Jake and Joe went out hunting for rats not too long ago. Things were fine, until Jake began bragging.

“I just love to hunt rats. I’m slick. I’m fast. And I’m the best rat catcher around.”

“Sure,” grunted Joe, sniffing the air.

“I am, I tell you. Catching rats is quite easy for me.”

Joe just kept sniffing.

“Ha! You’re starting to cry because you know I am better than you,” Jake gloated.

Joe asked, “What makes you think I am crying?”

“You’re sniffling.”

Joe coiled back, looked at Jake, and said, “Ha! Some hunter you are! I’m not sniffling, I’m sniffing, and you should be too. I smell rats.”

“Uh, uh, you do? Where?”

“Over there,” said Joe, pointing his tail in the direction of a grassy area with bits of trash here and there.

That’s one thing the critters of the pond do not like — trash left by people who just do not care.

As the two crawled closer, something darted just a few feet away.

Joe asked Jake, “Did you see that?”

“See what?”

“What do you mean, see what? It looked like a rodent to me. And you did not see it? Some rat hunter you are,” grumbled Joe.

“I tell you I am the best!”

“I doubt it,” said Joe.

“I am! I am the best! I’m going to show you.”

All of a sudden there was a rustle, and Joe told Jake to hush.

The two held perfectly still and waited. Soon, sure enough, they saw a tail. It was bigger and longer than a tail of a mouse.

Joe glanced at Jake. Jake watched. Jake very slowly and quietly coiled back, and then lunged at the rat!

Papers, cans, twigs, and leaves scattered everywhere, and Joe heard a clunk.

When the dust cleared, Joe looked for Jake, and found him — with a can stuck on his head.

Joe excitedly asked, “Did you get the rat? Did you get the rat?”

“Uh, uh, no,” said Jake with his head in the can.

“What? You did not catch that rat? He was a big one! Some hunter you are,” Joe laughingly said. “Now, come on. Take that silly can off your head and let’s get going. I’m hungry.”

“There’s a can on my head? I don’t like cans on my head,” Jake said in very tinny voice.

“Well take it off.”

Jake tried by shaking and rolling, but it did not come off. He started getting scared.

“Help! It’s dark in here. Mommy! Mommy snake!”

Jake thrashed and thrashed about. Joe just couldn’t help it. He had to laugh.

“Some hunter.”

Jake kept thrashing.

“Wow, Jake! You’re doing a can can. I did not know you could dance.”

“It’s not funny Joe. It’s not funny!”

By this time Joe was laughing so hard he had curled up into a ball.

Jake pleaded with him, “Joe, please stop laughing and help me. It’s dark in here.”

“Hold still,” Joe said. Grabbing the can with his mouth, since snakes don’t have hands, Joe guided him to two rocks, had him crawl over them, then helped him get between both rocks.

Joe went behind, coiled around Jake and said, “When I count to three, backup and I’ll pull.”

“OK,” said Jake.

“Ready?”

“Ready,” Jake said.

“One, two, three!”

“Ouch,” said Jake, but the can did not come off.

Joe said, “Rest a little and we will try again.”

After a few minutes Joe said, “Now, let’s try it again. One. two, three!”

Pop went the can.

“Yay! I’m free.”

“I hope you learned your lesson,” grunted Joe.

“What lesson?”

“You should not brag. No one should,” Joe said.

“Uh, you’re right Joe. You’re right. What do I owe you?”

“Stop bragging,” said Joe.

And Jake did — for awhile.

Well, that’s one adventure from Ponderings Pond. Drop back again boys and girls for more stories. After all, you have to meet others who live there: Seymour the giraffe, Freddy D. Frog, Persistent Pete, and more!