(music playing)
Hi there!
what are you doing way back there? Come on up here
ha ha, ahh that's better
I'm glad you dropped by, I've got a little story I think you'll like
it's about a four legged friend of mine
no I don't mean Copper back there
this happened a while back in the beautiful Capitan Mountain country of New Mexico
on the Lincoln National Forest
it was May time on the Capitan, dry and hot, but still nice and peaceful
all the animals in the forest were having a grand old time
in the sunshine of spring (music playing)
there was one little three-month-old fellow in particular who didn't have a care in the
world
he was spending his time having fun,
a-growling and a-prowling
and a-scratching
That's right
that bear cub didn't have a care in the world and somebody
a two-legged somebody got careless
(dramatic music)
it took several hundred men
five days to lick that fire. 17,000 acres of timber wood destroyed
timber that could have been used for homes and
furniture
along with the mills that could have turned it out
a lot of wild animals lost their homes
many lost their lives
but there was one little fellow who somehow survived that terrible fire
yes, the little bear cub came through and was found clinging to what was left of a small tree
New Mexico Game Warden Ray Bell rushed that burned and frightened cub
to the nearest animal hospital by plane
(music playing)
Warden Bell saw to it that he was given the best of
care
(music playing)
his burned feet responded to treatment
his hair grew back and with his little belly full of good food
he grew fat and sassy
they named him Little Smokey, and in a special plane put him on another trip
by air
this time it was clear across the country
over America's farms, factories, and cities
finally Little Smokey and his plane landed in Washington
our Nation's Capital
here along with his official escort, New Mexico's assistant
state game warden, Homer C. Pickens, Little Smokey was greeted in the rain by a
very enthusiastic committee
Chief Forester, Lyle Watts, accepted Little Smokey
as a gift of the state foresters and Uncle Sam's Forest Service and the New Mexico Department of Game and
Fish
But for our little hero, that welcome in the rain was only the beginning of a new
and very worthwhile life. On the first sunny day, Little Smokey was presented to
the National Zoo in Washington
and became a living symbol of
forest fire prevention
the kids went for the whole idea like a bear goes for honey.
And Little Smokey seemed to like the new setup too
it was really a big occasion. Senator Chavez of New Mexico was there to welcome his former constituent
to his new home in the zoo
(music playing)
the State Foresters joined
in dedicating the new life of Little Smokey to the school children of America
to serve as an honest to goodness reminder of the danger of forest fires
and the need to save our forests and wildlife from destruction by fire
you're probably wondering if Little Smokey lived up to all the
fine things that were planned for him
you can take my word for it he has
you see I had a personal invitation to visit Little Smokey a while back
of course he's kind of a big Smokey now
a year or so will do that to a bear
I was mighty glad to see him and I soon learned that I wasn't the only one
that Smokey is a famous character alright
he sure liked the oranges I brought him, but I'd do that for any forest fire preventing pal
I hate forest fires worse than all the diamondback rattlesnakes in the world
that's why I've tried to do my little bit toward preventing them
I guess that's why the Forestry boys
were on hand too, and why they gave me a special certificate
making me an honorary forest ranger. That really made me proud because it put me
right on Smokey's team. Of course Smokey had to check the document to
make sure it was genuine
and scratch his seal of approval on it
on that trip, I learned just how much good Smokey has done in preventing man-caused forest fires
mostly as a model for those car cards and posters you see
almost everywhere
Smokey and his important message sure get around
on mail trucks along the city's streets
in the buses and trolley cars, in the woods
why even in the comics
and now there's a song about Smokey the school children all over this great
country of ours
can sing and take to heart
(singing) With a ranger's hat and shovel and a pair of dungarees
you will find him in the forest always sniffing at the breeze
people stop and pay attention when he tells them to beware
because everybody knows that he's the Fire Prevention bear Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear
prowling and growling and sniffing the air, he can find a fire before it starts to flame
that's why they call him Smokey, that was how he got his name
If you've ever seen the forest when a fire is running wild, and you love the things within it like a mother loves her child, then you know why Smokey tells you when he sees you passing through,
remember please be careful
it's the least that you can do Smokey the Bear, Smokey the Bear
prowling and growling and sniffing the air
he can find a fire before it starts to flame
That's why they call him Smokey, That was how he got his name
Smokey the Bear. A living reminder to all of us today about the need to protect our
forests and wildlife
for the good of all of those who follow us in the future
(music playing)
well, that's the story of Smokey Bear
your friend and mine. But Smokey needs our help, so let's all be careful of fires in the forest always
and remember, only we,
you and I, can prevent
forest fires
So long for now, partners!
(music playing)