Raft riding

The crisp scent of autumn filled the air as Badger and Yote balanced themselves on a log raft drifting down Cedar Creek. The creek, normally a quiet trickle through the forest, was now lively with the rush of water, swollen from recent rains and filled with the bustling energy of the timber harvest season. The loggers had felled towering pines and firs from the surrounding mountainsides, sending the long logs down the creek in a kind of water-driven dance, making their way to the mill downstream. It was fall, and the forest around them was alive with color—reds, oranges, and yellows glowing in the morning sun.

Badger stood at the front of the log raft, his feet firmly planted and a long stick in his paws, guiding their vessel along the creek's twists and turns. Yote, on the other hand, was sprawled across one of the logs, his hat pulled low over his eyes as he enjoyed the gentle, rolling motion of the water. "There's nothing quite like riding a raft on a fall day," Yote said, tipping his hat back and grinning up at the canopy of trees that formed a tunnel of leaves over their heads.

“True enough,” Badger replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the creek ahead. “Though it’s not all smooth sailing. These logs aren’t the easiest things to keep steady, especially when they bump into the other logs.”

As they floated along, the creek narrowed, picking up speed. The water babbled and gurgled around rocks and through fallen branches, the occasional splash wetting their fur. Badger guided them skillfully, leaning and shifting his weight to keep the raft from colliding with the tangled mess of timber that lined the banks. It was a balancing act, and Badger found himself thinking it was like solving a puzzle in motion—reading the water, anticipating the bumps and swerves of the logs.

“Speaking of puzzles,” Yote said suddenly, sitting up and looking mischievously at Badger, “I've got a riddle for you."

“Oh really?” Badger grinned. “What kind of riddle fits a morning like this?”

“A riddle about wood,” Yote replied, standing up and holding his stick aloft like a conductor's baton. “So listen close.”

"Solid as stone, I start in the earth.
Cut me down, and you’ll find my worth.
Bury me deep, and I'll never decay.
But burn me to ash, and I'll fade away.
What am I?”

Can you figure out what the riddle describes? Think about things you might encounter in a forest, particularly things that are harvested and used for their value, both in their natural and altered forms.

🧠 Riddles like this encourage you to think about the natural world and how elements around us change and transform. Like Badger and Yote’s journey down the creek on their log raft, life is about balance—between nature and its use, between things that endure and things that pass quickly. Engaging with riddles helps strengthen critical thinking and creativity, inviting you to see the world through new perspectives.

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