Time For Cows - Florida Cracker

Florida Cracker

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The audio is from a live radio show with students from Santa Rita Elementary, Egan Junior High and Los Altos High School in Los Altos, CA and KZSU of Stanford University in Stanford, CA.
The Florida Cracker on-line script matches what the students actually performed. So what you hear and what you read will match. (This is a great way to learn English and to learn how to read.) It is NOT the same as the PDF script. I.E. As usual, our young actors changed a few of their lines while performing.

If you do not see the Florida Cracker (2.1 MB)
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Cast In Order Of Appearance:

Announcer
Reporter
Florida Cracker

SFX: opening TFC theme

ANNOUNCER

Cows in Florida? Today we’re talking about the Florida Cracker.

SFX: Moooo

REPORTER

So you’re a Florida Cracker.

FLORIDA CRACKER

Sure am.

REPORTER

And you’re Florida’s equivalent to the Texas Longhorn?

FLORIDA CRACKER

That’s right. But we’ve been called other names like Piney Woods, Florida Scrub and Florida Native Cattle.

REPORTER

But why the name cracker?

FLORIDA CRACKER

Because the coloring on our hide looks like a firecracker went off in some paintcan we were standin’ next to, same as the Texas Longhorn. The Longhorn and I both come from Spain though, originally.

REPORTER

Why yes, I’ve read that collectively you and various other breeds of cattle come from Central and South America are called Criollo cattle.

FLORIDA CRACKER

Yep. That’s as true as true can be. Now us Florida Crackers are smaller than the Texas Longhorns and we don’t have the extreme (and we’re talkin’ big here) - we don’t have the extreme length as the Longhorns in Texas. That’s 'cause of the scrub.

REPORTER

Scrub?

FLORIDA CRACKER

Yes sir, scrub. S-C-R-U-B. Scrub is heavily wooded lowlands. You see, we've lived for hundreds of years as feral cattle, just wanderin’ about eatin’ whatever we could find in the wood. If our horns had stuck out too much, we’d have gotten all caught up between the trees and died out. That’s why our horns are shorter.

REPORTER

Pretty though. Your horns are very attractive.

FLORIDA CRACKER

You think so? I think they’re cute. Now you oughtah see my Mama’s horns. They have some very interestin' twists for an aged cow.

REPORTER

Well, I think your ability to withstand the heat, insects and humidity of Florida's long summers makes you a very special cow.

FLORIDA CRACKER

Now you’re just sweet-talkin’ me now.

SFX: Moooo

SFX: closing TFC theme

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