Piranha with Lemon

Remember when Rubix was almost eaten by Piper?  There was a strange Rabbit named Lemon that we met.  What ever happened to Lemon?  What does this have to do with a piranha?  Oh No!  Was Lemon eaten?  Turn in to find out!   

Vocabulary in this episode: 

• Tremble
• Shrubbery 
• dormancy  
• Torpor
• Conversing
• Curiosity
• Piqued
• Piranha
• Villain
• Cumbersome
• Celsius
• Fahrenheit
• Kelvin
• Molecule 
• Molecular 
• Atom
• Absolute zero
• Mole (2 definitions) 
• Taxidermy
• Omnivorous

Spanish Words:

• Jefa - lady boss
• Ahí - There

Latin Words:

• Serrasalmidae - piranha
• Pygocentrus nattereri - red bellied piranha
• Osteichthyes  - bony fish
• Malus domestica - Apples
• Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus- Angora Rabbit

Themes

• Empathy
• Helping Friends
• Overcoming Fears
• Be Careful what you eat
• Don't be quick to judge appearances 

Questions to Ask your Listener: 

• Why does Link use the word "Jefa" when talking to Rosie? 
• Who is the Bard?
• Who is Sensei referring to when he says Doom Hamster?
• Why does Lemon run away? 
• What are the 3 different temperature scales mentioned?
• Who uses Kevin? I mean Kelvin. 
• What is absolute zero?  

Transcript

EPISODE 7: PIRANHA WITH LEMON

SFX OUTDOOR FOREST BIRDS. DOG FOOTSTEPS

LINK:

Where are ya going Jefa? 

ROSIE:

Oh Link, my Puerto rican roots are rubbing off on you amigo!  Look at you using the proper Spanish term for Lady Boss!  Jefa! 

LINK

Thanks jefa!  I’m glad you noticed. Now are you going to tell me where you are going? 

ROSIE:

Umm 'nowhere I just thought I smelled something strange. 

LINK:

What kind of something jefa? 

ROSIE:

SNIFFS 

Not sure I think I have smelled this scent before...

LINK:

What's it smell like jefa?

ROSIE:

 Link, you really don't need to follow me.

LINK:

But I want to help, jefa.

ROSIE:

SIGHS

Ok...

SNIFFS

I think the sent is coming from under that bush near the pond.  Ahí

BUSH SHAKING

LINK:

OH I think I just saw the bush tremble. Do bushes tremble jefa?

ROSIE:

You are right the bush is shaking or trembling. That is not normal bush behavior. 

GROWL

SFX SLIDING DOOR

KITTEN:

 Good morning Rosie and Link. Is something wrong?

LINK:

That bush is trembling boss.  

KITTEN:

That is certainly odd for a bush.  Do you want me to go check it out as you can’t get to it because it is on the other side of the dog fence?  

ROSIE:

I don’t know Kitten, it could be dangerous. 

LINK:

Yeah Boss, what if you got in trouble and we could not get to because of the  fence?  

KITTEN:

You both have very strong barks, if something unexpected comes out of the bush then start barking and alert Maddox or the Mom person.  

ROSIE:

Are you sure?  

KITTEN:

Of course.  It could just be a lost or scared animal.  I’ll go check it out.  

HOP SFX TIPTOE SFX

Hello.  Whoever is in the bush, would you like to come out?  My name is Kitten.  I am very friendly.  You don’t need to be afraid.  I won’t hurt you.  

WATER SFX

SENSEI:

Good Morrow Kitten,  Doth mine ears deceive me?  Art thou conversing with that shrubbery?  

KITTEN:

Hello Sensei!  I am surprised to see you! Don’t you hibernate in the winter?  

SENSEI:

Verily tis almost true.  Koi fish such as I, usually fall into torpor, which tis a state of dormancy  where my body slows and I remain near the bottom of the pond, wherest the water is warmest, moving little.    Alas, this winter has been quite mild so I am able to stretch my fins more.  

KITTEN:

Really? You spend most of the winter basically sleeping at the bottom of the pond when it is really cold?

SENSEI:

Indeed.  Did mine ears deceive me but were thou conversing with the shrubbery before I surfaced?  

KITTEN:

No you are correct, I was talking to the bush.  Have you noticed it is trembling?  

SENSEI:

Verily I do.  Could it be thy wind?  

KITTEN:

I don’t think so.  I don’t feel a breeze and none the other bushes around are moving.  

SENSEI:

Approach with most caution.  After all thou knowest the quote from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing: Care killed the Cat. 

KITTEN:

Care?  I thought the phrase was Curiosity killed the cat.  

SENSEI:

Verily, that is the more common phase, however, back in 1599 when Much Ado About Nothing twas penned by the great William Shakespeare the phrase twas Care and referred to worry or sorrow.  

KITTEN:

I had no idea.  Shakespeare is responsible for so many of our common words and phrases.  

SENSEI:

Aye indeed.  The Bard tis credited for inventing 1700 words in the English language.  Did thy knowest he invented the word eyeball?  

KITTEN:

I did not.  1700 words is a lot.  

SENSEI:

Indeed.  Many of this phrases we use today are also from the bard. 

ROSIE:

BARKING

Kitten, what’s the hold up?

KITTEN:

Oh sorry Rosie, Sensei surfaced to say Hi.

LINK:

Who is Sensei Jefa?  

ROSIE:

He’s the Koi fish that lives in the pond.  

YELLING DOWN TO KITTEN

Do you need backup to check on the bush?  Want me to alert the family?

KITTEN:

No, not yet.  I’m going to check now.  

TO SENSEI

I’m sorry Sensei but I do want to find out what is going on in that bush.  

SENSEI:

Indeed.  My curiosity tis piqued as well.  I shall observe thee from my waters most calm.  

KITTEN:

Meow, ok

TIPTOE SFX

Excuse me.  You in the bush.  Will you please come out?  

LEMON:

Umm...

BUSH SHAKING

KITTEN:

Are you shaking the bush no?  

BUSH SHAKING 

Now you are shaking yes?

BUSH SHAKING

Ok, so you don’t want to come out but you can understand me?

BUSH SHAKING

Ok, that was a yes... umm.  Why won’t you come out? 

LEMON:

I’m too afraid.... And ...and I look awful!

KITTEN:

Why are you afraid?  I’m a small kitten, I won’t hurt you.  

LEMON:

Those big beasts might. 

KITTEN:

They are back up by the fence.  They won’t come down here.  

LEMON:

You will laugh at me.  

KITTEN:

Why would I laugh at you?  

LEMON:

I already said.  I look awful.  

KITTEN:

We all have bad fur days once in awhile.  What if I promise I will not laugh?  

LEMON:

You mean it?  

KITTEN:

Of course.  No one likes to be laughed at.  If you come out. Maybe I can help.  

LEMON:

Ok, 

BUSH SHAKING

KITTEN:

Oh My!  It looks like you have really been through a lot! 

LEMON:

See, I told you! You are making fun of me!  

KITTEN:

No I’m not.  I can just see from your fur that you have really been through a lot. You have a lot of twigs and other things caught in there.  

SENSEI:

Hold, attend! This fiend, I know.  Take heed Kitten! 

KITTEN:

You have met this creature before Sensei?

SENSEI:

Ay, my fair Kitten, I did overhear the villain in secret counsel with the doom hamster.  

KITTEN:

Is this the creature Rubix was talking to the day she escaped her ball?  Rosie said she smelled something familiar.  

LEMON:

Yes, I spoke to Rubix the day she escaped.  However then she was eaten by that giant white bird and I fled for my life.  

KITTEN:

Rubix was not eaten.  She is still as grumpy as ever living with me in Maddox’s room.  Maddox is the human girl that takes care of me.  

LEMON:

Rubix was not eaten but just recaptured.  Is she still trying to take over the world?  

SENSEI:

Beware, I heard this villain confess to escaping wanting to join ranks with thy Doom Hamster. 

LEMON:

I don’t know if I would go that far.  Yes, I did escape the awful place I was caged but I do not wish to join up with Rubix and take over the world.  

KITTEN:

It looks to me like you could use some help.  What kind of creature are you?  

LEMON:

I am an Angora rabbit.  I usually have fluffy soft fur that grows really fast but living out in the wild has been a lot harder than I thought it would be. 

KITTEN:

Can you tell me about where you used to live? 

LEMON:

It was an awful place!  They kept me in a cage all the time only taking me out to brush, plush and sometimes shave my fur.  

SENSEI:

Tis true.  I recall this villain conveying this tale to the Doom Hamster.  

KITTEN:

What is your name, so Sensei can stop referring to you as a villain.  I don’t think you are a villain. It seems to me like you have had some tough times and are just looking for a friend and some help. 

LEMON:

My name is Lemon. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a friend before.  

KITTEN:

I will be your friend Lemon.  My name is Kitten.  

LEMON:

Kitten, do friends help each other? 

KITTEN:

Yes they do Lemon.  I’m sure if I took you up to the house with me, Maddox would help get you cleaned up.  Would you like that?  

LEMON:

Oh, I have not been clean in so long!  Do you think she would help me get the twigs and mats out of my fur?  

KITTEN:

I think so, however, we may have to cut some out.  I have had a couple of mats before and have needed them cut out.  

LEMON:

Do you think she will shave me down?  I do not like that.

KITTEN:

Oh no.  She just may have to give you a trim. 

LEMON:

That sounds ok.  Do you have some food?

KITTEN:

We have lots of food at the house.  What do you eat? 

LEMON:

My favorite food is carrots and dark leafy greens, like romaine lettuce and parsley but I will also eat grass hay, protein pellets  and some fruit.  

KITTEN:

I’m sure we can find you something.  I know the humans eat carrots and leafy greens.  Is it ok, if I have the dogs raise the alarm to alert the humans to come find us? 

LEMON:

They will do that?

KITTEN:

Yes, they are friends too.  

LEMON:

Really?!  I’ve never met nice dogs.  

KITTEN:

Rosie and Link are the best!  They are always willing to help.  

TO ROSIE & LINK

Ok Raise the alarm.  I will wait here with Lemon for Maddox.  

ROSIE AND LINK BARKING

MUSIC TRANSITION

CLUCKY: 

It’s so nice that we’ve had such little snow this year! I like having all this access to grass!

LOKI: 

What are you talking about Clucky? It’s been miserable. I miss the snow. 

SATOSHI: 

Snow is cold.

BRIDGET: 

Oh Satoshi, we can always count on you to state the obvious.

BELLA: 

I’m with Clucky. I like it when we have a mild winter. Snow can be pretty, but it is cold and miserable. 

BIRGITTA: 

I completely agree Bella, if there was some way I could keep my feet warm it might be more pleasant but I think boots on chicken feet would be rather awkward.

KITTEN: 

Hello everyone. Birgitta, are you thinking about getting some boots?

BIRGITTA: 

No, darling. I was just saying they would be rather cumbersome on chicken feet. Now if I had paws like you, it would be much easier.

LOKI: 

My humans have booties for me. They drive me crazy. It feels super weird to have boots on.

CLUCKY: 

You have boots Loki? 

LOKI: 

Sort of. Back in Canada when the winters were super cold my paw pads would sometimes get scraped up from sticking to the ice and snow, then with the salt they spread, it would kind of sting. So on those colder days my family would put these ridiculous booties on my paws. It made walking feel really weird, but I’d get used to them after walking for a bit. It only happened if it was like -15 or more.

KITTEN: 

Minus 15? I didn’t realize you could survive that kind of temperature. 

LOKI: 

You know I mean in Celsius right? My boys are always going on about temperature conversion since we moved here. 

BIRGITTA: 

Why are you converting temperatures here Loki?

LOKI: 

In Canada we use a different temperature measurement than in the US. 

KITTEN: 

Oh! Do you mean metric?

LOKI: 

Yes, celsius is one of the metric units of temperature. My boys mentioned that the US is the only country in the world that still uses Fahrenheit as a measure of surface air temperatures. They find it super frustrating. There’s another one that is metric…. Kelvin I think it is? Only scientists use that one.

CLUCKY: 

Kevin? I think I knew a Kevin once. Didn’t Xander have a friend named Kevin at one point?

BRIDGET: 

KELVIN Clucky. Not Kevin.

KITTEN: 

Actually Maddox brought home a science textbook that talks about Kelvin. It’s a different scale because it starts with absolute zero which is where molecular motion stops.

CLUCKY: 

A Mole curer? Is that a doctor for moles? Do they also see other small animals like rodents or is their specialty just moles? And are we talking about moles like a mark or a freckle or are we talking moles the animals?

KITTEN:

 (LAUGHS) 

Hrm, neither Clucky. I don’t think there is a specialty doctor of just moles in either case.  It’s either a dermatologist which is a skin doctor or a veterinarian, an animal doctor. I said molecular which means a group of two or more atoms that bond together. Everything in the world is made up of atoms and the atoms are constantly moving even though we can’t see them without powerful microscopes. Absolute zero is when it’s so cold that even atoms stop moving. 

SATOSHI: 

Moving is hard. My tummy is blue.

LOKI: 

Well I’m not surprised given what you ate yesterday.

BELLA: 

Oh no. Satoshi, what happened yesterday?

SATOSHI: 

I ate a fish.

CLUCKY: 

Was it an old, bad, rotten fish?

SATOSHI: 

No.

BRIDGET: 

Did you have too much fish?

SATOSHI: 

No.

LOKI: 

Ask her what kind of fish it was.

BRIGITTA: 

What kind of fish did you eat Satoshi?

SATOSHI: 

I don’t know. It was hard.

KITTEN: 

The fish was hard? That’s odd. Fish is one of my favourite foods and I’ve never had a hard fish before.

SATOSHI: 

It had teeth.

CLUCKY: 

TEETH???

SATOSHI: 

Yes. Pointy teeth.

BELLA: 

What kind of fish would have pointy teeth.

HAZEL: 

Well, it could have been a Serrasalmidae.

SATOSHI: 

Hello! Are you food?

HAZEL: 

Uh, no…..umm….ok I’ll just climb back up the tree a bit. 

LOKI: 

Satoshi, not food. She’s also a friend.

SATOSHI: 

Ok. 

HAZEL: 

Oh, uh thank you Loki. Phew….um, that felt rather tense there. I think, yes, I think I’ll just stay up here a bit. Seems a bit safer. Yes, definitely. 

KITTEN: 

Hello Hazel. What were you saying?

HAZEL: 

Oh yes, um, pardon the intrusion, umm, I was just up in the tree and overheard your conversation. I hope I’m not interrupting or….

CLUCKY: 

It’s fine Hazel. You’re always welcome to join us if you’re around.

HAZEL: 

Oh thank you Clucky. That’s very nice of you and reassuring. Well, um, as I was saying the pointy toothed fish could have been one of the fish from the Serrasalmidae family. 

CLUCKY: 

Are they local?

HAZEL: 

Oh no…. They are native to South America. 

CLUCKY: 

So the Sarah Salmon lives in South America. That’s far from here isn’t it?

HAZEL: 

Oh, it’s not a type of salmon Clucky nor are they named Sarah. It’s the Serrasalmidae but the common name would be piranha and more specifically likely the red bellied piranha, Pygocentrus nattereri

BELLA: 

Oh, I’m so confused. A purring Anna, sounds like more of a cat than a fish and then the Pig in the center in a nursery?

CLUCKY: 

So you heard the same thing I did Bella. I am just as confused. Weren’t we talking about fish? 

HAZEL: 

Oh my, I am just confusing matters aren’t I. I should just go. 

LOKI: 

No Hazel, stay. You’re actually right! It was a piranha that Satoshi ate. At least that’s what I heard my human mom say. 

BRIGITTA: 

Why did your family have a piranha Loki? If what Hazel says is true and they’re from South America, what was it doing in Washington?

LOKI: 

Well, here’s the part that should explain everything including why it’s hard. My human mom got it while she was on vacation down in the Amazon. It was a taxidermied piranha. 

CLUCKY: 

Loki what are you talking about? Do piranhas travel in taxis down in South America. 

KITTEN: 

No Clucky. Taxidermy is a science of preserving animals so they can be presented in their life-like form. I’ve never seen an example of it, but I’ve seen some pictures in books of animals in museums that look like they are real and posed in a natural way. So that would explain why the piranha was hard. 

SATOSHI: 

Yes. Hard and with teeth.

BRIGITTA: 

Did you eat a preserved piranha Satoshi?

SATOSHI:

Maybe. My tummy still feels blue.

LOKI: 

Yeah, she definitely ate it. My human mom was telling my human dad about it on the phone. She said all she found was the little wooden base it used to sit on. Satoshi found it in one of our old moving boxes my mom hadn’t unpacked yet. She ripped the box open, took the piranha out of the paper it was wrapped in and ate the whole thing.

SATOSHI: 

I could smell it so I chewed it, but it was very hard and very crunchy. I like crunchy. Cookies. 

BELLA: 

Does a preserved fish still taste like a fish?

SATOSHI: 

I don’t think so.

HAZEL: 

(MUTTERING TO HERSELF) 

Osteichthyes in this case for the red bellied piranha Pygocentrus nattereri because osteichthyes refers to bony fish.

KITTEN: 

Hazel?

HAZEL: 

Sorry…. I was just you know…. 

CLUCKY: 

Was it tasty?

SATOSHI: 

No.

BRIGITTA:

So why did you keep eating it?

SATOSHI: 

Hrm…  I don’t know. I just started and thought I should finish. 

LOKI: 

You don’t do that with apples!

HAZEL: 

Oh malus domestica! I wonder what kind…. Could be gala, honeycrisp, red delicious, granny smith…

LOKI: 

Which is great for me…

SATOSHI: 

I just lick those but I don’t like them very much. 

BELLA: 

I’d like to know why the piranha had big teeth.

BRIDGET: 

Piranhas have a reputation of being aggressive flesh eating fish.

KITTEN: 

You’re right Bridget, they do have that reputation, but actually they are omnivorous, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They primarily live in the Amazon basin in South America and they are non-migratory and only live in freshwater like rivers and lakes which is why it sounded very strange that Satoshi ate one. 

SATOSHI: 

Piranhas are hard.

LOKI: 

Not always Satoshi, but it sounds unlikely that you’ll ever encounter one in real life. 

SATOSHI: 

I am amber.

LOKI: 

Hrm, a shade of yellow. That’s a new one, and oddly specific. I should get you home. Come on Satoshi, get up and let’s go home.

SATOSHI: 

Ok. Getting up is hard. Bye friends. You’re not food. 

BELLA: 

Bye Satoshi! I hope you feel better soon!

CLUCKY: 

See you again soon husky friends!

BRIDGET: 

Well, still haven’t figured out Satoshi and her colors. 

KITTEN: 

I’m sure we will one day Bridget. Do you want to know what happened to me this morning?

CLUCKY:

Of Course!  It seemed to take you a long time to get down here today! 

BRIGITTA:

Yes it is rather late in the afternoon.  

KITTEN:

Well I was part of a rescue this morning! 

HAZEL:

Oh!  That sounds dangerous!  Was it dangerous? 

KITTEN:

No, I was not in any danger.  

BELLA:

What happened? 

KITTEN:

Do you remember late last spring when Rubix escaped her ball and Piper accidentally caught her in her beak when she crash landed?  

BRIDGET:

That girl sure knows how to make an entrance.

CLUCKY:

She sure does... 

SIGH

KITTEN:

Do you also remember that Sensei told us there was another creature talking to Rubix just before her escape but we never found it?

CLUCKY:

Yeah I do remember that.  Rosie sniffed all over but could not locate the other animal.  

KITTEN:

Well that is who I met this morning. 

HAZEL:

Oh what kind of creature was it? 

KITTEN:

It was an Angora rabbit named Lemon. 

HAZEL: 

A Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus.  Oh they should not be out in the wild... They need special care for their fur.  

KITTEN:

You are right.  Poor Lemon was in a rough state and had lots of debris and mats in his fur.  

BRIGITTA: 

Oh I thought Lemon was a girls name.  Was Lemon a boy?

KITTEN: 

Actually, I am not sure.  I didn’t to ask. 

BELLA:

Oh no!  Were you able to get Lemon help?  

KITTEN:

Yes, the dogs alerted Maddox and she was able to take Lemon in, Lemon got a bath and Maddox did a great job getting the fur untangled.

HAZEL:

Oh Good. 

BRIDGET:

I bet that took a lot of brushing.

KITTEN:

And some clipping.  However, Maddox was very gentle and determined.  I think Lemon actually enjoyed all the attention.

CLUCKY:

So when do we get to meet Lemon?  Do we have another family member? 

KITTEN:

I’m afraid you don’t get to meet Lemon.  

BRIGITTA:

Why not?  Did something bad happen after they got cleaned up?  

BRIDGET:

Did Rubix try and recruit Lemon to her army again? 

KITTEN:

No, nothing like that.  The Mom person talked to a neighbor who has a little girl who wanted a rabbit.  They came over a little while ago and picked up Lemon.  

BELLA:

So Lemon is gone?  

KITTEN:

Yes, Juniper, the neighbor girl was so excited.  Maddox showed her how to brush the fur and she even brought some bows for his fur.  

BRIDGET:

Bows?  

KITTEN:

Yes. Lemon seemed to really enjoy the extra flare.  Juniper was very gentle.  I think the two of them are going to have a wonderful friendship.  

CLUCKY:

Hey Kitten, you were able to get Lemon-aide!  Get it Lemon Aide!

ALL:

COLLECTIVE GROWN

Oh Clucky!  

END CREDITS