Sly Fox and Birdie
Encyclopedia
Sly Fox and Birdie is a 1992 educational video produced by Operation Lifesaver
. It shows two characters, a yellow bird named Birdie and a fox named Sly Fox, learning about railroad safety. In 2006, an updated version was made. The updated version has a new railway safety rap.
s, and finally railroad tracks. She spots her friend Sly Fox right near them.
Birdie asks what he is doing, and we learn that Sly Fox is going to put a few items on the tracks (a rock, a can, an old spike), assuming that when the train "comes roarin' by, it'll squash them to pieces!" A fearful Birdie tells him that it is a bad idea and gives Sly Fox a "thinking cap," telling him that when the train comes by, it won't squash them, it'll send them shooting out like bullets, or could have the train derailed and overturned, thus leading to possible injury or death.
Sly Fox comprehends this, but instead chooses to wait for the train to come so he can throw the items at it. Birdie informs him that the engineer might get hurt with the things he throws, and suggests they do something else that is fun, like going to the park. Sly Fox suggests that Birdie go get herself a worm
.
The fox comes across some boxcar
s, and hops into one, assuming that they can't hurt anyone. But then, Birdie shows up and tells him that a locomotive could be at the end of the line, and if it coupled with the last car and start moving, the boxcar they're standing in would shake, and (again) they could be injured or killed. Sly Fox hops out of the car and decides that they should take a hike on the railroad tracks.
Birdie points out that it is dangerous to cross tracks, especially on bridge
s and tunnel
s, the latter of which finally convinces Sly Fox about the dangers of railroads (he is run over in the process, to which he replies "If I weren't a cartoon character, I'd be dead as a doornail.") Sly now decides that he would just stand and wave at the train as it goes by; Birdie points out that he shouldn't be too close, pointing out that they could be carrying heavy objects.
Sly and Birdie talk about what to do at railroad crossings: stop if a train is coming and obey the signs and signals. If your car stalls on the tracks and won't budge, get out as fast as you can (the latter is demonstrated by Sly parking his car on a crossing, then abandoning the car before it explodes as a train hits it.)
Sly Fox comments on how Birdie is a lifesaver, and hopes that other people can learn from her. Birdie breaks the fourth wall by telling him that people have been watching them, and Sly Fox hopes that they have learned a lesson from all of this. The movie ends with the two parting off.
Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver is an organization originally started in Idaho in 1972 as a six-week, one-time public awareness campaign sponsored by the office of Governor Cecil Andrus, the Idaho Peace Officers and Union Pacific Railroad after years of increasing grade crossing accidents.As a result of...
. It shows two characters, a yellow bird named Birdie and a fox named Sly Fox, learning about railroad safety. In 2006, an updated version was made. The updated version has a new railway safety rap.
Plot
We see a yellow bird named Birdie wake up one morning. She decides that it is too nice a day to lie around in her nest, and she goes flying. She passes over trees, rooftops, playgroundPlayground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
s, and finally railroad tracks. She spots her friend Sly Fox right near them.
Birdie asks what he is doing, and we learn that Sly Fox is going to put a few items on the tracks (a rock, a can, an old spike), assuming that when the train "comes roarin' by, it'll squash them to pieces!" A fearful Birdie tells him that it is a bad idea and gives Sly Fox a "thinking cap," telling him that when the train comes by, it won't squash them, it'll send them shooting out like bullets, or could have the train derailed and overturned, thus leading to possible injury or death.
Sly Fox comprehends this, but instead chooses to wait for the train to come so he can throw the items at it. Birdie informs him that the engineer might get hurt with the things he throws, and suggests they do something else that is fun, like going to the park. Sly Fox suggests that Birdie go get herself a worm
Worm
The term worm refers to an obsolete taxon used by Carolus Linnaeus and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck for all non-arthropod invertebrate animals, and stems from the Old English word wyrm. Currently it is used to describe many different distantly-related animals that typically have a long cylindrical...
.
The fox comes across some boxcar
Boxcar
A boxcar is a railroad car that is enclosed and generally used to carry general freight. The boxcar, while not the simplest freight car design, is probably the most versatile, since it can carry most loads...
s, and hops into one, assuming that they can't hurt anyone. But then, Birdie shows up and tells him that a locomotive could be at the end of the line, and if it coupled with the last car and start moving, the boxcar they're standing in would shake, and (again) they could be injured or killed. Sly Fox hops out of the car and decides that they should take a hike on the railroad tracks.
Birdie points out that it is dangerous to cross tracks, especially on bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s and tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
s, the latter of which finally convinces Sly Fox about the dangers of railroads (he is run over in the process, to which he replies "If I weren't a cartoon character, I'd be dead as a doornail.") Sly now decides that he would just stand and wave at the train as it goes by; Birdie points out that he shouldn't be too close, pointing out that they could be carrying heavy objects.
Sly and Birdie talk about what to do at railroad crossings: stop if a train is coming and obey the signs and signals. If your car stalls on the tracks and won't budge, get out as fast as you can (the latter is demonstrated by Sly parking his car on a crossing, then abandoning the car before it explodes as a train hits it.)
Sly Fox comments on how Birdie is a lifesaver, and hopes that other people can learn from her. Birdie breaks the fourth wall by telling him that people have been watching them, and Sly Fox hopes that they have learned a lesson from all of this. The movie ends with the two parting off.