Randy Raccoon looked up one last time at the eagle flying overhead and then quickly turned to find some new adventure. It didn't take long. A strange new sound caught his ear and off he hurried to find out what it was.

Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock, came the sound. Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock, came the sound once more. Randy scurried ever closer to the sound. He would stop, listen, and then hurry on toward the knocking sound. Soon he arrived at the base of a large tree and looked inquisitively high up into it's branches.

There, on the side of the tree, Randy saw a brightly colored bird do the strangest thing. It was hitting it's beak into the tree. Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock.

"Why are you hitting your head against this tree?" called out Randy to the bird. "Are you angry with the tree?"

The bird turned its head to see who would ask such a silly question and said, "I'm not angry with the tree. I'm a wood pecker."

"What's a woodpecker?" asked Randy.

"This is how I find bugs to eat. I knock away the bark." Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock.

"Doesn't that hurt? Knocking your head so hard, over and over and over?" asked Randy.

"Not at all. I even chip a large hole into the side of a tall tree for my home." Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock.

"There's a simpler way to find bugs" Randy said. "Come here and I'll show you. I'll turn over a rock or a small log and you can see how easy it is. You can catch all the bugs you could ever eat and not have to work so hard."

"No thank you" said the woodpecker. Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock.

"I like this way just fine."

"But this is so much easier. Come and see."

"No thank you" said the woodpecker once more. Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock.

Randy rolled the nearest log a few inches. "See."

But the woodpecker paid no attention. Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock.

Randy sniffed and then with one paw rolled a large snail toward him. It curled into its hard shell. "See" he said quietly, this time to himself. Why would someone want to do things the hard way instead of the easy way?

Randy pushed the snail aside and looked up once more.

Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock. The woodpecker was too busy to see Randy shake his head.

"If you change your mind, I'll be happy to show you my way" Randy called out.

"Thank you, but I don't think so" came the reply. Knock, knock, knock -- knock, knock, knock.

After shaking his head one more time, Randy hurried off. How strange, thought Randy. Why do others choose the hard way?