Author: rgsind
Friends Of A Feather
There was a huge tree in a jungle. Many birds lived on that tree. One day, following a storm, it started raining heavily. The branches of the tree started swaying violently from side-to-side.
All the birds decided to stay within their nests. The warmth of the nests was quite comforting.
Browny, a Baya Weaver bird, had made a very comfortable nest. While she was sitting inside, she heard a cry for help.
When Browny peeped out of her nest, she saw Chillo Eagle’s little baby lying on the ground. He was screaming for help. Looking at his pitiable condition Browny felt sad.
She decided to help the baby. Blacky Crow was watching her from his nest.
Blacky tried to stop Browny. He said, “Don’t go out in such bad weather. Something bad can happen to you.”
Browny disagreed. She said, “Blacky, I don’t think we should be selfish. If we don’t help this baby, the poor thing will die of cold.”
Blacky continued, “I am telling you, forget the baby Eagle. Stay warm in your nest.”
However, Browny couldn’t do so.
She brought the baby Eagle to her nest.
The baby said, “Thank you Aunty. Some of my friends may also be shivering in cold. I am worried about them. I don’t know how they would be. We were playing together when the storm came. Thus, we got separated.”
“Don’t worry. I will try to find them,” assured Browny.
She flew out of the nest to search for the other babies.
Blacky made fun of Browny. He said, “It seems as if your brain has stopped working. Are you making your nest a lodge by bringing all of them here?”
Browny soon found the baby Parrot, the baby Woodpecker and the baby Bat near some bushes. They were shivering. The baby Kingfisher was also crying. Browny brought everyone to her nest.
The nest was quite warm and welcoming. The friends were reunited in Browny’s nest. They were happy.
Browny had some walnuts. The Woodpecker broke the shells with his beak. All of them ate walnuts together. The real fun had now begun!
The Parrot could sing. He sang songs and entertained everybody. The Bat hung down a branch. His actions made everybody laugh and clap.
Everyone was having fun in Browny’s nest. However, Blacky was feeling bored in his nest. He had nobody to talk to. He was feeling lonely and sad.
Blacky thought, “I wish I had helped somebody like Browny.”
Blacky now came out of his nest. He flew to Browny’s nest and said, “Friends, I can neither sing well nor play well, but I can dance. If you wish, I can entertain you.”
They welcomed him to the nest. Blacky began dancing. His funny dance moves made everybody laugh a lot. He was very entertaining.
Blacky enjoyed himself in their company. He was happy. From then onwards, he decided that he would always help others.
Champi the Cheat
Ktty was one of the cutest kittens living in Gopalvan. She was very playful. All the birds and animals of Gopalvan were very fond of her. She eventually grew up and became a beautiful cat. Kitty remained a loving and caring cat. She was very helpful.
Once, Kitty visited a fun-n-fair. She bought a cow. She took good care of the cow. She bathed her every day. She also took her out to graze. She made butter out of the cow’s milk. She sold the butter in the market. Kitty earned a lot of money by selling butter. She used this money to build a beautiful house for herself.
Whenever Kitty went to the market with a pot-full of butter, the kids of Gopalvan used to run behind her asking for some butter. Kitty used to give some butter to each one of them. She would then proceed to the market. She never refused to give them butter. Thus, the kids were fond of Kitty.
One evening, Champi the Mouse came to Kitty’s house.
“What is the matter Champi? Why are you upset?” Kitty asked.
“My son Sonu is not keeping well. He wants butter. I cannot afford to buy it as it is very expensive,” said Champi, with tears in her eyes.
Kitty smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Champi. I will give you some butter for Sonu every day.”
Kitty gave her one tablespoon of butter. Champi thanked Kitty. She returned home.
Every morning, Champi went to Kitty’s house. She returned home with a spoonful of delicious butter. Manglu the Fox saw this. He became jealous. He asked Champi, “Can I tell you something?”
Champi wondered what Manglu wanted to tell her. She asked, “Manglu, what is it?”
Manglu said, “I have a fantastic idea. We can steal Kitty’s cow. Then we can use its milk to make butter. We can sell the butter and earn money. This way we’ll become very rich.”
At first, Champi was a little annoyed. However, she soon became greedy. She agreed to be a part of Manglu’s plan to steal Kitty’s cow.
Champi knew each and every entry point at Kitty’s house. That night, Manglu and Champi went quietly to Kitty’s house. They stole her cow. They hid the cow in Manglu’s house.
The next morning when Kitty couldn’t find her cow, she realised that someone had stolen it. Kitty was upset. She asked Kalu the Crow, Bholu the Monkey, Bantu the Dog and a few other animals whether they had seen her cow. However, no one knew its whereabouts.
On the other hand, Manglu and Champi secretly started making money by selling butter prepared from the cow’s milk. They earned a lot of money. Soon they became rich.
One evening, Bantu was returning home from the market. He happened to pass by Manglu’s house. He heard a cow mooing. He thought that the sound came from Manglu’s house. He wondered whether Manglu had stolen Kitty’s cow.
It was quite dark. Bantu peeped through the window into Manglu’s house. He saw that Champi and Manglu were happily relishing butter while the cow was sitting nearby. Bantu knew that it was Kitty’s cow. Therefore, he decided to teach them a lesson.
Bantu told Kitty, Bholu and Kalu about the incident. That night, four of them headed towards Manglu’s house with sticks in their hands. They knocked on the door. As soon as Manglu opened the door, they started trashing him. Hearing his screams, Champi, who was asleep, woke up. She also got a good beating from Bantu.
Manglu’s legs were badly injured. He could barely walk. Bantu hung Champi upside down on a tree because she had cheated Kitty.
Manglu’s legs were badly injured. He could barely walk. Bantu hung Champi upside down on a tree because she had cheated Kitty.
Kitty was happy to get her cow back. She thanked Bantu, Kalu and Bholu for helping her punish the thieves. Kitty returned home with her cow. That night she slept peacefully..
Friendship
Either winter or monsoon
spring or summer,
this unsinkable ship,
floats forever.
This is my only lifeboat,
on which I can survive.
It is warmer than anything else,
and has always helped me to revive.
Parishka Gupta,
12 years Hyderabad
Magazine Rack
You will need:
- Mountboard,
- acrylic paint,
- paint brush,
- pencil, scale,
- glue and scissors.
1. Place the magazine on a sheet of mountboard and cut around it so that the cutout is slightly bigger than the magazine.
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2. Make two more rectangular cutouts that are narrower but about the same height as the cutout in step 1. These will form the sides of the rack.
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3. Make another rectangular cutout for the base using the measurements from the previous two cutouts as shown.
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4. Stick the cutouts from Step 2 along the sides of the cutout from Step 1 as shown. Then stick the base as well.
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5. Cut two thin strips from the mountboard and stick to the front of the rack. Paint the rack.
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Now you can put in your favourite Champak magazine in your very own magazine rack!
Let’s Fly Together
Ballon ride
Underwater Treasure
Damru’s New Calendar
Token of Joy
Blacky Bear: What is between Earth and Moon?
Foxy Fox: The word “and”
____________________
Jumbo Elephant: Who was the first underwater spy?
Sher Singh: James Pond.
The Finder Of Lost Things
Wily Wolf was a lazy fellow. He didn’t like to work hard and took up small jobs now and then for a living. His meager income was not enough for his family to live on.
Wily Wolf often wondered what he could do to augment his income without having to work too hard.
One day, he saw Jumbo Elephant anxiously searching for something. Wily Wolf noticed that Jumbo Elephant looked very worried and wondered if something valuable was missing.
“What are you searching for, Jumbo?” he asked curiously.
“I’ve lost my ration card,” said Jumbo Elephant worriedly.
“Really? You must have thrown it in the dustbin,” Wily Wolf joked and laughed.
But to his surprise, Jumbo Elephant really peeped in the dustbin. And to his great astonishment, the ration card was really there!
“You were absolutely right, Wily!” Jumbo Elephant said, looking quite amazed. “How did you know the ration card was there? Do you have some special powers?”
“Well, I do have magical powers,” Wily Wolf bluffed. “Er…I can see things that lie even in far off places.”
Jumbo Elephant was quite gullible. He believed Wily Wolf’s tale and told his friends and neighbours about it.
Soon, news of Wily Wolf’s magical powers spread all over Champakvan and many animals went to seek his help.
Wily Wolf enjoyed the attention he got. He began to call himself “The Finder of Lost Things”. He realised that this was a great opportunity for him to make easy money.
“Wily, can you tell me where my missing chain is?” Meeku Rabbit requested Wily Wolf. “I haven’t been able to find it.”
“My nutcracker is lost, Wily,” Softy Squirrel said. “Be a dear and tell me where it is. I’ll pay you your fees.”
“Wily! Oh, Wily! Someone has stolen my cash box,” Whitey Cow cried. “All the money I earned by selling my precious milk is in it. Can you help me please?” she begged for she was anxious to recover her stolen cash box.
“Pay me first,” Wily Wolf told the worried animals. Once he had pocketed the money, he told them to go looking for their missing things in places like high mountain tops, muddy pools and dense woods that could not be reached very easily. Unable to locate their small objects in such places, the animals would soon get fed up and abandon their search. And before they could return, Wily Wolf would disappear conveniently.
“Ah! How easy it is to cheat these simple animals!” he would laugh and say. “They are so gullible!”
One day, Wily Wolf received a message from King Sher Singh. King Sher Singh had heard about Wily’s powers and wanted his help.
“Oh no! I’m doomed now!” Wily Wolf said, panicking. “King Sher Singh isn’t someone who will be conned easily. I won’t be able to escape this time.”
Wily Wolf trembled as he entered King Sher Singh’s palace.
More From Champak: Do Good and have Good
“I need your help,” King Sher Singh told Wily Wolf. “Since the past few days, small things like pens and silver spoons and forks have suddenly started disappearing from my palace. And today, the thief has grown bolder. He has stolen my wristwatch and a bunch of keys that I had left on the garden table.”
Wily Wolf nodded respectfully as King Sher Singh went on. He didn’t want him to guess how nervous he was.
King Sher Singh then said, “O Finder of Lost Things, the missing bunch of keys contains the keys to my safe. I am worried that the thief might open my safe and steal some of my priceless treasures. Can you use your powers and tell me where the keys are?”
Wily Wolf didn’t know what to do or say.
“I need some time,” he finally said, hoping to buy some time. “I must go home and chant some hymns before the answer to this great mystery comes to me.”
“All right,” King Sher Singh said. “Take your time. If you do solve the mystery of the missing keys, I’ll confer the title of ‘The Royal Finder of Lost Things’ on you, and also reward you with a gold medal.”
Wily Wolf nodded even though he was terrified. He then returned to his house and worried all along the way. “Oh no,” he said to himself. “How am I going to solve the mystery? I have fooled the simple animals successfully but King Sher Singh won’t fall for my tricks!”
Wily Wolf stayed at home for the rest of the day, wondering what he would do, when he suddenly heard his son Smiley Wolf enter the house. “Waaah!” Smiley Wolf wailed. “My doll is gone! I was playing with it under the tamarind tree when a strange-looking bird swooped down and picked it up with its beak. It then took it to its nest on the tree!”
Smiley Wolf pounded his fists on a table. “Father!” he wept. “I want my doll back from that bird! Waaah!” Wily Wolf’s wife entered the room. “That bird must be the magpie who has built its nest on the tamarind tree. Don’t you know that I never keep small things outside the house? The magpie always carries them away,” she said.
“Is that so?” Wilf Wolf said and jumped up. He rubbed his hands gleefully and said, “I have solved the mystery then! I’ve found King Sher Singh’s thief!” Both Smiley Wolf and Wily Wolf’s wife looked surprised.
“Well, yes!” Wily Wolf said, running out of the house. “Show me where its nest is! I’m sure I’ll find King Sher Singh’s bunch of keys there!” Wily Wolf then told his son and wife that magpies were attracted to shiny objects. “They are known for carrying away small and shiny things from nearby houses. They like to keep them in their nests,” he explained. “I’m sure that the magpie on the tamarind tree has taken King Sher Singh’s bunch of keys too.”
Wily Wolf then quickly climbed up the tree. He peeped into the magpie’s nest and saw that it was full of shiny objects like toys, glass pieces, jewellery, pens, spoons, forks and pins. And yes, there was a bunch of keys there too.
Wily Wolf got down and ran to King Sher Singh’s palace. “King Sher Singh! I have your answer!” he said trying not to sound very excited. “Your keys are in a nest on a tamarind tree not far away from here.”
“Is that so?” King Sher Singh asked. He then ordered his servants to find the tamarind tree and bring the nest to him.
The servants did as told and King Sher Singh was shocked when he peeped into the nest. “The bunch of keys is indeed here!” he said, looking very astonished. “Wily Wolf, you really are incredible! And I’m rewarding you, as I promised, with the title of ‘The Royal Finder of Lost Things’. I’m also giving you a gold medal and several thousand rupees!”
Wily Wolf managed to smile even though he was still feeling very nervous. “Thank you,” he said, bowing to King Sher Singh and accepted his rewards.
“I’ve had a stroke of good luck today,” he muttered as he walked home that day. “But I better give up fooling the animals and do some honest work instead. I’d rather work hard than get myself into a situation like this again!”
Bony Monkey’s Stupendous Act
There had been no rain in Champakvan for many days. The forest that was
once lush and green was now turning dry and barren. All the animals were anxious as the resources of food and water were dwindling with every passing day.
Bony Monkey was oblivious to everything that was happening around him. He was engrossed with his inventions in a cave. Just a few days ago, he had made some pillows by tying dry leaves on a curved branch. Bony’s pillows were selling like hot cakes. The older animals of the jungle felt comfortable after keeping them under their heads while sleeping at night. They had agreed to pay Bony Monkey in kind and promised to give him something to eat in return for the
pillows that gave them a good night’s sleep.
It was Bony Monkey too, who had invented a vehicle a few years ago, by using a wooden board and wheels. This vehicle had become very popular in the jungle. The animals had preferred to use it as it saved a lot of their time. But then a few mishaps had occurred and some of the animals had found themselves falling off the vehicle. And so, there were many apprehensions about using Bony’s vehicle now. Kalu Bear still used the vehicle. But he still had trouble balancing himself on it and often fell down. He would then have many negative things to say about
Bony Monkey.
And today, Hariyala Deer was feeling on top of the world, thanks to another one of Bony Monkey’s unique inventions. Well just today, Bony had fixed a pair of wings on Hariyala Deer’s back because the deer wished to visit his friend Sundar Crow’s nest that was on top of a tree. However, this deal had proved to be quite expensive for Hariyala Deer as he had promised to give Bony an entire month’s
supply of fresh fruits in return.
Hariyala Deer and his friend Sundar Crow had worked very hard for this day. They had collected feathers for many months. Sundar Crow would fly and search for feathers that the birds had dropped. He would pick them up carefully and give them to Hariyala Deer to take to Bony Monkey.
Bony Monkey would reject the feathers if he didn’t think them good enough for the wings, but Hariyala Deer and Sundar Crow wouldn’t lose their patience. They would look for more feathers and take them back to Bony Monkey.
And finally today, their patience and hard work had paid off.
Hariyala Deer was looking forward to his flight. Once he flew to the nest, he would be able to see Sundar’s three chicks and also have the opportunity to meet his wife, Sundari.
For the first few days, Hariyala Deer had taken fresh fruits to Bony Monkey as
promised. But today, he noticed that as the trees and plants were drying up, he couldn’t find anything to take to Bony Monkey.
Sundar Crow helped him look for the fruits, and even though they tried very hard, they found nothing.
When they were coming back after a long and futile search, they saw Bony Monkey walking towards them. Hariyala Deer was surprised to see Bony Monkey walking in the forest.
“What are you doing outside your cave today, Bony Monkey?” Hariyala Deer asked. “You hardly come out!”
“I was looking for you,” Bony Monkey said in a loud voice. “Where is my remuneration?
You haven’t brought me a single fruit today.” Hariyala Deer didn’t know what to say. “Umm…well…actually…” he started to say, feeling quite embarrassed.
“Are you trying to make excuses?” Bony Monkey said furiously. “Where are my
fruits?”
“Bony,” Sundar Crow said politely, hoping Bony Monkey would calm down. “Please climb to a tree trop and look around. You will see how bad the situation in our forest is. There are hardly any fruits growing on the trees of Champakvan right now. We haven’t had any rainfall of late. You probably haven’t realised that since you hardly come out of your cave.”
“Is that so?” Bony Monkey asked, looking astonished. He then went back to his cave and brought out another one of his inventions. It was a long rope that had a
basket tied to one of its end. Bony Monkey put the rope around a tree and then sat in the basket. He asked Hariyala Deer to pull the rope.
As Hariyala Deer pulled the rope, Bony went higher and higher and finally reached the tree top without having to climb a single branch.
He then looked around and said, “Well, you are right! There are hardly any
fruits growing on the trees of our forest!”
Bony Monkey then looked up towards the sky and said, “I will make a very big basket. A gigantic one. All the animals of Champakvan will fit in it. We will use it to fly in the sky. We all will then go and live on the moon. The moon shines like a pearl. There must be water and lush green forests on it for sure. We will have plenty to eat there.”
News of Bony Monkey’s idea spread through the forest like wild fire. All the animals and birds gathered outside Bony Monkey’s cave with their families. They all wanted to go to the moon. Bony Monkey gave them tokens with numbers and told them that he would take at least two months to build his basket. He then went into his cave and began preparations.
“I have assured everyone that I’ll take them to the moon,” he told himself as he gazed at the moon that night and scratched his head. “But how will I fulfill my promise?”
Soon, all the animals and birds of Champakvan helped Bony Monkey make a gigantic basket. They covered its upper portion with wood and leaves. Jumbo Elephant even painted the basket with his trunk. Bony Monkey called Jumbo Elephant aside and advised him to lose weight, so that his weight wouldn’t cause any trouble during their flight. Jumbo Elephant’s family too began taking brisk walks daily to lose weight.
Soon, the gigantic basket was ready. “The basket is ready but how do I make it fly?” Bony wondered. He then snapped his fingers and smiled.
“I have an idea!” he said enthusiastically. “How about fixing wings on this basket?” He called all the animals and birds and said, “Collect as many feathers as you can! And the birds can help us fly the basket too. To our destination—the moon!” He then went into his cave, scratching his head.
Bony Monkey had planned to take the basket to the moon with the help of wings.
But the truth was that he was not very sure about his idea. While he was thinking of what he would really do, he saw the tea kettle boiling on the stove. Bony Monkey noticed that the kettle had become very hot and that there was steam coming out of it. He saw that the lid of the kettle was moving upwards because of the steam.
Bony Monkey clapped his hands and jumped excitedly. “Yesssssssss!” he shouted.
“Fire, steam and heat will do the trick!”
The next day itself, he had the basket cut in the middle and made arrangements for steam to be made there. The basket was then covered from the top completely, so that the wind wouldn’t change its temperature. It was also opened from below, so that the heat didn’t reach the animals.
Finally, the day everyone was waiting for arrived. All the animals and birds of the forest climbed into the gigantic basket. Sundar Crow, his wife Sundari and their three chicks also sat inside the basket.
The basket rose high in the air when it received heat and steam from below. Even the birds did their bit to help raise it in the air.
The joy of all the animals and birds in the basket knew no bounds. They were finally flying high in the air! And they were finally on their way to the moon!
They waved goodbye to all the other animals who were left behind, and hoped that they would reach the moon by the nightfall.
Suddenly, a storm started blowing. The strong winds put the fire beneath the basket out. Bony Monkey tried his level best to navigate the basket through the storm, but nothing could be done. The moon still wasn’t anywhere in sight. But the animals still hoped that they would reach it soon.
And then to their great horror, the storm pulled the basket along with it.
To everyone’s disappointment, the basket hit the peak of a tall mountain and tumbled down. All the animals and birds panicked and were now only concerned about the lives of their families and friends.
The next morning, they found Bony Monkey lying unconscious. All the animals
and birds gathered around him and helped him regain his consciousness. When Bony Monkey finally came around, he began crying, “Oh! What a foolish thing I’ve done! I’ve brought you all far away from Champakvan! We didn’t even go close to the moon.” Sundar Crow smiled and consoled Bony Monkey.
“Bony,” he said. “What you did wasn’t foolish but stupendous. Look
around! There is a river flowing nearby! The forest is lush and green here! And there is plenty of food too!”
Hariyala Deer patted Bony Monkey’s shoulder and said, “And guess what? The
best part is that we are still in Champakvan! We are on the other side of the mountain— the other part of the forest we were always afraid of going to!”
“Is that so?” Bony Monkey asked, looking around. “Yes!” said Sundar Crow. “But we are no longer afraid of this part as we now know that there is nothing to be scared of here! Who knows how things would have been on moon?”
“That’s correct!” Hariyala Deer said. “Whatever has happened, has happened for
the best.” All the animals clapped their hangs and cheered for Bony Monkey.
“Well done, Bony Monkey!” they shouted happily. “Thank you for bringing us here!”
Bony Monkey sat under a tree. He couldn’t believe what had happened. When he
gathered his wits, he called out to Hariyala Deer and said, “Well, I have brought you all here in my gigantic basket, haven’t I? Where is my remuneration?”
All the animals and birds laughed. “Bony Monkey,” they said. “This part of the forest will be lush for a long, long time! Don’t worry! We will bring you fruits for as long as we live!”
Bony Monkey smiled. He was glad that he had brought all his friends—even though by accident— to a part of the forest they would happily live and prosper in.
Schools can be fun
School can be fun if you want it to be,
So much more interesting for you and me.
Science, maths, history, so much to choose from,
It keeps us engrossed night and morn!
Why should we be bored? There is a lot to know
Very interesting things to learn about, so let’s go!
Think of those who can’t go to school,
They are many in number, not very few.
So all the benefits of learning, we should reap,
As through each stage of life we leap.
School can be fun if you want it to be,
So much more interesting for you and to me.
Aditi Saxena 12 years, Agra
Jasvi Srivastava
Anay Bhatnagar
Word Game
Adventure room
Suzanne sat in her room,
With her snow globe and strewn toys,
Playing a game of solitaire.
She saw her socks, schoolbag and sweater,
And felt the weather couldn’t have been better.
She sported her spectacles,
And slipped on her shoes,
And out she skipped into the sun-lit afternoon
Reach The Island
Marvellous Marvellous Aunt Maneka
Q. While eating, how do herbivorous animals recognize the poisonous plants from nonpoisonous plants?
-Loehith Gokul, 9 years, Atlanta
A: Dear Loehith, Herbivores learn by watching their mothers and other group members eating. They must continuously taste food, even to that food to which they are used to because the nutrition’s and toxicity of plants change frequently. If the food does not cause the animal to feel ill, then they will continue eating the plant. For instance, deer and antelope always nibble a tiny part of a plant, then pause, and then continue to eat it if it is not poisonous. As poisonous plants are usually bitter, herbivores discover them in the first nibble and move on. This way they learn which plants are the best to eat. Elephants need a wide variety of foods to get all the nutrients. All elephants grow up in a herd and – learn what to eat and what can’t be eaten from their elders. They also learn where to go at what time of year to find certain foods. They also dig up minerals from the ground in order to supplement their diet.
Q. What food can I give to the squirrels living near my house?
Rishika Agarwal, 11 years, Ranchi
A: Squirrels love peanuts, corn, carrot pieces, apples, seeds, any fruit, even small pieces of roti and cooked rice. You should give them food at the same time and place every day as all animals are creatures of habit and get used to a specific schedule. Don’t go near them. Just leave the food for them and observe from a distance.
Scientist Dolly & Damru
King of the Muck
Cheeku was a naughty rabbit. He lived in Champakvan. He played the whole day. He spent the day eating juicy, red carrots. He had become round and chubby. Whenever Baddy the fox saw him, he felt tempted to eat Cheeku.
However, Cheeku knew that Baddy wanted to eat him. Therefore, he stayed away from him. Cheeku spent most of his time hiding in the bushes or playing.
One day, Cheeku was sitting near a mucky pond. He was happily enjoying carrots when he saw Baddy coming towards him. He did not have enough time to escape. So he thought of an alternate plan.
He entered the mucky pond. He covered himself with muck. He applied dirt to his entire body and face. His entire body, except his eyes, was muddy. He looked like a brown lump with red eyes. Instead of running away, he sat in a corner of the mucky pond.
Just then Baddy arrived. He felt that Cheeku was around. He searched for Cheeku in the bushes. However he couldn’t find him. He did not have the slightest idea that Cheeku was hiding in the pond.
Cheeku thought that Baddy would go away as he had not found him in the bushes. However, Baddy came towards the pond. He was thirsty. He wanted to quench his thirst. Cheeku got scared knowing that if Baddy found him, he would definitely kill him.
Cheeku was a smart fellow. He never gave up easily. He started thinking about what he should do next.
He shouted at Baddy, “You strange animal! Who are you? How dare you come near my pond to drink water? Don’t you know who I am?”
Baddy gazed around. He realised that the sound was coming from a small creature that was half sunk inside the pond. Its eyes were a dangerous red in color. He was stunned to see such a weird creature talking to him.
No one had ever spoken to him in such a manner.
Baddy replied in a nervous tone, “Sir, I have come to drink water from this pond. I was totally unaware that you own this pond. I have never seen you before. May I please drink water from your pond?”
“No,” said Cheeku. He added, “You can drink water from my pond on one condition.”
Baddy was very thirsty. He couldn’t wait to go elsewhere to drink water. He said, “What is the condition, Sir?”
Cheeku said, “I don’t know who you are, but let me introduce myself. I am the King of Muck.”
Baddy became nervous when he heard the word ‘King’. He had seen the Lion who is the king of the jungle. However, he had never heard of the King of Muck. He was surprised to meet another king. He thought that a Lion staying in muck is known as the King of Muck’.
Baddy was deep in thought.
Suddenly Cheeku shouted, “Listen to me carefully. I ate a big fat rabbit a while ago. However, I am not satisfied with it. I did not like its taste.”
Baddy was now very frightened. He was sure that this king had eaten Cheeku since he was around a while ago. He was surprised that he did not like the taste of a rabbit.
He said, “Sir. Rabbits are very tasty. How come you did not like its taste?”
Cheeku replied, “My brother, who stays in the jungle, had come to meet me yesterday. He brought a few pieces of fox’s meat for me. That meat was so delicious. After eating that meat, I don’t like any other type of flesh.”
Hearing this, a chill ran down Baddy’s spine. He started shivering in fear. He thought that if the King of Muck realised that he was a Fox, then he would get killed. He started thinking of ways to escape from there.
“I want to eat a fox,” said Cheeku. “There might be foxes in this forest. You have to get me and my friends a few foxes. I want to treat my friends. They will arrive in a couple of minutes. You can drink water from my pond only after you get me some foxes.”
By now, Baddy was sweating and trembling. He thought that if the king’s friends came to the pond they might recognise him. Then, they would tear him apart and feast on him. He realised that it was thus best to run away from the pond at the earliest.
Baddy said, “Sir, there are a lot of foxes in this jungle. I shall quickly go and fetch a few for you and your friends. I will be right back with some delicious food for you.”
He began to walk away.
Cheeku said, “I am not in a hurry at all. Tell me your name before you leave.” Baddy replied, “I do not have that much time, Sir. First, let me get some foxes for you. Then, I will sit and chat with you.” Baddy ran away never to return. Cheeku laughed at Baddy’s foolishness. He walked to the nearest river. He washed his body and removed all the muck and dirt.
Cheeku now breathed a sigh of relief. He felt proud of his intellect as it helped him get to rid of Baddy.
Happy Garden
Sunny was an adorable little flower. He grew in a tiny pot in a garden at Gulbaug. Being the youngest flower, he was loved by all the other flowers and plants. They pampered him like a baby. They took utmost care of him.
The Jamun tree would bend down to caress and cuddle Sunny gently. The Gulmohar tree would shower him gently with its flowers.
At bedtime the old Banyan tree narrated stories to put him to sleep.
Sunny was a cheerful flower. He was always smiling. He spread his fragrance throughout the garden. He used to enjoy the monsoons. He would dance and sing along with the plants. Sometimes he spoke to the sparrows that sat on the nearby trees. He giggled and laughed at their jokes. The sparrows told him stories of the world outside the garden. Everyone adored him in their own way.
The bees were also fond of Sunny. They sat on his delicate petals and sang sweet songs. Champu the Bear owned the garden. He also loved Sunny.
He pampered him whenever he came to water the plants. Sunny was happy. He enjoyed the attention paid to him to the fullest.
One morning, Sunny opened his eyes to the warm sun rays. He looked around.
He found a small bud on a nearby plant. It seemed to be asleep. A thought struck his mind. He became upset. He was sad when he realised that he would no longer be the youngest anymore. He felt that everyone would start loving the new flower. They would now pay less attention to him. The affection that he previously got would now be divided once the new bud bloomed into a flower.
After a while, the news of the new bud spread throughout the garden. The entire garden was seen to be in a celebratory mood. Preparations for its arrival began in full swing. When a new bud was about to bloom in the garden there usually was a grand celebration. Everyone was happy to welcome the new guest.
The Banyan tree specially invited a cuckoo who sang a song for the newcomer. The leaves clapped aloud.
The bees sang in chorus. The squirrels performed an entertaining dance. Everyone showered their love on the bud. They waited for it to bloom into a beautiful flower.
Sunny was not happy with the attention that the new bud was getting. However, he still managed to be a part of the celebrations. Although he was cared for by others, he felt jealous of the new bud. Jolly flower was his best friend. He understood what was going on in Sunny’s mind. Jolly immediately went to the Banyan tree and told him everything.
The Banyan tree thought for a while. He sent a signal to all the plants and trees. They got the message. They gathered around Sunny. They began patting, cuddling and kissing him.
The Banyan tree affectionately said, “Son, all of us love you. Our love for you shall not reduce on the arrival of the new flower.”
The Guava tree said, “The new bud is very tiny and delicate. Therefore it needs lots of care. This doesn’t mean that we will not care for you.”
Jolly stepped forward and said, “Before you were born, I was the youngest flower in this Garden. Your arrival did not make me sad. I was happy thinking that I would have a companion to play with.” The green grass added, “Young ones need care and affection. It feels good to love and to be loved. You will surely adore the new flower when it blooms.”
All these words brought a wide smile on Sunny’s face. He understood that his thinking had been wrong. He was convinced that he would always be important to everyone.
He embraced the Banyan tree. He said, “You are so nice. You love me so much. I was unnecessarily feeling sad and insecure.”
He then turned to the other plants and said, “I love all of you. Now, even I am eager to see the new bud bloom.”|
Sunny looked at the bud and smiled. The bud seemed to be smiling back at him. A smile spread on everyone’s face. The Gulmohar tree showered its flowers on Sunny. Once again, the garden was filled with joy and happiness.
MAKE A PARACHUTE
Stuff
- Plastic cover/ bag
- String
- Scissors
- Scotch tape
- Your favourite action figure (should not be too big) or a small stone
Do
1. Using a large circular lid or any circular object, trace a circle on the plastic cover and cut it out.
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2. Mark eight points along the edge of the circle as shown. The points should be equally spaced.
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3. Take eight strings of equal length (each about 50 cms long). Stick one end of each string to the markings on the circle.
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4. Tie all the loose ends of the strings into a knot and attach it to your action figure or stone using tape.
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See
When you drop the action figure or stone from a height, it lands gently on the ground as the parachute opens up and slows down the fall.
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Think about
How does the parachute slow the fall?
An object falls because the force of gravity pulls it down towards the ground. When the parachute attached to the object opens up, its surface area increases. Thus, it traps a large amount of air under it, which offers resistance to the falling object. Now, there are two forces that are acting on the object: gravity and air resistance it is similar to someone trying to you push you back when you are trying to move forward). The air resistance caused by the air trapped under the parachute is greater than the gravity acting on the object, and hence the fall is slowed down.
Let’s Find Out
What are the uses of a parachute?
A parachute is used to slow down the jump of people or fall of things from heights, ensuring they can land safely: soldiers use parachutes to land safely after jumping off planes; fighter jets use parachutes to slow themselves down after they land on aircraft carriers; packets of food and medicines are tied to parachutes and dropped from planes into areas affected by natural disasters.
Wee Willie Winkey
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Rhyme: Wee Willie Winkey
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs in his nightgown,
Tapping at the window and crying through the lock,
Are all the children in their beds, it’s past eight o’clock?
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WHEELS ON ROAD
Blooming Butterfly
Hearty Laughter
Jumpy Monky: How did the barber win the race?
Henry Hen: He knew a short cut.
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Meeku: Why did the boy bring a ladder to school?
Foxy Fox: Because he wanted to go to high school.
Dadaji and Ghariyal
TELEPATHIC BABA
Rani Deer and Soni Deer were the best of friends. They were neighbours too, since their homes were right next to each other.
Soni Deer was a tailor. She made a living by stitching the clothes for the animals who lived in the forest. Rani Deer was a schoolteacher. She was happy to teach the young animals who studied in the forest school.
Soni Deer was very superstitious. She believed in rituals and would spend all her free time performing rituals. Well, she had been having some tough times lately. The heavy rains that lashed the forest every monsoon, had damaged the roof of her house and made it leak. The house was drenched, and Soni Deer had to stay in Rani Deer’s house, and also pay the repairmen a huge amount of money to repair her roof.
When Soni Deer finally went home, she found that her sewing machine had stopped working. She had to pay a lot of money to repair it, and was out of work for many days.
Soon after that, she had a fall while running to the market, and hurt one of her legs.
One day, Soni Deer saw an old man with a long beard standing outside the house.
“This house has a spirit hovering above it,” the old man shouted. “It is a very evil one! It is causing trouble for the house owner!”
Soni Deer was flabbergasted.
“I’ve had so much trouble of late,” Soni Deer thought. “This old man must be right! He must be a seer and can probably see an evil spirit hovering above my house!”
Soni Deer called out to the old man and asked, “How do you know this, Baba? Are you a seer?”
The old man closed his eyes, and looked like he was lost in thought. He opened them a few minutes later. Soni Deer gasped. The old man’s eyes were flaming red.
“I can see the evil spirit that’s troubling you right now,” the old man shouted. “He has broken your roof and has also made you fall down. I think he has meddled with your sewing machine too. He is very evil and wants to cause more trouble for you!”
Soni Deer’s jaw dropped. Her eyes grew wide. She believed every word of what the old man was saying. “He definitely must be a great seer!” she thought.
“Baba,” Soni Deer then said. “Please tell me how I can protect myself from this evil spirit who wants to harm me!”
“Well, I can help you if you like,” the old man said. “I can come back after two days and perform a ritual. It will take a few hours to complete. But be assured that it will drive the evil spirit faraway from your house.”
Soni Deer trusted the old man. “He will drive the evil spirit away and solve all my problems,” she thought.
“Baba, let’s perform this ritual,” she told the old man eagerly.
“Please tell me what you will require.”
The old man gave Soni Deer a list of things that she needed to buy. He then told her that he would come back to perform the ritual after two days.
As soon as the old man left, Soni Deer ran to Rani Deer’s house. She told her about the old man and the ritual that he would perform to drive the evil spirit away.
But to her great disappointment, Rani Deer grew very upset and scolded Soni Deer harshly. “Soni, since when have you become so foolish?” Rani Deer shouted. “How can you believe this old man, huh? He must be a conman who’s trying to cheat you! There are no such things as evil spirits! You’ve just been having some bad days! We all have them at sometime or the other!”
Soni Deer was not convinced. “If the old man was a conman, how did he know about my troubles?” she asked.
Rani Deer shook her head and replied, “Everyone in the forest knows about your leaking roof, your sewing machine, and your fall. It’s a small forest and news spreads easily. The old man must have heard about you from someone you both know. Please listen to me and stay away from him.”
But Soni Deer didn’t listen to her friend. “Well, there’s no harm in performing a small ritual, is there?” she said and stormed out of Rani Deer’s house.
Rani Deer realised that it was useless to say anything more to her friend. She decided that she would secretly keep an eye on the old man when he went to Soni Deer’s house next.
After two days, the old man knocked on Soni’ Deer’s door. Soni Deer was very happy to see him. She invited him in to perform the ritual.
“Eat this,” the old man told Soni and gave her some food to eat. “It is part of the ritual!”
Soni Deer respectfully ate what she was given. She was convinced that the old man was her well-wisher, and that he would drive the evil spirit away from her house. She sat down as the old man began the ritual, and hoped that all her troubles would soon be over.
Suddenly, Soni Deer felt as though the world around her was spinning. “Unhh!” she cried. “Why am I feeling so giddy?”
“Don’t worry,” the old man said. “The evil spirit is leaving your house. That’s why you’re feeling uneasy.”
“Oh!” Soni Deer said, believing the old man.Little did Soni Deer know, that the old man, was young Nakul Jackal in disguise. He was a notorious conman who wanted to steal the money and gold that Soni Deer had in her house. Or that she was feeling giddy, because Nakul Jackal had mixed a sedative in the food that he had given her to eat.
Soni Deer found herself feeling drowsy, and in no time, she fell fast asleep. Nakul Jackal laughed when he saw Soni Deer sleeping. He quickly gathered all the money and gold he found in the house.
“I’ll leave before she wakes up,” he said, running towards the door. But the moment Nakul Jackal opened the door, he found Inspector Matru Bear standing in front of him.
Inspector Matru Bear handcuffed Nakul Jackal immediately. Rani Deer then rushed into the house with Dr. Appu Elephant, and ran towards her friend.
When Soni Deer woke up, Rani Deer told her what had happened. Soni Deer cried and held her friend’s hand.
“You saved me, my dear friend,” Soni said gratefully. “Had you not alerted the police, Nakul Jackal would have surely stolen all my gold and hard-earned money. But tell me, how did you suspect that he was a conman?”
Rani Deer replied, “Well, I stood outside your house to watch what was happening. When I heard you say that you were feeling giddy, I realised that something was very wrong. And so, I ran to alert the police and call the doctor. Inspector Matru Bear guessed that the old man was Nakul Jackal in disguise, since he is notorious for playing such tricks.”
“I have learnt my lesson,” Soni Deer said. “I won’t believe in evil sprits from now on. Or old men who claim that they are seers and can perform rituals. I’ll accept the bad days of life gracefully, for I know that they will be followed by good days!”
Rani Deer smiled. She was glad that her friend wouldn’t fall for a conman’s tricks ever again.
Astute Son-in-law
Many years ago, there lived a wealthy minister in China. He had a young daughter whose name was Fu Ya. Fu Ya was a beautiful and intelligent girl. She loved and respected her father very much. The minister loved his daughter too and always wanted the best for her.
When Fu Ya grew up, the minister started looking for an eligible groom for her to marry. The minister wanted his son-in-law to be an affluent man, so that his daughter could lead the comfortable life she was used to, even after marriage. He shortlisted many wealthy young men and asked Fu Ya to select one of them.
But to his great disappointment, Fu Ya refused to marry any of the young men her father had selected. The reason was that Fu Ya was in love with another young man. His name was Chin Lee. Chin Lee was a bright and intelligent fellow. He was hard-working, friendly and pleasant natured too. But he belonged to family that wasn’t very wealthy.
When Fu Ya told her father about Chin Lee, the minister grew unhappy.
“Fu Ya, my dear child,” he said. “You will not be happy if you marry a man who isn’t wealthy like us. He has a small house and he won’t be able to give you a comfortable life.”
Fu Ya tried to explain her point of view to her father.
“Father,” she said respectfully. “Intelligence and hard work can help anyone grow rich. I love Chin Lee. And I know that he isn’t rich today. But I’m sure he will soon be with his intelligence and hard work.”
The minister wasn’t convinced. He thought differently but at the same time, didn’t want to see his only daughter unhappy with a man she didn’t love.
The minister thought for a long time and then said, “Alright, Fu Ya. Let me see if Chin Lee is as bright and intelligent as you say. If he brings me the two gifts that I ask for, I will willingly give my consent to your marriage and accept him as my son-in-law.”
“What is it that you want Chin Lee to bring you?” Fu Ya asked in a soft voice.
The minister replied, “Go and tell Chin Lee that I want him to bring me two things as gifts. They are fire and air. But also tell him that I don’t want them as they are. I want them both to be brought to me wrapped inside paper.”
Fu Ya was shocked. “Fire and air inside paper? That sounds impossible!” she said. “Father, how can anyone wrap fire in paper? The paper will surely burn! And how can anyone bring air in paper too?”
“Well, Fu Ya,” the minister said. “If Chin Lee is as bright and intelligent as you say, he will surely know what to do. If he doesn’t bring me these gifts, you will have to bid him farewell and marry a man of my choice.”
“Yes,” Fu Ya said and bowed obediently.
That evening, Fu Ya went to convey her father’s odd request to Chin Lee.
Chin Lee listened calmly.
He thought for a long while and then said, “Don’t worry, Fu Ya. Go back to your father and ask him to give me a day’s time. I will bring him the gifts as soon as I can.”
The minister readily gave Chin Lee a day though he doubted his capabilities.
Chin Lee loved Fu Ya deeply. He didn’t want to lose her. And so, he kept awake all night thinking about the minister’s strange request.
The next evening, the minister saw a young man walk in to his house. He was carrying a lantern made of coloured paper. There was a small candle lit inside the lantern.
“I’m Chin Lee,” Chin Lee said and bowed respectfully. “I have brought what you asked for. Here’s fire inside paper, just as you asked for.”
The minister nodded and took the lantern from Chin Lee.
“What about the other gift I asked for?” he then asked.
Chin Lee promptly took a fan made out of paper from his pocket. He spread it open and began fanning the minister with it.
“Here’s air in paper!” he smiled and said. “Your other gift!”
The minister laughed and put his arm around Chin Lee. He was very happy. He realised that Chin Lee was the best suitor his daughter could ever have.
He immediately called Fu Ya out of her room and gave her hand in Chin Lee’s.
“You have my consent for your marriage.” the minister then said.
Fu Ya and Chin Lee were married the following week. Chin Lee worked hard and soon became a very wealthy man.
He bought a big house right next to the minister’s house and gave Fu Ya all the comforts that she was used to.
The minister was very happy. His daughter was leading the best possible life she could ever have. “What an intelligent son-in-law I have!” the minister said every time he saw Fu Ya and Chin Lee sitting in their garden.
