The Wild Robot

The word “Roz” makes its way around the island. All the animals discuss her and want her to go away. Roz, in camouflage, wanders the island and hears herself mentioned in unfriendly terms. The narrator thinks that in this case, it is best that robots do not have feelings.

Fink the fox cries out in pain, his face covered with porcupine quills. Roz offers help and Fink is desperate enough to accept. Roz pulls out all the quills from his face and paws. Fink thanks Roz and limps away.

Roz observes the different ways that baby animals are born. One day as she is climbing a cliff during a downpour, Roz falls and causes a small avalanche. On the ground, Roz finds a destroyed goose nest, with two dead geese and four smashed eggs. Roz realizes that she accidentally killed an entire goose family.

Roz stares at the lifeless geese, then hears a faint peeping sound. She finds a single undamaged goose egg in some leaves. She can hear a tiny voice within the egg calling for its mother. Roz carries the egg away, knowing that it cannot survive alone.

Fink jumps out from the bushes and asks what happened. Roz says that there was an accident. Fink sees the egg in Roz’s hands and asks if he can eat it. Roz refuses. Fink smells the dead geese and trots towards them.

Roz weaves a nest, places the egg inside, then climbs an oak tree.

During the night, Roz sees a badger pounce on an opossum. The opossum rolls on its back and sticks its tongue out. It smells like a rotten corpse. The badger makes a disgusted face and leaves.

Roz is confused how the opossum died and rotted so quickly. Later, the opossum gets up and starts to walk away. Roz calls out from the branches. The opossum hisses, but is flattered when Roz says that she was certain the opossum was dead. The opossum explains that she was playing dead so that the badger would leave her alone. She says that opossums are natural performers. Roz accesses her data and learns that opossums mimic the appearance and smell of dead animals when threatened.

The opossum asks if Roz has done any acting, saying that pretending to be something you are not is fun and can help you survive. Roz decides to try pretending to be alive. She asks the opossum’s name, which is Pinktail. Pinktail is shocked when Roz climbs down from the tree. Roz says that she is not a monster and that she is harmless.

Pinktail replies that Roz does seem gentle and they sit together quietly, till Pinktail says goodbye and slips away.

The goose egg hatches. The gosling opens its eyes and calls Roz “Mama!” Roz tries to explain that she is not its mother. The gosling cries for food and cannot tell Roz what it wants to eat, so Roz picks up the nest and goes in search of other geese.

The animals are curious about why Roz is carrying the hatchling, so they help her find an old goose in the pond. The goose does not respond when Roz greets her and asks for assistance, but when the gosling peeps for food, she swims over. The goose accuses Roz of eating the gosling’s parents. Roz explains that she does not eat anything and she asks the goose to take the gosling. The old goose refuses, saying that he is Roz’s responsibility.

Roz says that she does not know how to be a mother, so the goose gives her advice. She calls the gosling Roz’s son and says he will eat mashed up grass. The goose is named Loudwing and says that the gosling needs a name, suggesting Brightbill. Loudwing decides that Roz and her son need a large home, so she sends Roz to speak to Mr. Beaver.

The beavers have turned a narrow stream into a wide pond by building a dam. Roz sees hundreds of chewed tree stumps by the pond and gets an idea. She chops down a tree with her hand and carries it to the dam.

Roz greets the beavers and offers them the tree. Mr. Beaver refuses, but his wife tells him that he is being stubborn and rude. Mrs. Beaver thanks Roz, calling her “monster.” Roz explains that she is a robot, not a monster. Brightbill cries for food, so Roz gives him more grass.

Paddler, the Beavers’ son, asks about Brightbill. When he learns that Roz adopted the orphan, all the Beavers think Roz is a good robot. Roz asks for help building a home. Mr. Beaver agrees, if Roz brings more trees.

Mr. Beaver plans Roz’s lodge. He suggests it be large enough to entertain guests and says that Roz should plant a garden. She will need a way to heat the lodge, since she has no body heat. Roz thinks she should use fire, which surprises Mr. Beaver.

Mr. Beaver has the perfect spot in mind for the lodge, in a section of the forest by the pond. Roz quickly chops down trees and clears the site. Mr. Beaver goes home, and Roz continues working to level the ground.

In the morning, Mr. Beaver finds Roz and Brightbill by a small campfire. Roz explains that she taught herself to strike stones together to make sparks onto dry leaves and wood. Mr. Beaver marvels at the contained fire. Together they build the lodge.

Inside is one large room with a ceiling high enough for Roz to stand. There is a fire pit, long stones set as benches, and storage for Brightbill’s food and water. Mr. Beaver says that the lodge should have a name, so Roz calls it the Nest. Mr. Beaver departs, saying that Roz should consult Tawny the deer about growing a garden.