# Sammy's Splendid Shoes

An episode of [Animal Tales: The Kids' Story Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1644596989), 19 May 2026, 17 min.

Audio: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72003208/at497_sammy_ssplendidshoes_mixdown.mp3

A blue-footed booby is embarrassed by his bright blue feet. Written especially for this podcast by Alice. If you enjoyed this story, please do leave us a review. And, if you'd like to suggest an animal for a future Animal Tales story, you can do so by emailing podcast@animaltales.uk. We would love to hear from you. Animal Tales Books! Collections of Animal Tales children’s stories are available to buy exclusively at Amazon. Simply search for Animal Tales Short Stories or follow this link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CLJQZ9C9?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_sirpi Become a PREMIUM Subscriber You can now enjoy Animal Tales by becoming a Premium Subscriber. This gets you: • All episodes in our catalogue advert free • Bonus Premium-only episodes (one per week) which will never be used on the main podcast • We guarantee to use one of your animal suggestions in a story You can sign up through Apple Podcasts or through Supercast and there are both monthly and yearly plans available. Discover a brand new story every Monday, Wednesday and Friday – just for you! You can find more Animal Tales at www.animaltales.uk A Note About The Adverts In order to allow us to make these stories we offer a premium subscription and run adverts. The adverts are not chosen by us, but played automatically depending on the platform you listen through (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc) and the country you live in. The adverts may even be different if you listen to the story twice. We have had a handful of instances where an advert has played that is not suitable for a family audience, despite the podcast clearly being labelled for children. If you’re concerned about an advert you hear, please contact the platform you are listening to directly. Spotify, in particular, has proven problematic in the past, for both inappropriate adverts and the volume at which the adverts play. If you find this happening, please let Spotify know via their Facebook customer care page. As creators, we want your child’s experience to be a pleasurable one. Running adverts is necessary to allow us to operate, but please do consider the premium subscription service as an alternative – it’s advert free.

## Transcript

[0:12] Speaker 1: Yea, hello. My name's Josephine and this is the Animal
[0:17] Speaker 1: Tales podcast, where you suggest the animals featured in our stories.
[0:22] Speaker 1: There are new tales to enjoy every Monday and Wednesday,
[0:25] Speaker 1: with a third premium only story every Friday. Do let
[0:31] Speaker 1: your friends know about Animal Tales so that they can
[0:33] Speaker 1: enjoy our stories too. Edward is from Bournemouth in the UK,
[0:39] Speaker 1: and he would like a story featuring a blue footed booby.
[0:43] Speaker 1: You can learn more about these creatures in the animal
[0:45] Speaker 1: facts after the story. Okay, are you ready? That's good,
[0:50] Speaker 1: then I'll begin Sammy's Splendid Shoes. Edward was taking a
[0:58] Speaker 1: walk when he noticed a pair of ducks staring at him.
[1:02] Speaker 1: He tried to ignore them at first, but couldn't help
[1:05] Speaker 1: but overhear their whispers. Look at his feet, one of
[1:10] Speaker 1: the ducks said. Blushing, Edward hurried off the path into
[1:15] Speaker 1: some tall grass. Now alone, he looked down at his
[1:19] Speaker 1: feet and sighed at what he saw, because Edward's feet
[1:24] Speaker 1: were bright blue. This was because Edward was a blue
[1:28] Speaker 1: footed booby, a type of sea bird. No other birds
[1:33] Speaker 1: had bright blue feet, a fact that Edward was more
[1:36] Speaker 1: than aware of. To put it simply, Edward didn't much
[1:41] Speaker 1: like his blue, webbed feet. He felt like everyone was
[1:44] Speaker 1: always staring. It didn't help that whenever he told someone
[1:48] Speaker 1: what kind of creature he was, he just ended up
[1:51] Speaker 1: directing their attention to them. But what could he do.
[1:56] Speaker 1: They were the feet he was born with. He couldn't
[1:58] Speaker 1: exactly go anywhere without them. Leaving the grass, Edward tried
[2:04] Speaker 1: to ignore the flashes of blue that flicked out beneath
[2:07] Speaker 1: his belly. Instead, he tried to focus on the green
[2:11] Speaker 1: leaves of the trees above him. This meant that he
[2:14] Speaker 1: wasn't looking where he was going. Almost walking face first
[2:18] Speaker 1: into a small wooden cabin, somehow he managed not to
[2:22] Speaker 1: bash his beak into the wall. I've never noticed this
[2:26] Speaker 1: cabin before, he said to himself. There was a sign
[2:31] Speaker 1: fixed to the wall above his head. It said Sammy's
[2:35] Speaker 1: Splendid Shoes. Now there was an idea. If he had
[2:41] Speaker 1: a pair of shoes, he could cover up his vibrant feet.
[2:47] Speaker 1: Edward heard a faint chime as he pushed open the
[2:50] Speaker 1: cabin's door. It was gloomy in the room, taking him
[2:54] Speaker 1: a moment for his eyes to adjust, but when they did,
[2:58] Speaker 1: Edward saw he was in a small shop absolutely filled
[3:02] Speaker 1: with shoes. There are all sorts, large ones and small ones,
[3:08] Speaker 1: pretty ones and sturdy ones, and in every color imaginable.
[3:13] Speaker 1: They were piled so high that they were higher than
[3:16] Speaker 1: Edward's head. Can I help you, asked a voice, drawing
[3:21] Speaker 1: Edward's attention to a chair. Hidden amongst the piles of shoes.
[3:26] Speaker 1: There sat an elderly raccoon with glasses perched on the
[3:30] Speaker 1: end of his nose. He had a half finished red
[3:34] Speaker 1: shoe in his hands. Yes, please, said Edward, I'd like
[3:39] Speaker 1: to buy some shoes. The raccoon set his shoe down. Well,
[3:45] Speaker 1: you've come to the right place, he said, as he
[3:48] Speaker 1: peered down at Edward's feet. What interesting feet, he murmured.
[3:55] Speaker 1: You're a blue footed booby. I take it that's right,
[4:00] Speaker 1: said Edward, shuffling awkwardly. Well, I'm Sammy and I'm a shoemaker.
[4:07] Speaker 1: I've been making shoes for very many years. A shoe's expensive,
[4:13] Speaker 1: Edward asked. I really just want to cover up my feet,
[4:17] Speaker 1: and I don't have much money. You want to hide
[4:21] Speaker 1: your feet, said the surprised raccoon. But you're a blue
[4:25] Speaker 1: footed booby. You have remarkable feat I know, Edward sighed,
[4:32] Speaker 1: but I wish I didn't, I see, said Sammy. Unfortunately,
[4:40] Speaker 1: I don't have any shoes that would fit your webbed feet,
[4:43] Speaker 1: so I'll have to make them. But that's expensive. As
[4:47] Speaker 1: you don't have much money, you can help me around
[4:50] Speaker 1: the shop instead. Is that a fair trade? That's ever
[4:55] Speaker 1: so kind of you? Said Edward with a smile, looked pleased.
[5:01] Speaker 1: As you can see, it's not very organized in here.
[5:05] Speaker 1: I could do with some help. I'd be happy to
[5:09] Speaker 1: Edward said, it's a deal. Producing his tape measure, Sammy
[5:15] Speaker 1: measured Edward's blue webbed feet. I can make you something
[5:20] Speaker 1: solid that will last a good while, the raccoon said.
[5:24] Speaker 1: While I make them, you help any animals that come
[5:27] Speaker 1: through that door. Edward nodded in agreement, then asked, will
[5:33] Speaker 1: my new shoes fit perfectly? I mean, will they cover
[5:37] Speaker 1: up all the blue? All of my shoes fit the
[5:41] Speaker 1: owner just right, the raccoon replied, as he wound up
[5:45] Speaker 1: his tape measure, perfect in size and in style, and
[5:51] Speaker 1: with that he disappeared through a door to his workshop,
[5:55] Speaker 1: leaving Edward alone amongst the shelves and piles of shoes.
[6:00] Speaker 1: Certainly a mess, there didn't seem to be any rhyme
[6:03] Speaker 1: nor reason to what shoes were stacked or displayed were
[6:08] Speaker 1: He was just studying a pyramid of boots when the
[6:10] Speaker 1: bell above the door tinkled, although nobody appeared to have
[6:14] Speaker 1: come in, I'm down here, said a large centerpede, waving
[6:20] Speaker 1: a piece of paper. I'm here to collect my shoes.
[6:25] Speaker 1: Edward took the piece of paper, which simply said number
[6:28] Speaker 1: forty two. Edward looked towards the counter and saw there
[6:33] Speaker 1: was a shelf of numbered boxes behind it. One of
[6:36] Speaker 1: them had forty two written neatly on the front. Just
[6:41] Speaker 1: one moment, said Edward, and went to retrieve the box.
[6:46] Speaker 1: When he returned, the centerpede had taken a seat on
[6:49] Speaker 1: the edge of a battered leather chair. I'd like to
[6:52] Speaker 1: wear them right away, please, said the centipede. Allow me
[6:57] Speaker 1: to help, said Edward, as he removed the box's lid.
[7:02] Speaker 1: This box is full of tiny shoes, he said, before
[7:06] Speaker 1: he could help himself. How many were you expecting, asked
[7:11] Speaker 1: the center pede. Well, two, I suppose, said Edward. How
[7:16] Speaker 1: many are here? Eighty six, smiled the center pede. Oh my,
[7:24] Speaker 1: said Edward, this may take a while. Eighty six sure
[7:28] Speaker 1: is a lot of feet, and I'm still growing, the
[7:32] Speaker 1: center pede replied. Every time I molt, I gained two
[7:37] Speaker 1: new pairs of legs. One day I might even reach
[7:40] Speaker 1: one hundred. That is a lot, Edward said, as he
[7:45] Speaker 1: lifted out the first shoe. Like all the others, it
[7:49] Speaker 1: was ruby red with yellow sparkles. Sure is, said the
[7:54] Speaker 1: centerpede proudly. And every time I grow, I come here
[7:59] Speaker 1: for a new set of shoes. I think everyone notices
[8:03] Speaker 1: my many feet thanks to Sammy's shoes. Edward was amazed.
[8:08] Speaker 1: He only had two feet, but this centipede had so
[8:12] Speaker 1: many more, and with the ruby red sparkly shoes, he
[8:16] Speaker 1: wanted everyone to notice them. It took a while to
[8:21] Speaker 1: get all eighty six on and the laces tied, but
[8:25] Speaker 1: the centipede was soon leaving and looking very pleased with himself.
[8:29] Speaker 1: But before the door could swing shut, it was pushed
[8:33] Speaker 1: open by a long gray trunk. Hullo, said the elephant
[8:38] Speaker 1: from outside the door. Is anyone there? Edward looked up
[8:43] Speaker 1: into the elephant's face. Can I help, he asked. I've
[8:48] Speaker 1: come to collect my shoes, please, replied the elephant, handing
[8:53] Speaker 1: over a ticket that said number forty six I'll be
[8:57] Speaker 1: right back, said Edward, propping the door open with a sandal. Strangely,
[9:03] Speaker 1: there wasn't a box with forty six written on it
[9:06] Speaker 1: behind the counter. Surely shoes big enough for an elephant
[9:10] Speaker 1: should be easy to spot, but Edward couldn't see them anywhere.
[9:15] Speaker 1: What do they look like, called out Edward. There's four
[9:20] Speaker 1: of them, the elephant said, Black boots with blue laces,
[9:25] Speaker 1: thick and sturdy and big. Edward said, almost to himself. Huge,
[9:33] Speaker 1: the elephant grinned from the doorway. I'm a big animal.
[9:36] Speaker 1: I need big boots. Edward laughed. When he found the box.
[9:42] Speaker 1: It was so large that the raccoon had been using
[9:45] Speaker 1: it as a table. Shall I help you try them on?
[9:49] Speaker 1: Edward asked, yes, please, replied the elephant. He was soon
[9:55] Speaker 1: admiring his new boots. Somehow, they made him look even bigger.
[10:01] Speaker 1: They're perfect, the elephant beamed. I feel and look great.
[10:07] Speaker 1: He strode away happily, his powerful footsteps making the ground shake.
[10:13] Speaker 1: Edward couldn't help but admire the elephant's confidence. With the
[10:18] Speaker 1: shop quiet apart from the noise from the workshop, Edward
[10:22] Speaker 1: got to work tidying up. He was half way through
[10:26] Speaker 1: the first pile of shoes. When the door opened for
[10:29] Speaker 1: the third time. This time it was a Tuken with
[10:34] Speaker 1: the biggest beak the blue footed Booby had ever seen.
[10:38] Speaker 1: The beak was bright orange, long, and impossible to miss. Hello,
[10:45] Speaker 1: Edward said, how can I help you? I'm picking up
[10:49] Speaker 1: my shoes, the Toucan replied, waving her ticket. This time
[10:54] Speaker 1: the number was forty five. At least, thought Edward, there
[10:59] Speaker 1: would be only two shoes this time. He suggested the
[11:03] Speaker 1: toucan take a seat on the chair before quickly locating
[11:06] Speaker 1: the correct box on the shelf. But when he lifted
[11:10] Speaker 1: the lid, he was stunned by what he saw. They're orange,
[11:15] Speaker 1: he said, holding the pair of shoes up. Of course,
[11:20] Speaker 1: the Toucan replied, it's a fantastic color. Yes, But well,
[11:27] Speaker 1: your beak's orange too, Edward said, exactly, said the Toucan proudly.
[11:34] Speaker 1: I wanted them to match. With a beak like this,
[11:38] Speaker 1: I simply have to make the most of it. Edward
[11:42] Speaker 1: couldn't believe his ears. If his beak was as big
[11:46] Speaker 1: and bright as hers, he didn't think he'd be happy
[11:49] Speaker 1: at all. It was just as bad as having blue feet.
[11:54] Speaker 1: But the Tucan wasn't bothered at all. She slipped them
[11:57] Speaker 1: straight on and admired herself in a near by mirror.
[12:02] Speaker 1: They're just what I wanted, she said. Please tell that's
[12:06] Speaker 1: Sammie that he's wonderful. With a wink, she left, skipping
[12:11] Speaker 1: out in her brand new, bright orange shoes. Edward got
[12:16] Speaker 1: back to sorting shoes. He was so wrapped up in
[12:20] Speaker 1: the task that he failed to notice the time passing
[12:23] Speaker 1: until Sammie came out of his workshop a box in
[12:27] Speaker 1: his hands. How have you found to day, the raccoon
[12:31] Speaker 1: asked I really enjoyed it, Edward admitted, I helped a
[12:36] Speaker 1: lot of interesting animals with a lot of interesting shoes.
[12:41] Speaker 1: That's good to hear, said Sammie, holding the box out
[12:45] Speaker 1: for the blue footed Booby to take. As agreed, he said,
[12:51] Speaker 1: Edward took the box, revealing a pair of ankle high
[12:54] Speaker 1: sports shoes. They were plain white, with no other color whatsoever.
[13:00] Speaker 1: Try them on, the raccoon encouraged. Edward did, marveling at
[13:06] Speaker 1: how well they fit and they covered the blue of
[13:10] Speaker 1: his feet perfectly. I love them, he said. It was
[13:15] Speaker 1: a fair trade, Sammy said, showing Edward to the door.
[13:20] Speaker 1: Good Bye, my blue footed booby friend. Edward marched off
[13:26] Speaker 1: down the path, feeling great. For the first time in
[13:30] Speaker 1: his life, he didn't feel as if he was being
[13:33] Speaker 1: stared at. His blue feet were safely covered. Almost immediately,
[13:39] Speaker 1: he ran into the ducks from the morning. He flinched
[13:42] Speaker 1: as he walked past, fearing they would make a comment,
[13:46] Speaker 1: but they barely took any notice of him at all.
[13:50] Speaker 1: Edward grinned, feeling victorious, or rather he did for a while.
[13:57] Speaker 1: He glanced downwards and there was no flicker of bright
[14:00] Speaker 1: blue from beneath his belly. That didn't feel quite right.
[14:06] Speaker 1: Oh my, he said, realizing he'd made a terrible mistake.
[14:12] Speaker 1: I'm not myself. Moments later, the shop bell tinged once more.
[14:19] Speaker 1: As Edward pushed the door open. Sammy appeared to have
[14:23] Speaker 1: been waiting for him. Are you unhappy with the shoes,
[14:27] Speaker 1: the raccoon asked, a twinkle in his eye. They feel great,
[14:33] Speaker 1: Edward replied, but I'm afraid I need something that's a
[14:38] Speaker 1: little bit more. Me tell me more, said the raccoon. Well,
[14:46] Speaker 1: the centipede wasn't bothered about having so many legs. In fact,
[14:50] Speaker 1: he wanted to show them off, and the elephant, despite
[14:54] Speaker 1: his size, wanted to appear even bigger, and the tuken
[14:59] Speaker 1: was so proud of her bright orange bill that she
[15:02] Speaker 1: wanted shoes the same color, blurted out Edward, so is
[15:08] Speaker 1: the blue footed booby? Regretting covering up his blue feet,
[15:13] Speaker 1: asked the raccoon, I think so, nodded Edward, which was
[15:19] Speaker 1: how the next day Edward took a walk in his
[15:23] Speaker 1: brand new shoes. They're nice, said the centipede. Lovely color.
[15:30] Speaker 1: The elephant agreed, they suit you perfectly. The tucun grinned,
[15:36] Speaker 1: and they did. For Edward was wearing a pair of
[15:40] Speaker 1: dark blue sandals to really show off his bright blue feet.
[15:46] Speaker 1: His feet weren't something to be ashamed of. They were
[15:49] Speaker 1: a part of him, and for the first time in
[15:52] Speaker 1: his life, Edward was pleased to be a blue footed
[15:57] Speaker 1: booby animal fat. Blue footed boobies are sea birds found
[16:07] Speaker 1: off the Pacific West coast of the USA, Central America,
[16:11] Speaker 1: and parts of South America. There are several species of booby,
[16:16] Speaker 1: but only one has bright blue feet. There is another
[16:20] Speaker 1: called the red footed booby, but you'll have to guess
[16:23] Speaker 1: what color its feet are. They feed on fish, which
[16:27] Speaker 1: they'll dive into the ocean to catch, even swimming under
[16:31] Speaker 1: water if they have to. The name Booby comes from
[16:35] Speaker 1: the Spanish word bobo, which means clown or foolish. This
[16:40] Speaker 1: is because they have such large webbed feet that they
[16:43] Speaker 1: look a bit silly when walking on land. Thank you
[16:47] Speaker 1: for your suggestion, Edward. We hope you enjoyed the story,
[16:51] Speaker 1: and thank you to all of you across the world
[16:53] Speaker 1: for listening to it. Remember, if you prefer your stories
[16:58] Speaker 1: advert free, please consider our premium service through Apple or
[17:03] Speaker 1: Supercast for a tiny fee, the stories are advert free.
[17:08] Speaker 1: Join us next time for another great animal tale. Good Bye,

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.