Dorktales Storytime
Be the hero of your own story with Dorktales Storytime, the award-winning podcast for kids and their pop culture loving grownups. Enter their Once Upon a Time world where hosts, Jonathan Cormur and Mr. Reginald T. Hedgehog, take you on a storytelling journey of curiosity and acceptance. You’ll explore reimagined fairytales and fables with social emotional themes, discover inspiring stories of history’s hidden heroes, and experience imaginary tales of boundless possibilities.
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Dorktales Storytime
Redge’s Oopsie Daisies - A Folktale Forest Fail-a-bration Story for Kids
What if every blunder you made could blossom into something beautiful? Take it from your hedgehog buddy, Redge, who frolics through his failures in his very own field of daisies! He plants a seed for every big—and little—misstep and mistake he makes and they sprout into a spectacular floral garden. From salty cookie catastrophes to daring belly flops, Redge shows us how he celebrates his "oopsies" as opportunities to learn and grow.
This episode was inspired by the children’s book “Fail-a-bration” by the New York Times bestselling duo, Brad and Kristi Montague. We’re big fans of their work! The book’s joyful message that failing means you’re trying, learning, and growing is exactly what we wanted to bring into our world of Once Upon a Time. Available now at your favorite bookseller: https://montagueworkshop.com/failabration
Go to the episode webpage: https://jonincharacter.com/redges-oopsie-daisies/
GRAB YOUR FREE PDF list of conversation questions for this episode:
https://dorktalesstorytime.aweb.page/ep101freePDF
PARENTS, TEACHERS AND HOMESCHOOLERS: This story invites kids to reframe their view of failure as a chance for growth. By embracing mistakes, kids learn to see them as normal parts of life rather than something to be ashamed of.
IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY about learning from and celebrating your failures, you may also enjoy this episode on how to manage overwhelming feelings in EP49: Big Bad’s Big Feelings: https://jonincharacter.com/big-bads-big-feelings/
CREDITS: This episode is a Jonincharacter production. It was written and produced by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Studio Recordings.
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Now, go be the hero of your own story and we’ll see you next once-upon-a-time!
JONATHAN CORMUR: Hello Dork Squad. I'm Jonathan Cormur and you're listening to Dorktales Storytime, the podcast for kids and their pop culture-loving grown-ups, and this is one of our anything-is-possible lore stories.
THEME SONG: It's a beautiful day for a story, adventure and glory, new friends and old ones too. It's an excellent day to get swept away in a tail, so let us regale you.
Grownups, today’s story is inspired by two authors who’ve found a unique way to celebrate something we all experience: failure! We’re big fans of the New York Times bestselling duo, Brad and Kristi Montague, who’ve written a fantastic children’s book that throws a giant party for our mistakes. Yes, you heard that right—a 'Fail-a-bration.’ We put a link in our show notes so you can check it out. The book’s joyful message that failing means you’re trying, learning, and growing is exactly what we wanted to bring into our world of Once Upon a Time. So, let’s head to the Folktale Forest, where even the biggest blunders bloom into something beautiful.
(The sounds of the outdoors in nature, birds chirping)
REDGE: (In a sing-songy voice)
Here in my oopsie daisy field,
Where oopsies are aplenty,
Plant a seed for each mistake
First five, then ten, then twenty!
And then the field will grow and grow
An ocean made of flowers
For all the fails both big and small
That give us superpowers!
JONATHAN: Redge! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!
REDGE: Oh hello Jonathan! Have you come to frolic in this daisy field with me?
JONATHAN: I-I’ve never seen so many daisies!
REDGE: It is rather wonderful, isn’t it?
JONATHAN: Where did this even come from?
REDGE: From me of course!
JONATHAN: You…made this?
REDGE: Yes, I planted and grew this Oopsie Daisy Field all by myself! Do you love it?
JONATHAN: I do! But Redge…
REDGE: Yes, Jonathan?
JONATHAN: What’s an Oopsie Daisy Field?
REDGE: GASP. You’ve never heard of an Oopsie Daisy Field?
JONATHAN: Hmm…I’ve heard the phrase ‘whoops-a-daisy’ before. Like…if I were to trip and fall or bump into someone I might say, ‘whoops-a-daisy!’
REDGE: Ah yes! This is sorta like that? But mostly different.
JONATHAN: Tell me more!
REDGE: It’s a time honored tradition from across the land of Once Upon a Time. This is one of the ways all of us critters and magic-making folk celebrate our failures.
JONATHAN: I can’t believe I haven’t heard of it before!
REDGE: I know! How do you even celebrate your failures without making an Oopsie Daisy Field?
JONATHAN: I never really thought about celebrating my failures. It’s honestly easier to get down on myself for failing. I usually like to just forget about it.
REDGE: GASP AGAIN. Jonathan! You must celebrate your failures! You’ve even taught me this yourself!
JONATHAN: Really?
REDGE: My friend! Many of the stories you’ve told me have taught me that we can learn from our mistakes.
JONATHAN: You know…That is true…but it’s so much harder to do that when it’s your own failures.
REDGE: But remember! When we fail at something, we have the opportunity to grow! Just like this field of flowers! And we become even more powerful and unstoppable because of what we’ve learned. Even you Jonathan!
JONATHAN: You know…you’re right Redge! I should take my own advice. And your advice!
REDGE: And so! It is finally happening! The student becomes the teacher!
JONATHAN: Uh oh…here we go…
REDGE: We knew it would happen one day! And that day has arrived!
JONATHAN: Oh Redge.
REDGE: I shouldn’t be surprised that it’s come so soon. I am an amazing hedgehog after all.
JONATHAN: Mmhmm, yep.
REDGE: A stunning hedgehog. Fantastic. Some may say I’m the greatest hedgehog in all of the forest.
JONATHAN: (Laughing) You are something, that’s for sure.
Redge, you always teach me just as much as I teach you! That’s a fun side effect of being friends. Plus, no one knows more about Once Upon a Time’s traditions than you.
REDGE: So true, so true.
Anywho…what do you say? Will you start celebrating your failures with me?
JONATHAN: Alright! Let’s do it!
Uh…how do we do it?
REDGE: I will tell you! By GOING BACK IN TIME! (Dramatic sound effect plays)
JONATHAN: …Really? Did you finally finish building that new time machine with Dr. Hogenstein?
REDGE: Um no. I’ll be going back in time…BY TELLING A STORY! (Dramatic sound effect plays)
JONATHAN: I love stories!
REDGE: Once upon a time, in the land of Once Upon a Time, there was a Flower Fairy named Hyacinth who was out flying through the forest.
HYACINTH: Tweedle-deedle-dee, it’s a lovely day, lovely day indeed.
REDGE: Hyacinth was in charge of caring for a brand new patch of colorful flowers, where other fairies were going to come to cast very important Flower Fairy spells. Their spells would enchant our fair forest and help more wild things grow.
JONATHAN: This place would not be as beautiful without the Flower Fairy spells, that’s for sure!
REDGE: You know it, Jonathan! But of course most Flower Fairies get easily distracted by forest foliage, and Hyacinth was no different. He missed three days and three nights of watering because he found a beautiful green fern and couldn't tear himself away!
HYACINTH: Well lookit. This one’s a beaut. That’s a really good fern right there.
JONATHAN: What happened to the patch of flowers?
REDGE: They never grew because they had no water!
HYACINTH: Oh bother. Hyacinth, you’ve done it again! What an utter failure!
REDGE: Hyacinth was pretty bummed out about his flower failure, but then he had an idea! He decided to take everything he learned and go back to that flower patch to plant a new seed. He cared for that seed and made sure to give it his love and attention. And eventually it grew into…
JONATHAN: A daisy!
REDGE: YOU GUESSED IT!
HYACINTH: Lookit you, a little daisy that grew from my blunder. My own oopsie daisy!
JONATHAN: So that’s how the tradition began!
REDGE: Indeed, Jonathan! The story of Hyacinth has been passed around throughout our lands. I heard it from my family and have been growing Oopsie Daisies ever since.
JONATHAN: Very cool! So, what failures went into growing your garden?
REDGE: Eee! I thought you’d never ask! Walk with me, Jonathan. (Clears throat) We go back in time with stories once again! Cue the failure story montage!!
First, we have the Salty Cookie Catastrophe!
(Magical transition sound)
REDGE: One cup o’ sugar and a pinch of salt! Stir it all up and add the chocolate chips and some more chocolate chips…and stick 'em on the pan and in the oven they go!
JONATHAN: Oooh boy, I am looking forward to these.
REDGE: My award-winning, Mouth-Watering Mega Melty Chocolate Chip Cookies.
JONATHAN: Yum!
(Ding of an oven)
REDGE: They’re ready! They’re ready!
JONATHAN: We just have to wait for them to cool–oh you already ate one.
REDGE: (Mouth full) Oh…we were supposed to wait?
JONATHAN: Redge!
REDGE: (Spits out cookie) YUCK!
JONATHAN: You burned the roof of your mouth again, didn’t you?
REDGE: No! They simply taste awful!
JONATHAN: Oh no! Let me try.
(Mouthful) Oh…oh no…these are…
REDGE: SALTY! I accidentally put in one cup of salt instead of sugar! Oh, what a disappointment!
REDGE: Then there was the Dance Team Tragedy...
(Magical transition sound)
REDGE: Hello to the best dancers in the world– Team Twinkle Toes!
I’ve practiced all night and I’ve finally gotten that tricky combo down. Do you wanna see?
A five, six, seven, eight! Kick ball change, kick ball change, grapevine to the right and clap! Repeat it all one more time, and spin and spin and spin and oh no, I’m dizzy again– woooaaahh!
REDGE: Oof that was a real fiasco.
This flower over here was from….gulp…The Diving Disaster.
(Magical transition sound)
REDGE: Alright Donna and Greta! I know you’re the best diving dolphins in all of Once Upon a Time but I think I’ve learned a thing or two from watching you. I’m going to dive from this boardwalk and strut my stuff!
(Dolphin sounds)
DONNA: Alright, Redgie, show us what you got!
GRETA: Oh Donna, I can’t wait to see his dashing dive!
REDGE: BEHOLD! Redge’s toe-touch-triple-backflip-double-spin dive!
And we leap! (A leap sound, almost like a slide whistle going up).
DONNA: Redgie! You gotta shift the angle of your dive!
GRETA: Don’t do the double spin Redgie you don’t have time! You’re going to—
(Splash sound)
GRETA: Belly flop…
REDGE: Urrgghh…ouch.
GRETA: Good try, Reggie!
DONNA: Maybe next time!
REDGE: That was a tough one…that belly flop HURT! And so many people were on the beach that day to witness it! (Sighs)
JONATHAN: The Belly Flop Heard ‘Round the Fantasea!
REDGE: But I came right here afterward and planted a seed. And little by little, it made me feel better!
As you can see, I’ve had so many more big and little mistakes that almost ruined my day! Instead, I threw my own little plant planting party, and have watched these flowers grow.
JONATHAN: The perfect reminder of what failures can teach us! Thanks for sharing those Redge. Even the scariest ones!
REDGE: Of course!
JONATHAN: Hmmm…
REDGE: What is it Jonathan?
JONATHAN: Well this reminder has meant so much to me, Redge. I want to celebrate my failures more. And maybe we should spread this cheer to more of our friends.
REDGE: What are you thinking…
JONATHAN: What if we picked some flowers and passed them out to friends?
REDGE: GASP A THIRD TIME. Are you suggesting…a Folktale Forest Fail-A-Bration?
JONATHAN: With some beautiful…uh….Blunder Bouquets!
REDGE: OH I LOVE IT! We can tie them all with lovely ribbons and twine. OH! And put little notes inside. OO! And maybe we can all share some snacks and stories about our failures. YES!
JONATHAN: I’ll go get my gardening tools!
REDGE: Spectacular! And I will go get snacks!
JONATHAN: And…
REDGE: Oh yes and ribbon and twine and all that of course. Blunder Bouquets here we come!
JONATHAN: The perfect way to spend an afternoon!
REDGE: See you soon!
Here in my oopsie daisy field,
Where oopsies are aplenty,
Plant a seed for each mistake
First five, then ten, then twenty!
And then the field will grow and grow
An ocean made of flowers
For all the fails both big and small
That give us superpowers!
Grownups, before we roll the credits and cue our theme song, I want to give another huge shout-out to Brad and Kristi Montague, whose wonderful book reminds us that failure isn’t something to fear—it’s something to celebrate! If you’re ready to find joy in trying and learning, be sure to check out their book, Fail-a-bration. It’s available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or–you can do what we did–and buy a copy from your favorite local bookseller. You never know what wonderful things can grow from your own oopsie daisies!
JONATHAN CORMUR: This has been a Jonincharacter production. Today’s story was written and produced by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Hamilton Studios. Reach out to us on Instagram or email us at dorktalesstorytime@gmail.com. Find links in the show notes or go to dorktalesstorytime.com. Now, go be the hero of your own story and we’ll see you next once-upon-a-time! Now, go be the hero of your own story and we’ll see you next once-upon-a-time!
THEME SONG: So gather your squad for all to see. It's a universe that we've imagined. There's twists and turns and lessons learned. This is where the unexpected happens. Join our humble hosts and hit the trails of the wonderful, wacky, wild world of Dorktales.
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