Where’s Wabbitson? - Mystery Stories for Kids

The game's afoot again, but this time the great squirrel detective, Sherlock Nettlesbee, is feeling too frantic to solve an important mystery. His trusty companion, John Wabbitson, is missing! Presuming the worst, Sherlock is convinced that it’s the fiendish work of the evil Moray-eel-arty. Can he remain calm and follow the clues to the right conclusion? Or will worry slither him into his scariest thoughts?

PARENTS, TEACHERS AND HOMESCHOOLERS: This original tale takes young listeners into the Dorktales version of a Sherlock mystery. There is a lesson on what happens when you let your fears get the best of you, causing you to make assumptions and leap to the wrong conclusions. This is what happens to Sherlock, a character who is very methodical and thoughtful, but fears the worst when his best friend, Wabbitson, appears to be missing. He does the right thing when he asks his friends for help.

Episode webpage: https://jonincharacter.com/wheres-wabbitson/   

If you liked this Sherlock Nettlesbee story, you may also enjoy Episode 51 Mary Had a Little Yes, And. Sherlock joins Jonathan and Mr. Redge in an afternoon of imagination and good old-fashioned make believe: https://jonincharacter.com/mary-had-a-little-yes-and/

Dorktales Storytime Podcast website:
https://jonincharacter.com/dorktales-storytime-podcast/

CREDITS: This episode has been a Jonincharacter production. Today’s story was written by Amy Thompson and edited and produced by Molly Murphy. Special thanks to Eric O’Keeffe from What If World podcast for voicing Sherlock Nettlesbee. All characters are performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Studio Recordings.

Visit the official Dorktales shop, Once Upon A Merch at dorktales-shop.fourthwall.com to find fun merch inspired by our podcast.

Transcript

Sherlock Nettlesbee needs help solving a mystery

SPEAKER_05 0:30

Hello, Dork Squad. I'm Jonathan Cormer, and you're listening to Dork Tales Storytime, the podcast for kids and their pop culture loving grown-ups.

SPEAKER_01 0:42

It's a beautiful day for a story, adventuring glory, new friends and old ones too. It's an excellent day to get swept away in a tale, so let us regale you!

SPEAKER_06 1:03

Reg Jonathan, thank goodness you're home.

SPEAKER_05 1:08

Well, I'm home. Reg doesn't live here. Not technically. Hey, just because you nap on the couch enough to have your own pillow doesn't mean oh never mind. Sherlock Nettlesby! Uh, to what do we owe the pleasure of you at my door this afternoon? It's not pleasant news, I'm afraid. Oh goodness. Another mystery, I presume.

SPEAKER_06 1:35

Precisely!

SPEAKER_05 1:36

But this one hits too close to home. How close? Yes, and where's your trusty companion, John Wabbitson? That's precisely what it is!

SPEAKER_06 1:50

Wabbitson is missing. Oh no! Gas! And I'm simply frantic about it! I can't keep my thoughts straight, which you know is highly unusual for me. Inconceivable. I figured it would be best to ask you two for assistance.

SPEAKER_05 2:10

To take on the role of Co-Chief Gumshoes with you? It'd be a dream. And uh we'd retrieve Wabbitson, of course. Yes. We'll help you however we can, Sherlock. How can we start? Let's head back to my nest. I've got some fresh acorns to share for lunch, and uh we can start sniffing for clues. Well, lead us there, Sherlock. Let's get sniffin'. Great! Let's leap to the treetops! Wow, Sherlock! I didn't know you meant uh literally leaping that much. Yeah. After this case, oh, my calves will certainly burn. You do really jump to it, Sherlock. What can I say? I'm a squirrel! Leaping's in my nature. So wow, I guess I've never been in a squirrel's nest before. You know, I've seen some of them for my walks, but not the inside. It's real cozy. Yes, larger than one might assume. On the inside So, Sherlock, what's different here? Is anything out of place? We should turn over every leaf. Leaf, no leaf unturned.

SPEAKER_04 3:50

Nope, yep. This one, no, nothing on here. Nope, this nope, this nope, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, ah, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, no, no, no, no, no, no. Hold on, Reg.

What has happened to Wabbitson?

SPEAKER_05 4:03

Let's go about this, uh methodically. Indeed, my usual tactic, Jonathan, but I just can't think straight with Wabbitson in danger. Well, we don't know that he is yet, Sherlock. I promise we'll find him. Now, you were on the right track, Reg, but leaving no leaf, or leafing no leaf, unturned in a squirrel's nest is a bit like counting sand on the beach. We'll be here for days.

SPEAKER_06 4:35

It would help if Wabiton were simply to return. Oh, I do miss him. He usually leaves a note.

SPEAKER_05 4:42

Something serious must be afoot. Well, we'll keep raking through all these clues. We don't have enough time or enough rakes! What if something terrible happened to Wabiton? You keep mentioning this. Could something terrible have happened?

SPEAKER_06 5:02

Well, if it did, I know exactly who's behind the nefarious act. Who? James More Eel Arti. More Eel Artie? Yes! My fishy nemesis. He's a rotten nut if ever I saw one. Always escaping in a plume of ink with his squiddy cronies.

SPEAKER_05 5:27

Well, More Eel Arti lives in the lake, right? That's where his lair is, yes. But the leaves in your home, they're all dry. Very clever of More Eel Arti to bring a tarp. Well.

SPEAKER_06 5:47

Ah yes! Ah yes! That's precisely what it must have been, Reg. A tarp. Uh when he kidnapped Rabbitson!

SPEAKER_05 5:58

The Slithering Fiend. Don't you think you're leaping? We must leap into the lake and investigate. Oh, friends, let's just take a second to.

SPEAKER_06 6:09

You're right! I don't know where my head is today. Thanks, Reg. To the lake!

SPEAKER_05 6:16

Uh, listen, friends. I know we're hot on the trail, but maybe cold and slimy on the trail when it comes to Morail Arti, Jonathan.

SPEAKER_06 6:29

A good one! Oh how can I laugh? It's such a worrisome time as this. Wabbitson must be somewhere hungry as can be. Hungry? He left all his carrots at my nest. He never goes anywhere without a bushel. A whole bushel?

SPEAKER_05 6:46

And look, in the sand leading to the lake. A clue. What? That line in the sand? Precisely. Oh! It could have been drawn by Morael Arty's slithering henchman. They drew it. As they dragged him under the water.

SPEAKER_06 7:07

That's Morail Arty. How could you? Gasp!

It's Moray-eel-arty, Sherlock's fishy nemesis!

SPEAKER_05 7:13

We solved it! Now, wait a minute. Okay, let's leap one more time. To the depths of the lake! Okay, I'm no swimmer, but I'm ready to do it for Wabitzin. Righto! Let's bring him back! Friends, stop! I fear you're leaping Precisely! To conclusions. Jonathan? Whatever good you mean. Well, you said you thought it was More Ilarty, right, Sherlock? Precisely. Righto. So who's that swimming towards us now?

SPEAKER_03 7:51

Moreti! And my squid cronies.

SPEAKER_02 7:56

Squish and Squirt Squid Howl, Squid Howl, Squin Howl, Squin Howl. Squid How Squid How. Squid How Squid How.

SPEAKER_03 8:06

Squid Owl, Squid How, Squid How, Squid How What's This I Hear You're saying about Me, Nettles Bee?

SPEAKER_06 8:14

Better not Be stirring Uny Trouble Give him Back Yes The Jing is Uh You've Got Wabbitsin What?

Wabbitson found!

SPEAKER_05 8:26

Absolutely not Though It would have been Hilarious To do So We've had a Lazy Sunday in the Reeds No Bunnies Here Just Us No Rabbits? You didn't Kidnap Him How could I? I'm Frankly Insulted You Th'd even World Your Side Kick That Much? I couldn't Cass Toodles Squid House Squid House Squid How Squid How Squid How Squid How Squid How Wow He really just Left In a Cloud of Smoke Uh Squid Ink. Yeah, That was Impressive. But it Doesn't Mean We Found Any Clues. Oh, Come Now. Some of our Leaps Were Helpful. We Foem Yes, And even Though We Didn't Find Any Carrots, We Dule Out More Ilati. That's a Start. But we Gotta Stop Leaping To Conclusion. I know it Feight In the M, But We need to Follow Real Evidence The Things We Can Touch, Smell, See, And Hear. I get it. We must go with things like the sand, the time of day, maybe even over here. I see some reeds I can look through. Yes, we can look at what's around us. Like the furry paw prints of Wabison!

SPEAKER_04 10:13

I John Wabbison in the fur, that's me.

SPEAKER_05 10:18

But I thought you were missing! Kidnapped! And we just figured out it wasn't More Yolarte. Sherlock! Didn't you see my note? No.

SPEAKER_06 10:31

You left a note?

SPEAKER_05 10:34

Oh yes.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

I left Sherlock a note.

SPEAKER_06 10:38

Well, I was just so worried.

SPEAKER_05 10:43

I must have blown off your desk as you blusted about, my friend. Or maybe after you whipped through my office announcing something about needing to go get tea poured? Huh?

SPEAKER_02 10:56

Oh Sherlock, you weren't listening. I said to you, in both the note and as I was leaving, see you in a few days. I'm going to the seashore.

SPEAKER_05 11:08

Well, now I feel really silly. That's all right, mate. I uh egged you on. Leaping like a squirrel. Leaping to conclusions, as Jonathan kept saying. You heard me? Oh yes. But I think it was a lesson we needed to learn ourselves. No matter how much you tell it to us, we needed to have first paw experience in the pitfall of making assumptions. Right. It could have ended dangerously. Sometimes it's really hard not to assume the worst and get lost in worry. So I understand. It was really smart to seek out your friends who could help you think things through.

SPEAKER_06 11:56

Yes, now that my mind is a little calmer, and I have my wits again, I can say we weren't really following the evidence.

SPEAKER_05 12:06

In fact, we were letting our anxiety make it up. To appear worse than it really was. And I've been safe in my aunt's home the entire time, knitting and eating cinnamon rolls.

SPEAKER_06 12:20

Now, I truly do feel silly. How do I avoid feeling that anxious when we're next apart, Wabbitzen?

SPEAKER_05 12:28

First things first, remember to look for the notes I leave.

SPEAKER_06 12:32

Might I suggest a paperweight next time?

SPEAKER_02 12:36

Aye, fair play, Sherlock.

SPEAKER_05 12:38

But also, you can start to recognize when your brain might be leaping a little too quickly into a scary place before it guides you to make frantic choices. And if it's too hard not to get lost in your worries, you already did the best thing you can possibly do. You asked for help.

SPEAKER_06 12:56

Thank you, friends, for your assistance today.

Credits and how to contact us

SPEAKER_05 12:59

You are truly excellent co-detectives. And we'll always be here to show you the evidence that sometimes worries are nettle they're cracked up to be. Oh, good one, Reg! Well, at least we didn't get to do a scuffle with More Larty. Yeah, that was a close one.

SPEAKER_06 13:22

Now that we've cracked the case, does anyone want to come back to my nest for some acorn soup? No leaf investigation required. Oh yes. I do, I do! Can mine be carrot soup? What did I tell you? He loves those carrots! Good to have you back home, old chum!

SPEAKER_05 13:44

This has been a John in character production. Today's story was written by Amy Thompson and edited by Molly Murphy. Special thanks to Eric O'Keefe from What If World, who voiced Sherlock Nettlesby. All other characters were performed by Jonathan Cormer. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Studio Recordings. Reach out to us on Instagram or email us at DorkTaleStorytime at gmail.com. You can find links in the show notes. Now, go be the hero of your own story, and we'll see you next once upon a time.