"GIANT BIRDS ??"

BY: Lynne G.

Seven year old Little Joe Cartwright had been learning about prehistoric animals in school lately. His oldest brother, Adam had a book about prehistoric animals, reptiles and birds, who's fossil remains had been found in different parts of the world. Little Joe thought all of this was very fascinating, but he was very glad that they didn't exist anymore.

One day this youngster decided to pull a joke on his middle brother, Hoss who was almost fourteen years old. He was trying to figure out a way to convince Hoss about going to look for giant birds. He knew that none of these giants existed anymore, but he wasn't going to let that stop him.

He didn't want his father, Ben Cartwright, or his big brother Adam to find out about what he was planning for Hoss. This little imp knew that Hoss was fairly brave at most things, but the boy thought that if he could get Hoss to be afraid about giant birds, then it would be fun.

One day Little Joe took his writing tablet and a pencil and he headed into the chicken pen, but first he looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Once he was in the chicken pen, he went looking for the perfect chicken foot print in the dirt. Of course he had to dodge the chickens that were in the pen. When he found the perfect footprint, he sat down next to it, studied it carefully, and then he opened his tablet up and began to draw the footprint. He sat there working hard with his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth as he drew the footprint. He was very satisfied with the way the drawing turned out and it looked perfect to him. He left the chicken pen very happy indeed.

The next day after he had finished with all of his morning chores, he quickly saddled Tony and he rode down to the lake. When he got to the lake, he got off Tony and tied him to a low hanging branch of a tree. He got out his drawing and found a stick and he began to make lots of giant footprints in the sand, that looked like giant chicken footprints. He also made more footprints near his mother's grave.

" Hi Mama. I hope ya dunt get upset at me fer pullin' this here joke on Hoss. It's gonna be so funny. I know that ya watch over me all the time, so I just might need yer help with this joke mama. Ya dunt mind do ya? If'n ya can read my mind mama, I know yer probably laughin' too. Wish me luck mama. I sure miss ya. I love ya mama," Little Joe said as he had tears in his eyes.

Little Joe also made a lot of footprints that led towards the woods and into the woods too. After he had finished with all those prints, he very carefully wipped out his own footprints. From there he headed towards the his family's favorite fishing area at the lake and he made a lot of giant footprints there too, plus in other areas also. Once again, he wipped out his own footprints. He was very satisfied with all the giant footprints that he had made and he couldn't wait to have Hoss see them. He giggled as he went back to where he had left Tony, and he headed home. He did keep the stick that he used since he had planned to make more giant footprints around the yard.

When he returned home, he took Tony into the barn and rubbed him down good, and gave him some food and water. Then he checked to see if anyone was around, and when he didn't see anyone, he began to make footprints around the yard, near the barn, the outhouse and down towards the creek that was just down a small hill from behind the house He also wipped out his own prints like he had done at the lake. As he walked towards the house he giggled softly.

Just before lunch that day, Hoss returned home from the western pasture were he had been riding fence all morning, and he was hungry and ready for lunch. During lunch, Little Joe asked Hoss if he wanted to go fishing with him after lunch so they could catch some fish for dinner that night. Since Ben and Adam weren't home for lunch that day, Hoss told him that he needed to ask Hop Sing if it was alright if they went fishing for the afternoon.

" Hop Sing, is it ok if'n Hoss and me go fishin' and get fish fer dinner tonight?" the boy asked. " Yes, that fine. Fish sound good for dinner tonight. Have fun and be careful," Hop Sing told the youngster. Little Joe gave Hop Sing one of his prize winning smiles and he said, " thank you Hop Sing. We'll get lots of fish!" " What did he say Short Shanks ?" Hoss asked. " He said yes, Hoss," the boy replied. " I can almost taste them fish right now," Hoss said as he patted his stomach.

Once the boys were at the lake, Little Joe suddenly gasped, stood there with his mouth open and staring at the ground. " Hoss, Hoss, look at these giant footprints !" the boy shouted. Hoss came right over and he looked down at the giant footprints and he too, stared at the giant footprints in the sand. Hoss swallowed and he said," Geez, them prints is huge ! Wonder what kind of bird made them?" Hoss nervously asked as he continued to stare at the prints. " I dunno, but what ever it is, it's a giant of a bird !" Little Joe said as he tried not to laugh at the looks on Hoss's face.

" By the looks of them tracks, it went in the water and it came back out again. Let's follow em and see where it went," Hoss suggested, even though he was a little nervous. Little Joe decided that he needed to to act afraid. " I..I dunno Hoss, I'm kinda scared," the boy softly said as he was trying not to giggle.

" Dunt worry little brother, I'll protect ya," Hoss told the young boy convincingly. He didn't want to admit it, but he was really nervous about this too. " Hoss, what happens if there's more than one of them giant birds? With all them tracks, there's gotta be more than one ya know," the boy explained. " I didn't think of that Punkin," Hoss replied, now wishing that they should just go back home.

The boys followed the tracks into the woods, when they decided to stop. " I think we had better stop followin' them tracks little brother," Hoss suggested. " Good idea big brother. Let's go fishin' instead, cuz we dun told Hop Sing that we would get fish fer dinner tonight," Little Joe explained. Hoss nodded and they went back to where they had left their fishing poles and can of worms.

As they fished, Hoss kept looking in every direction just checking to see if he could see the giant birds if they came back. Little Joe was watching Hoss out the corner of his eyes, and inside of his mind, he was giggling, but he hoped that he wouldn't start to giggle outloud.

As Little Joe brought in another large trout, he added it to the string of fish that they had caught for dinner that night. The boys had cleaned the fish as they caught them, and by keeping them on the string in the water, it kept the fish nice and cold, since the lake water was cold year round.

Little Joe decided to liven up the afternoon again, so he glanced up towards the tree tops, and he gasped loudly while continuing to look at the tops of the trees. Hoss jumped up as soon as he heard his little brother gasp. " What's wrong little brother?" Hoss very nervously asked as his he looked in the direction his little brother was looking.

" H..H..Hoss ! I saw it ! It's a huge giant bird with teeth in it's beak !" Little Joe stuttered, as he continued to stare at the tree tops and he was breathing really hard. Hoss looked up at the tree tops too. " I dunt see nothin'. Where'd it go?" Hoss asked softly as he looked at the youngster beside him and he added, " Little brother, catch yer breath. Just breath nice and slow. That's it. Nice and slow. Good boy !" " Thanks Hoss," the boy replied as he was breathing better again. " This is goin' great !" he thought to himself.

They both continued to look at the tree tops again. " It flew over them tree's Hoss. I saw it," the boy said. " Where'd it go?" Hoss asked again. " I..I...I dunno," Little Joe replied again, as he and Hoss picked up their fishing poles, can of worms and their fish and they ran back home.

" Hoss, we can't say anything ta Pa or Adam, cuz they'll think we are crazy er somethin' !" Little Joe explained. " Yeah, yer right about that little brother. We can't tell anyone about this. Oh lordly, Little Joe look, there's tracks here too. Oh lordly !" Hoss said as he pointed to the tracks in the yard. " Hoss, I'm so scared !" Little Joe declared. " Me too Punkin. Let's take these fish to Hop Sing," Hoss suggested.

Hop Sing was very impressed with all the fish the boys had caught, and he thanked them. Hoss and Little Joe went back out and to the barn, and straight up to the hayloft to think about the gaint birds. " We gotta figure out how ta get them birds little brother," Hoss softly said. " We can use yer rifle Hoss and I can use my slingshot too. When do ya wanna start lookin' fer them birds?" the youngster asked. " I dunno. Maybe they will just go away. Dunt want them things flyin' round here," Hoss nervously stated.

About that time a sudden strong wind started to blow. " Hey Hoss, ya hear that? Could be a giant bird flyin' over head right now, and it sounds like the wind, cuz it's so big !" Little Joe suggested as he hoped that he had planted that thought in Hoss's mind. " Oh lordly, I sure hope it's only the wind a blowin'. Oh lordly ! Hoss very nervously said. Little Joe looked up at Hoss and he said, " Let me go and look Hoss. You stay here." " No way little brother. Not by yerself ya ain't goin'!" Hoss declared as he put his large hand on his little brother's trembling shoulder. " Good idea Hoss. Ya comin' with me then?" the boy asked. " Oh sure, little brother. Oh lordly !" Hoss slowly said as he didn't want to leave the safety of the barn.

Both boys slowly climbed down from the hayloft and they slowly walked towards the barn large front doors, when they suddently heard something hit the outside of the back of the barn. Hoss screamed and took off running as fast as he could. Little Joe just stood there watching his big brother run into the house. He began to giggle loudly and he fell over and was rolling on the floor of the barn, holding his stomach and giggling out of control.

Hoss ran all the way up the stairs and into his room, where he slammed his door shut, opened up his closet door and he hid inside the closet. He closed the closet door and he didn't move at all.

When Little Joe finally got himself under control again, and he had tears running down his impish face from giggling so hard. He went outside and walked to the back of the barn to see what had hit the barn a few minutes before. He had just figured that it must have been a tree branch from one of the large pine trees behind the barn. He found a large pine branch laying on the ground up against the back of the barn, just as he had thought. " Poor Hoss. I really got him now," Little Joe thought to himself as he softly giggled.

The boy had gone into the house and he began to shout out for Hoss. " HOSS, HOSS ! WHERE ARE YA HOSS ?" Hop Sing came out of the ktichen when he heard the young boy calling for his big brother. " Hoss run stairs. Hear bedroom door slam shut. Not come back down," Hop Sing explained. " I guess that sudden strong wind musta scared him is all," the boy replied. Hop Sing looked at the impish look on the boy's young face, and he shook his head and walked back towards the kitchen. Hop Sing wondered if Little Joe had something to do with the way Hoss had run into the house and up to his room.

Little Joe ran up the stairs to look for Hoss. The door to Hoss's room was closed, so he decided to knock on the door, even though he had never done that before. " Hey Hoss, ya in there?" the boy called out. No answer.

The boy slowly opened the door and he peeked into the room, and when he didn't see Hoss, he opened the door all the way and he walked in the room and look around the empty room. " Hey Hoss, where are ya?" he asked again. No answer again. The boy looked under the bed and no sign of Hoss under there. " Now why did I look under the bed fer, he can't fit under there?" he said to himself.

The youngster walked over to the closet and he slowly opened the door. There stood his big brother with his eyes open as wide as they could get, and he looked very scared. " Ya ok Hoss?" the boy asked. " I..I.. I think so. Do ya think it was one of them giant birds that dun hit the barn?" Hoss nervously asked. " Yeah, I think it was big brother. I saw it fly over the house when I ran out of the barn Hoss. It is so huge and so mean lookin' too," the boy said very convincingly. " Oh lordly, Little Joe. I sure hope Pa and Adam will make it safely back home from town. We gotta member not ta say anything bout this to em," Hoss reminded his little brother, as he came out of the closet.

During dinner that night, Ben noticed that Hoss seemed very nervous about something. " Hoss, are you nervous about something?" Ben asked. " Me? Uh, not sure Pa," Hoss nervously replied. Ben just looked at Hoss, then at Little Joe, who seemed fine. " Pa, we're just kinda nervous bout the way that sudden strong wind that started ta blow taday is all. It was so strange the way it just started and then stopped as fast as it started," Little Joe expalined. " Yeah Pa, it's like little brother just said. It was just that dadburn old wind is all," Hoss added as he agreed with his little brother last statement.

Both Ben and Adam looked at how nervous Hoss looked, then at how calm Little Joe looked. Ben thought to himself, " that little imp sure doesn't look one bit nervous. I wonder what he is up too now? Poor Hoss looks scared to death."

After dinner, Adam, Hoss and Little Joe went out to start their evening chores. Adam turned around to look for his two younger brother, when he realized that they weren't with him. " What is wrong with you two? Aren't you coming off the porch?" Adam inquired. " Yeah, we're comin' Adam. Come on Hoss, we gotta do our chores now !" Little Joe said trying to get Hoss to come off the porch. " Oh lordly !" Hoss said as he carefully looked up in the air, and around the yard again, and slowly walked towards the barn. Adam and Little Joe stood there watching Hoss slowly walking towards them. Adam looked down at his baby brother and he saw that the boy had a big grin on his face, while Hoss looked scared.

Once in the barn, Adam thought Hoss looked a little pale, but their baby brother seemed fine. " Hoss, you feeling alright? You look a little pale to me," Adam questioned. " Nah, I'm alright. Just thinkin' bout that sudden wind taday is all," Hoss explained, trying not to sound afraid.

As the brothers did their chores, Hoss kept looking around the barn. Adam noticed this, but he didn't say anything about it, even though he was wondering what was going on with his two younger brothers. He decided to ask Little Joe, if he knew what was wrong with Hoss. Adam motioned for his baby brother to join him outside for a couple of minutes. Hoss watched them go outside. " Hey, where ya two goin'?" Hoss nervously asked. " Just outside for a couple of minutes. Why do you ask?" Adam asked. " Uh, no reason. Just wonderin' is all," Hoss replied.

" Whatcha want Adam?" the youngster asked. " Do you know what Hoss is so nervous about?" Adam asked the boy as he looked at the boy's face. " Um, could be that strong wind this afternoon. It really scared him ya know. It was so strange Adam, the way it just started so strong, and then it just stopped. So strange !" the youngster explained. " Well, I suppose it could be be that. Usually Hoss doesn't scare that easy, but sometimes the wind can sound strange," Adam replied. " Yup," Little Joe answered back.

The next day, Little Joe tried to get Hoss to go with him to look for the giant birds again and Hoss finally agreed to go along, since he didn't want his little brother to go by himself.

They looked in several places, but all they saw were lots of giant tracks, but thankfully, no giant birds.

By now Hoss was a nervous wreck. He wasn't eating much, well for him at least, it wasn't much and he was having trouble sleeping at night too.

Hoss didn't want to go looking for the birds anymore, and he wanted to go back home. " Come on Hoss, let's keep lookin'. Ya know, I can smell em now. I know we're gettin' close to em. Can't ya smell em Hoss?" the boy asked as he looked at Hoss who was very pale looking. " No I dunt smell em, and NO WAY, I'm gonna go lookin' fer em anymore. Maybe they will just go away !" Hoss nervously replied as they stood in the yard, and looking up at the sky.

" Hoss, yer not scared are ya?" Little Joe asked. " Yes I am little brother, so now ya know !" Hoss shouted. " Ya really are scared ain'tcha big brother?" Little Joe declared.

That was all it took for the youngster to start to make very loud clucking sounds at Hoss. He bent his arms and held his hands balled up and against his arm pits while he moved his arms up and down in a flapping motion. He then ran around the yard clucking loudly and flapping his arms.

" DADBURN YOU LITTLE BROTHER !!! STOP THAT RIGHT NOW !! YOU STOP THAT CLUCKING YOU LITTLE VARMINT !! Hoss shouted.

In the house, Ben and Adam were going over the books, when they heard the loud clucking from the yard and Hoss shouting at Little Joe. " What on earth is going on out there now?" Ben asked. " I don't know, but it sounds like Hoss is mad at Little Joe," Adam said.

" I'M GONNA POUND YA LITTLE BROTHER !!!!!!!!!! JUST WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YA, YA LITTLE VARMINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hoss kept shouting loudly over and over.

Little Joe continued on with his loud clucking, running around the yard and flapping his arms up and down.

By now Little Joe was also giggling hard and he soon fell over and rolled on the ground and clucking like crazy. Hoss was finally able to catch up with the fallen clucking boy, who was holding his stomach.

Ben, Adam, and Hop Sing stood on the porch and watched the younger Cartwrights. " What wrong with boys?" Hop Sing asked as he continued to watch the the two boys. " I don't know Hop Sing, but what ever it is, it must be Little Joe's fault as usual," Ben replied.

Hoss bent down and he picked up his giggling, clucking little brother and he carried him over to the water trough and he dropped the boy into the water. " There, maybe that will quiet ya down ! Hoss shouted as he kept pushing the boy under the water. Everytime Little Joe popped his head out of the water, Hoss would push him back under the water, and everytime Little Joe would resurface, he would cluck at Hoss. "DADBURN YOU LITTLE BROTHER ! Hoss shouted back.

" Boys, what is going on?" Ben asked as he and Adam walked over to Hoss. Adam had a big smile on his face as he anxiously waited for an explanation as to what was going on.

" Hoss, Little Joe, I asked you two a question and I'm waiting for an answer," Ben said as he stood there with his hands on his hips, as he looked at Little Joe, who had a big grin on his face, while Hoss had a very sour look on his face.

" DADBURNIT PA, Little Joe keeps on cluckin' at me, and giggling too ! DADBURNIT ALL LITTLE BROTHER !! Hoss shouted again. " Joseph, why are you clucking and giggling at your brother for?" Ben asked, as he was almost afraid to hear what his little imp would say. After all, the boy could come up with some of the silliest answers. " Um.. well, cuz he's a BIG CHICKEN, that's why !" Little Joe shouted as he continued to sit in the water with a silly grin on his face and clucking away.

" I'M GONNA POUND HIM, PA !!! DADBRUNIT !!!" Hoss shouted again. " No a ain't big brother, cuz ya love me. Hey, Pa, did ya know that Hoss thinks there are giant birds around here, and he's scared of em," the youngster annnounced as he grinned at Hoss. " So ya think I love huh, little brother? Well, I use ta love, but not right now I dunt love ya !" Hoss declared. Little Joe tried to get out of the trough, but Hoss kept pushing him back under water.

" Hoss, why do you think there's giant birds around here?" Ben asked as he tried not to laugh. Adam was laughing now. He had heard everything now, giant birds ! " Hey Hoss, dunt ferget ta tell Pa that yer giant birds have teeth too !" Little Joe interrupted as he was giggling. " A giant bird with teeth ? Come on Hoss. Now I've heard everything !" Ben replied as he was now laughing loudy. Everyone was laughing except for poor Hoss, who just stood there glaring at his baby brother who was still sitting in the water trough giggling and clucking.

" Dadburnit Pa, there's giant bird footprints everywhere, at the lake, in the woods, and around the yard. Pa, I'm tellin' ya, they're everywhere. It wasn't that wind the other day, it was them giant birds flyin' over the barn and one of them birds dun hit the barn too! I heard it Pa ! Dadburnit ! Pa, ya gotta believe me, there's giant brids everywhere !!!! Hoss shouted.

Adam and Ben were almost rolling on the ground in laughter at what Hoss just said. Little Joe was hanging on to the side of the trough as he was giggling out of control.

Ben tried to stop laughing, as he wanted to talk to Hoss. " Hoss, son, I think you need to lay down for for a while and rest. Son, there are no giant birds around here," Ben told Hoss. " But Pa, there's all them giant bird tracks everywhere !" Hoss cried. Ben stood there with his arm around Hoss's shoulder, as he looked at Little Joe in the trough and that silly grin on his sweet little face. " Pa, I bet that so called little brother of mine made them giant brids ! Am I right little brother ? Did ya make em, you little varmint? Am I right?" Hoss shouted.

" Me? Come on Hoss, do I look like a giant bird with teeth?" Little Joe stated. " NO, but ya got teeth ! Hoss replied. " Boys, Hoss, it's obvious that your little brother is playing a big joke on you again. Am I right Joseph? Ben asked as he already knew that this was one of Little Joe's pranks. " Uh, yes sir. I just wanted ta have some fun with ya big brother. I'm really sorry. I love ya Hoss. I really do," the boy softly said as he added some tears for the perfect affect.

Adam was still laughing like crazy. " Ya know baby brother, this is one of your craziest jokes yet. Hoss don't worry, we won't tell anyone about this, but just think about this, it is very funny you know. One of these days, you will laugh about this," Adam told Hoss. " Well maybe," Hoss replied as he looked again at his little brother who was still sitting in the trough looking like a drowned rat. " Ok little brother. I fergive ya. Ya really had me believing that there were giant birds around here. By the way, where's them giant bird tracks come from?" Hoss asked.

" Well, I made me with a stick and made em look like giant chicken prints," Little Joe explained. " Ya now little brother, you are very creative," Hoss said. Little Joe got a big grin on his face, opened his eyes wide and said surprisingly " I am?" Hoss just nodded.

" Well baby boy, let's get you out of this water before you turn into a prune," Ben suggested as he pulled his soaking wet son out of the trough. " Thanks Pa," the boy answered.

As Ben headed towards the washroom with his baby boy, Adam stopped Hoss and said, " Hoss, I tell you, with our little brother around, there's never a dull moment, that's for sure!" " You are so right about big brother. Giant birds, indeed !" Hoss declared.

The End

RETURN TO LIBRARY