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Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to a special taster of our new

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premium only story. We hope you like it. Yo. Hello,

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I'm Josephine and this is the Animal Tales podcast, home

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to over four hundred stories written just for you. Our

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Friday story is especially for our Premium subscribers only. Marnie

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is a Premium member from Sheffield in the UK and

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she would like a story with a hedgehog, a sugar glider,

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a starfish and a butterfly. Don't forget to listen to

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the animal facts after the story to learn more about

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these creatures. For now, it's time to sit back and

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get comfy, because it's time to begin A home for

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a hedge Marne had lived under the same hedge her

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whole life. It was the perfect spot for a hedgehog.

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During the summer months, she was safe and protected by

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the hedges spread in greenery. Then in the winter months,

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when she would hibernate, Marne would bury herself in a

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pile of fallen leaves, safe amongst the roots of the bush.

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This was her home, sheltered and perfect. But one morning,

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Marne was awoken by a terrible noise. Terrified, she wriggled

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deep under her dry leaves as the ground shook and

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roaring noises thundered overhead. This went on for hours, and

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Marne didn't dare appear until long after the noise had stopped.

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She wriggled out to find that the hedge her home,

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was gone, and it wasn't the only plant that had disappeared.

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Nearby bushes and trees and brambles had all been cleared away,

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leaving the muddy ground churned up with tire trucks. Without

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the hedge's protection, Marney felt exposed. She couldn't stay out

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in the open like this, so Marney ran, heading for

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the distant sight of trees. The woodland was her only

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chance of finding somewhere safe. Once there, Marney checked every hole, log,

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and leaf pile that she came across, to her dismay.

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They were all lived in already, and none of the

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animal seemed interested in sharing. Eventually, though, all her searching

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paid off when she found a small hole under the

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roots of a large tree. Relieved, Marney squeezed herself in.

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It was a tight fit, but it was enough. Maybe this,

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she thought could be her new home. Almost immediately, something

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landed on the tree's trunk above her and peered into

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the hole. It was a sugar glider. Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry,

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said Marny. Is this your hole? No, said the sugar glider.

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I live up in the trees, not underneath them, But

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I just came to warn you. There are big, hungry

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animals in these woods, and I don't think that little

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hole will keep you safe enough. Marny's heart sank. This

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had been the first place she'd found that she could

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call her own. I'm too tired to search for anywhere else,

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she yawned. Thank you for your thoughtful words, but for

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now I'm going to have a rest here. I understand,

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said the sugar glider, and I wish you luck. Its

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head disappeared from the hole's entrance, leaving Marny to curl

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up tight into a prickly ball. There may be big,

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hungry animals, but at least she had her spines to

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protect her. Very quickly, Marny was fast asleep. Some time later,

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she was awoken by the sound of snuffling light footsteps

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and crinkling leaves sounded close, and then came the smell

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a fox. Marney held her breath, hoping she wouldn't be

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found All she could hope was that her new home

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would keep her safe, just like her old one had done.

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For a long time, nothing happened. There was no movement

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beyond the tree. It must have gone, sighed Marny with relief,

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and uncurled herself to look, poking her nose from the hole.

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This was a mistake. The fox had been waiting patiently

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for her, and now it was ready to pounce. But

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as it attempted to do so, something landed on the

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fox's face, covering its eyes with an outstretched body. It

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was the sugar Glider. If you'd like to hear more,

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please join our premium service. You can find out how

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in the description. The premium service means. You can listen

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to all animal tales stories advert free, get bonus stories,

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and we guarantee to turn your animal suggestion into a

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future tale. I look forward to seeing you there.