LEGEND OF THE SLEEPING UTE MOUNTAIN

In the very old days, the Sleeping Ute Mountain was a Great Warrior God. He came to help fight against the Evil Ones who were causing much trouble. A tremendous battle between the Great Warrior God and the Evil Ones followed. As they stepped hard upon the earth and braced themselves to fight, their feet pushed the land into mountains and valleys. This is how the country of this region came to be as it is today. The Great Warrior God was hurt, so he lay down to rest and fell into a deep sleep. The blood from his wound turned into living water for all creatures to drink. When the fog or clouds settle over the Sleeping Warrior God, it is a sign that he is changing his blankets for the four seasons. When the Indians see the light green blanket over their "God", they know it is spring. The dark green blanket is summer, the yellow and red one is fall, and the white one is winter. The Indians believe that when the clouds gather on the highest peak, the Warrior God is pleased with his people and is letting rain clouds slip from his pockets. They also believe that the Great Warrior God will rise again to help them in the fight against their enemies.

THE SKY PEOPLE

Hundreds of years ago, long after the cliff dwellers left their canyon top and cliff dwellings, native people cane from the south into the vast area we call Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. These people, now known as Utes, lives here long before the Spanish explorers arrived with their large expeditions and herds of horses. The Ute families, bands, and encampments were spread out across this large area. Their customs were very similar and all spoke the same language even though they didn't often see each other. The Utes believed that the mountains were put there by Manitou. He was the Great Spirit who lived all alone in the center of the sky. He grew lonesome and wanted to create something new so he made a hole in the sky and swept all the stones and dirt from the sky's floor through the hole. Manitou looked down and saw the great mountains he had made from the dirt and rocks. Some of the dirt became the rolling plains that stretched as far as he could see. He was so pleased with his landscape that he poured down snow and rain to make the earth more beautiful. Manitou created the trees, flowers and finally the Ute Indians to live in this new world. The Utes believe that Manitou had also made all of the animals as well as the birds. It is said he made the birds by taking handfuls of leaves and throwing them in the air. Then the leaves became birds and flew away. But the worst thing of all happened. The animals soon began to fight and kill each other and that made Manitou mad, so he created the strongest animal to rule over all the others to see that they lived in peace. This was the grizzly bear, the king of all beasts.

THE MOUNTAINS, THE LAND, AND THE ANIMALS

The Utes have many trails through the steep mountain passes that they used when the seasons changed. They traveled to the land where the weather and the climate would provide food and game for their large families. In the spring and summer, the Utes traveled by foot to the mountain valleys where they could grow corn, harvest wild onions, and pick good berries. During the warmer seasons, they would fish the swift clear streams, and hunt the game to feed their families through the long winters. The Utes dried the meat of the wild game that made it easy to carry from camp to camp and to use it later in the year. On the narrow ledges, steep cliffs, and mountain peaks high above timberline lived the bighorn sheep. On the sides of the beautiful pine covered mountains, the elk, deer, and mountain lion lived. Antelope, deer, rabbits, and beavers lived below in the valleys and parks. After the Utes acquired the horse from the Spanish explorers, they hunted the plains to the east for buffalo.

LIFE IN EARLY TIMES

Life was very hard for the Ute people; they did not grow corn and squash in large fields like the ancient cliff dwellers. Their food came mostly from the wild animals that they hunted and from plants and berries that they gathered. The Utes spent much of the year moving from place to place looking for food. When the high mountain passes became covered with drifts of snow, the Utes left the mountains to look for food in the valleys and hills, and sometime even traveled east to hunt on the plains. Before Utes had horses, moving from camp to camp during the winter was hard work. The only way to carry their possessions was on their backs. When the new camp was set up, the men hunted while the women looked for plants and berries. They did not always find enough food to eat. The Ute bands were often hungry during the long winters of the Colorado high desert plateau. During these hard times, the families often traveled alone. Each family had its own favorite trails down through the mountains with its own hidden berry patches and hunting grounds. Ute families were larger then than most families of today; besides the father, mother, and children, there would be at least one pair of the children's grandparents and maybe an aunt and uncle along with their children and some adopted cousins. A family of this size was very useful. The grandparents could take care of the children while the fathers hunted the mothers looked for berries, onions, and other types of food. It was important to have the grandparents living with the family. The Utes believed that the grandparents were the wisest of the elders and could teach

their children the ways of the Ute people. At mealtime, the oldest person of the family was the first to be served. To take a drink before an older person did so or speak before he did was considered to be bad manners. When it was time to move camp, it was the grandfather who would say, "We must go on the next place. There is no more food here." Camp life was good for the children. Their grandparents spent all day watching them play and often spoiled them. Ute parents did not believe in spanking their children when they ere bad. they thought it was enough to warn them that an evil spirit would come to get them if they misbehaved. After all, in that hard life, they would not be children long. Everyone know that the young children would soon begin to help the family. From the time a Ute girl was very young, her grandmother would teach her how to search for food and help her mother. Some of the chores for the little girls were to dig roots, find berries, and gather wood for the fire. The boys would learn, usually from an uncle or grandfather, how to hunt deer and antelope or clear a new campground for the teepees. By the time the children were fourteen or fifteen, they could do most of the work a grown-up could do.

A HORSE RAID

After many days traveling, a Ute war party would find a Cheyenne, Comanche, or other tribal village with a lot of horsed. The Utes would rush in and chase off as many horses as they could. When the Indians of the village came after them, they would try to get away as fast as they could, but sometimes they would have to stop and fight with their bows and arrows. If the Utes killed an enemy, they would scalp him take his bow and arrows and his clothes. Sometimes they would return from a raid with many things they could use besides horses. When they arrived back in camp after a big raid, many people would dome to meet them. After a raid or hunt, the Utes would give away what they did not need. They gave horses and clothing to the Indians who were poor. After a hunt, anyone could send a child over when fresh meat was brought in. He would sit down to wait and not say a word. Everyone knew what the child had come for. A Ute hunter always gave meat to those who need it. Someday that hunter might need something, too. If a man gave away many horses and much meat, he might be asked to be Chief someday. It meant that he could take care of his people. As the Utes got more and more horses, their way of life began to change. They hunted buffalo on the plains and had plenty to eat. With more food they could live with their other families of their band in a big camp all year long. Sometimes these camps spread out for half a mile along a river or stream. Life was no longer so lonesome during the long winters. They also had warm buffalo robes to wear and strong

buffalo hides for covering their teepees. The Utes also found a better way to get horses. With fast horses of their own, they could raid other Indian tribes and steal horses from them. They no longer had to let their children work for the Spaniards. The Comanche Indians to the south were very rich in horses. So many of their horses were stolen by the Utes that two tribes became bitter enemies. The Arapahos and the Cheyenne Indians of the plains were also victims of Ute raids. Life in a big camp was very exciting. In the morning, one of the leaders of the band would announce what was to be done that day. Each band now had a chief or camp leader. Only the leaders wore bonnets made from eagle feathers that streamed down the back. One chief might announce a buffalo hunt. Another time, the war chief might decide to lead a raid. All the men who wanted to join the raid would get the fastest horses and join him. Sometimes the Ute women went along to tend the camp. When they lived in the big camps, the Utes learned many new dances. They did not have to wait until spring; they could dance together any time of the year. After a raid, the women would perform the Lame Dance. In the dance, they would drag their right foot to show how heavy the load was that they carried home from a raid. They would also do a Scalp Dance or a War Dance after a raid.

SHORT STORIES

A TOWN CALLED BORING

Once upon a time in India,there was a town called Boring. It was by the side of Dull Lake. The people of Boring never smiled; they did not know how to -Whether it was grownups or children. All the children ever did was study. They studied in school all day. On returning home they got busy with homework and with revision for class tests in school. No one played any games -- there were no playgrounds in the town. It was a strange town. The children were never happy to meet each other. Sometimes they would try to avoid each other's eyes. Or they would try to pretend that they had not studied much for tests. That was not all. They also lied to each other about which chapters were important for the coming test. All that the children wanted was marks, marks and more marks. What a town Boring was! No one knew how to smile let alone giggle or laugh or crack a joke. Life was really dull and boring. One day the town had a visitor. Ekta's grandmother had come visiting. It was her first time in Boring. She had silvery hair and a smile that stretched from ear to ear. Even her eyes smiled. The people of Boring found her very odd. At the end of her first day in Boring Grandma understood that something was terribly wrong with the townspeople -- even her own family. When she smiled and nodded, people moved away with alarm. When Grandma told Ekta with a smile that she had made mouthwatering gajar ka halwa for her granddaughter, what did Ekta do? She said: "The history teacher cut three marks in the test. God knows how many marks she has cut over the years. By now she must have a treasure chest full of marks. I wonder what she will do with all those marks? Maybe I should steal her trunk some day. I will be a very rich girl indeed". She did not touch the gajar ka halwa.

Grandma was amazed. How could anyone talk about marks all the time? But she heard this nonsense day after day not only from Ekta but from every other boy and girl -- and as if that was not bad enough,from the parents as well! If anything the parents were worse.They were always pushing their children to get more marks so that they could get ahead of others. Just as people go to temples to pray, the parents of Boring went to a shop called The Marks Bazaar. The shop sold a special type of pen with which one could write secret messages. The parents would buy these pens for their children who would then scribble answers on their thighs, ankles and elbows during exams. It was called preparation for exams. The parents did not know that the shopkeeper also secretly sold infra-red detectors that could catch any secret message on any surface. The children ended up getting caught by teachers and so the parents were forced to return to The Marks Bazaar to buy better 'secret messengers', as they were called. Grandma was shocked to see all this. "I must do something so that the people of Boring learn to be happy," she thought to herself. It was time to use her secret weapon! This secret weapon had changed Grandma's life in childhood. As a young girl she always complained about everything and anything. She thought her parents would give her more things to try and make her happy. Then one day Grandma's cousin sister Haasya decided to change things. She came up from behind and tickled Grandma hard. Without her knowing it Grandma squealed and giggled. "Ah, so you can giggle like other children," said her cousin. When Grandma laughed she felt very happy. Grandma's parents named Haasya the 'Goddess of Laughter". Haasya was such an expert at tickling that people could not but laugh. She knew more jokes than there were stars in the sky. Good jokes, funny jokes, that made people laugh with each other. Once they laughed together they felt warm towards each other. They made friends for life. LESSON: IF IWERE THE MAYOR I WILL CONSTRUCT PLAYGROUNDS AND MANY MORE THAT CAN MAKE THE TOWN HAPPY

Lion on the loose

Once it started raining, it just wouldnt stop. The sky wept great tears in an endless stream until the clouds had entered everyones hearts and made them feel as grey and weepy as the weather. But still it rained on and on. Everyone stayed at home, gloomy and bored. "I wish we could DO something," moaned Geeti, "Nothing exciting ever happens to us" said Vikki. Mummy wouldnt let them go out but she tried to cheer them up by baking a cake. The children helped too. The cake was yummy and they ate it hot. The rest they covered and left on the table. "I wonder what the animals and birds do?" asked Geeti thoughtfully. "They must be cooped in their cages." "No, silly, I mean the wild ones. The tigers in the jungles, the birds on trees, what do they do in all this rain?" "At least theyre free. Think of the animals in the zoo. How awful for the And it was true. The animals in the zoo were worried and irritable. The wetness was terrible for the creatures big and small. The more it rained, the more everything filled up with water. The moat around the lions enclosure filled up too. The lion watched. He was an old fellow, who had never been out of the enclosure. He had never seen anything like this before, as the water lapped the sides of the moat temptingly, the old fellow decided to make a go for it. He sniffed here, and he sniffed there. He put one paw delicately into the water and then, with one big breath, he jumped right in. At first he sank. Then he panicked. He thought, for one awful moment that he was going to die. But he didnt. His mighty head popped up and he paddled along until he could feel the wall just under his chin. Putting his big paws onto the wall, he heaved himself up. And then he was out. Out and free. Free to

walk around the world, just as he had seen hundreds of people do. Now he, the mighty raja was going to have the adventure of a lifetime. No one saw him for it was night and all the zoo keepers were fast asleep. Lion walked out, king of everything he saw. Softly, softly, he crept on padded feet to the enclosure next to him. He grinned in at the bear who woke up with a start. He looked in at all the cages and thought how wonderful it was to be free.. Then he had an idea. He was going to be really free. What was the point of freedom if he was still within the four walls of the zoo? So, asking the way at every cage he passed, Lion reached the main gate. He could smell a human. He carefully peered into the ticket booth. Sure enouch, the guard sat there. Lion was a clever old fellow and knew that the guard wouldnt let him just walk out. So he waited and watched. The guard didnt move. He snored gently. When lion was sure that the man was fast asleep, he padded his way past him gently. "Hmmm humph" said a guard in his sleep. Lion almost roared in fright. But he didnt, he waited quietly until he was sure that all was safe. And then he was FREE! Really free, for the very first time in his life. He walked around, looking with wonder at the big, black, wet roads. He stared up at the high buildings and he sniffed at people huddled up, asleep in the driest corners they could find. One little child peeped out of his thin blanket and saw him. "Papa," he whispered, "Theres a lion on the loose!" "Yes. Yes," said his Papa sleepily, "hell go away, now get back to sleep." And lion went on. This was the longest walk that hed ever had. He was in the bazaar now. But, of course, everyone was fast asleep. He peered into shop windows, fascinated by the glittering things that shone there. He walked on and on. On and on. Until he was one very wet, hungry and tired lion. He now suddenly caught the smell of freshly baked cake. Hed never smelled anything so invitingly warm or warmly inviting. Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! He found the window to Geeti and Vikkis room open. Quickly, quietly, he jumped right in. He saw the children asleep in their soft, warm beds. And he felt like getting in with them. But first to find out where that delicious smell was coming from. Sniff! Sniff! Sniff!

Of course, with his sharp lions nose, he found the cake. And with his sharp lions teeth, He quickly gulped it down. It was delicious. Not like the smelly raw meat he got. And now, to bed. Slipping back into the childrens room, lion tried to get into Vikkis bed. But it was too small for one big lion. So, he crawled under the bed and found it wonderfully cosy and just right for one big lion. Soon he was fast asleep. Next morning, mummy woke up to find the cake missing. "Did you eat the cake?" "No mummy." "Then who could it have been?" "It must have been the lion!" said Geeti. "What lion? Geeti, dont be silly." "Shes not being silly" said Vikki. "Theres a lion under our bed!" "What?" shouted mummy as loudly as she could. And she rushed right away to look for the lion under her childrens bed. She looked, but there was no lion there. "Oh children," she said crossly, "You gave me a fright. Of course theres no lion there." "But there was mummy," protested the children. "Look, there are lion paw prints on the carpet." "And a big wet patch on our beds." "And lion hair on my sheet!"

Mummy had to believe them then, but try as they might, they couldnt find the lion any more. And do you know why? The lion had a good snooze and decided to get back to his cage before there was any fuss. So he had slipped away at dawn and no one saw him going. He slipped past the guard who still lay asleep and swam back into his cage. What an adventure it had been! But he was glad to be home. As soon as the rain stopped, Geeti and Vikki went to the zoo. They stood outside the lions enclosure and whispered to each other. Im sure that our lion recognized them too, and let out a big rumbling ROAR of a thank you to his little friends. Maybe, next time it rains very hard, Lion may come to YOUR house, so remember to give him some freshly baked cake!

Lesson: the lion should not escape from the zoo so that he can not get wet from the weather

TEACHING A LESSON
"It's my turn tomorrow," mumbled Raghu to himself as he climbed the stairs of his school building, very slowly as if he were sleep-walking. He had been dreading this day ever since Pal declared his grand class prodigy scheme, two months ago. Pal was the much feared History teacher."It has been said that genius is 99 per cent perspiration and one per cent inspiration," he had said in his usual pompous manner. "I suggest we test this theory. Beginning next week, we shall have one student present a chapter of this book (he dangled the History book like the Sword of Damocles), as if he were the teacher." The teacher had announced that each student would be given a week to prepare for class. He even invited the boys to "chew my brains during this process if he so wants". Saying this, Pal had grinned, while the class gave an involuntary shudder - it would take a very brave man to seek out Pal's company outside the classroom. "Twenty-four chapters for twenty-four of you - that's neat arithmetic. And, at the end of the term, we will have a poll to see who is adjudged the best teacher of all. That boy shall be the Class Prodigy. I shall personally recommend the golden star for him," Pal droned in his usual style. And so it started. Week after week, Raghu saw the best and the brightest of his classmates being reduced to quivering jellies during their teaching sessions, under Pal's merciless sarcasm. The weeklong preparation might never have been, for each student found that he could never do it right. And now it was Raghu's turn. Worse, he had done virtually nothing to prepare the chapter on the French Revolution that had come his way. His mind was a complete blank. He had tried, of course. For a week now it had become a routine for him to sit

with his History textbook open at the page where the chapter on the French Revolution began. And somehow, he did nothing but stare at the sketch of Marie Antoniette, Queen of France in the late 18th century when the Revolution broke out. Marie Antoniette, with her hair cut in a pageboy style, just before she was executed. Raghu felt very close to her for some reason. Actually, the reason had a face that of Pal's. And then there was only one day left for his ordeal. Deep down Raghu knew that even if he stayed up the whole night and studied, he would still be a sitting duck for Pal's snide comments the following day. Sometimes, though, he felt that Pal couldn't help himself, as if something, some inner force egged him on to be nasty. The day passed by in a haze. Raghu's classmates observed his unusually quiet self. Unlike other days, no one tried to snap him out of it or snigger.

LESSON: THE PERSPIRATION AND THE INSPIRATION ARE supposed to be EQUALY 50%

LIMITS OF THE MIND

Ekalavya was a little boy, born in a poor family, many many years ago. His people lived a little away from Hastinapura, the capital of the Kuru kings. They used to clean other people's dirt for a profession. And for this reason they were shunned by society. Ekalavya and other kids of his group knew they too had to follow their parents' professions. Their parents often told them, "You are not meant to go to school. What use is school for carrying garbage which is your only job?" "Don't go near those people; they are high born, we are low born." Ekalavya didn't understand.

"Why, but why?" he asked his mother. She replied "God set these limits." "God! Why would God want nice things for them and dirty things for us? Hasn't God made all of us?" Ekalavya asked. She sighed, "Darling I don't know, but there are bounds we cannot cross, this is God's rule." Ekalavya became quiet. From that day the only important thing for

him

was

to

understand

the

meaning

of

"limit".

You know, kids (and grown ups) are sometimes cruel. One day Ekalavya and his friends trapped a little ant and were watching it try to escape. The ant tried and tried till it found a little opening at the edge of the trap and escaped. Other children moved to trap it again but Ekalavya stopped them shouting, "The brave ant has broken the bounds. Limits are meant to be broken. I am free, free". One day, Ekalavya saw beautiful chariots come into the forest near his village. He saw boys of his age get out of the chariot one by one. What lovely clothes they wore! Last, an old man with snowy white hair and spotless white clothes came out looking stern and calm. The boys seemed a little scared of the old man but with one dusky handsome boy, the old man's behaviour was different, he smiled and patted this boy on the head. LESSON: WE SHOULD NOT TREAT OTHERS THAT WE CAN BEAT UP

A FREE BIRD

Everybody in his family called him 'shy baby' -- not 'cry baby' to be sure, but shy baby. Young Somu was shy, but not just a little shy. Somu was very, very shy. When guests came to his house for tea or dinner and asked him his name, Somu would dig his chin into his neck and close his eyes and after a few minutes he would run out of the room. His parents always felt embarrassed about his behaviour and every time after the guests left the house Somu would end up getting a sound scolding. "You're eight years old now! You're not a baby any longer! Why can't you answer when you're asked a question?" And so his mother would thunder away like an angry, rumbling monsoon cloud, while his older brother would chant teasingly, "Shy baby! Shy baby!" Somu spoke only when he simply had to speak. In school, he preferred to sit at the far end of the classroom so the teacher might not spot him. More often than not when he was asked a question he would pretend he was sick and wriggle his way out of answering. The teachers had grown tired of his shyness and usually left him alone. His family grew tired of his shyness and left him alone. Everybody left Somu alone and he became a very lonely little boy. So, as you can see, life was difficult for Somu. His family didn't understand the reason for this great shyness and, in fact, nor did Somu. Every night as he lay in bed he prayed that he should be able to overcome this terrible shyness and every morning when he awoke he discovered that he was still the same old shy Somu. He wished he could be more like his brother, Hari, who was full of life and

chattered away all day long like a monkey. Everyone liked Hari but everyone left Somu alone. One day, as Somu and Hari were returning from school, Somu decided to take the longer way through the woods and he split away from Hari and his friends. Hari who, as usual, was busy chatting never noticed that Somu was not with them any longer. The woods became thicker and the sun went into hiding behind the heavy curtain of leaves. Somu liked this part of the woods. It was always quiet and cool here with nobody around to bother him. He put his school bag down and sat in the shade of a cluster of high Eucalyptus trees.

Lesson: people have their individual qualities.

RIDDLES
The captain came Can t be handled by anyone Answer: Snake

It is a crab With a head inside. Answer: Turtle

Little Nancy dressed with a white petticoat The longer she stands the shorter she grows... Answer: Candle

The longer you look at me The more you cannot see me. Answer: Sun

It was planted in the evening And harvested in the morning Answer: Stars

I give you food, shade and shelter, I m not a well but I can hold water, In my arms some birds like in my trail, And I can reach the sky Answer: Tree

It s a nice place for Kikay It has no door, nor windows Answer: Egg

He s not a man, he s not a Dog But has beautiful blonde hair Answer: Corn

Its face is round and clean Its nose, eyes, and mouth Can t be seen But its face has hands that run On and on, and on... Answer: Clock

Here comes my brother With charcoal on his head Answer: Rooster

SUBMITTED TO: ANA LIZA E. SAN JOS SUBMITTED FROM LEYMAR JAKE G. TAMANI

SUBMITTED TO: ANA LIZA E. SAN JOSE

SUBMITTED FROM: LEYMAR JAKE G. TAMANI

SUBMITTED TO: ANA LIZA E. SAN JOSE

SUBMITTED FROM: LEYMAR JAKE G. TAMANI

SUBMITTED TO: ANA LIZA E. SAN JOSE

SUBMITTED FROM: LEYMAR JAKE G. TAMANI

SUBMITTED TO: ANA LIZA E. SAN JOSE

SUBMITTED FROM: LEYMAR JAKE G. TAMANI

VERSES
THE STREAM
The small stream in the garden The water flows at the end The stream was like a silver ribbon- Simile Over the garden plains

THE TREES
Tall trees on the forest The wind flown its leaves The smaller branches Like little children were- Simile The first to fall

THE STAR
Twinkle, twinkle little star, How I wonder what you are Up above the world so high Like a diamond in the sky- Simile

AIR CASTLE
My life tomorrow beckons me From distant mountain high and low My future seems a boundless sea- Metaphor Where moving passions come and go

LONGFELLOW
Silently, one by one In the infinite meadows of heaven- Metaphor Blossomed the lovely stars, - Metaphor The forget me not s of the angels

PLANTS
The plants in the garden The leaves rustled in the wind The blooming flowers scent the air The cool wind gently lived the flowers Metaphor

THE SNOW
The snowing place Where people lived with coat I asked the snow where you came from? The snow whispered as it fell to the ground- Personification

MARIGOLD
A beautiful princess named Marigold She sat on the throne Marigold s silken hair kept silent- Personification As the princess turned gold- Personification

THE MOUNTAIN
My life is as high as a mountain- Personification So I dreamed of climbing it Though it was very high I kept on climbing it

LIFE
Life is like a leaf of paper white- Simile Where on each one of us may write His word or two.

SAYINGS
To know wisdom and instruction, Is to perceive the words of understanding

A wise man will hear, and will increase Learning and a man of understanding Shall attain wise counsel

Take fast hold to instruction, let her not go Keep her for he is your life

Avoid it by not pass by it Turn from it and pass it away

The way of the weak As darkness, they know Not at what they stumble

When a man s ways please the Lord; He machete even his enemies to be at peace with him

The name of the Lord is as strong tower The righteous rennet into it, and is safe

Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird

Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you

For length of days and long life, and piece, shall they add to these?