FOR YOUNG READERS: "The Legend of William Tell"

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children and young teens.

Switzerland is widely known as a peaceful, stable country. But it was not always so. Around the start of the 14th century, a governor, Albrecht Gessler was sent by the rulers of Austria to try to take over one part of the country.

The evil Gessler set up a pole and put his hat on it. Anyone who passed was to bow to the hat, to show they respected Gessler.

William Tell was a famous woodsman. He was very good with a special weapon called a crossbow.

When William came to town with his son, he refused to bow to Gessler's hat. Gessler was very angry, and so he set up a cruel test: William was to shoot an apple from the head of his own son! If he refused, Gessler's soldiers would kill the boy and his father.

And so an apple was set on the boy's head, and his father shot an arrow straight through it! As they were leaving, an arrow fell out of William Tell's coat.

"What is that?" asked Gessler.

"Oh," said the father, "If I had shot my son, I would have shot you next with this arrow!"

Tell was again arrested, but he escaped, killed Gessler, and led his people to throw off the Austrian rulers and become free.

Although this is just a legend, the Swiss people today still remember William Tell as a hero.

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SOME WORDS TO TALK ABOUT:

• crossbow: a weapon like a bow and arrow, but with a trigger like a gun
• governor: local ruler
• woodsman: person who makes a living in the forest: hunting, fishing, cutting trees, and so on

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Questions to Answer:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. Who did Albrecht Gessler work for?
   A. the Swiss people
   B. the Austrian rulers
   C. William Tell

2. Why did William Tell get in trouble?
   A. He refused to shoot an apple from his son's head.
   B. He refused to use a crossbow.
   C. He refused to bow to Gessler's hat.

3. Why did William Tell have an extra arrow ready?
   A. He wanted to shoot at his son twice.
   B. He was prepared to kill Gessler if he had to.
   C. He wanted to escape.

4. Who killed Gessler?
   A. William Tell
   B. William Tell's son
   C. the Swiss people

5. How do the Swiss people feel about William Tell today?
   A. They don't know who he is.
   B. They think he had a nice hat.
   C. They think he's a hero.

Questions to Think About:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. If you were given a choice to die or to shoot toward your child, what would you do?
2. How do you think William Tell felt when Gessler told him to shoot toward his son?
3. Why do you think Gessler put his hat on the pole?

FOR YOUNG READERS: "Kasa Jizo"

Six Jizos in a Japanese Temple (photo by Professor Jim Bucket)

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children and young teens.

If you walk in the countryside of Japan, you might see at a crossroads six little statues with bald heads. The only difference between them is the way they hold their hands. You might also see them in temples--or cemeteries.

These are the Roku Jizo, the six versions of one Buddhist "saint" who promised to save all beings from the six types of Buddhist hell. They stand for great compassion.

The story of Kasa Jizo shows how important kindness is. Kasa means the pointy kind of straw hat you see in old Japanese pictures (it is also the modern word for "umbrella"!)

Here's the story.

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Once upon a time, in a snowy mountain place, there lived a very poor old couple. To get a little money, they made shoes and hats out of straw, which the old man would sell in the nearest village.

It was New Year's Eve, and the couple wanted to buy rice to make a traditional dessert. So the old man took five hats to sell, but he wasn't able to sell any! He gave up and started back home, just as it began to snow.

The snow got worse and worse. When the old man reached the crossroads before his house, he saw that the snow was piling on the heads of the six Jizos there. So he took his five hats and put them on five of the statues. Then he removed the poor cloth covering his own head and tied it around the head of the sixth.

When he came home without the hats, the wife thought he must have bought the rice. When he told her what happened to the hats, she agreed he had done the right thing, and was proud of his kindness.

That night, after they went to bed, they heard someone at their door! As they rose from their bed to see what was the matter, they heard voices chanting, moving away from their small house. Peeping out the window, they saw six figures walking slowly away in the snow. Five of them had straw hats on their heads; the sixth had a piece of cloth!

When they opened the door, they found a pile of treasures: vegetables, gold, and even the rice dessert they had planned to make! The old man's kindness had been repaid.

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SOME WORDS TO TALK ABOUT:

• cemeteries: graveyards; places where dead people are buried
• chanting: a special kind of singing used in religious activities
• compassion: a special sort of kindness; the word means to "feel what the other feels"
• crossroads: place where two roads meet and cross each other
• dessert: sweet food, usually eaten after dinner
• peeping: looking carefully, trying to stay hidden
• repaid: paid back; getting back the kindness he had given 
• saint: a kind of holy person

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Questions to Answer:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. What do the Jizo statues stand for?
    A. They stand for saints.
    B. They stand for compassion.
    C. They stand for hell.

2. How many hats did the old man sell in the village?
    A. None.
    B. Five.
    C. Six.

3. What did the old man do for the six Jizo statues?
    A. He gave them a special dessert.
    B. He protected their heads from the snow.
    C. He sold them his hats.

4. How did the old lady feel when she heard that her husband had given away the hats?
    A. She felt angry.
    B. She felt sad.
    C. She felt proud.

5. What is the lesson of this story?
    A. We should always have dessert.
    B. We should never give away valuable things.
    C. We should always be kind.

A Question to Think About:

This question does not have a "right" or "wrong" answer. It only asks your opinion.

1. Do you agree with what the old man did? Why or why not?

FOR YOUNG READERS: "The Fox and the Grapes"

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children and young teens.

This very short story has been told by Aesop, by the French fabulist ("fable writer") Jean de La Fontaine, and many others.

A hungry fox saw a bunch of grapes hanging up high and tried to get them. He ran toward them and jumped as high as he could, but he missed! He tried again and again, but he became tired, and his jumps became lower and lower. At last he walked away, muttering, "I didn't really want them. They're probably sour anyway."

The moral is: When people are disappointed, they often blame the thing they hoped for. From this we get the expression, "sour grapes":

Gene: I didn't get the bike wanted for my birthday, but that's okay. It probably wasn't a good bike anyway.

Dean: Oh, Gene, that's just sour grapes! I know you really wanted it.

FOR YOUNG READERS: "The Dutch Boy and the Dike"

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children and young teens.

About one-quarter of the places in Holland are located below the level of the sea. Another name for Holland is "The Netherlands," meaning the low country. To keep the sea out, they have built large earthen walls, called "dikes." (Those beautiful Dutch windmills are actually used to pump water out of the low areas, too!)

A story tells how a boy in the Netherlands was coming home one evening and saw a leak in the dike near his home. He put his finger in the hole (or some say his hand up against the hole) and stayed there all night, until someone found him in the morning. His people thought he was a hero for saving them.

But this is just a story--written by an American woman! In fact, if a dike is weak, it doesn't just get a hole: the whole thing washes away! But the story still teaches an important lesson: If you see a problem, do everything you can to keep it from becoming a bigger problem!

FOR YOUNG READERS: "The Blind Men and the Elephant"

(Wikipedia)

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children and young teens.

Once, six learned men went to visit an elephant to find out what it was like. All of these men were blind.

The first one felt its side and said, "It's like a wall!".

The second one felt its tusk and said, "It's like a spear!".

The third one felt its trunk and said, "It's like a snake!".

The fourth one felt its leg and said, "It's like a tree!".

The fifth one felt its ear and said, "It's like a fan!".

The sixth one felt its tail and said, "It's like a rope!".

They argued long and loudly, each one believing he knew what the elephant was really like. In fact, each one was a little bit right--and every one of them was wrong!

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SOME WORDS TO TALK ABOUT:

• blind: unable to see
• learned: well-educated (pronounced LEARN-ud)
• spear: a long pointy stick that can be thrown as a weapon
• trunk: an elephant's long nose
• tusk: one of the two long "teeth" next to an elephant's nose

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Questions to Answer:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. How many men went to visit the elephant?
     A. three
     B. five
     C. six

2. What was different about these men?
     A. They couldn't smell.
     B. They couldn't see.
     C. They couldn't hear.

3. True or False: Each man felt a different part of the elephant.
     A. True
     B. False

4. The elephant's trunk felt like a:
     A. tree
     B. snake
     C. wall

5. Why didn't they understand what the elephant was like?
     A. Because each man touched only one part.
     B. Because each man argued with the other.
     C. Because each man was deaf.

Questions to Think About:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Why did the men argue? Why didn't they just compare what they had felt?
2. What things can the men never know just by touching the elephant? (For example, its color.)
3. What would you say an elephant is like?

"The Tortoise and the Hare" from Aesop's Fables

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 11 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. It is from Aesop's Fables.

One day, a Hare made fun of the short legs and slow speed of the Tortoise. But the Tortoise just laughed and said: "You are as fast as the wind, but I will beat you in a race anyway."

The Hare thought this was impossible, so he agreed to the race. They decided that their friend the Fox should choose the course and set the finish line.

On the day of the race the two lined up. When the Fox said "GO!" the two started together. The Tortoise never stopped, even for a moment. She went on with slow but steady steps straight to the finish line.

But the Hare lay down by the side of the road and fell asleep! When he woke up, he ran as fast as he could. But he saw that the Tortoise had already run the race. She was taking a nap because she was tired from walking so far.

Moral: Slow but steady wins the race.

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Some words to talk about:

• finish line: the place that marks the end of a race
• hare: an animal like a rabbit
• moral: the lesson we can learn from a story
• nap: a short sleep
• steady: without stopping
• tortoise: an animal like a turtle

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. What did the Hare say about the Tortoise in the beginning?
      A. The Hare said the Tortoise had long legs.
      B. The Hare said the Tortoise moved too slowly.
      C. The Hare said the Tortoise should take a nap.
2. What did the Tortoise say to that?
      A. The Tortoise said the Hare should take a nap.
      B. The Tortoise laughed and said she could beat the Hare in a race.
      C. The Tortoise said the Hare should be friends with the Fox.
3. Why did the Hare agree to the race?
      A. The Hare agreed because he thought it was impossible for the Tortoise to win.
      B. The Hare agreed because the Tortoise laughed at him.
      C. The Hare agreed because he thought he was the best at everything.
4. How did the Hare lose the race?
      A. The Hare lost because he laughed at the Tortoise.
      B. The Hare lost because he thought the Tortoise had short legs.
      C. The Hare lost because he lay down to sleep.
5. How did the Tortoise win the race?
      A. The Tortoise won because she was faster than the Hare.
      B. The Tortoise won because she took a nap.
      C. The Tortoise won because she didn't stop.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Why did the Tortoise and Hare decide that "their friend the Fox should choose the course and set the finish line"?
2. Why do you think the Hare lay down to sleep?
3. How do you think the Hare felt at the end of the story? How did the Tortoise feel?
4. The lesson (the "moral") of this story is, "Slow but steady wins the race." Do you agree? Is it always true?

"George Washington and the Cherry Tree" from American folklore

Parson Weems' Fable (1939) by Grant Wood

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 10 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. It is from American folklore.

In 1800, a man named Mason Locke Weems (1759-1825), usually referred to as "Parson Weems," wrote a story about George Washington, the first President of the United States. Weems said it was told to him by an old lady who was a "cousin" of Washington's. Today we know the story didn't really happen. But we keep telling it for the lesson it teaches, and because it makes Washington look like a good man.

The story the old lady told goes like this:

When George was about six years old, his father gave him a hatchet. Like most little boys, he liked his hatchet very much. He went around chopping everything he saw.

One day he was in the garden, chopping the sticks his mother used to hold up her vegetables. But when he got bored with this, he cut the trunk of his father's favorite cherry tree.

The next day, his father saw what happened to the tree. He went in the house and asked in an angry voice, "Who cut my tree! It's probably going to die!"

At first no one answered. But then George came into the room, carrying his hatchet. "George," his father asked, "do you know who killed that beautiful cherry tree in the garden?"

It was a difficult question, but after a minute George looked at his father and said, "I can't tell a lie, Pa. I cut it with my hatchet."

"Run to my arms, dear boy," his father said, hugging him. "A tree is only a tree. But to have a son so brave and so honest is worth more than a thousand trees, even if their flowers were silver, and their fruit was gold!"

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Some words to talk about:

• chopping: cutting by hitting with something sharp
• hatchet: a small ax, a tool for cutting trees and other wood
• hugging: putting your arms around someone and squeezing (nicely!)
• trunk: the main part of a tree, that holds up the rest
• is worth more: has more value; is more important

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. Why did George Washington cut the trunk of his father's favorite cherry tree?
      A. He was bored after cutting some other things.
      B. He was angry with his father.
      C. He hated the vegetables his mother was growing.

2. What did George's father think would happen to the tree after George cut it?
      A. He thought the tree would die.
      B. He thought the tree would have golden fruit.
      C. He thought the tree would needed to be cut.

3. Why didn't George answer right away?
      A. He was afraid his father would punish him.
      B. He didn't want his mother to know he had cut the sticks in her garden.
      C. He wasn't in the room when his father asked the question.

4. What did George say before telling his father that he cut the tree?
      A. "Please don't punish me, but..."
      B. "I can't tell a lie, Pa..."
      C. "The tree looked sick, so..."

5. What did George's father say after he told the truth?
      A. He said that he was going to punish George.
      B. He said that George had to work in his mother's garden.
      C. He said it was better to have an honest son than a wonderful tree.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Why do we keep telling stories about famous people that we know are not true?
2. Why would a father give a boy a dangerous "toy" like a hatchet?
3. Would you always tell the truth, even if you might get punished for it?

"King Alfred and the Cakes" from English tradition

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 9 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. It is found in the body of England's folklore.

King Alfred of England was called "Alfred the Great" because of the many ways he helped his people. One of the most famous stories about him was actually a legend, not a true story. It happened just after he became king.

Another group of people, the Danes, were attacking England. In those days a king had to fight to protect his kingdom. So after a surprise attack, Alfred was out hiding in a swampy area. He was dressed like a common soldier, not a king.

One night he was looking for a place to sleep, and asked an old woman if he could stay in her cottage. She hid his horse in her pig-barn and let him sit by her fire.

Because she was busy, she asked him to keep an eye on some cakes she was cooking on the fire. (Actually, they were more like pancakes.) He said he would. But while she was out getting some water, he started thinking of his problems and forgot to watch the cakes.

Suddenly, "What do you think you're doing?" came a shriek from behind him. The king had let the cakes burn! She hit his head with her broom, and kicked him out of her house. She made him sleep in the barn with his horse--and the pigs!

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Some words to talk about:

• cottage: a small house, often outside of the city
• legend: a story about a famous person. It might not be true, but it tells us something about that person's character
• shriek: a high-pitched scream
• swampy: wet, like a marsh or bog

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. This story really happened.
      A. True
      B. False

2. Why was King Alfred hiding?
      A. Because the Danes were attacking England.
      B. Because the old lady was mad at him.
      C. Because he had to sleep in the barn.

3. What was King Alfred dressed like?
      A. He was dressed like an old lady.
      B. He was dressed like a common soldier.
      C. He was dressed like a king.

4. How was King Alfred supposed to help the old lady?
      A. He was supposed to hide his horse.
      B. He was supposed to get some water.
      C. He was supposed to keep the cakes from burning.

5. What did the old lady do to King Alfred?
      A. She hit him and made him sleep in the barn.
      B. She made him eat the burnt cakes.
      C. She told him to get some water.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Why do you think people told this story about King Alfred? What lessons does it teach us?
2. Was the old lady right to hit her guest (whom she did not know was a king) with her broom?
3. Would you forgive the guest if he let your cakes burn? How about if you knew he was a king? Are he rules different for kings (or rich people) and other people?

"Rabbit Tricks Coyote" from Native American Stories

Coyote pushed his paws against the cliff...

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 8 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. It is from Native American stories.

A coyote is a kind of small wolf or wild dog that lives in the western United States. In Native American stories, Coyote is a kind of "trickster" who tries to play jokes on others. But he's not very good at it and often, Rabbit tricks him instead!

Here's a story about them.

One day Coyote saw Rabbit eating some grass and said, "I'm hungry! I'm going to eat you!"

"Oh," Rabbit said, "you don't want to eat me! I'm too skinny! But some people over at that ranch are cooking a juicy chicken. Let me bring you some!"

So Coyote waited as Rabbit ran toward the hills. But when Rabbit didn't come back, Coyote followed Rabbit's tracks. When Coyote found him, Rabbit was standing by the wall of a cliff, leaning on it with his front feet.

"What are you doing?" Coyote asked.

"I am holding up this cliff," Rabbit replied. "Come help me and hold it up while I go get the food I told you about." So, Coyote pushed his paws against the cliff as Rabbit ran off. After a while he grew tired, and he was still hungry. Finally, he let go of the cliff and jumped back--but of course nothing happened! Once again, he followed Rabbit's tracks.

When he caught him, Coyote said, "This time I really am going to eat you!"

But again Rabbit promised him that he would bring the food, and again he ran off. Coyote waited.

Instead of bringing the food, Rabbit started a fire that burned all the brush around Coyote. He ran back and said, "The party's a lot of fun! Do you hear the fireworks, and smell them burning? The food will just be a few more minutes!" And he ran off again.

Coyote danced and sang as he waited, until at last the fire came to him and burned him up.

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Some words to talk about:

• cliff: like a wall made of rock
• fireworks: something that explodes, usually in the sky, with bright colors for people to watch
• leaning: resting one's body against
• paws: an animal's feet
• ranch: a place where cows or horses are raised

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. What did Rabbit promise Coyote at the beginning of the story?
   A. Rabbit promised he would bring Coyote some fireworks.
   B. Rabbit promised he would let Coyote eat him.
   C. Rabbit promised he would bring Coyote some chicken to eat.

2. Why was Rabbit leaning on the cliff?
   A. Rabbit wanted Coyote to bring him some fireworks.
   B. Rabbit wanted Coyote to think the cliff was falling.
   C. Rabbit wanted Coyote to bring him some chicken.

3. What did Coyote do when he got tired of pushing on the cliff?
   A. Coyote let Rabbit help him hold up the cliff.
   B. Coyote let the cliff fall on him.
   C. Coyote let go of the cliff and jumped back.

4. When Rabbit lit the brush on fire, what did he tell Coyote?
   A. Rabbit told Coyote there were fireworks.
   B. Rabbit told Coyote he smelled chicken.
   C. Rabbit told Coyote to go back to the cliff.

5. What happened to Coyote at the end of the story?
   A. At the end of the story, Coyote went back to the cliff.
   B. At the end of the story, Coyote burned up and died.
   C. At the end of the story, Coyote ate some chicken.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Why does Coyote keep telling Rabbit he's going to eat him, instead of sneaking up on him and tricking him?
2. Why do you think Coyote keeps trying to catch Rabbit, even when Rabbit is clearly smarter than he is?
3. Do you think it's right for Rabbit to kill Coyote?

"The Man Who Never Laughed Again" from 1001 Nights

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 7 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. My favorite story from the Arabian Nights (also called the 1,001 Nights) is not "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" or even "Aladdin," but this one, called "The Man Who Never Laughed Again."

A young man wasted the money his father had left him. Soon he was begging on the street. One day an old man offered him a strange job, with a stranger rule. He would live in a house with the old man and ten more like him. But if he ever saw them crying, he must not ask them why.

He took the job and lived a good life in a comfortable house. But over time, each old man died. The younger man buried them in the garden next to the house. At last, only the old man who hired him was left. When his time to die came, the young man asked him a question. "For all these years I kept your rule. I never asked the reason the old men sometimes cried. Won't you tell me now, while you're still here?"

"No," the old man replied, "I cannot say. But if you wish to live a happy life, do not open that door." And he pointed to a door that led to another part of the house. "If you open it, you will cry as we did!"

Well, one day, long after the old man died, the young man couldn't help himself. He opened the door, and went through--and it was amazing! A great eagle carried him to a delightful land. There, he married a beautiful queen and became a king. He was very rich, and lived in a wonderful palace. He could do anything he wanted there--except open a certain door.

But, of course, after seven years, he did. The same eagle then carried him back to the first door. He returned to the house of the old men. His heart was broken. He cried until the day came when he was buried in the garden, too, with the other old men.

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Some words to talk about:

• begging: asking people that you don't know for money
• buried: put under the ground
• delightful: making a person happy; very pleasing
• hired: gave a job to someone
• wasted: used in a bad way; like, threw away

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. Why was the young man begging?
  A. Because he wanted to work for the old man.
  B. Because he had wasted the money his father had left him.
  C. Because he wanted to become a king.

2. What strange rule did the young man have to follow?
  A. He must not ask why the old men are crying.
  B. He must always bury the old men.
  C. He must open a door in the house.

3. What did the young man ask the old man before he died?
  A. "What is behind that door?"
  B. "Who will bury me?"
  C. "Why did the old men cry?"

4. What happened when the young man opened the door?
  A. He was buried.
  B. He found himself in a wonderful land, and became a king.
  C. He had to bury the old man who hired him.

5. What happened to the young man in the end?
  A. He cried until he died.
  B. He flew like an eagle.
  C. He had to bury another old man.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. When people in stories are given "one rule," why do they (almost) always break it?
2. Why couldn't old man just tell the young man why the others were crying?
3. Why didn't the young man learn his lesson from opening the door in the house, and NOT open the door in the palace?

"The Boy Who Cried Wolf" by Aesop

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 6 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. It is from Aesop's Fables.

There once was a shepherd boy who spent all day taking care of his master's sheep near the edge of a deep, dark forest. He didn't have much to do all day, so one day, growing bored, he thought of a joke. He thought it would be funny to call out to the villagers that a wolf was attacking!

And so he did. "Help!" he cried, running toward the village. "Wolf! WOLF!"

Out came the villagers in great excitement. But when they arrived, there was no wolf. Just a naughty boy laughing!

It was so funny that he did it again a few days later. "Wolf!" he shouted. "WOLF!" And the good villagers came out again--and again the boy laughed.

But one evening, as the sun was setting, a wolf really did creep out of the shadows and begin attacking the sheep! "Wolf!" the boy cried, this time in real terror. "WOLF!"

But the villagers didn't listen to his cries. The wolf ate all the sheep he wanted--and what's more, some say, he even ate the boy!

The moral of the story is: "Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth."

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Some words to talk about:

• creep: walk quietly, so as not to be seen
• moral: lesson about being a good person
• naughty: badly behaved
• shepherd: person who takes care of sheep
• terror: great fear
• villagers: people who live in a very small town, called a village

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. Why did the shepherd boy play a trick on the villagers?
   A. Because he wanted to catch a wolf.
   B. Because he wanted to make them laugh.
   C. Because he was bored.

2. What did the shepherd boy do each time the villagers ran out to help him?
   A. He caught the wolf.
   B. He laughed.
   C. he said he was sorry.

3. How many times did the shepherd boy call for help?
   A. one time
   B. two times
   C. three times

4. Why did the boy call out for help a third time?
   A. Because there really was a wolf.
   B. Because he wanted to laugh again.
   C. Because he knew his joke was funny.

5. What happened to the sheep?
   A. The wolf ate all of them that he wanted.
   B. The villagers took all of them that he wanted.
   C. The boy gave them back to his master.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Why did the shepherd boy think his "joke" was funny? Was he right?
2. Why do you think the villagers came out the second time the boy called for help?
3. Why do you think the villagers didn't come out the third time the boy called for help?

"Pecos Bill," American Folk Hero

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 5 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children.

Each night when their work was done, the cowboys would sit around their camp fires and tell stories of the type called "tall tales." One of their favorite subjects was a character named "Pecos Bill." Many of his adventures "explained" things the cowboys saw.

For example, once bad men stole some of Bill's cows. When he caught the men, he hit them very hard, and knocked the gold fillings from their teeth. People can still find that gold in the desert.

Another time, he and his horse were lost in the desert, and were dying of thirst. He got a stick and dug a ditch that became the Rio Grande, the biggest river in Texas.

Once Texas had no rain for a long, long time. So Bill rode out to California and threw a rope around a cloud full of rain. He dragged it back to Texas, where it rained so much that it filled the Gulf of Mexico.

He also rode a tornado like it was a bucking horse. When he was finished, it had calmed down to just a breeze.

In another adventure, he chased some Indians so much that their face paint came off. You can still see it in the "Painted Desert" of Arizona.

(Do you believe any of these stories are true?)

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Some words to talk about:

• breeze: a gentle, pleasant wind
• bucking: jumping around, like a horse trying to get someone off his back
• desert: a place with very little rain and few plants
• ditch: a long, narrow hole in the ground, often carrying water
• fillings: something the dentist puts in your teeth to fill cavities (holes)
• tornado: a very strong wind, the kind that can knock down houses

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. Why did Bill hit some bad men very hard?
   A. Because he wanted to get the gold from their fillings.
   B. Because they took his cows.
   C. Because he wanted to put gold in the desert.

2. Why did Bill make the Rio Grande?
   A. Because he and his horse were thirsty.
   B. Because he had a stick.
   C. Because it was a big river.

3. How did Bill make the Gulf of Mexico?
   A. He dug it with a stick.
   B. He hit some men very hard.
   C. He brought rain from California. 

4. How did Bill make the tornado calm down?
   A. He rode it like cowboys ride bucking horses.
   B. He hit it very hard.
   C. He dug a ditch with a stick.

5. Where did the "paint" in the "Painted Desert" come from?
   A. Bill painted it there in his spare time.
   B. It came off of some Indians' faces when Bill chased them.
   C. It fell from the tornado.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Stories about Pecos Bill are called "tall tales." Do they really "explain" anything? Why do you think people tell them?
2. Do you think Pecos Bill always behaved in a good way? What would happen to you if you hit people, chased them, and so on?
3. Why do you think so many of the stories about Pecos Bill talk about water and weather?

"The Monkey and the Crocodile" from The Panchatantra

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 4 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. It is from an Indian collection of children's stories called The Panchatantra.

Once upon a time, a Monkey lived in a fruit tree next to a river. One day a Crocodile rested under the tree, and the Monkey gave him some fruit. The Croc thanked him and came back every day for more. The kind Monkey even sent some fruit home for Mrs. Croc.

She loved it, but said, "The Monkey eats this sweet fruit every day. Won't he also taste sweet? Please bring me his heart for a treat!"

The husband said, "The Monkey is my friend, Dear! I could never do that!" But his wife refused to eat anything else, and at last her husband agreed.

Next time he saw the Monkey, he said, "My wife loved the fruit so much that she would like you to come to our place for dinner." The Monkey agreed, but since he could not swim, the Crocodile carried him on his back. When they reached the deep water, the Croc told the Monkey the truth: "Actually, I'm taking you home to please my wife by giving her your heart!"

The Monkey said, "Why didn't you say so? I will gladly give your wife my heart if it will make you happy, my friend. But I left it at home in the tree. Let's go back and get it!"

The Crocodile was not as smart as the Monkey, and immediately turned around. When they reached the tree, the Monkey jumped from the Croc's back and climbed to the highest branches of the tree. When the Crocodile called out, "What's taking so long?" the Monkey replied, "Silly Croc! One cannot remove one's heart--and live! You tried to fool me, but instead I have fooled you!" The Crocodile was ashamed and swam away.

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Some words to talk about:

• ashamed: embarrassed; feeling sorry
• gladly: happily; willingly
• treat: something sweet to eat

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. Why did the Crocodile come back every day?
   A. Because his wife told him to.
   B. Because he wanted to eat more fruit.
   C. Because he wanted to eat the Monkey.

2. Why did Mrs. Croc want to eat the Monkey?
   A. Because she enjoyed eating monkeys all the time.
   B. Because her husband told her monkeys are delicious.
   C. She thought he would be sweet because he ate a lot of fruit.

3. Why did the Croc agree to bring the Monkey to his wife?
   A. Because she wouldn't eat anything until she got the Monkey.
   B. Because she kept yelling at him.
   C. Because he wanted her to cook the Monkey so he could eat it, too.

4. Why did the Croc turn around after he had the Monkey on his back?
   A. Because the Croc forgot something under the tree.
   B. Because the Monkey told the Croc he had left his heart back in the tree.
   C. Because the Croc wanted to get more fruit.

5. What important idea did the Monkey tell the Crocodile at the end of the story?
   A. A person or animal cannot live without a heart.
   B. Crocodiles should always be ashamed of themselves.
   C. Mrs. Crocodile was a bad wife.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. Why do you think the Monkey sent fruit home to the Crocodile's wife?
2. Why do you think the Croc decided to tell the Monkey the truth about his plan?
3. Why do you think the Croc believed the Monkey would give up his heart?

"King Midas and the Golden Touch" by Ovid

King Midas even turned his daughter to gold (accidentally).

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 3 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this story!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children. The story comes from a book by Ovid, an old Roman writer.

Bacchus, the God of Wine and Merriment, was pleased with King Midas, and gave him his choice of a gift. Being greedy, Midas asked that anything he touched would be turned to gold.

Bacchus was sad that the King had not asked for something better, but granted his wish. Midas was ecstatic. On the way back to his palace, he tested his gift. First, he touched a stick from a tree, then a stone, a piece of earth, corn husks, and apples. They all turned to gold!

Arriving home he washed his hands, and even the water turned to liquid gold! He could not believe his good luck. But while he was dreaming of all the things he could do, his servants brought in his meal. When he touched the bread, it turned to gold. The meat did the same. Every bit of food he touched became hard and yellow gold.

He became very hungry, but nothing could fill his belly or quench his thirst. He cried out to Bacchus for help, and the god kindly told him to go to a certain river and stand under a certain waterfall. He did, and he was cured. Even now, the local people find flakes of gold in that river, gold that had washed off of his body.

Remember: Be careful what you wish for!

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Some words to talk about:

• certain: specific; exact
• ecstatic: very very happy and excited
• granted: gave, approved
• greedy: wanting more and more of something, often money
• husks: the green, uneaten outside of an ear of corn
• merriment: partying and fun
• quench: satisfy; put out (like a fire)

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. Why was Bacchus sad?
   A. Because Midas didn't love him.
   B. Because Midas had behaved badly before the story started.
   C. Because Midas made an unwise choice.

2. Why did Midas think he was lucky?
   A. Because he could become rich.
   B. Because he had golden food.
   C. Because he loved Bacchus.

3. What problem did Midas discover because of his gift?
   A. Midas was becoming too rich.
   B. Midas was not able to eat or drink.
   C. Midas took a test.

4. What did Midas do to solve his problem?
   A. Midas made even more gold things.
   B. Midas told his servants to bring his meal.
   C. Midas called on Bacchus to help him.

5. What did Bacchus tell him to do?
   A. Bacchus told him to stand under a waterfall.
   B. Bacchus told him to get some corn husks.
   C. Bacchus told him to eat the golden food.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT:

These questions do not have "right" or "wrong" answers. They only ask your opinion.

1. If a god came and offered you your choice of gifts, what would you ask for?
2. Why did Bacchus grant Midas's wish, even if it made him sad?
3. Why did Bacchus agree to help Midas in the end?

The Hen that Laid the Golden Eggs by Aesop

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 1 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is written for younger readers, with activities suitable for children.

One day a farmer went out to get the eggs from his chickens. He was shocked to see that one hen had laid an egg made of gold!

Every week after that the hen laid another golden egg. The farmer took the eggs to the market and sold them for a lot of money. He and his wife bought a bigger farm and a bigger house.

Later the farmer thought, "I don't like waiting a week for the golden egg." He started giving the hen special food, and she began laying the eggs two or three times a week.

At first the farmer was happy. But he still wanted more. He thought, "Maybe all of those eggs are inside her, waiting to come out. If I kill her, I can get them all at once." So he killed the hen and looked inside for the eggs. But there was nothing there.

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Some words to talk about:

• golden: made of gold
• hen: a female chicken
• laid (an egg): made (an egg) from a chicken's body
• shocked: very surprised

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QUESTIONS:

Choose the best answer. Correct answers are in the first comment below.

1. What is special about the hen in this story?

A. She can lay eggs that look like gold.

B. She can lay eggs that are delicious.

C. She can lay eggs that are made of gold.

2. Why did the hen start laying the special eggs more quickly?

A. Because the farmer gave her special food.

B. Because the farmer bought a bigger house and farm.

C. Because the farmer went to the market.

3. Why did the farmer kill the hen at the end of the story?

A. To see what she looked like on the inside.

B. To try to get gold faster.

C. To cook and eat her.

4. How do you think the farmer feels at the end of the story?

A. Sad, because he won't get any more golden eggs.

B. Angry, because he wanted to eat more eggs.

C. Happy, because he is rich enough.

5. What is the main lesson of this story?

A. Learn to be happy with what you have.

B. Treat animals kindly.

C. Don't go to the market.

"My Shadow" by Robert Louis Stevenson

"...he sometimes shoots up taller like a bouncing rubber ball..."

Click to see Vol. I, Issue 2 of the newsletter in which this article first appeared.

Listen to the audio of this article!

This article is designed for younger readers, with activities more suitable for children.

Mr. Stevenson wrote this poem in 1885. Because it's old, some of the words might be difficult for some young readers. So I have re-written parts of it, to make it easier.

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like a bouncing rubber ball,

And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't an idea of how children ought to play,

And he only makes a fool of me in every sort of way.

He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;

I'd be shamed to hang on Mommy like that shadow hangs on me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like a real sleepy-head,

Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

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Some words to talk about:

• buttercup: a type of flower
• coward: someone who is afraid
• dew: water found outside in the morning, before the sun comes and dries it
• shamed: embarrassed, feeling shy

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QUESTIONS:

Choose the best answer. Answers in the comments below.

1. True or false: The speaker thinks his shadow is useful.

2. What does the speaker's shadow do when the speaker jumps into bed?

A. Jumps before he does.

B. Jumps with him.

C. Jumps after he does.

3. What is unusual about the way the speaker's shadow grows?

A. The shadow always grows bigger, like a regular child.

B. The shadow sometimes grows bigger, and sometimes grows smaller.

C. The shadow always grows smaller.

4. How does the shadow embarrass the speaker?

A. The shadow throws a rubber ball.

B. The shadow grows smaller.

C. The shadow hangs onto him like it's afraid.

5. True or false: It's possible for your shadow to stay in bed while you go outside to look at flowers.

ACTIVITY:

Look at the picture and try to make the "shadow animals."