October 2020
Thursday, October 1, 2020 - Edition #100
100th Edition!!!
Hamstervill (e) gets back an E!
Ms. Wonderwool, a llama from Paris, France, was visiting Hamstervill(e). In France all “vills” are written with an ‘e’ at the end. We interviewed her below. However, we were unable to get an interview with Lady Blue-Fennel so far. We will keep trying!
The older editions of The Daily Squeaker will not be changed, as they are ‘historical writing’. In the end of Ms. Wonderwool's fascinating story, Lemmingvill citizens voted that they would not change the spelling of their cities name, while the Hamstervill citizens all wanted the change.
Interview with Ms. Wonderwool
Reporter: I'm so happy that you were finally available! We have been trying to find a time (and place!) for about four months.
Ms. Wonderwool: Yes, I'm very sorry. At first, I caught the measles. Then, you had some very urgent news to report, and I was away for travels. So FINALLY, we have been able to find a time and place where we can meet.
Reporter: Yes, we are currently doing this interview at Café Guinea in New Guinea Pig City. Ms. Wonderwool, we learned that you are the one that wanted to discover why Hamstervill(e) might have lost its 'E'. What was the cause that you started to wonder?
Ms. Wonderwool: Well, I am from France, and in France we have a word "ville" that means city. When I saw that Hamstervill did not have an 'E' at the end, my wool stood on end from shock. Who had stolen the 'E' from Hamstervill? As you might know, I am a detective when I am not working in my dentist office.
Reporter: That's amazing! Most rodents would never even have thought of that! Didn't it ever occur to you that Hamstervill never had an 'E'?
Ms. Woonderwool: Yes, that was my first thought. However, when I looked at Hamstington's history, I learned that it was founded by Monsieur Fourrure who was French. Why would Monsieur Fourrure forget his French traditions?
Reporter: Did anyone ever doubt your idea?
Ms. Wonderwool: Yes, most rodents I visited rejected the idea immediately and sent me packing.
Reporter: Who did you find that would support you?
Ms. Wonderwool: When I arrived at the Blueberry-Fennel family mansion, the maid was about to send me away too when Lady Blueberry-Fennel came elegantly the stairs. She seemed interested in what I had to say. We had tea, and she recommended that I talk to Ms. Llama, a librarian in Hamstervill.
Reporter: What did Ms. Llama say?
Ms. Wonderwool: She gave me a nice big stack of books and recommended going to Hamstervill Harold to see their entire archive of weekly newspapers.
Reporter: I believe, the oldest dates back to 1819, correct?
Ms. Wonderwool: Correct. I sat down with a big cup of cocoa and looked through all those editions. Will you believe it !?! In November 1831, Hamstervill was spelled with an 'E', but in May 1832 Hamstervill was spelled without an 'E'!!!
Reporter: Why do you think nobody ever noticed it?
Ms. Wonderwool: Mr. Reporter, be serious, would you ever go looking back at old editions of the Hamstervill Harold?
Reporter: Well, no. What about historians though?
Ms. Wonderwool: The historians ... Well, I guess they would think it was a typo or something. Those old editions were written with a typewriter, not a computer.
Reporter: So what did you learn?
Ms. Wonderwool: After looking through about a million history books and reading Lady Blueberry-Fennel's great great grandmother's diary, I learned that between 1832 and 1942 there was a major ink shortage. By that time, all the rodents who were used to writing Hamstervill with an 'E' had forgotten or were dead. So, they never changed it back.
Reporter: Well, why did they stop writing the 'E'?
Ms. Wonderwool: The 'E' in Hamstervill is silent, so they thought, well why do we need it?
Reporter: The citizens of Hamstervill and Lemmingvill were recently able to vote if they wanted to get back their 'E'. Do you know what rodents voted for?
Ms. Wonderwool: Yes, the rodents of Hamstervill wanted their E back, nobody voted against it. In Lemmingvill, on the other hand, most rodents were against re-adding an E.
Reporter: Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Ms. Wonderwool!
Ms. Wonderwool: The pleasure was mine!
Friday, October 2, 2020 - Edition #101
Walnut School for Learning hires a crazy new Math teacher!
Volentina Von Pleateeth hired as math teacher!
Volentina Von Pleateeth is a former math professor who worked at the New Guinea Pig City University. She recently decided to quit her job and applied for the position of math teacher at the Walnut School for Learning.
Volentina decided to teach math at the Walnut school for learning, because she inherited a supposedly haunted deluxe double-story burrow (with patio!) in Volington.
Unfortunately, she would have to drive for two hours to get to New Guinea Pig City, so she decided to look for a new job. That is when she applied for the math teacher position. She has been working there for about two weeks and is a strong supporter of the Common Nuts Curriculum (on Planet Earth often known as ‘Common Core’).
She has brought some crazy new fur styles to the school. We will be doing a report on October 8, if we do not have more urgent news to report!
Volentina plans on teaching using the Common Nut Curriculum. However, she does wish to change some things within the curriculum and is going on her own path for some areas of math. Volentina also started an after school math club, where rodents come to work on homework and to get more challenging math. She hopes to excite students to want to learn more about math on their own time. We hope to interview Volentina Von Pleateeth some time in the future!
Monday, October 5, 2020 - Edition #102
Spacecraft launch successful! Part 2
On September 30, 2020, the 6th and last Glass Frog Mission was launched into space! Today, we talk about what was happening to the onlookers.
Vinnia Sharp, a porcupine in the spacecraft, has a sister Emma Sharp, who was watching the entire scene from a hot air balloon. The spacecraft has “prickles” built on the top to “tear” Rodentus’s atmosphere. However, the hot air balloon stayed stuck, like when a normal balloon hits the ceiling.
When Emma heard that everything had gone well, she shot out her prickles in excitement. Her prickles were so sharp that they tore through the fabric of the balloon, and the balloon slowly started to sink to the ground.
One rodent was able to get a video of the entire thing. IRSTA is currently trying to send the video to Vinnia Sharp.
~ Ms. Leopard Frog, reporter for IRSTA (International Rodent Space Travel Association)
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 - Edition #103
Interview with the Green-Waters family (Capybara) about the Hamstervill Dance Off
MERI GREEN-WATER
Reporter: Where was the Dance Off held this year?
Meri: Lemmington.
Reporter: The event is called “Hamstervill Dance Off”. Why do you think it was held in Lemmington?
Meri: I think that the fair originally came from Hamstervill in the 1800s. Then in the 1900s, some lady in Lemmingvill wanted to see it in her hometown claiming that the idea for the event came from Lemmingvill. Since then every year the fair has been held in a different place.
SOPHIA GREEN-WATER
Reporter: Can you explain how the Dance Off works?
Sophia: Well, it runs over the course of three days. On day 1, two competitions take place: Ballet and Traditional Dance. There are usually three teams participating in each event. By the end of day 1 the winners of each event compete against each other. The winning team of the day continues on Day2.
Only one of them would make it to the next round. On the next day, Ice Skating and Modern would compete, only one would make it to the next round. On the last day whoever won the previous competition would compete against each other, and the winner would be the champion of the event.
BENJAMIN GREEN-WATER
Reporter: What can you tell us about “sub-competitions” and scoring?
Ben: Well as you learned from my wife, there is one competition per day. That competition is made up of 3 teams, those three teams compete against each other. The judges will pick one team at the end of the “sub-competitions” to represent that dance type. The 2 teams (that each represent their dance type) then compete against each other, there is only one competition. The crowd gets to judge this last competition.
Wednesday, October 7, 2020 - Edition #104
Lemmingvill, New Lemmington, Lemmington covered in Ice!
The storm that was brewing over the Capybara Islands has moved over Hamsterville and New Guinea Pig City, canceling the Tail Tennis competition (it has been rescheduled for October 16). It is currently blowing with full force over the Rodenti Mountain range (Lemmingvill, New Lemmington, and Lemmington). The storm hit the area on October 5, 2020, two days after the Hamsterville Dance Off! was held in Lemmingvill. Many of the rodents who went to see the Hamsterville Dance Off are currently stuck in Lemmingvill. On October 5, many rodents were preparing to leave Lemmingvill. That morning the storm hit Lemmingvill with full fury.
A couple weeks ago, we had a guest reporter, Mrs. Lemming, who was reporting from Lemmingvill. At that time the weather was ok; it was raining and very windy but not snowing. Then the real storm hit. Windows and doors were frozen shut; the snow was piling up on the roofs. The snow has been blowing with full force for the last two days and is slowly giving out. The snow still needs shoveling, but the lemmings were able to tunnel an underground network that connected all of Lemmingvill.
Thursday, October 8, 2020 - Edition #105
Interview with Magawa; HeroRat
Magawa, rodent on a mission
Reporter: Hello, Magawa! For rodents that do not know, what is HeroRat?
Magawa: HeroRat is an organization on planet Earth that trains rats to smell TNT. TNT is an explosive used in landmines.
Reporter: Are landmines what you are looking for? How do you notify your handler that you have smelled TNT?
Magawa: Yes, we are looking for landmines left over from past wars. I notify my handler by scratching on the spot.
Reporter: Why rats? Why not hamsters or dogs?
Magawa: I think it is because of our sense of smell. We have a very fine nose. Also, we aren’t very heavy so we don’t set off the landmines.
Reporter: I was just about to ask about that! Anyway, where are you looking for the mines, and do you get a reward or treat if you find one?
Magawa: I’m working in Cambodia, a country in Asia. We get a piece of banana or peanut as a reward.
Reporter: Do you know if any other country on planet Earth uses rats to find landmines?
Magawa: Yes, I’m not sure of all the counties, but Angola, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe for sure. My training was done in Tanzania. It lasted about a year.
Reporter: What kind of rat are you in particular, and how long is your career?
Magawa: I’m a 5-year-old African giant pouched rat. My career is about 5 years, so I’m going to retire soon.
Reporter: You recently won a reward, correct?
Magawa: Yes, I won the gold medal bestowed by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, a British charity, that is often called the “animal’s George Cross”.
Reporter: How do you feel about that award?
Magawa: I’m ok with it, but I HATE that the other rats treat me differently now… One perk is getting extra banana and peanut snacks though (-:
Reporter: Thank you for this interview, Magawa! For more information on Magawa you can click HERE .
Friday, October 9, 2020 - Edition #106
Linda Furball turns 45 and decides to work in the Squirrel Village Bakery
Linda Furball, mother of Maria Furball, turns 45 today!
Linda Furball, turned 45 today! She spent the day ice skating with her family in Lemmingvill. The storm that had hit the Rodenti Mountain Range had finally given out, and the river/pond was reopened for ice skating.
The other new and interesting thing about Linda Furball is that she applied at the Squirrel Village bakery for their hiring notice. She got the job and will begin her work on Monday. She said in an interview that she enjoyed baking and wanted a change. She had been working as a art teacher at the Hamsterville School of Fine Arts, but she didn’t really enjoy teaching because she didn’t get along well with her boss. We all hope she enjoys her new job at the Squirrel Village Bakery. If you need a cup of cocoa or coffee, consider stopping by at the Squirrel Village Bakery!
Monday, October 12, 2020 - Edition #107
Interview with Judith from the SFJ Bank, from the movie Sing! !
Ms. Judith Llama, a llama from the SFJ Bank, starring the 2016 movie Sing! Judith requested an interview with The Daily Squeaker in which she tried to change our view on her character.
Reporter: Hello, Ms. Judith Llama. Some rodents may have never seen the 2016 movie Sing! Could you give us a summary of the plot?
Judith: “Dapper Koala Buster Moon presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. An eternal optimist and a bit of a scoundrel, he loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Facing the crumbling of his life's ambition, he takes one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world's greatest singing competition. Five contestants emerge: a mouse, a timid elephant, a pig, a gorilla, and a punk-rock porcupine.” This is the official movie review. I am insulted that I am not included in it, but it is fairly accurate.
Reporter: What “official” role did you play in the movie?
Judith: Well, I’m always trying to tell Buster Moon to settle his bank accounts.
Reporter: Is that why people view you as the villain of Sing!?
Judith: Yes, I think so.
Reporter: What is your defense?
Judith: “I work for a bank, not a charity.” An exact quote from the movie, and it's true.
Reporter: How do you view rodents?
Judith: I like rodents, including Mike, however, I think Mike once stole a bit of money….I also do not like Ash (porcupine), you can see why in the photo below.
Reporter: Thank you for this interview, Judith!
Judith: It has been my pleasure, I hope that I convinced you that I am not the villain in Sing!.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 - Edition #108
Interview with Lady Blueberry-Fennel (October 1 Follow-Up)
Reporter: Lady Blueberry-Fennel, where do you live?
Lady Blueberry-Fennel: I live in Squirrel Village.
Reporter: Why were you interested in Ms. Wonderwool's idea? Why didn’t you reject the thought?
Lady Blueberry-Fennel: I don’t really know, it was just a new idea, something different.
Reporter: Have you ever wondered about Hamsterville's ‘E’ before this?
Lady Blueberry-Fennel: No, even though my grandfather always wrote Hamsterville with an ‘E’. It never crossed my mind, I always thought he was spelling it wrong on purpose.
Reporter: What was your first reaction when you found out about Hamsterville's ‘E’?
Lady Blueberry-Fennel: I was shocked of course. I also wondered why the Hamstington government waited this long to announce this. Could you reveal why?
Reporter: The government decided to keep this a secret until we were able to do an interview with Ms. Wonderwool. They also wanted to reveal it when all of the excitement of the summer was over. Things seem to slow down here in winter and in fall - well, a lot of rodents are preparing for winter, but they tend to relax more. Satisfied?
Lady Blueberry-Fennel: Yes.
Reporter: Thank you for this interview Lady Blueberry-Fennel!
Wednesday, October 14, 2020 - Edition #109
Mrs. Lemming takes one of Mr. Bushy-Tail's diving classes (More info on Mr. Bushy-Tail July 9)
Mrs. Lemming, (info July 16 & September 24)
took a one day diving class from Mr. Bushy-Tail. Here she gives a full account of her day.
8:30 am
The entire diving class boarded a bus from Gerbil Town to the Capybara Islands where we were meeting. The entire group had never dived before.
10:30 am
We had reached our destination. There were 6 rodents in the group as well as two diving instructors. We were going to be diving in “the lake”. We had warm bagels and cocoa and learned something about each other.
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
We were finally diving. Mr. Bushy-Tail had taken the last 2 hours to teach us some safety precautions. Then we had gotten on swimwear and gone into the warm water. It was foggy but not cold. At around 2:00 pm, we had gotten out of the water for a quick snack and lunch. The rules said we had to wait 30 minutes before we went back in the water.
4:00 pm
We were allowed to go back on land or stay in the water for 30 more minutes. After that time we would all go out of the water, change back into clothes, and take the bus back to Gerbil Town.
In General what I learned
Diving & water safely
How to dive without a tank or wetsuit
How to get free from seaweed or how to help a friend out
Never to dive alone and why
Thursday, October 15, 2020 - Edition #110
Rodents are unhappy that the 'Wildlife photographer of the year 2020 winners – in pictures' did not include a picture of a rodent! Here are some sources where you can view the photos: The Atlantic , The Guardian , or CNN .
Zella Blueberry-Fennel (Lady Blueberry-Fennel's cousin, info on Lady Blueberry Fennel: October 13 & 6) decided to do her own photo contest where only rodent pictures (or landscapes photographed by rodents) would be allowed to cheer up rodents. The top 10 rodents pictures will be shown next Wednesday!
Friday, October 16, 2020 - Edition #111
Tail Tennis match in Hamsterville
Report from Lemon Whiskers, in Hamsterville
Lemon Whiskers, a reporter for The Daily Squeaker was at the Tail Tennis match between Gerbil Town and New Lemmington. The match ended 10:4, Gerbil Town won. Lemon interviewed a fan of the New Lemmington team after the game.
Lemon: What is your name?
Fan: Meggie Starfur.
Lemon: You are a fan of the Lemmington Lemons, correct?
Meggie: Yes.
Lemon: How are you feeling about today's game?
Meggie: I’m really disappointed; I was hoping that the game would end better for the Lemmington Lemons.
Lemon: Have you ever considered switching to become a Green Gerbil fan?
Meggie: NEVER!
Lemon: Thanks for this interview, Meggie! See you around Lemmington (=
Monday, October 19, 2020 - Edition #112
Squirrels on Earth - facing problems in Europe
Squirrels living on planet Earth in Europe may face extinction, the grey squirrels, climate change, and more!
We interview Nancy Hard-Nut, president of the NEO (Nut Evaluation Organization).
Reporter: Good evening, Ms. Hard-Nut! In what part of Europe do you live?
Nancy Hard-Nut: I live in Germany.
Reporter: What challenges do you face?
Nancy Hard-Nut: Well, I’m currently doing quite well. However, the forests are getting crowded, and one of our main sources of food can’t cope with drought. So we may start to go hungry.
Reporter: What is NEO?
Nancy Hard-Nut: NEO is an organization that checks on what types of nuts are good for rodents, where they are found, and how many nuts there are.
Reporter: Do you have a place where rodents can read more about what problems rodents are facing?
Nancy Hard-Nut: Yes, here is a link. It is from a German newspaper, but Google should translate it to English (for all non German-speaking rodents):
Tier des Tages : Den Eichhörnchen geht es eigentlich gut – eigentlich!
Reporter: Thank you for this interview, Ms. Hard-Nut!
Nancy Hard-Nut: Call me Nancy.
Tuesday, October 20, 2020 - Edition #113
Nancy Hedgehog finds Hidden Valley in Lemmingvill area
Hidden Valley found in the Lemmingvill area!
Nancy Hedgehog, a explorer for the Hamstington police, found this hidden valley while hiking around the Lemmingvill area searching for a rare herb called Hyxea.
Hyxea is a rare herb used for curing paw injuries, such as, small cuts, burns, worts, and more. Nancy Hedgehog was searching for the plant at around noon when she saw a glint of light from behind the Whitefoam Waterfall (shown above).
She hiked over to the waterfall and found that there was a cavern with a walkway leading into the sunshine on the other side. Nancy thinks that you will only notice the waterfall entrance when the light is right.
Hamstington hadn’t flown any air crafts in the area because of the dense foresting. An added bonus was that Nancy found a large patch of Hyxea in the valley, and it seems to grow plentifully there.
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 - Edition #114
Zella Blueberry-Fennel's Photo competition winners!
Each photo has a short caption, saying where the picture was taken, what the picture is of, and who made it.
Photo taken by Hortesia Capybara
This photo by Hortesia Capybara is a picture of her aunt, Lucy, on her 45th Birthday. The photo was done in Acorn Park, Squirrel Village. It won 1st place in Zella Blueberry-Fennel's photo contest.
Photo taken by Barry Walnut
This photo by Barry Walnut is a picture of his three little sisters, Harriet, Cassidy, and Zia, when they were caught stealing some cake from the kitchen. The photo won 2st place in Zella Blueberry-Fennel's photo contest.
Photo taken by S. Coco
This photo by S. Coco is a picture of the Algia Falls in the Hamsterville Area. It was taken with a modern camera and was featured on the Hamsterville Harold “Sights to see” page. The photo won 3st place in Zella Blueberry-Fennel's photo contest.
Photo taken by Linda Glassfrog
This photo by Linda Glassfrog is a picture of the Clearwater Falls in Froggy-World. It was taken on a sunny day. Linda is a traveling photographer and took this picture by accident; she was hoping to take a picture of a monarch sitting in front of her.
Photo taken by Linda Glassfrog
This second photo by Linda Glassfrog is a picture of the Misty Peak Falls in Froggy-World. Misty Peak is often covered in mist (as the name suggests), and this is truly an amazing photo of it.
Photo taken by Meggie Starfur
This photo by Meggie Starfur is a picture of herself eating a piece of grass. Meggie was relaxing on her porch when she read about the photo contest. She then took a couple pictures in selfie mode and submitted them. She didn’t expect to be picked for the final photos.
Photo taken by Bob Gingerfur
This photo by Bob Gingerfur is a picture of his sister, Lea, staring straight ahead. Bob enjoys photography, but his true dream is to direct a movie. His sister, Lea, only agreed to do this photo after her brother bought her a crate of carrots. They were gone in three seconds!
Photo taken by Lea Gingerfur
This photo by Lea Gingerfur is a picture of Lake Ember, in Squirrel Village. It was taken from between two trees at around 4pm. Lea learned this technique from her brother, Bob.
Photo taken by Chocolate Wiskers
This photo by Chocolate Wiskers is a picture of her reflection in the Lily Pond, just outside of New Guinea Pig city. Her cousin, Hanna, helped her to crop and trim the image.
Photo taken by S. H. Silver
This photo by S. H. Silver is a picture of the waterfall running through the Lemmingvill Botanical Garden. It was taken at the Lemmingvill Botanical Garden last spring, when the waterfall is at its peak of water capacity.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 - Edition #115
Christopher Leaf found!
Christopher Leaf, a dwarf hamster, went missing in the Rodenti Mountains! He recently came home!
Christopher Leaf, a dwarf hamster from Squirrel Village, went on a traveling adventure in June 2020. His plan was to travel around the 13 waterfalls in Hamstington. He started in the Rodenti Mountains. Shortly after he started, a rock slide was reported in the area where he supposedly was. Most rodents assumed he was dead, as there was no way to survive a rock slide. On October 20, 2020, Mrs. Berryfrost thought she saw someone coming down the mountain path from her home in Squirrel Village. It turns out that Christopher Leaf was back! He had become lost in the Rodenti Mountains….
We hope to interview Christopher Leaf soon!
Friday, October 23, 2020 - Edition #116
Interview with Sidney Whitezwerg
You are a winter white dwarf hamster, correct? How do you view other rodent species?
As an equal, as we are all rodents.
You work in New Lemmington, in the Water Police, how do you get to work? Where do you live?
Well, I live sort of near where I work, so sometimes I walk, sometimes I take a taxi.
Can you describe a day in your rodent life?
Well, on the weekends I get up, read, go swimming and train for an hour (but just for fun). On a weekday, I get up, have breakfast. Then head to work at around 4 I come back, read some more, have dinner and go to bed.
Who in the rodent world do you look up to? And why?
I guess I look up to the leader of the water police, because he has been around for a while and supported me.
Do you enjoy reading the Daily Squeaker, and how often do you read it?
I really like the Daily Squeaker, I read it every time it comes out.
What is your article going to be about?
The water police.
A while ago, a decree was made that all cats/coyotes/polar foxes had to have a travel permit to travel within Hamstington. Do you support that?
Yes, because some of them can be mean, and others can be nice to rodents.
There was a storm in Hamstington some weeks ago, did that affect your work schedule? If yes, how?
It did, we just had to train in an indoor pool. It was hard because we don’t have the space that we usually had.
How does your training program work?
First we do some warm up, then sometimes we have some fun competition. Those are good for training us to become fast swimmers. And then, we have the normal training, treading water (this is good for when we do water rescues and have to stay in water for a long time), and then we do laps, and who can hold their breath for the longest.
What inspired you to join the Water Police, and why did you choose the New Lemmington location?
Well, I’ve always loved swimming and grew up living by a pool. I also grew up in New Lemmington.
Where did you do your Water Police training?
Well, first I was training in Hamsterville, but they weren’t pushing me and it was too easy. Then I moved back to New Lemmington.
In the sign up for the interview, you say you are a professional gymnast, do you do gymnastics as a second job?
Yes, I was a gymnast, and then I got into water sports, like swim team and water polo. Know I do gymnastics and water sports in my free time.
What do you do in your free time?
I do gymnastics and water sports, I also enjoy reading, going to the pool, and hanging out with other rodents on the water police.
Sidney’s article
Hi, I’m Sidney Whitezwerg and I am on the New Lemmington Water Police. In The water police we help rodents who are in danger in the water! We are sort of like lifeguards but not. Working on the water police takes commitment because we do water rescues and basically we are police who patrol the water! Our training is very hard core but also very fun because I have been friends with all the rodents on the team since like 3 or 4 years ago! Most days in my daily life start with breakfast and reading for half an hour and then because I l live so close to the training area that if I’m not running late (I usually am) I will walk but when I am late I usually take a taxi! When I get to practice I immediately get I’m the water, the our coach comes out and has us do some warm-up laps. After that we do some fun competitions like who can hold their breath the longest or who is the fastest swimmer or runner. They all help when we need to do rescues and have to run or swim fast!
Monday, October 26, 2020 - Edition #117
Furball Ratty escaped?
Furball Ratty, Hamstington's top criminal, seems to have escaped the Tower of Hamsterville at around Midnight on October 24, 2020. (Humans were so inspired, they named a prison in London after it “The Tower of London”.) We think that only Furball Ratty broke out, no other/more rodents. However, the police have not been able to complete a full search, as a sudden round of flu has plagued the prison. The police thinks that the flu is also Furball Ratty’s doing. The Tower of Hamsterville has never been broken out of, but Furball Ratty is wanted and on the loose. We encourage you to call the Hamstington police if you hear or see anything suspicious that could concern Furball Ratty.
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 - Edition #118
Halloween:
The Top 5 Best Scary Stories in Hamstington
#1 The Ghost of Ocean View Palace
This popular tail [tale] which comes from the High Mountain Gerbil Clan first appeared in the 1300s. It was said that the ghost of Mari Shadowshiver, a fearsome queen in the 1200s, lived there. Sometimes on a full moon night, sailors claim to hear the bone splitting scream of Mari, followed by the sound of the castle crumbling into the sea.
#2 The Princess and the Owl
This story was first told by the guinea pigs to keep their children from going outside during the night. As the story goes, a princess named Zara was wandering out at night; she met an owl. The owl told her to return to her home, and Zella ignored it. The owls spoke again, “Tonight, the owls prey, they tear you limb from limb.” Zella only laughed and went on her way….
Zella was never seen or heard from again. This story has inspired many movies and books.
#3 The scream of darkness
This story is originally from Froggy-World. However, the rodents of Hamstington have twisted it so that it only barely resembles the original. As the original goes, one day in Raintropia (Froggy-World’s capital) a blue poison dart frog was sitting outside, singing, when a high wind came. The frog screamed, and then the darkness of the storm swallowed it up. The rodent version is much more terrifying.
#4 Madame De Blacktea
Madame De Blacktea was a duchess in the 1800s. Her ghost is said to live in the Rivera Winter Palace. Every year around the Holidays, she is said to come out, give advice, and of course to lament that the years fashions are not comparable to those when she lived.
#5 Silver Moon
This story comes from the fisher mice of Gerbil Town. It is said that when a full silver moon fills the night sky, one good and one bad thing will happen directly below it. It has become custom for rodents to board up shops and stores for that night. The legend has never been proven false or true.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020 - Edition #119
Interview with Ash, from the movie Sing! !
Ash, the female porcupine from the movie Sing!, recently requested an interview after reading Ms. Judith Llama’s interview with The Daily Squeaker (see October 12). We thought it might be interesting and said “Yes” to the request.
Reporter: Good evening, Ms. Ashley Quill.
Ash: Drop the Ashley, it's “Ash”.
Reporter: Very well, what are you currently doing after Mr. Buster Moon’s singing competition?
Ash: I’m currently recording a new album.
Reporter: What is it called?
Ash: Judith From The Bank, you can see the cover.
Reporter: Is this your first album?
Ash: No, it's my second, the first one was called Snow, Wind, Ice.
Reporter: How many songs are in this album?
Ash: Snow, Wind, Ice or Judith From The Bank?
Reporter: Both.
Ash: Snow, Wind, Ice: 6 songs, and I’m not going to tell for Judith From The Bank.
Reporter: Why did you name your new album Judith From The Bank?
Ash: Because all of the songs are inspired by her.
Reporter: Do you have any plans for the future?
Ash: Keep making music.
Reporter: Thank you for this interview, Ash!
Thursday, October 29, 2020 - Edition #120
Mr. Ground Squirrel’s Art Collection Proven Fraud - Update
Mr. Ground Squirrel, the small-scale criminal and rodent on the run, was recently spotted along the city wall of Gerbil Town.
Mr. Ground-Squirrel, the ground squirrel who stole Madame Von Hedgerow’s jewels and reported that his “valuable” art collection (they were actually fakes!) was stolen, was spotted by the side of Gerbil Town’s city wall by Mrs. Lemming, who was there visiting a friend.
Mrs. Lemming remembers, “His whiskers were unkempt and his overall appearance looked like he had been sitting in cabbage stew for a month - dreadful. He also was holding an old edition of The Daily Squeaker, I think he might have dropped it.”
Mr. Ground-Squirrel indeed did drop The Daily Squeaker, and the police was able to get his finger prints.
Detective Furry-Pants, head of the case, said to reporters, “Sources told us that Mr. Ground-Squirrel may be headed to Squirrel Village next, so be on your look out!”
Friday, October 30, 2020 - Edition #121
Books stolen and returned to library days later, a Librarian in Squirrel Village says.
It seems that some unknown rodent has been breaking into the library at night and returning books (undamaged) days later. This has only been happening in the Squirrel Village locations. The “thief” only seems interested in “checking out” mystery and fantasy books. The door to the library was not damaged, and it seems that the thief has a key. What puzzled the librarians most is that any rodent may sign-up for a library card and can really check out books.
“Of course, we do have a banned list of rodents that have damaged books and may not enter the library. Alternatively, the thief could be a criminal ... However, what criminal is interested in books? Also, would it not be easy to forge an identity?” Ms. Rosemary Gerbil, the Head Librarian of the Squirrel Village location said when the police asked her.
Rodents are reminded to report anything suspicious. The Rodent Bookworm Association (RBA) is worried that these thefts may go into other cities. Of course, it could also be a practical joke.
The only clue the thief has left is a black bookmark with a dark red serpent on it. It is unknown if the thief wanted to leave it or if it was an accident.
If you can identify this bookmark please notify Officer Carrots from the Squirrel Village police.
