned and ran. Willy and Winda Weasel turned and ran. Bobby Badger turned and ran. They left Stinky all alone. Stinky began to cry. Results, she said. Consequences. She cried and cried. Suddenly, Look, said a human voice, a little skunk all by herself. Let s take her home. Big hands went around Stinky s tummy. Stinky was scared. She felt threatened. This was trouble an emergency! This was a time for Psst. Stinky tried to spray, but the big boy was holding her tail under her bottom. Stinky wiggled and squiggled, but the boy carried her away. Soon, she felt herself being lowered into a big, dark place. The moon disappeared, and a roar filled her ears. Then the dark place began

27 to move. Stinky did not know it, but she was in the trunk of a car. She drummed her feet. She snarled. She raised her tail. She sprayed. But the big dark place kept moving. When the car stopped, the boy took little Stinky out of the dark place. Pee-you! he said. He put her in a big box, gave her a small dish of water, and put a lid on the box. We ll build you a cage tomorrow, said the boy. Then he went away. Stinky shivered. How would Daddy find her? What horrible consequences! She cried until the next morning, when the big boy came back. One big hand closed around her. Another hand pushed her tail under her.

28 She can be in the yard while we build, he told his brother. Danny can take care of her. He s only three years old, said the brother. He doesn t have to hold her. He just has to tell us if she tries to get away. The big boy carried Stinky to a very large fenced yard and set her in the grass. Don t touch her, he told Danny. Just call me if she tries to go under the fence. The big boy went back to the garage and began building a cage. Stinky Skunk blinked in the sunlight. She must find a darker place. She looked at Danny. He was playing in his sand pile. The sand pile was against the garage. The bright sun did not shine there. It was very shady.

29 Slowly, deliberately, the little striped skunk walked across the grass. She walked past Danny, and she walked into his shady sand pile. Danny looked up, surprised. Hey! No skunks in my sand pile, he yelled. He grabbed Stinky s tail and yanked her out of the sand. Quick as a wink, Stinky turned her back to Danny. She lifted her tail high, high in the air and pssssssssssssst! Help! Danny screamed. He tried to get away, but Stinky s Psst was all over him. He cried and screamed until his mother and big brothers came running. Stinky never knew exactly what happened next, but she soon found herself back in the dark

30 place. It roared it shook it moved and then it stopped again. The big boy lifted Stinky from the dark place and put her down in the forest park. In a blink, Stinky turned her back, lifted her tail and psst! Then she headed for home as fast as her tiny feet would take her. When she got there, she told the whole terrible story to Daddy. If only I had controlled myself, she said, big tears filling her eyes. My friends would have stayed with me and I would have been safe if I had made myself do right. This was the consequence. From now on, I always will use self-control. And Stinky did.