It was another bright sunny day at Ponderings Pond It was so nice outside that Snake Jake and his friend Joe decided to go for a nice long crawl. Just for something to do, they slithered around Pedro Persistence’s cottage and then out to a field. Circling back they went past a fence and just as they were getting near a shed, they saw something they never saw before.

It was some type of a large bright blue creature, with big ears, big hands, and a very long nose!

Jake and Joe had never seen that critter before and they thought he was very odd looking. This creature was unlike any other they had ever seen at Ponderings Pond, so they stopped and stared. The big bright blue creature seemed a little scared and did not say anything.

Instead of saying “Hi!” and introducing themselves, Jake and Joe kept staring. Then they both started to chuckle. Then the chuckling became laughing.

“What — what on earth is this?” said Jake.

“I’ve never seen that at Ponderings Pond,” said Joe.

“It, it looks like some type of space creature. Look at its big ears and big hands. And, that nose! It’s as long as a fire hose! What a snout! What a face!,” said Jake mockingly.

“Ah-ha, ha, ha, ha!” they both laughed.

The bright blue creature covered his face, then scurried under the shed.

“Look at that, he lives in a hole in the ground! That’s stupid,” said Jake.

“Hey! So do we,” said Joe.

“Oh! I forgot,” said Jake. “Well, at least we don’t look funny!”

Well, that was something for a snake to say! Most people like us do not like snakes, and we can probably think of a goodly number of other animals we would rather look at. Many children have Teddy bears. Can you imagine a Teddy snake?

Anyhow, they both kept laughing and laughing. Jake kept saying unkind things about the bright blue creature.

“Hey Joe, I’ve just thought of a name for the weird critter — Snout Face!”

“Yeah, heh heh! That sounds pretty funny!” said Joe.

“Let’s see. Next time we see it, we can say Snout Face! Snout Face! You are such a funny case!” said Jake. They both started laughing again.

Jake was laughing the most, and even bragging about himself. He started showing off, slithering faster than Joe. He soon saw a brick.

“Watch this Joe. I’m swift. I’m going to spin around and around and around this brick really really fast,” he bragged.

Jake coiled back, then sprung forward, circling the brick, one, two, three times. Joe was getting dizzy just watching Jake.

Jake circled a fourth time, then a fifth time. But on the sixth time he veered off course and slithered right into a pole.

“Ouch!” said Jake. Joe started laughing really loud.

“It’s not funny Joe! Stop laughing.” But Joe laughed even more.

“I don’t like it when I am laughed at,” Jake said and slithered away.

Just as he passed some steps, he saw an orange head with spots — it was Seymour the giraffe.

“I heard that,” said Seymour.

“Heard what?” asked Jake.

“That you don’t like to be laughed at,” said Seymour.

Seymour continued, “No one really does. I can remember a time when I was laughed at. With all my spots and my long long neck there were a lot of jokes made about me. I was very unhappy. I felt hurt and useless.”

Jake looked at Seymour for a little bit and said, “Uh, thanks Seymour.”

Jake crawled slowly away. He crawled past a bright blue flower, but Jake did not feel very bright inside. And, I think, boys and girls, you know why.