03x04 - Secrets of the Old Prairie/A Sticky Sweet Tree Treat

[bunniefuu]

That's me, Fred the house cat.

When my family leaves for the day,

I don't just sit inside watching the world go by.

I become...

♪

Nature Cat, backyard explorer extraordinaire!

♪ Oh, go go go ♪

Tally ho!

♪ Go go go ♪

Tally ho!

♪ We're climbing up the trees now ♪

♪ We're swinging through the breeze now ♪

♪ We're getting muddy knees now ♪

♪ With Nature Cat ♪

♪ Nature Cat, Nature Cat ♪

♪ Nature Cat, Nature Cat, Nature Cat ♪

♪ So what are we waiting for? ♪

♪ We're so excited to explore ♪

♪ All that nature has in store with Nature Cat ♪

♪ Go go go Tally ho!

♪ Go go go Tally ho!

♪ He's our favorite nature guide ♪

♪ We just can't wait to get ♪

Outside!

♪ We're swinging through the trees now ♪

♪ We're jumping in the leaves now ♪

♪ We're getting muddy knees now

♪ With Nature Cat!

♪ Nature Cat, Nature Cat Tally ho!

♪ Nature Cat, Nature Cat, Nature Cat ♪

Tally ho!

Daisy: Secrets Of The Old Prairie

Daisy: Agents of the Great Outdoors, assemble!

Squeeks: Agent Squeeks is on the way!

Hal: Agent Hal is on the way, baby!

Hal: Ugh! Agent Hal is on the way!

Ergg! Up, Agent Hal, He'll be there in a few minutes!

Er, just give him a little second.

Up, okay-- Nature Cat: Tally ho!

g*ng: Agents of the Great Outdoors reporting for duty!

Nature Cat: What's our mission, Agent Daisy?

Daisy: Today's mission is to uncover six

Big Secrets of the Prairie!

Hal: Big Secrets of the Prairie?! Oh boy!

I've always wanted to know the Big Secrets of the Prairie!

Squeeks: Ma'am I'm gonna jump in.

I think I speak for Agent Hal, when I ask "what is a prairie"?

Hal: (gasps) How did you know,

I was working up to that question...

Daisy: This is a prairie.

Nature Cat: It just looks like some flat land

with lots of really tall grass!

Daisy: Yes, but that's not all there is!

Granny Bunny told me there are six amazing secrets

hidden in the prairie!

Squeeks: Secrets? Like what?

Daisy: I don't know. That's why it's a secret!

Nature Cat: Well, it's our job to dig 'em up!

Come on, Agents...

g*ng: ♪ We know lots of stuff, and we want to know more, ♪

♪ We're the Agents of the Great Outdoors! ♪

Daisy: Welcome to Windy Wildflower National Park!

Nature Cat: National Park?!

Uh. I thought we were going to the prairie!

Daisy: Nature Cat, this national park is a prairie!

Nature Cat: Whoa!

I think I know why they call it Windy Wildflower National Park!

Hal: Why?

Squeeks: I don't know, Hal, maybe it's the wind.

Hal: Oh, right!

Because wind is so windy, wink wink!

Daisy: Says here that prairies are important habitats

to lots of living things.

They can survive all the strong winds, blizzards,

droughts and even wild fires that happen here.

Squeeks: How can prairies survive all that?

Nature Cat: That's probably what one of the big secrets is,

and what we're here to find out. Come on, walk this way!

Hal: You know, whenever I want to find out secrets,

I talk to the trees.

Psssst, hey trees, it's me, Agent Hal.

Hal: Wha- hey! There's no trees!

Ahh! I think I know one of the prairie's secrets.

It's hidden all of its trees.

Squeeks: Looks like the prairie doesn't have many trees,

Agent Hal.

Daisy: Hmm...Maybe that's why it gets so windy,

without lots of trees to block the wind.

Squeeks: But you get a view that goes straight on to the horizon!

Wow. Hal: Oo! Impressive!

I'd better put it in my secret journal.

Hal: Big Prairie Secret Number :

Very few trees on the prairie!

Daisy: Come on, Agents, let's keep exploring!

Nature Cat: Tall grass, tall grass, tall grass!

All I'm seeing is the same tall grass!

Daisy: Wait a minute, Agent Nature Cat, check this out!

This grass looks different from this grass.

Hal: Hey yeah! This grass has a cute feathery top.

Squeeks: And this grass is like blueish. What?

Nature Cat: That's ridiculous.

There are no different types of grass. Grass is just grass!

Daisy: Hmm. I'd better use my official

Agents of the Great Outdoors Prairiescope to investigate.

Nature Cat: Ooo! What's a Prairiescope?

Daisy: Houston made it for me! Up, Prairiescope!

Nature Cat: Oof!

Oh, that's a Prairiescope.

Daisy: This is Indian grass!

Daisy: This is Big Bluestem Grass!

Daisy: And this is switchgrass!

Squeeks: How many types of grass are in this wild, wacky field?

Daisy: Man oh man!

The Prairiescope says there are over kinds of grass

on this prairie alone!

All: Whoooa!

Nature Cat: Well, Agents,

it looks like we found the second

big secret of the prairie!

Hal: Big Prairie Secret Number :

The Prairie is home to lots of different types of grass.

Daisy: Come on, Agents,

let's find out more secrets of the prairie.

Nature Cat: Walk this way!

(zipping noises)

Hal: Op! (laughs)

(zipping noises)

All: Oof!

Nature Cat: What was that? Hal: (gasps) It's the grass!

I think it's doing a Prairie dance!

I'll do the Prairie dance with you, grassy!

Daisy: I don't think the grass is moving on its own, Agent Hal.

I'm thinking it's something in the grass!

Hal: What's in the grass?

Squeeks: (gasps) Another secret! This way, Agents!

Nature Cat: What kind of bird is that?

Daisy: I'll check the Prairiescope.

Nature Cat: Phew! ...Ooo! Ouch!

Daisy: Oh! It's a greater prairie chicken!

Prairie Chicken: Boom-boom-wah!

Squeeks: I haven't spoken Prairie Chicken in a long time.

Am I saying this correctly?

Boom-boom-wah! Like that?

Prairie Chicken: Boom-boom-wah!

Squeeks: I don't think I'm nailing the accent.

Boom-boom-wah! Boom-boom-wah!

Nature Cat: (gasps) Look!

Hal: It's going this way.

Squeeks: Now this way!

Daisy: Now this way!

Squeeks: Over here!

Nature Cat: Hmm.

Uh. What are we looking at?

Daisy: Look closely, Agent Nature Cat!

It's colors blend in with surroundings.

Nature Cat: Sorry, I just don't see it.

Squeeks: Careful, Nature Cat!

Nature Cat: Huh?

(hiss)

Nature Cat: Ahhhh!

Snake! Why did it have to be a snake?

Daisy: Ho, not just any snake.

It's a prairie king snake.

Says here that it mimics a rattlesnake to keep away

anything that might want to eat it!

Hal: Are there any other animals here in the prairie?

Daisy: Let's check the Prairescope.

Daisy: There's a vole!

Daisy: A Milkweed longhorn beetle!

Daisy: And an Eastern Cottontail! Wow!

Who knew there were so many different animals

living in the prairie?

Squeeks: Looks like we found another big secret!

Hal: Big Prairie Secret Number Three

The Prairie is home to lots and lots of wildlife.

(growling)

Nature Cat: Uh. What's that sound?

Hal: I'll check it out! Up Prairiescope.

Nature Cat: Oof! Hal: Oops!

Ooo! There are some cows coming to say hello!

Hi, cows, it's me, Hal!

Daisy: Oh! Let me see!

Daisy: Those aren't cows, Agent Hal!

Clearly they are bison!

Daisy: Man-oh-man, listen to this, fellow agents!

At one time, millions of bison lived across the prairies,

but today there aren't many left in the wild.

Hal: Whoa! Well these ones that are left are so big!

Squeeks: And there are so many!

Nature Cat: And they're eating so much grass!

How do they not hurt the prairie?

Daisy: It says here that the bison eat while they move.

So they don't eat too much grass from one place.

And they also help spread seeds around on their woolly coats

and with their... well...their poop.

There. I said it.

So bison are actually good for the prairie.

Squeeks: We got another big secret!

Hal: Big Prairie Secret Number four

Bison help take care of the prairie!

Oh that's nice. I should tell them.

Nice work, bison!

Hal: Uh-oh!

Nature Cat/Daisy/Squeeks: Haaaaaaaal!

Daisy: Agent Squeeks, where did you go?

Wooah! Hal: (gasps)

Agent Daisy?! Woah!

Nature Cat: Agent Hal? Where did everybody go!

Whoop!

Hal: Wha? Nature Cat: Huh?!

Squeeks: (gasps) What's happening?

Nature Cat: Who are you?

Laura: Hi. My name's Laura!

And that there's Pa, Ma, Nelly and Almonzo.

We're prairie dogs.

Hal: Hey! I'm a dog too! Whattya know! I'm Hal!

Laura: Oh, we're not dogs.

Despite the name, we're actually rodents!

Almonzo: Uh, yes. Kind of like cousins

to a squirrel or a mouse!

Squeeks: Oh! Really? I'm a mouse!

Prairie Dogs: Cousin!

Laura: If you don't mind me askin',

what are y'all doin' 'round here?

Almonzo: Yeah, why is there a Little Mouse on the Prairie?

Squeeks: Well, we're here to discover its big secrets.

Laura: You've come to the right place!

Cause the biggest secret is hidden right here!

Hal: Where? Where? Tell us!

What's the biggest prairie secret?!

Laura: Hush Hal, it's a secret!

Hal: Hey! Where did they go?

Laura: ♪ If you want a big secret. ♪

Almonzo: ♪ Then you better look down. ♪

MA: ♪ Underneath the tall grass. ♪

Pa/Nelly: ♪ Deep down underground. ♪

Almonzo: ♪ If you want to find out more. ♪

Laura: ♪ Then you better follow meeeee! ♪

Prairie Dogs: ♪ Let's go deep beneath the old prairie. ♪

Prairie Dogs: ♪ We've got lots of tunnels,<span tts:fontStyle="italic"> ♪

♪ Underneath the grass that grows, ♪

♪ We dug em up ourselves, Yes they are our burrows, ♪

♪ All those burrows when together ♪

♪ They make up our colony... ♪

♪ Right here, beneath the old prairie. ♪

Hal: Big Prairie Secret Number five!

Prairie Dogs live under the prairie.

Squeeks: Wow! Is that the biggest secret?!

Laura <span> : Not at all!

Prairie Dogs: ♪ Look at the grass roots ♪

♪ as we sing our song ♪

♪ The roots are thick And the roots are long. ♪

♪ They keep the grass growing, growing wild and free.<span tts:fontStyle="italic"> ♪

♪ From deep beneath the old prairie. ♪

Daisy: Whoooa! I've never seen such amazingly long roots!

Nature Cat: They're longer down here,

then the grass is up there.

Laura: These grass roots are super long.

But that's just half of the story.

Squeeks: What do you mean?

Prairie Dogs: ♪ The weather on the prairie's harsh. ♪

♪ <span> There could be a blizzard or a drought.<span tts:fontStyle="italic"> ♪

♪ <span> But thanks to these protected roots down here,<span tts:fontStyle="italic"> ♪

♪ The prairie grass continues to sprout. ♪

♪ Wild fires rage, blust'ring winds blow... ♪

♪ Prairie Dogs: But the roots down here, ♪

♪ They help that grass regrow... ♪

♪ And grow... And grow... ♪

Hal: I know the biggest secret of all!

Big Prairie Secret Number six - The Roots are what makes

the Prairie so super strong!

Laura: That's right, Hal! You found the biggest secret!

All: Yay!

Nature Cat: ♪ The prairie is awesome! ♪

Squeeks: ♪ So much life is all around! ♪

Daisy: ♪ And that prairie keeps growing. ♪

Hal: ♪ Thanks to what is underground. ♪

Nature Cat: ♪ The roots keep it growing so beautifully! ♪

All: ♪ And that's the secret of... ♪

♪ The Biggest Secret of... ♪

♪ The Biggest Secret of the old prairie! ♪

Daisy: Oh yeah! Oh yeah! We did it!

We found all six secrets of the prairie!

I guess they're not secrets anymore.

g*ng: Woohoo!

Hal: I love you, prairie!

Almonzo: I love you, prairie!

Nelly: I love you, prairie!

Laura: I love you, prairie!

PA: I love you, prairie!

Prairie Dogs: We love you, prairie!

Daisy: Sticky sweet tree treat

(bird chirping)

Nature Cat: Ah, that sunshine feels so delightfully warm!

Squeeks: Whew, I thought it was the hike making me all sweaty.

This is turning into a pretty mild day.

Hal: But it snowed last night and was cold this morning!

So it's winter-y at night and spring-y during the day?

Squeeks: Yeah, it's like Sprinter... or Wing!

Hahaha!

Daisy: Hey look! Our favorite maple tree!

Hal: (gasps) Shhh! The other trees can hear you!

We love you all equally, trees!

I love you equally plus one.

Daisy: I wish it was summer so I could make rubbings

of those beautiful pointy maple leaves!

Hal: I wish it was fall so I could jump into a big pile

of those leaves!

Squeeks: I want to play with those twirly helicopter

whirligig maple seeds!

I wish it was spring right now! (sigh)

Nature Cat: Sorry to burst your bubble, Squeeks,

but we'll just have to wait for all that.

Good things in nature take time, my friends.

Let's appreciate our tree just the way it is right now.

Group hug!

Hal: Awe, poor little tree...it's crying!

I'd better kiss it and make it better.

Mwah mwah mwah mwah! Mmm!

Hal: Wait, the tree's tears don't taste salty.

They actually taste a little bit sweet.

Sapsucker: Pardon me pooch, that's my lunch!

(pecking)

Squeeks: Hey pal! Did you just make a hole in our tree?

Sapsucker: Of course I did!

Don't you know a woodpecker when you see one?

Hal: Oh yeah,

you kinda look like that woodpecker from Season One!

Hi! I'm Hal. You remember me from Season One.

Nature Cat: That's right!

You noisy fellas make holes in trees

to get to the bugs and other food under the bark.

Daisy: But you're not just any woodpecker.

You're a yellow-bellied Sapsucker woodpecker,

and if I'm not mistaken, you eat sap, right?

Sapsucker: Boy howdy, do I ever! Oh that tree sap keeps me going.

Daisy: Oh! wait, wait, wait Hal,

those weren't the tree's tears you tasted,

that must have been sap!

Sapsucker: Oh and am I ever glad I flew back up north this week!

These warmer winter days are especially good

for the maple sap! Well gotta fly off!

I'll see ya guys around. Byeeee!

Nature Cat: Wait a minute: Do all trees have sap?

And what exactly is this sap stuff anyway?

Narrator: You say you want to know if all trees have sap?

Squeeks: He just said he did--

Narrator: Well, yes,all trees do have sap!

Squeeks: Well, that's one question answered.

Narrator: Easy, wasn't it? But what is sap?

Sap is a watery liquid that moves around inside a tree.

It flows up from a tree's roots, feeding the stems and leaves.

And it flows back down from the leaves, carrying the sugars

it makes to feed the rest of the tree.

Daisy: Sugars. Huh...

that must be why Hal said the sap tasted a little sweet!

Narrator: That's right, Daisy! It is!

Daisy: Huh? How does he know my name?

Narrator: And speaking of sweet, I see that you're standing next

to a sugar maple tree--

Hal: (gasps) We are! This guy knows everything!

Narrator: And sugar maple trees contain the sweetest

sap in the woods!

Squeeks: Awe, I knew our tree was special!

Come here, pal!

Daisy: Huh! Just like the Sapsucker said!

Narrator: Good memory, Daisy!

But it's not only Sapsuckers who enjoy sap.

Sugar maple sap is used to make maple syrup!

(heavenly choir)

Nature Cat: Maple syrup?

Nature Cat: Sugar maple sap is used to make maple syrup.

Do you know what that means?

All: Pancake Party Picnic!

Ronald: Oh hello, Nature Cat.

Nature Cat: Hello, Ronald and someone who looks like older

Ronald.

Grampy Donald: What's all the commotion? Hm?

Nature Cat: I've got pancakes for a Pancake Party Picnic.

What have you got there?

Ronald: This is a bucket full of sap.

And this is my Grampy Donald.

All: Hello, Grampy Donald! Hal: I love your name.

Grampy Donald: Oh hello, Ronald's friends!

Nature Cat/Nature Cat: I wouldn't say "friends."

Rampy Donald: Pancakes, huh?

Sounds like you're doing what we're doing..

collecting sap for maple syrup!

Ronald: Yeah! Grampy Donald and I have been

collecting sap for our big Waffle Wingding.

We know all about sap. Need some help?

Nature Cat: Oh, no, no thank you.

We know all about sap, too.

Nature Cat: And now, Pancake Party Picnic-Ho!

Squeeks: So. Um. Where's the syrup?

Grampy Donald: I noticed that you hadn't tapped your tree yet,

so I'm here to help.

Nature Cat: Oh....But.. we are tapping the tree...

right everyone? See?

We got this!

Tap tap tappity tap tap ta tap tap tap tappy tap tap

Tappin' on the tree.

Nature Cat: This'll knock that sap right out!

Grampy Donald: No it really won't. But this will.

(drilling)

Grampy Donald: If you do it correctly,

this won't hurt the tree, and the hole will heal.

Grampy Donald: This is a tap

and this spout helps draw the sap out into this bucket.

Daisy: What about the Sapsuckers?

Won't the tap take food away from them?

Grampy Donald: If you only take as much as you need,

there'll be enough for everyone, including the tree.

Squeeks: Hey, here comes the sap!

Nature Cat: Huzzah! Time for our--

brrrr!

P-p-pancake P-p-party P-p-picnic!

Squeeks: Whoa. It got cold pretty quick.

Grampy Donald: Well, the sun'll set soon.

We should get home, Ronnie.

You kids should, too.

Nature Cat: But, what about p-p-pancakes--!

Hal: Yeah Grampy's right.

We should get home while it's still light out.

Nature Cat: Ok-k-kay!

We'll c-c-come back t-t-tomorrow morning and have our P-p-pancake

P-p-party P-p-picnic! Brr!

Nature Cat: That bucket should be full to the brim by now.

What? This can't be!

Daisy: Wait a second.

There isn't any sap dripping into the bucket at all.

Squeeks: What's happening?

It was dripping when we left the tree yesterday.

Nature Cat: Maybe the tap is clogged!

Hrg! Hrrrrrg!

Grampy Donald: Hey, what's wrong?

Don't like my handiwork?

Nature Cat: Something's wrong with this tap, Grampy Donald!

The sap isn't dripping anymore!

Grampy Donald: Well, the tree's sap froze last night because the

temperature dropped below freezing.

Just wait until the day warms up a bit more.

The sap will thaw and flow again.

Nature Cat: But I've already waited sooo long...

(dripping)

Grampy Donald: Heh heh! See it's flowing already.

Nature Cat: But it's soooo sloooow!

It'll take forever to fill that bucket!

Grampy Donald: Well, I've always believed that

good things in nature take time.

Squeeks: Hey, Nature Cat, didn't you say

the exact same thing yesterday?

Nature Cat: That was about leaves and helicopter seeds.

This is pancakes we're talking about!

Who can wait for pancakes!?

Grampy Donald: Think about it.

That sap has been frozen and stored

in this tree all winter long.

This is the only time in the whole year

when you can gather it for syrup.

It's worth it just to wait a little while longer.

Grampy Donald: Let me know when that bucket is full

and I'll help you. Gotta go get ready for our Waffle Wingding!

Toodles to the ooo!

Squeeks/Daisy/Hal: Bye, Grampy Donald!

Hal: I'll talk to you soon! Send us a postcard please.

Nature Cat: So now... we wait.

(drip)

And wait...

Hal: Um, I'm going to wait differently.

Daisy: Me too.

Who wants to have a snowball fight?

Squeeks: Ha! I'm in!

(upbeat music)

♪

(snoring)

(drip) Nature Cat: (gasps)

Nature Cat: Now that's a-lotta sap!

That's definitely enough for our Pancake Party Picnic!

Hal/Daisy/Squeeks: Woohoo! Yay!

Daisy: Sweet!

Let's go tell Grampy Donald so he can help us!

Nature Cat: Nonsense! We got this!

Pancake Party Picnic over here!

Hal: Um. Nature Cat?

That stuff doesn't look like the syrup from a store.

Squeeks: Yeah. Store syrup is a deep,

rich, golden amber-y brown. This looks kinda pale.

Hal: And store syrup is thicker, too too also.

Nature Cat: Well, this isn't from a store!

It's fresh from the tree,

so maybe that's why it looks different!

(crunch)

Hal: Sooo... this isn't very sweet, but it is wet.

Very, very wet. Squeeks: Mhm. I concur, Hal.

It's a..soggy quality... with just a small hint of maple.

Ronald: Hello, Nature Cat.

Nature Cat: Hello, Ronald.

Ronald: Grampy wants to know if your sap bucket is full yet

so he can help-- Nature Cat: --It's okay, Ronald.

We got this.

(gulp)

(chewing)

Why is this syrup not very sweet and so very wet?

Ronald: Ha ha! Wait a second...

did you just pour that sap right onto your pancakes?

Just straight from the bucket? Ha!

Sap isn't syrup, you silly cat! You have to make sap into syrup!

Ronald: Look, Grampy and I can show you how to make syrup.

Where's the rest of your sap? Squeeks: Well we're plumb out.

Ronald: You used the whole bucket?

(laughs) Oh, man, you guys are too funny!

It's a good thing Grampy gathered plenty of sap for our

Waffle Wingding.

Come on, we'll make you some syrup!

Nature Cat: My word?! What is that lovely aroma?

Ronald: That's the smell of maple syrup!

Daisy: What are you doing, Grampy Donald?

Grampy Donald: Boiling the sap! You see, sap is mostly water.

By boiling it, a lot of the water evaporates leaving

behind the sugar in the sap.

The longer it boils, the darker and sweeter and thicker

the syrup gets.

Hal: Hey, Grampy Donald?

Why are there so many big kettles?

I mean that is a lot of syrup!

I mean, I like syrup, like, I really like-like it, but this

Phew! This is a lotta lotta syrup, pal!

Ronald: It's not as much as you think, Hal.

Grampy Donald: That's right.

It takes four of those big ten-gallon kettles of sap just

to make just one gallon of syrup.

Daisy: Oh, right!

Because so much water gets evaporated into the air!

Grampy Donald: And boiling away all that water takes

a really long time.

You think you can wait just a little bit longer?

Squeeks: I dunno, man...I'm getting pretty

hangry...uggghhhhh

(growling)

Hal: Yeah, my tummy's rumbling.

Daisy: And I'm not sure Nature Cat can wait another second.

Nature Cat: Nonsense! Good things in nature take time!

Ah...smell that smoky firewood and sweet maple!

Squeeks: Now that thick stuff looks like syrup!

Such a lovely, rich brown! Syrup!

Hal: Can we have some now?

Please? Please? Please? Please?

Daisy: Oh, Hal. I think it needs to cool first.

Hal: You mean we have to wait longer?

Nature Cat: Hey! I bet it'll be cool

by the time we finish making the waffles!

Ronald: And the pancakes!

Nature Cat: And pancakes?

Do you have any idea what this means?

All: Breakfast ballyhoo bonanza!

Nature Cat: Mmmm...now this was worth the wait!

(crunch and chewing)

Hal: (gulp)

Nature Cat: Thanks for your help, Ronald

and Grampy Donald.

Grampy Donald?

(crunching and chewing)

Grampy Donald: What? I couldn't wait any longer!

(laughs)

All: Yippie! Yeah!

Squeeks: Syrup!

Narrator: Nature Cat, Squeeks, Daisy, and Hal

are cartoon characters

and not real animals.

To keep all of our animal friends safe,

check with a grown up before you bring a pet

on your next nature adventure.

Whoa!

Ha ha!

(theme song)

♪

♪