Throwback: The Mighty Shadow

Stories Podcast: A Bedtime Show for Kids of All Ages

This throwback episode features the classic story 'The Mighty Shadow,' centered on a small wolf named Scout who believes his aggressive atti

Key takeaways

• Scout is a physically small wolf who uses bullying to compensate for his lack of size.
• The Lion Queen maintains order in the forest through fairness and care rather than intimidation.

Main topics

• True leadership
• Bullying and empathy

Notable quotes

A good leader must always put others first.

Conclusion

A heartwarming moral tale that teaches children that strength is measu

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:01) Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is a throwback episode. Tune in to hear one of our classic stories from the archive that you might have missed the first time around. We have Stories Podcast merch available at storiespodcast.com slash shop. We're also on Cameo for all of your personalized video message needs, and don't forget to follow us on Instagram at storiespodcast. If you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed. Now here's a word from our sponsors. Speaker 1 (0:35) Now that school is underway for most of us, families have a better sense of where kids are Speaker 2 (0:39) thriving and where they may need a little extra support. iXL helps reinforce what they're learning in class and build confidence along the way. iXL is an award-winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're building math confidence, strengthening reading and writing skills, or reviewing science concepts. From pre-K through 12th grade, IXL offers personalized, interactive learning that adapts to each child's level and pace. IXL gives kids personalized practice that reinforces concepts they're already learning at school and helps strengthen skills that may need more attention. Studies show students who use IXL perform better academically with proven results in all 50 states. Best of all, one subscription covers everything from pre-K through 12th grade for all the kids in your home. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get Speaker 1 (1:31) IXL now. And Stories podcast Speaker 2 (1:33) listeners can get an exclusive 20 % off IXL membership when they sign up today at www.ixl.com slash dragon. Visit www.ixl.com slash dragon to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Speaker 1 (1:51) Thanks! Enjoy the episode! Speaker 2 (1:55) The Mighty Shadow Speaker 2 (1:58) Once upon a time, there was a skinny little wolf named Scout. He still looked like a puppy, even though he was fully grown, with little paws and little ears and a little muzzle full of little teeth. The only thing that wasn't little on Scout was his attitude. He always thought he should be in charge of things, and he'd try and boss around anyone who came too close, from the fish in their ponds to the birds in their trees. to the rabbits in their holes. Of course, since Scout was so small, no one listened much. Hey you, pipsqueak, he barked at a passing turtle. You better hurry it up before I take a bite out of that shell. The turtle just kept walking, slowly, one foot in front of the other, back and forth, slow, slow, slow. Finally, after a Speaker 1 (2:54) full minute of teetering and tottering, He made it out of little Scout's path. That's Speaker 2 (3:00) right, roughed Scout. You better keep walking. And that's pretty much how it always went. Scout never got the respect he felt like he deserved. Other wolves were fierce leaders, controlling roving packs or hunters. Scout was fierce, but he was no leader. He didn't understand that leaders should be more than the biggest and the baddest. They had to understand the ones they were leading and care about their problems. Scout wanted to be the biggest and the baddest. But he didn't much care about other animals, except to bully them when they happened by. The true leader of the forest was the Lion Queen. She was big, she was bad, but she was also kind and fair, and all the animals lived under her watchful eye. She held court atop the sprawling branches of a fig tree, high in the middle of a grassy clearing. The air around her smelled of sweet fruit, and her fine golden fleece shone brighter than any crown. One day, when the little wolf was being especially bothersome, the queen sent some monkeys to summon him to her tree. The monkeys ran chittering into the forest and found Scout bossing around some rabbits. Speaker 1 (4:23) That's right, he was saying. Hide in your holes. I'm the big Speaker 2 (4:27) man. I'm the boss, you cottontailed twerps. Hey, hey, hey, said the monkeys hanging down from the trees. The Speaker 1 (4:35) queen wants to see you. Speaker 2 (4:37) The little wolf sauntered over, holding his teeny muzzle high in the