When I was a kid, my Aunt Judi used to sing us this song called "Animal Fair." It was very evocative, conjuring images of animals playing and grooming under the moonlight. One line, "the old raccoon by the light of the moon was brushing her auburn hair," always caught my fancy. I've read other versions where it's a baboon instead, but their rainbow colors aren't as magical in the moonlight. The raccoon is a night animal; he's a masked menace. He burgled his way into my trash time and time again in North Carolina, but I still find them intriguing, as if they have another personality hidden under that mask that's mild-mannered, more Clark Kent than Cat Burglar.
I wanted to pair two animals that you might catch a glimpse of in the woods. The bear is something I've only seen once in the wild, and though we were alarmed, he was a bumbling sort, more interested in the grass than in the family bathing on the river dock not far away. Here the bear and raccoon are a happy pair, and they ride in the parade in style, bedecked with bells as they announce their arrival...so as not to startle anyone. :) This is the first in a series.
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| "Bear and Raccoon", part of the series "The Animal Parade" Pencil. Copyright 2011 Jessica Boehman |
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