The Brave Little Trailer

## Intro

CARA HARNELL THE STORYTELLER: This is the tale of The Brave Little Trailer. Read along with me in your book and turn the page when you hear this sound...(bike horn) Let's begin.

## The Storyline

There was a little trailer who lived in a court that got trashed by tornadoes whose tempers were short.

The losers got fed to the monster next door, a steam shovel who loved to eat trailers galore, but the Brave Little Trailer ducked out of the way

and lived to fight twisters on some other day.

Here's what the Brave Little Trailer would say:

"Those cyclones may think that I'm weaker and frailer, but they'll never smash me; I'm a smart little trailer."

For no matter how big or how long or how scary, no twister could touch him. I'm simply too wary. (BIKE HORN)

So the years came and went and with them, much thunder, but where tornadoes failed, time had stepped in to plunder.

The Brave Little Trailer was older and dusty. His wheels are worn out and his axle is rusty.

The new trailers had high-tech features and polish, which you know the next twister is gonna demolish. (BIKE HORN)

His neighbors, all newer, more modern and sleeker, said "This guy's making our neighborhood weaker.

Why, he's driving down values and looks totally spent. The scrap heap is where he ought to be sent." (BIKE HORN)

So, for the Brave Little Trailer, that was a wrap. He was sent to the junkyard, and there sold for scrap.

The steam shovel licked its steel chops with glee at the sight of its dinner. The main course is he. (BIKE HORN)

When, all of a sudden, ripping down from the sky, came the mother of cyclones, stopping by to say hi.

The high-tech trailers shut their windows all tight and stood there unmoving...an arrogant sight with their new weather radar, there is no delay.

They're certain that doom is now heading this way. (BIKE HORN)

Indeed, this was our hero's big moment of truth. Too bad that he's here and not in Duluth.

But now the Brave Little Trailer had his craftiest plot. Frankly, he was thinking of just crying a lot.

But instead, he slapped the shovel square in the face,

Which sent the two rivals into a chase.
Our hero moved swiftly, avoiding the clench

BLT  : Of the shovel, who angrily dug a deep trench.
Voice: Soon, the steam shovel's trench became a big crater.
BLT  : Pay attention to this; there's a quiz on it later.
(BIKE HORN)
Voice: And now our small old hero led the chase under ground,

Where all you could hear was a fierce crunching sound.
Then, suddenly, up into view from below,
Popped our own Little Trailer. That shovel's a schmoe.

Voice: He lept in the air to taunt the big bruiser,

And the thug took the bait, to wind up the loser
In a squareoff that pulled him into the funnel,

BLT  : And there's no light at the end of that tunnel!
Voice: The steam shovel flew, then fell all apart,

And everyone knew:

BLT  : Now that's gonna smart.
(BIKE HORN)
Voice: Now half of the twister's foul work was all done,

But what's this? That little guy spoiled all his fun.

Cyclo: Hold it, pipsqueak!
Voice: the cyclone did bellow,

And things sure looked bleak for our poor little fellow.
But the trailer worked quickly, and, without delay,
He pushed all his neighbors right out of harm's way.
Then our hero called up, from his simple dirt dome:

BLT  : Ah, go chase your tail! There's no place like home.
(BIKE HORN)
Voice: The big twister bounded, as all cyclones do,
BLT  : But under ground's the one place those guys can't get to.
Voice: The new, high-tech trailers were now safe from the wrath

Of the twister, who dropped all it had in its path
'Til it played out its rage, and wore down to a level
Where our hero stomped out the annoying dust devil.

BLT  : You can call me a wise guy, a cranky old grump,

But when it comes to tornadoes -- heh! -- I'm nobody's chump.

(BIKE HORN)
Voice: And that's a story all little trailers should know.
LTs  : Goodnight, Gramps!
Voice: Goodnight, kids. Now I gotta go

Up to the roof. It's a quarter to nine --
Time for an old pal to turn on my sign.
We two are old friends now. We share in the work.
But I don't pay him much, 'cause he's still a big jerk.

## Outro

CARA HARNELL THE STORYTELLER: That's the end of the story. If you wish to hear it one more time, replay the audiobook. If you don't wish to, look for more NAA productions at a store near you.