Children Everywhere: The 1970 Childcraft Annual

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CHILDREN

EVERYWHERE

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2010

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CHILDREN EVERYWHERE The 1970 Childcraft Annual An Annual Supplement Childcraft

to

— The How and Why Library

Field Enterprises Educational Corporation Chicago

London

Rome

Sydney

Toronto

Copyright

©

1970 by

Field Enterprises Educational Corporation

Merchandise Mart Plaza, Chicago,

Illinois

60654

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 65-25105

Acknowledgments publishers of Childcraft—Tke How and Why Library gratefully acknowledge the courtesy of the following pub-

The

lishers, agencies,

and authors

for

1968 by Fukuinkan

Tokyo

Shoten, Publishers,

permission to use copy-

W.

J. Gage Limited: "A Bowl of Peas" by David J. Wright, condensed from Rubaboo 3, 1964 by W. J. Gage Limited

righted stories.

©

ACUM

©

©

Japanese language Life with Tom,

Ltd.: "Call Across the Border" by Devora Omer, 1959 by Devora Omer, Israel

Authors' Agency Ltd.: "Near or Far" by Czestaw Janczarski, originally published in Polish under the title Blisko czy daleko by Nasza Ksiegarnia, Warsaw, 1955

Goulimis. Alki: "Spiridoula's Gift" by Alki Goulimis, adapted and translated from the Greek language The Two Anchors and Other Stories, copyright by Alki Goulimis. All rights reserved by the author. This story may not be reproduced

without written permission from the author Institute for the Intellectual

Development

of Children

and

Bureau Hongrois pour la Protection des Droits D'Auteur: "A Hunting Adventure" by Lestyan Sandor, originally published in Hungarian under the title "Vadaszkaland" in Sziilof-'ildiink, copyright 1966 by Tankbnyvkiado, Budapest

Young

Burke Publishing Company Ltd.: "Nils Karlsson, the Elf" by Astrid Lindgren, originally published in Swedish under

Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.: "Martin's Discovery" from Up Hill and Down by Elizabeth Coatsworth, copyright 1946, 1947 by Elizabeth Coatsworth, reprinted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and Elizabeth Coatsworth

the

title

"Nils Karlsson

© Astrid Lindgren, under the

title

— Pyssling" in Sils Karlsson — Pyssling,

first

published in English by Burke Books

Adults: "After Winter in Our Village" by Siavoosh

Kasrai, illustrated by Hooshang Maleknia, copyright 1967 by the Publications Department of the Institute for the Intellectual

Development

of Children

and Young Adults

"Simon Small Moves In" Koenig,

& C: "The

Snake" by Angela Latini, originally published in Italian under the title "S. Giuseppe, la prima serpe" in Opie, ragazzo serparo by Casa Casa- Editrice G. B. Paravia

Editrice G. B. Paravia

& C,

First

Lilli:

Little Marmot" by Lilli KoeGerman under the title "Raimi

"Raimi and the

nig, originally published in

und das Murmele" Koenig

in Kleiiies Volk,

copyright 1959 by LilH

Turin Ltd.: "The Adventures of Coalpot" adapted 1966 by from The Adventures of Coalpot by Nana Adoma,

Longman Group Book Trust: "The Big Guest" adapted from Life with Grandfather by Shankar, © 1965 by Children's Book Children's

Trust,

New

©

Longman Group

Ltd.

Delhi

My

Younger Sister" by Vaclav Ctvrtek, originally published in Czech under the title "Kveta je ma mladsi sestra" in Ohn'ieek, ©) 1969 by Vaclav Ctvrtek Ctvrtek, Vaclav; "Kveta Is

East African Publishing House: "The Magic Stone" from The Magic Stone and Other Stories by John M. Ibongia and M. Dobrin, 1967 by East African Publishing House, Nairobi

©

Methuen & Co. Ltd.: "Simpey's Friend" adapted from Simpey and His Grandmother by Elisabeth Roberts, courtesy of

Methuen & Co.

Ltd.,

London

Friedrich Middelhauve Verlag: "Helmut in the City" by Gunter Herburger, originally published in German under the title "Helmut in der Stadt" in Dichter Erzahlen Kindern, 36

by German authors, edited by Gertraud Mid1966 by Friedrich Middelhauve Verlag, Cologne

original stories

delhauve,

©

Zealand Department of Education: "Hogmanay" from

Editions

New

Paris

Crispies by Naomi Mitchison, first published in the School Journal by School Publications Branch, Department of Education, New Zealand, and "Life in Five Rivers"

la Farandole: "The Treasures of Farfounet" by Maurice Jean, originally published in French under the title Les Tresors de Farfounet, © 1963 by Editions la Farandole,

Editorial Sigmar S. A.: "Cipriano the Confused"

by Luis

Destuet, originally published in Spanish under the title "Cipriano el distraido" in Ganchos y gauchitos, copyright 1964

by

Editorial Sigmar S. A.,

Buenos Aires

Fukuinkan Shoten, Publishers: "With Love from Akira and Tom" by Momoko Ishii, adapted and translated from the

Henny and

by Samuel Selvon, adapted from Jamaica Boy by S. C. George, published by School Publications Branch, Department of Education, New Zealand Pilgrim Books Ltd.: "The Flight from Home" adapted from The Adventures of Souza, The Village Lad by Kola Onadipe, 1963 by Kola Onadipe. courtesy of Pilgrim Books Ltd.,

©

agents for African Universities Press

Preface

Well-written,

well-illustrated

literature

for

chil-

dren stimulates imagination, promotes creativity,

adds to knowledge, and above

all,

develops a

life-

With these purposes in Childcraft— The How and

long appreciation for books.

mind, the Editors of

Why

Library planned Children Everywhere to be a unique collection of stories and illustrations for children. Each story was selected on the basis of its literary quality and the accuracy with which it

portrays an aspect of the national character of

each country, seen through the lives of contem-

porary children. Almost

the stories in this vol-

written by native authors and

ume were trated

all

by native

artists.

The

rest

illus-

were prepared

familiar with the countries represented.

by people

Thus, through Children Everywhere, the Editors hope that readers will gain a feeling for both the differences

and

similarities of people in the

more

than 25 countries portrayed.

Children

Everywhere was a

truly

international

project, involving experts in children's literature

throughout the world. For this reason, our thanks go out to the people— everywhere— who made this

volume

possible.

Editorial Advisory

Board

CHILDCRAFT~THE

HOW AND WHY

for

LIBRARY

William H. Nault, A.B., M.A.. Ed.D.

Leiand Jacobs, Ph.D.

General Chairman, Editorial Advisory Boards,

Professor of Education,

Department

Field Enterprises Educational Corporation

of

Curriculum and Teaching,

Teachers College, Columbia University Millon E. Akers, Ed.D.

D. Keith Osborn. Ph.D.

Executive Director, National Association for the Education of

Joseph R. Christian, M.D. of

Children,

Professor of Child Development and Professor of Education,

Washington, D.C.

Chairman

Young

University of Georgia

Division of Pediatrics,

Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital,

Chicago, Illinois

Special Consultant for Children

Harold D. Drummond. Ed.D. Professor of Elementary Education,

University of

New

Mexico

Anne

Everyuhere

Pellowski, B.A., M.S.L.S.

Director, Information Center on Children's Cultures,

U.S. Committee for

UNICEF

Editorial Director

Art Staff

William H. Nault, Ed.D.

Executive Art Director

Gordon

J.

Kwiatkowski

Associate Art Director Clifford L. Birklund

Editorial Staff Executive Editor

Assistant Art Director for Children

Robert O. Zeleny, B.A.

Managing Editor

Artists

Richard A. Atwood, B.S.

David N. Carothers

Senior Editor for Children Everywhere

Barbara Corey

Robert M. Savage

Donald W. Ogilvie

Editors

Designer

Esther H. Zimmerer, M.S.J.

Ronald A. Stachowiak

Michael P. McGrath, M.A. Clela G. Stern, LL. B.

Photography Section

Donald E. Stebbing, Director Fred C. Eckhardt,

Research

&

Everywhere

Elizabeth Schon

Jr.,

Assistant Director

Art Production Section

Services

Director of Research

& Developmenl

Kenneth H. Petchenik. M.B.A.

Barbara

J.

McDonald,

B.S., Art Production Editor

Rita C. Jennings, Assistant Art Production Editor Alfred

J.

Mozdzen, Art Quality Control

Director of Educational Services

John Sternig, M.A. Director of Editorial Services Carl A.

Tamminen, M.A.

Manufacturing Staff Head, Jo

Editorial

Research

Ann McDonald,

B.S. in L.S.

Philip B. Hall, Executive Director

John M. Babrick, B.A., Pre-press Manager Permissions Editor Clare

J.

Atwood, B.A.

Henry Koval, B.A., Research Manager Joseph C. LaCount, Production Manager

CHILDREN EVERYWHERE Contents The Three Wishes (Ireland) Illustrations by Rowel Friers

Lynch

8

Nana Adoma

20

Annie M. G. Schmidt

30

Vladimir Zheleznikov

42

Patricia

The Adventures of Coalpot (Ghana) Illustrations by Meshack Asare

Wooden Shoes

(Netherlands)

....

Translated from the Dutch Illustrations

by Marijke de Graaf

The Cosmonaut

(Russia)

Translated from the Russian by Miriam Morton Illustrations

by

Naum

Josifovich Zeitlin

Simpey's Friend (England) Illustrations

Elisabeth Roberts

50

Samuel Selvon

60

Vytas Tamulaitis

68

by Charles Keeping

Life in Five Rivers (Trinidad) Illustrations

by

NanK

Little Peter's Flag (Lithuania)

Translated from the Lithuanian by Vytautis Tamulaitis, Illustrations

The Treasures

Jr.

by Zita Sodeika of Farfounet (France)

....

Maurice Jean

78

Translated from the French Illustrations

by Andr^ Frangois

The Magic Stone (Kenya) John M. Ibongia Illustrations by K. Francis Msangi .

Helmut

in the City

(Germany)

German by Horst Lemke

Translated from the Illustrations

.

.

& M.

Dobrin

88

Giinter Herburger

96

Contents

6 I

The Big Guest Illustrations

A Bowl

of

Shankar

108

Wright

114

Czesiaw Janczarski

124

Devora Omer

130

Luis Destuet

140

Lestyan Sandor

148

Elizabeth Coatsworth

158

Naomi Mitchison

170

(India)

by Pulak Biswas

David

Peas (Canada)

Illustrations

J.

by Hugh McClelland

Near or Far (Poland)

Adapted from the Polish Illustrations by Olga Siemaszko Call Across the Border (Israel)

Hebrew by David by Symeon Shimin

Translated from the Illustrations

S.

Segal

Cipriano the Confused (Argentina)

Translated from the Spanish Illustrations

by

Lilian Obligado

A Hunting Adventure (Hungary) Translated from the Magyar Illustrations

by Janos Kass

Martin's Discovery (United States) Illustrations

Hogmanay

.

by Barbara Cooney

by Margery Jean

With Love from Akira and

Tom

Gill

(Japan)

Translated from the Japanese by Illustrations

First

.

(Scotland)

Illustrations

The

.

.... Momoko

Ishii

180

Angela Latini

192

Kola Onadipe

200

Ann Herring

by Koko Fukazawa

Snake

(Italy)

Translated from the Italian Illustrations

The

by Ugo Fontana

Flight from

Illustrations

Home

(Nigeria)

by Bruce Onobrakpeya

Contents

Nils Karlsson, the Elf (Sweden)

Astrid Lindgren

Translated from the Swedish by Florence

by Hon Wikland

Illustrations

Crucita and

208

Lamborn

Her Piggy Bank (Mexico)

.

.

Aurora R. G. de Braniff

220

Translated from the Spanish by Eugenia Shepperd Illustrations

Kveta

Is

My

by

Leticia Tarrago V

Younger Sister (Czechoslovakia)

Vaclav Ctvrtek

232

C. Alabado

238

Alki Goulimis

246

E. L. Konigsburg

254

Ivan Southall

264

U

274

Koenig

282

Siavoosh Kasrai

288

.

.

Translated from the Czech Illustrations

Christmas

by Vladimir Fuka Hervert

in a Little Barrio (Philippines)

Illustrations

.

.

Ceres

S.

by Rod Perez

Spiridoula's Gift (Greece)

Translated from the Greek Illustrations

by George Varlamos

Inviting Jason (United States) Illustrations

by Marc Simont

The Glass Room Illustrations

(Australia)

by Edward Greenwood

The New Year Game (Formosa)

Yeh

Adapted from the Chinese Illustrations

by Liao Wei-lin

Marmot (Austria) Translated from the German

Raimi and the

Illustrations

Little

by

After Winter in

....

Lilli

Susi Weigel

Our

Village (Iran)

....

Translated from the Persian Illustrations

by Hooshang Maleknia

Hard Words

296

Author Index

303

|

7

The Three Wishes Ireland

by

I

Patricia

Lynch

Illustrations

A

by Rowel

leprechaun

like a tiny old

is

that

if

Friers

a kind of fairy

man. In

a leprechaun

is

who

looks

Ireland, people say

caught, he will

tell

where he has hidden his pot of gold.

Paudeen

was leaning against the

poked out liked best

just

over

it,

half-door,

wondering which sound he

—the waves rushing up the strand,

and more seaweed among the rocks; the the glowing turf; or the gay

hummed into the

head

his

little

tossing

more

kettle singing to

song his

sister

Peggy

as she swept the turf dust across the hearth

and

fire.

"Finished!"

cried

Peggy,

shaking

the

new heather

broom.

"And

that's the last of the turf!" declared Kevin,

who

had been bringing sods from the back of the cabin and stacking them neatly by the side of the hearth. He clapped his

hands to

rid

back to admire

"The bread's

them

of the

brown

turf dust

and stood

his work. cut.

What way is the kettle?" asked Mrs. who was standing at the table

Burke, the old grandmother,

cutting thick slices from the soda square she had baked the

night before.

"And that's will we do for

the end of the flour," she murmured.

"What

the next loaf? But sure, I've nearly finished

the best lace scarf I've

made

this year,

and we're

in

God's

good hands!"

As

for fat little

Paudeen, he gave up wondering and

trotted over to the table to get the crusty corner of the

bread.

10

The Three Wishes

"Greedy!" said

smoothed

his fair, tousled hair.

never heard

"I

grandmother. But she smiled and

his

tune

that

Peggy!" Kevin called over in a

before;

sing

his shoulder as

it

properly,

he ran to bring

bucket of water from the pump.

Peggy laughed. She was always

willing to sing. So she

stood with her feet close together and folded her hands, the

way

she was taught at school.

"Down by Green

Then she sang:

the Fairy Fort, four leaves:

little

Kneel and wish

Where

wave heaves;

the long

Wise be your wish. Wise be your wish, For folly grieves Kindness surely

Happiness weaves."

"That's not a song at "It doesn't

exclaimed Kevin scornfully.

mean anything!"

"Sing

it

"The

tay's ready

again!" ordered Paudeen.

Mrs. Burke.

Peggy

all!"

sat

and ye can sing

"Come down

day long," said old

along, Peggy!"

beside Paudeen.

"Sing!" cried the

"Whist! Whist!

all

little

boy, hammering on the table.

Ye bould boy! Ye mustn't be

yer big sister about

all

the time.

Isn't

ordering

she very good-

tempered to put up wid ye?" But while she scolded, she smiled.

Peggy sang the song other

end

listened,

of

the

so softly to

table,

could

him that Kevin at the

scarcely

hear.

Paudeen

with his head on one side and his lazy eyes half-

closed.

"Tis a rocks,"

quare song about the lucky four-leaf sham-

murmured

to find them, sure

did or, mebbe,

I

old Mrs. Burke. "Tis great good fortune

enough though

I

just dis-remember!"

never knew one that

Ireland

After breakfast Peggy washed the crocks and Kevin

went

dried them, while the grandmother

off to

the town

with some sewing she had finished.

"Remember now,"

she said, as she stood at the door and

looked back at them. "We'll

rock for the morning.

And

need our sprigs of sham-

all

while yez are looking, watch

Mind and take good

out for the four-leaf one.

care of

Paudeen."

"What would you wish

for

if

you found a

four-leaf

shamrock. Grannie?" asked Peggy.

The

woman

old

sighed.

"That's aisy answered, pet. I'd ax for a

and a well-stacked wid a

when

four-leaf

shamrock

an

luck went wid off

it!

Be good

me

lovely brooch of crystal

in the heart of

was young, an when

I

And

turf pile,

lost

I

children

that,

now

it,

I

lost

me good

while I'm away."

she went.

shamrock to

all

it

fill

with

suggested Peggy.

sell,"

"Who'd buy shamrock?" demanded the the sea,

that

sure

"Kevin! Let's take the market basket and

growing

cupboard

full

round them.

who must go

It's

boy. "Isn't

it

only folks like us, living by

searching."

Peggy shook her head. "I

remember

there were

last Patrick's

women

selling

Day, on the way to Mass,

shamrock down by the harbor

and they did a grand business with people coming boats and the ones who'd

left

home

in a

in

on the

hurry and had

forgotten their shamrock."

"Mebbe find

you're right," agreed Kevin. "But we'll never

enough to

"We

fill

the basket."

can try," declared Peggy. "I've seen heaps growing

beyond the Fairy Fort. Come along, Paudeen!"

me cart!" said Paudeen firmly. When Paudeen was so little he couldn't walk "In

had made him a cart out

of a

far,

Kevin

box mounted on four

little

11

12

The Three Wishes

wheels. still

Paudeen so

insisted

liked being pulled

round

that he

in it

on riding whenever they went further from

the cabin than the strand.

"You're too big to ride," Kevin told him.

you round another day." Paudeen's chubby face looked sorry for him. "Let terribly cold

and

and you can

pull

Kevin folded

him

he'll

be

"I'll

so sad that

not pull

Peggy was

ride this once," she coaxed. "It's

warm

in the cart.

I'll

pull going

coming back."

his

arms and glared at

"Are you so lazy because you're so

his little brother. fat or so fat because

you're so lazy?" he asked. "That's what

I

want

to

know."

"Kevin, you shouldn't tease Paudeen," objected Peggy. "He's only a

little

boy and you're

his big brother.

You're

supposed to look after him and be good to him."

She put a cushion into the cart and Paudeen settled

Then she wrapped him in an old plaid that only his solemn eyes and his little button

himself comfortably.

shawl so

Ireland

nose peeped out.

"The basket can go in too," said Peggy. Paudeen didn't mind. He wriggled down happily

into

the soft cushion and looked out from the shawl at the bitter

windy day.

Kevin had

fixed a double rope to the cart

slipping this over her head

"You watch

when he took

out for shamrock.

Paudeen smiled. He

I'll

it

and Peggy was from

her.

pull!" he told her.

by Kevin because he was bigger and stronger than Peggy and went faster. Kevin shivered as he left the shelter of the cabin and ran as quickly as he could up from the strand. Peggy raced ahead, making for the Fairy Fort, then slowing down as she came to where the sand ended and the grass began.

"Any shamrock?"

liked being pulled

called Kevin.

She shook her head. called back. "Just

"Only

tiny,

beyond the Fort

They had almost reached

scrubby bits," she

— that's the place!"

the Fort

when

the wind blew a

|

13

The Three Wishes

14 I

snowflake under the shawl against Paudeen's face.

opened

his

mouth

to roar indignantly

He

and swallowed an-

So he screwed his mouth up tight and wished he had

other.

stayed at

home by

the

fire.

Kevin swung the cart round to the back thrust

it

of the

Fort and

between two high rocks away from the wind.

"There you

are, lazy-bones,"

he said. "That's as snug as a

robin's nest!"

caught up the basket and ran after Peggy who had

He

already found a patch of shamrock.

Paudeen watched then

— as

brother and sister bend down,

his

a scurry of snow caught them

— make

for the

Not a snowflake fell on him in among the rocks and the thick shawl kept him warm. But, when Peggy and Kevin moved out of sight, Paudeen felt lonely. shelter of the trees.

He

called but the

Paudeen flung in

wind carried the sound away.

off

the shawl and climbed out of the cart

such a hurry that he rolled over.

He scrambled

to his

knees when he saw that he was in the middle of a patch of grass so

smooth and short

discovered,

shamrock

right at

it

was

like

green velvet.

Then he

the edge of the patch, a four-leaf

— one stem with four leaves at the

tip.

For a whole week Paudeen had heard so much about shamrock, three-leaf and four-leaf, that he knew he had

found a lucky one and that he must wish. His fingers closed on the slender stalk.

as well as for himself,

He wanted

and one

a wish for Peggy,

Kevin

for his grannie.

wasn't too bad a brother, he should have one too.

"Want three more four-leafs!" he wished. At once he saw three more of the lucky shamrocks growing round the smooth patch. again

when an angry

voice

He was about

to wish

came from behind him.

"Get out from me garden, ye young robber! Get out now!" Still

on

his knees,

Paudeen turned slowly round.

A

small

^^.%i^

man, not much bigger than himself, was standing by the Fort. He was dressed in green, with a leather apron and a long red cap. His face was twisted with anger and he

threatened Paudeen with a tiny hammer.

"You go away!"

ordered Paudeen and he reached out

for another of the lucky shamrocks.

The

little

man

leaped forward.

"Listen now," he said. "All ye want

ye yer wishes

if

ye lave

ye can kape. 'Tisn't

my

me

garden.

is

wishes.

The one

I'll

give

ye've taken,

growing, so ye're welcome to it!"

16

The Three Wishes

Paudeen looked at the lucky shamrock, then at the

man but he him many a

didn't say a word. His

when he

story

little

grandmother had told

couldn't go to sleep at night, so

Paudeen knew a great deal about the

Little People as she

called them.

"All

want

I

leprechaun.

know ye

make a

to

is

"An we might

well.

Haven't

she going along

Paudeen put

I

bargain," went on the

fair

as well be friendly.

heard yer

sister

Sure,

I

Peggy singing an

— a sweet, happy voice she has." his

hummed the tune The little man listened in

head on one side and

Peggy had sung that morning. angry amazement.

"Where did ye larn that tune? Ye've been spying on me, an now ye come robbin!" Paudeen shook

his head.

"Ye haven't much chat, so ye haven't!" declared the leprechaun. "But I'll fix ye three wishes now, that's what ye're entitled to. Wish away now!" Paudeen was puzzled. But surely he wanted four. Sud-



He

denly he smiled.

could hear Peggy singing. She and

Kevin were coming back. She'd

The leprechaun heard her

tell

him how he must wish.

too.

"Listen now!" he said. "Ye're that slow, till

Tibb's Eve, so

well-stacked turf she's of

I'll

pile,

wish for ye

—a

full

ye'll

cupboard and a

an yer grannie's lovely brooch that

always lamenting. That's enough for ye.

me garden!" He gave Paudeen

never wish

a push.

The

little

boy

Now

get out

rolled out of the

Fairy Ring and sat rubbing his eyes, for there was no

man, no

four-leaf

little

shamrocks to be seen, except the one he

clutched in his hand.

"We've

filled

the basket and we're nearly frozen!" called

Peggy. Then she saw Paudeen sitting on the grass, rubbing his eyes and, leaving

Kevin to carry the basket, she rushed

to her younger brother's help.

But he was on

his feet look-

Ireland

ing about

him

in

bewilderment before she reached him.

"Oh, poor Paudeen!" she cart? Are Silently

cried.

"Did you

fall

out of the

you hurt?" Paudeen opened

his

hand and showed her the

four-leaf shamrock.

"Aren't you the clever boy?" exclaimed Peggy admiringly.

"A

"What full

grannie's

will

you wish for?"

cupboard and a well-stacked turf lovely

brooch

that

pile,

an me

always lamenting,"

she's

answered Paudeen, scrambling into his cart and wrapping the shawl over his head.

"What's that you're

telling

me?" demanded Peggy.



"Gee up!" ordered Paudeen. Kevin came up with the basket packed with shamrock. "Paudeen found a lucky one," Peggy

"He

hasn't sense enough to wish for anything worth

having!" declared Kevin. "Wait

you

told him.

pull

— and

I'll

till

I fix

the basket, then

push."

The snow had stopped and the wind was behind them so they ran every step of the way home. They saw their grandmother crossing the strand ahead of them and called to her. She did not hear for she was staring at the back of the cabin and her mind was full of wonder. "Will ye look and see if I'm doting," she said when they reached her, pointing to a great turf pile as high as the cabin and every sod fixed evenly and firmly like a brick.

Kevin shook Paudeen.

his

He was

head

in

amazement. Peggy looked at

saying over and over to himself:

cupboard and a well-stacked turf

pile

an

me

"A

full

grannie's

lovely brooch that she's always lamenting."

The door of the press stood open and they saw that every shelf was packed. There was a bag of flour and one of oatmeal, a jar of raspberry jam They went

and a piece

into the cabin.

of

cooked lean bacon.

string of sausages curled

On

the broken plate, a

round a black pudding, and close

17

Ireland

19

beside stood a slab of cheese.

The old grandmother sat down in her wooden armchair and laid her arms on the table. "What luck has come to us this day?" she asked. "I never seen such riches since

I

lost

me

lovely brooch. And,

what's this?"

She

lifted

her hand, and there on the table, was a crystal

brooch with a four-leaf shamrock

in the heart of

it.

-^y )i'^^

Ji '^yj^

V)

r

•"
2V^

the work

she will want to be mistress of the kitchen."

"Let her work," Coalpot answered. "She

we

all

work and be mistress

is

young and

of the kitchen.

Ghana

We

will sit here

time.

We

Yaa and

with

tell

each other stories

all

29

the

have done our work."

Slowly Claystove began to smile. "You're right," she said.

"I don't want to be mistress here any more. Let the

electric stove

each other

all

do that.

I'll sit

the stories

"Good,"

said Coalpot.

"Good,"

said Yaa.

here with you and

we can

tell

we have ever heard."

She sat down and touched softly

first

Claystove and then Coalpot. All three smiled happily at

each other. "We're safe now," the

first

Yaa

said.

"Who

will

begin

story?"

.,>•:

fi"?''?-

^^m »

\K?/* .^/^0£n

\;MmL

.\

54

Simpey's Friend

"It's a

pink pig," he said

softly. "It's

very small, nearly

as small as a kitten."

Grandmother looked at the notice nailed "Bowling for the pig," she read out, "win him

Huh!" she

said scornfully.

"What kind red ring on

it

of

"A

to the tree. for sixpence.

likely story."

bowling?" asked Simpey. His nose had a

from the netting.

"They have wooden bottles to knock over, like skittles." Grandmother began to walk on quite quickly. "But we can play that." Simpey frowned deeply. He ran after Grandmother and caught her sleeve. "You're better at it than I am," he said urgently. "Come on." The man at the stall looked surprised when Grandmother handed him her sixpence.



"I should take

it

easy

if I

were you, dear," he

handed her three large wooden

said, as

he

balls.

"Nonsense!" Grandmother looked quite annoyed. She

^s^

FOR

i^^

1

// 1*!*

kft,

'i:

England

lifted

her chin and

Simpey her bag to

"Now The

made

herself look

very

to the bag

She handed

hold.

then," she demanded, "where do

skittles

tall.

looked a long

and bent

his

I

stand?"

way away. Simpey

head

till

held tight

he could only just see

through his eyelashes. "Well," said Grandmother, hitching up her

we

skirts,

"here

go!"

Her

skittles altogether.

bump

and missed the Almost at once she took aim and sent

first ball hit

a

her second ball hurtling skittles

were

left

down

in the grass

at such a rate that only

two

standing.

"Cor!" said the man.

"Now," said Grandmother, breathing hard. Simpey shut his eyes completely. He opened them to see all the skittles flat on the ground. Grandmother was rubbing her arm and whistling a little tune under her breath.

55

56

Simpey's Friend

"Well

I

never!" said the man.

"So what about the

little

pig?" Simpey asked him.

"Well now, we have to wait

man. so

many

"It's not

I'll

just take

till

that knocks

the fete closes," said the

them

your name and address.

down, though,

all

the one with

It's

the best score that wins the pig."

"Oh," Simpey nodded to himself. "It would be nice to call it

Arthur," he said. Then, "It's eaten a bit of your

handbag," he told Grandmother, as he gave

Grandmother chuckled.

"Let's

it

back.

go and get some

ice

cream," she suggested.

That evening they Grandmother's

flat.

sat together

on the window seat

They had seen every

in

bit of the fete.

Her feet were in a comfortable bowl of warm water. Simpey wore his dressing-gown and they were eating milk and biscuits. It was at that very moment that a little van drew up outside the house. Simpey looked out. Then he put his mug down carefully on the window ledge. "Grandmother," he said slowly, "you'd better put your

bedroom boots on

And

it

at once.

I

think our pig has come."

had.

The two men who brought it left the box in the kitchen. Before they went Grandmother spoke to them at the front door for quite a long time. When she came back, Simpey's nose had a red ring on

"Would you

it

like to let

again.

him out?" he

said.

"You

did the

skittling."

Grandmother looked around the kitchen thoughtfully. "All right,"

she said.

Then she bent down and un-

fastened the wooden door at the side of the box. Almost at once, the pig's pink sniffy face looked out.

He opened

his

arms wide and went towards

"Arthur," he said. "Hello,

my

little

Simpey

smiled.

it.

friend."

Arthur seemed very excited at the idea of making friends.

He

shot out of the box and darted across the

England

kitchen. His tiny feet

made tippy-tappy sounds on

hnoleum. Suddenly he stood

still

the

and looked up at Grand-

mother.

"Eek!" he

said.

"Hello, Arthur,"

Grandmother

said kindly.

"Eek! Eek!" said Arthur. "He's got a good loud voice," Simpey "Yes."

and went

said.

Grandmother stepped round Arthur to a cupboard.

something to eat," she

carefully

"I dare say he'd like a

little

said.

"I dare say he would," agreed Simpey.

In the end they

«

^



all

had some porridge. Arthur had

his

57

58

Simpey's Friend

on a

wouldn't stay

tin plate that

at one end of the kitchen floor other.

the

He was

still.

eating

it

up at the Grandmother mopped

and

a very quick eater.

He began finished

floor.

"I don't suppose he'd

Simpey

want

to play anything just

now?"

said.

"I think," said Grandmother, "it would be a good idea if

he went to bed early. He's had a very tiring day."

"He doesn't look very tired." Simpey gazed at who was sniffing in a corner. "You can't tell with pigs," said Grandmother. "Are you sleepy,

little

Arthur,

pig?" Simpey asked.

Arthur sat down. "I'll find

him something

"then tomorrow

he'll

to

lie

on," said Grandmother,

be ready for anything."

"Tomorrow." Simpey smiled at Arthur. The next morning they all had breakfast

in the kitchen.

Arthur the pig began chasing his plate again.

"Your egg is getting cold," said Grandmother. "You can talk to him afterwards." Simpey picked up his spoon. "I heard him in the night," he said. "He was squeaking and scrumbling about." "/ was doing the scrumbling," said Grandmother, "he's a very lively pig." She yawned a little. Then she said, "About Arthur—" "Arthur, Arthur, Arthur." Simpey was eating at a great rate.

"Yes, I'm glad as she

thing

moved is,"

the

we won him," continued Grandmother, cherry jam across to Simpey. "The only

she went on, "I don't think he can stay very

long."

Simpey put down There was silence

was

sniffing loudly

"Why

his spoon. in the kitchen,

under the

except for Arthur,

who

table.

not?" Simpey asked. His breakfast

felt

as though

England

it

was stuck halfway down.

"Ha — well,

it's

the

you

flat,

Grandmother.

see," said

"I'm not really supposed to keep a pig here at "I suppose said.

He was

it's

all."

the scrumbling in the night," Simpey

twiddling his spoon over and over on the

tablecloth.

"Yes. Besides," said Grandmother, "pigs ought to live

with other pigs."

"But

— " Simpey began.

"But," Grandmother said firmly, "I've had a good idea. I'll

ten you

all

about

it."

Then she explained that one

the

of

men who had

brought Arthur had a splendid farm, not very far away.

He had

said that the little pig could live there,

and

grandmother could

his

Simpey

sat up.

visit

and Simpey

him whenever they

"Has he got other

liked.

pigs for Arthur," he

asked, "and horses and cows and a hayfield?"

"The lot," said Grandmother. Simpey reached for the cherry jam. "He's going to be a lucky pig," he farm, and us visiting him

all

the time."

said,

"living

on a

]

59

61

Life in Five Rivers

Trinidad and Tobago

by Samuel Selvon Illustrations

by

People from

NanK

many

of Trinidad. If

lands live on the island

you

lived there,

your friends

and neighbors might be Negro, Hindu, Dutch, French, Chinese, or English.

There

are five streams flowing near the village in Trini-

dad where Sam

lived

when he was a

used the crystal-clear water for

Those

streams were as

five

all

boy. People

little

purposes.

much

a part of the village as

the huts and the people and the tracks they called streets.

That was why the settlement was known as Five Rivers. At that time, they didn't have any school or police

Sam used to walk about five miles carrying homemade bread and salted

station or electric lights. to the nearest school, fish in his satchel to

eat for lunch.

Every morning Sam waited boy who was

Popo was

Sam

his best friend.

seven,

used to

make Popo

usually got his

to play with

Popo, the

Sam was

little

Indian

nine years old and

and because he was smaller than Sam,

times Popo argued with

Sam

for

carry his books for him.

Sam about

this,

but

way when he promised

him and the

in the

to allow

older boys at school.

Many end

Popo

62

Life in Five Rivers

Until school closed for the August holidays, the children

much time to bother with what was going on in the village. Coming back from school that last day, Popo was full of excitement. He said to Sam, speaking in didn't have

the kind of broken English they were used to, "Plenty

we

have time to do plenty things." "Plenty things, yes!" Sam told him, "but I warning you front, that I don't want you hanging around me all the

holiday,

in

time.

You

will

still

a

little

boy."

Popo held Sam's hand. "I just be with you, because you always doing brave

"I won't do anything."

want

to

things.

Sam

And

getting big now."

I

hand away. "Ah, you too small

flung Popo's

have any

sense,

you always making

to

noise, or starting to

cry and say you want to go home."

you

"I promise

backwards

And Popo

won't make any noise." Popo walked

in front of

tell

Sam

went rambling

truth,

birds,

as they went home,

in the bush.

Popo

really wasn't.

and bathed

in the

They

streams or

There were many things to

of their favorite pastimes

in his laziness

way

face.

that he would be no trouble.

you the

hunted squirrels and

One

Sam, so he could talk to Sam's

continued walking that

trying to convince Well, to

I

was

to tease

do.

More Lazy, but

he ignored them so much that they soon

tired of that.

Popo was the only one who still found this amusing, perhaps because he was a coward and could say or do anything to More Lazy without

But

it

fear.

was Popo who caused Sam's greatest adventure

One morning Sam was going out to fish with the older boys when Popo ran up and drew him

that holiday.

some

of

aside.

"I have a big secret!" he said.

"Ah," Sam going to

fish,

said,

and

I

"you never have any good don't

want you

to

come."

ideas.

I

Trinidad and Tobago

"But

listen, this is

Sam

"Treasure!"

a good thing! Is to look for treasure!" said,

"who would have

treasure in

Five Rivers, where everybody so poor?"

Popo was "This

is

so excited that he kept

a good secret!

He

treasure!

say

More Lazy say

we have

all

jumping up and down.

to do

is

that Jagroop have

look for it!"

Everybody knew that Jagroop had hidden his money somewhere, but the trouble was to find out where. He boasted that no one would ever discover his hiding place,

and

was taken up as a

this

No

challenge.

one wanted to

rob the old Indian, but saying they could never find his

money was a dare

that couldn't go unanswered.

"I ain't have no time for that,"

"And

besides,"

Popo went

You

tree in his garden.

Sam

said.

on, "Jagroop

have a mango

ain't notice it? Is the only

one that

bearing now!" Well, that

was

true,

anyway.

All the fruit trees in the

valley were bare except for this one, which looked as

had sucked

all

the

From

full fruit.

life

from the other

a distance,

trees, for it

Sam and Popo

if it

was

in

could see the

red mangoes dangling on their stems.

Sam thought

was a better idea to go after Jagroop's mangoes than to fish, because it was the dry season, and the five streams around the village were mere trickles. So

Sam

it

decided to go, and of course Popo went with him.

They went up like shells

the

hill.

under their

The dry

feet.

mango

Sam

hut and right under

tree.

Popo up and when he was safe in a fork of Sam went up after him. Soon they were feasting

fruit.

They had just

his

of Jagroop,

hoisted

the tree,

on the

and twigs crackled

There was no sign

and they managed to get behind the

leaves

filled

their pockets with

mangoes and were

about to climb down when Popo grabbed Sam's arm

and pointed.

63

!

64

Life in Five Rivers

Below them the bushes were so thick they couldn't see anyone at first. Then they saw the bushes shake. It was Jagroop

He was

walking

a kind of half-crouch. With one hand

in

he clutched a cutlass and tin to his chest while his other hand cleared the way of brambles. He stopped where one of the streams crawled

through his land. Glancing around,

he sat down on the bank, wet his sharpen

cutlass,

and began

to

on a stone.

it

The boys could see him clearly now, and it appeared to them that he was only pretending, or "playing possum." For

the time he kept watching the bushes, like a deer

all

which had smelt

man but

boys were scared, for were up

in his

mango

it

wasn't sure where he was.

looked as

tree,

and

it

if

The

Jagroop knew they

looked, too, the easy

way he was sitting, that he was only waiting for them to climb down to give chase with his cutlass! The boys scarcely dared breathe, and you can imagine what a state Popo was in! He was squeezing and relaxing his fingers

"You Sam's

on Sam's arm.

think he see us?"

Popo's whisper was hot in

ear.

"We

just

have to wait and see," Sam whispered back.

Half an hour passed. Jagroop was

humming

a Hindi

song as he moved the cutlass to and fro on the stone. The cutlass

He

must have been as sharp as a

struck

it

off his leg.

hanging bamboo

lightly at a

tested the blade again

razor, yet he

by shaving an inch

That seemed

leaf.

or

went

on.

Then he

two

of hair

to satisfy him, for he got

up

at

last.

Near a

large slab of rock

which jutted out from the bank,

he stood for a minute. Then muttering to himself, he gathered stones and

dammed

the thin trickle of water with

them, digging earth from the bank and packing the wall.

When

the water ceased to flow, he began to dig in the bed

4i



hh:

fy'

">i

u

'f'

W{

fd^;

.C^B

:g^

i-4>i-

n

u^-r

S^i

'ii

'?

:fe

m

m-4

"k'*

«iv

^-Vv.'vt^^.Aj^.

Trinidad and Tobago

of the

stream

itself.

The boys could

see beads of perspiration glistening on

Jagroop's dark skin as he dug and dug, stopping at sudden

moments and cocking

his

head sideways as dry leaves

rustled or a dove flew noisily in the bush.

Then Jagroop stopped digging and reached

into the hole

with his hands.

He brought

out two tins and he sat

down and opened

them.

The

sunlight

fell

on

Hundreds

silver.

of shillings

and

They glinted, and the boys heard them ring as Jagroop let them trickle through his fingers and fall back into the tins. They had never seen so much money in half crowns.

all

their lives.

Now

they knew

why no one was

Jagroop's hiding place.

Who

to do

to

discover

would have dreamed

ging in the bed of a flowing stream?

had

able

was bury the money,

fill

Now,

all

of dig-

the Indian

the hole firmly with

stones and earth, and break the dam.

The water would

fiow over the spot and keep his secret forever. It

was too good.

It

was too

couldn't contain themselves.

clever.

Sam and Popo

They were bursting

to

tell

the secret.

Scrambling down the mango

tree,

they began to shout

loudly to give themselves courage and, flinging mangoes left

and right from

to the village.

their pockets, they ran

down

the

hill

67

68

Lithuania

Little Peter's

Flag

by Vytas Tamulaitis Translated from the Lithuanian by Vytautas Tamulaitis, Illustrations

Jr.

by Zita Sodeika

The people of Lithuania once ruled themselves. But in 1940, the Russians took over the tinynation and made it part of the Soviet Union.

Iittle Peter's mind was

made

up, and no one was going

Not even his old teacher, whom he greatly respected and admired. Peter had spent a whole year planning the job and preparing for it. Nothing was going to stop him now. He had everything planned to the smallest detail. The rope, a hammer, a number of large spikes, and a piece of copper wire were now in his old leather schoolbag. The old to

-i

flag

change

it.

was hidden under

his shirt. Peter

had even imagined

himself climbing, and had dreamt about

must not look down," he

it

at night.

"I

told himself while going over his

plan.

Peter was no stranger to climbing.

Many

a time he had

climbed to the very top of the great oak trees which grew along the high banks of the

Nemunas River

to retrieve a

stranded

kite.

The

secret

was to climb

steadily

and not

to

look down.

As

usual,

Peter's

father's death, she

To

mother was not at home. Since

was spending

less

and

less

his

time at home.

earn money, she worked in the factory. But she trusted

Peter.

She knew that Peter was a capable boy. She was too

busy to know that he was Peter did not have

lonely.

many

friends.

He was

small for his

and had been a hunchback from birth. During recess at school, when children joined hands and sang, danced, and played, as was the custom, not one girl would want to age,

be his partner. Peter was good at schoolwork, and often helped other pupils

when they had

difficulties.

But even

70

Little Peter's Flag

those

whom

he helped soon forgot about

They would

others in teasing him.

and joined the

it,

him on

slap

his

back

and chant: "Peter, Peter,

what a

scholar!

Has more than a head above

his collar.

His hands, they write, his eyes, they read, His back corrects when there's a need."

The

they? After

much

looked

children all,

down on

Peter.

Why

shouldn't

he couldn't even recite a poem with

less act in

feeling,

one of the school plays. In any of the

school celebrations, most of the children in Peter's class

had important jobs to

was cleaning the yard

do,

but

that was

all

in the spring

left for

Peter

and shoveling snow

in

the winter, spreading sand on the icy paths, and joining the younger children in the audience. That was

"No, that's not

all!"

all.

Peter said to himself, as he put his

schoolbag on his shoulders and walked out the door.

The

street

was empty. Peter did not want to chance

meeting anyone, so he turned into the path by the bakery.

The narrow,

twisting path took

near the school. The large its

field

him

to the castle ruins

surrounding the castle and

tower was now bare, covered by a white blanket of

snow.

The

leafless

trees

stood

motionless

afternoon calm. His teacher used to

Lithuania was independent, every lage

would gather here on

gates

would then be

special holidays.

trees.

from the branches and from the

would

fly

the whole

vil-

The crumbling

wreaths and with

staffs

on top

on the castle walls,

of

February, a large

of the old tower,

put

Now

the

by the firemen with their great tower stood empty and silent.

there

late

Small flags would flutter

and on Independence Day, the 16th flag

the

him that when

summer

covered with

branches from the birch

Lithuanian

tell

in

ladders.

Peter found out secretly that one year ago, on the 16th of February, his old teacher

had

tried very

hard to have a

Lithuania

flag raised

on the top

with a young

man

of the tower.

to the top of the tower. It it

discussed

it

man was a one to cUmb

he could trust. The young

fireman, but even he did not

to do

He had

want

to be the

was then that Peter had decided

himself the next year. Meanwhile, the district

had forbidden anyone to go near the tower. Everyone was saying that he had heard rumors about someone trying to raise the flag on the tower, so he had a large fence chief

built

around the

"DANGER But

...

and had a sign put on

it,

saying:

DO NOT ENTER."

this did not stop Peter or the other children. It

easy to find a

would climb Peter, the tically

ruins,

way through

all

was

the fence, and the children

over the old walls and explore the ruins.

most frequent

of all the visitors,

every stone, every nook and cranny.

knew

prac-

But even

though Peter had been exploring the ruins for years, he

had never climbed to the very top his imagination. still

He

had, however, noticed that there were

some metal rungs

years ago,

when

of the tower, except in

left

from the old days, hundreds

of

soldiers used to climb to the top of the

71

72

Little Peter's Flag

of tar to signal

approaching dan-

his old teacher told him, the fire

would be seen by

tower to light the barrel ger.

As

soldiers in the seven other castles in the surrounding area,

and they would warn the people

The

farms.

in the villages

One

other castles were gone now.

and the

fell

to the

enemy, another was destroyed by time, and the others were dismantled by the people themselves. Peter

brave as he slipped through the fence and

felt

moved toward the tower. Once inside, he took his bearings. The tower was empty and wide at the base, but it narrowed toward the top. It was dark, cold, and damp quickly

and an uneasy, foreboding calm waited for him at the top. Conquering his fear, he went toward the wall. He took off his gloves, hesitated for a moment, then firmly

inside,

grasped a metal rung and started climbing. The

had climbed

steps were easy, for Peter

few

first

this high before.

But when he reached a point beyond which he had never climbed, Peter felt his heart begin to beat faster and

He

faster.

felt his

arms weaken. His

legs

began to tremble.

And, then, he had arrived at the dangerous midpoint.

An

unknown hand seemed to be holding him back. There, standing part way up the tower, he began to feel a great doubt.

He

as

felt

He

engulf him.

if

a cold, swirling river were trying to

could

feel

across his chest, and then

it it

first

as

felt

around if

his legs,

then

he were going to be

submerged completely. His whole body started to tremble. His schoolbag

felt

heavier and heavier. It seemed to be

forcing his shoulders back.

would gladly have

mind

of its

let it

It

felt

so heavy that Peter

drop. His hand, as though

it

had a

own, started to reach toward the straps that

were holding the bag on his back. Suddenly, Peter thought he heard something. like laughter,

coming from the direction

unconsciously stopped panting to hear the

new

it

It

sounded

of the school.

better. It

He

must be

principal of the school. In the evenings he often

Lithuania

called the older

boys and

girls to

Lithuania's history, and joked about those

But the old teacher was entirely He always found time to play with them and

and died

for freedom.

different.

told

made fun of who had fought

the school,

many

interesting stories about their history.

how much

Peter recalled

his teacher

had wanted to

see

the Lithuanian flag flying from the top of the old tower, as it

had been

for so

many

years.

.

.

.

woke up from his daydream with a start, and once more became aware of his surroundings. He started reaching for the next rung, but there was nothing there. There were still some rungs higher up. The ones in-between had Peter

fallen out. "I'll self.

put some new ones in," said Peter calmly to him-

He

took out his rope and tied himself firmly to the

metal rung. Holding on with his

left

into his bag, brought out a spike,

hand, he reached back

and looked

for

a crack

between the stones. Then he took out his hammer, and pounded on the spike until it felt almost as solid as the

He

same with the second spike, then hammered in the third, and then the remainder, climbing higher and higher. He hammered in spike after

rungs had

spike, until

felt.

did the

he reached one of the original rungs. Grasping

it,

Peter began to

as

if

feel relieved in spite of himself.

He

felt

he were on solid ground. His arms and legs held him

with a strength that Peter had not even All the doubts that

felt

on the ground.

may have had were

he

gone.

With

renewed strength and courage Peter went on. Peter was slow and careful now.

He knew

that at this

height he was playing a very dangerous game.

mistake, one below.

slip,

He knew

and he would be joining the

some

lifeless

that he hadn't been able to

spikes in as solidly as he of the old rungs,

had wanted

to.

He

One small

also

rocks

pound the

knew that

which he had to trust completely,

were barely strong enough to hold him. From now on.

73

74

Little Peter's Flag

even the beat of a frightened bird's wings would be dangerous to him.

But Peter was not thinking

his shirt for the old flag that

would grope under

The

over his school. last year, village.

when the

Peter

teacher had given

had flown

to Peter's

it

mother

had suddenly come to the

secret police

proud to have the

felt

now. Often his hand

of that

flag.

Now

would

it

fly

again from the top of the tower! Finally, Peter reached the top.

He

lifted himself

up and

stood on the small platform once used by the soldiers.

A

looked down.

he had never

feeling

felt

came over A new light

before

him; a feeling that he could not even describe. shone in his eyes, and the success he

felt

He

was

like

a sweet-

ness that he could taste in his mouth.

The whole world was

at his feet. Peter felt that he could

reach out and touch the sun, a dying orange ball descending in the sky.

the school. In

On it

his right, looking like

was the

to

him by

It

who teased And Nijole, a

druggist's son, the one

him the most. And Rimas, the butcher's pretty brunette, who had been ashamed from him.

a colored box, was

had been such a

son.

to accept an apple

great, red apple, too, given

his uncle during the holidays.

Peter looked around again. There, beneath him,

a group of giant oak

trees,

was a

pile of stones.

there that long ago the everlasting flame

the vaidilutes, the white-robed girls fire

It

was

was tended by

who watched over

the

night and day. That was long, long ago, his teacher had

told Peter,

when the Lithuanians

"It would be nice to have a

his clothes

beginning to getting

how

it

fire

worshiped

fire.

now," thought Peter,

feel

cold he was.

the sharpness of the cold. His hands were

numb. He pulled the

tied

still

The sweat had made damp during the hard climb, and now he was

only then realizing

and

among

flag

out from under his

shirt,

to the rusting staff with a copper wire.

The sun had already

set,

but there was stiU a bright red

and orange hue coloring the horizon. the flag flutter. yellow, green,

The

and red

final light of

A

light breeze

made

the sun accented the

colors of the flag.

Peter had to hurry before

it

got completely dark.

He

put

one end of the rope through one of the rungs and tied the

two ends together. Then, holding tightly to the knot, he began to lower himself.

It

was much

easier

than climbing

was the wonderful feeling of triumph inside him that made the work easy. When he had descended as far as the rope would let him, Peter steadied himself on up. Perhaps

it

76

Little Peter's Flag I

one of the rungs, untied the knot, and pulled the rope

He made

free.

another loop, and continued on his

way

down. It

was too dark

to see

how much

although the top of the tower

still

daylight. Peter thought that he

farther he

had to

go,

captured the last rays of

was very near the bottom.

He

strained his eyes trying to see through the darkness,

but

it

was

of

no

use.

Suddenly, Peter heard a noise very close to the castle walls. self

He

was

listened closely. All

quiet.

as far as the rope would let him,

He was

lowered him-

and started groping

for support with his feet. His feet finally

Peter breathed more freely.

He

found a rung, and

sure that he had

reached the old rungs again. The rest of the

now

way should

be easy.

Once again Peter thought that he heard

Was

voices.

he

He

imagining things, or were they really getting closer?

was sure now. Someone was whispering at the stone entrance to the tower.

Peter really was frightened. Panic struck him, and he started lowering himself with his hands, his feet desperately searching for the next foothold. Peter

that there should be a rung here. it

He

with the toe of his shoe.

in order to reach farther

was

positive

He even thought

took one hand

off

he

felt

the rung

down. But his other hand, now

completely numb, could not hold his weight, and Peter

plunged silently toward the dark bottom of the tower.

A

strange, bright light shone in his eyes

sensation covered his body. calling his

name. At

teacher's voice

first

and he

too.

his

The tower seemed "Peter, Peter,

he heard someone

Peter thought he recognized his

tried to answer,

Someone else was there down and started to beat like iron.

He thought

and a burning

A

but he could not.

shadow bent back with fists that seemed great dark

to ring with the chant:

what a

scholar...."

Why

didn't his teacher defend

him? Peter couldn't stand

the growing pain in his back and head.

Suddenly, someone touched his face, and began cleaning it

with a handkerchief. Peter realized there was no one

beating his back or chanting. It was very quiet. Peter

weakly tried to open

body and gently

When and

lifted

black form bent over his

him up.

Peter opened his eyes, he was in bed. His mother

his old teacher

on their

were watching him with worried looks them. His mother bent down

faces. Peter smiled at

and tenderly smoothed "It's

A

his eyes.

his hair.

a good thing your teacher found you last night,"

she said.

His teacher leaned over, put his hand on Peter's shoulder,

and

said,

very proud friends.

We

I

"So you did

am

of you. I

were going to

Peter!

it,

was

You

don't

know how

at the tower with one of

raise a flag for

dependence Day, but you were ahead

of

my

tomorrow's In-

me. Congratula-

You beat your teacher to the job. Let them take the flag down from the tower now, but we'll show every-

tions!

old

one that they can't take the

flag

Peter did not say a word.

him that the pain never

felt

in his legs

happier in his

life.

He

from our hearts." just smiled. It

seemed to

and back was gone. He had

78

The Treasures of Farfounet by Maurice Jean France

pi

Translated from the French Illustrations

If

you want to know where Farfounet's it

.

by Andre Frangois

isn't

hard to

1)

Get some

2)

On

famous

a

for its

find.

little flags

map

attached to pins.

of France, stick

one pin into Bayonne,

hams, and another into Givet, the

Then, very carefully, with a

tal.

village is located,

ruler,

draw a

nail capi-

straight line

between the two places.

Now,

3)

Givet,

a third

stick

and you

will see

flag

halfway between Bayonne and

where Farfounet's

village

is

located.

Without drum or trumpet, you now take your map

of

France, your hat, a compass, and a telescope, and you go there by scooter,

by

jet plane, or

Since



I

I

am

by automobile, by

railway,

by

helicopter,

simply on a bicycle.



how it is spelled excuse me name of this village. This is not

not very sure of

prefer not to write the

a very important

Through your

detail.

telescope, as soon as

you

see the hill with

three dozen low houses (not one more) lined

up along each

side of the single street at the foot of the old fortress-cha-

teau, If

you

you

will still

say to yourself, "I'm there!"

have any doubts, look

for the river

which

winds through the bottom of the valley, the three elms

in

the square in front of the church, the mossy fountain before the blacksmith's forge, and the elegant the football

field.

new

school beside

79

After that, put your compass back in your pocket and

send your parents, friends, and acquaintances this

tele-

gram:

ARRIVED SAFE AND SOUND AT FARFOUNET'S VILLAGE STOP THOUSAND KISSES FROM YOUR (Now add your name,

signed very clearly.)



But it just occurs to me no doubt you are asking at this moment, "Who is this Farfounet, anyway? This name could belong to a kitten, a kid, a lark, or a hedgehog."

Quite right! Your question proves that you have good

And

sense.

I

should have answered this question at the be-

ginning.

Happy

as a lark, frisky as a kid, playful as a kitten, as

well-combed as a hedgehog, Farfounet boy, and

tle

I

gotten you to

The

am

is

a very likable

sure that you will thank

make

me

for

lit-

having

his acquaintance.

inhabitants of the village,

who

are fine people, will

take pleasure in giving you directions. Farfounet's house? little

woods.

Go

Go

straight on. It's just before the

straight to the farm at

which you

will see

a climbing vine on the front wall, a pigeon house, a stable with a black horse pawing the ground, six white cows lowing in the stable,

and a flaming-red tractor

That's the place.

You

can't miss

it.

in the barn.

Farfounet himself

your hand

will

like that of

open the gate for you and shake

an old

Oh

say to you, "Farfounet?

Because

it

seems that

I

am

Then he

friend. yes,

everyone

a bit of an

elf,

will

calls

probably

me

that.

very mischie-

vous, and rather too nosy."

you say that you,

If

pany and

(of children

that, in

who

too, are

are

your opinion,

one of that pleasant com-

elfish,

this

is

mischievous, and nosy)

far

from being a disgrace,

you will not have to beg him to show you his treasures. One good reason for his willingness will be that he doesn't keep them buried strongbox.

(If

in

the depths of a cave or locked in a

the cave caved

in,

or

you

lost the

key to the

strongbox, you would look very clever, wouldn't you?

Keep

-

"vf^i^r*^?''^'*''

this in mind!)

To keep them

his

treasures safe,

Farfounet always carries

right in his trousers' pockets.

BeHeve me,

friends,

they are not ordinary pockets!

Heavy, swollen, stuffed to bursting, they make an enormous lump on each leg and give him an importance which strikes

you at

first

glance.

"They're not pockets, they're a moving van!" grumbles his father.

"People

will

think the poor child

is

deformed!" wails his

mother.

Grown-ups seem to have a hard time understanding tain things!

cer-

y«1

.

82

The Treasures

of Farfounet

Anyway,

let

us see the wonders to be found in his

left

pocket: a spring clothespin, a horseshoe nail (not to be

confused with a marshal's baton), a champagne cork, a

smooth stone (egg-shaped), a boxwood

whistle, three horse

chestnuts (for making

half a

matches

arms and

(for the

figures),

little

dozen used

legs of the little figures),

a

forked branch (needed for making a slingshot), a piece of

making the

bicycle inner tube (likewise needed for

an overcoat button, a

shot),

sling-

and a safety

ball of string,

pin.

And now admire

the riches offered

by

his right pocket:

a

white handkerchief (no longer very white), a snail (wrapped in the handkerchief), four glass marbles,

(with only one blade

left),

a six-bladed knife

a spool (empty), a pencil with

colored lead, a handful of beans (a supply of for the future slingshot), the

ammunition

frame of a pair of glasses

(without the lenses, but excellent for looking for the polestar at night), a

watch with no hands (but with

lots of

gears inside), a harness bell (a bit

very interesting

little

dented, but

going ding-ding), and a carpenter's ruler

still

(very useful even though half of

it is

broken

Are you going to shrug your shoulders at No. I

I

off) all

that?

was sure you wouldn't.

can see by your expression that you are not one of

who

those

stare wide-eyed at fine pearls, diamonds, rubies,

emeralds, topazes, and other priceless articles which are

found

You

in

ordinary treasures.

prefer Farfounet's treasures.

Even though hold

all

his pockets are large

and deep, they cannot

the riches he owns. His schoolbag serves to hold

the larger things.

This morning, for example, before starting for school, he

has put into

it,

beside his books and notebooks, his

turtle Adele, the size of a green walnut,

and

his

little

tame

pi-

geon Lustucru. (Don't worry about Adele and Lustucru.

They're used to

For

it,

and Farfounet

curiosity's sake, follow

He wears

school.

is

very kind to them.)

him awhile on the way

a bright smile.

On

his shoulder,

to

Lustucru

goes rroo, rroo. Adele, not displeased at going along to learn a bit, rubs against the leather of the schoolbag as she

nibbles a bit of lettuce.

Because Farfounet takes his own time, people imagine that he

is

idling.

That

isn't so.

His mind

his eyes dart searchingly to right

many

and

is

to

wide awake and left.

He

has so

extraordinary things to discover in the big, wide

world.

Yesterday,

it

was some snowdrops, a chirping

cricket

dressed in black, and a great stag beetle with horns like a devil's.

Today, perhaps

it

will

be a reddish-brown

frog, a

family

of tadpoles, or a bit of hillside covered with daisies.

And tomorrow, will

make new

the day after tomorrow, every day he

finds:

a handful of wild hazelnuts, a golden

84

The Treasures

of Farfounet

slowworm, a gray

a ladybug, a patch of

lizard,

mush-

field

rooms.

Ah

!

thing

who pass by lost in thought and not seeing a only knew what marvelous toys can be made with If

those

just a piece of bark

from a

fir tree,

a bit of wire, and three

chicken feathers!

Farfounet knows

all this.

why you

will see

That things,

down,

is

him along the road poking

into

searching out the hidden, turning things upside collecting, letting

nothing interrupt him.

Sometimes Mademoiselle scolds him. "That's

terrible,

Empty your

Farfounet.

pockets."

Farfounet forgives Mademoiselle. Even the nicest teachers can't

He

understand everything.

warily displays his

treasures.

"A

snail!

Ugh! And

all

those disgusting odds and ends!"

Head bowed, our schoolboy

lets

the storm pass.

Made-

moiselle has not thought to look into the schoolbag. Adele

and Lustucru are

safe; that's the

main

thing.

Farfounet laughs up his sleeve.

Observe now how things turn out to show how right he is.

The cork

of the ink bottle

has been mislaid. Where

is

an-

other one to be found? In Farfounet's pocket!

Does Mademoiselle wish

to

hang up the map which

illus-

trates the history lesson? Farfounet's spring clothespin or his horseshoe nail will

A

nail

do very

well.

not well driven into a seat threatens to tear

someone's clothing? Farfounet's smooth stone

will serve as

a hammer.

You will

will see that in

not think

ill

the mathematics lesson the teacher

of the carpenter's ruler, the ball of string,

the three horse chestnuts, the four glass marbles, or the

handful of dry beans.

France

During the fifteen-minute exercise period, the absent-

minded young woman who has mislaid her whistle, will even no help for it! have to borrow her pupil's whistle.





But

after

we must be

all,

Mademoiselle does kiss

fair.

Farfounet on both cheeks.

He bows

head a

his

little in

modesty, but his smile grows

wider.

Now

tell

me, who, at this moment, could scold him for

poking into things, searching out the hidden, turning things over, collecting, letting nothing interrupt

Suddenly, just at the stroke of noon,

One of

of those pelting rains that

France,

crow

flies,

The

located

— don't

him? it

sometimes

forget

—just

begins to rain. fall in this

halfway,

as

part the

between Bayonne and Givet.

school

is

at the very end of the village. In such

weather and without a raincoat, one would be drenched to the skin before reaching home.

What

is

to be done?

"Children," says Mademoiselle, "you will have to wait."

They

all

look disappointed. Stomachs are already begin-

ning to cry famine.

It's

no fun. Then, Farfounet

raises his

hand. "Mademoiselle,

"Let us hear

Our

I

have an idea."

it."

waves a piece

friend

of paper.

"Look what

I

have

written."

Papa, If

you don't come

we

for us with the truck

shall all catch colds.

Farfounet

"Fine," agrees Mademoiselle. "But

who

is

to carry the

letter?"

"Lustucru, of course!"

"Lustucru?"

From

the schoolbag, Farfounet takes his pigeon which

85

86

The Treasures

of Farfounet

Lustucru appears happy to be able to get a

flaps its wings.

bit of exercise.

The whole

class bursts out laughing,

and the teacher

hasn't the courage to scold.

With a rubber band, Farfounet attaches the folded letter to one of the bird's legs. Then he opens the door, gives his pigeon a little kiss on the head, and says, before releasing him

downpour, "Hurry, Lustucru!"

into the

"What a scamp selle

this

Farfounet

is!"

Mademoi-

exclaims

with an air of being annoyed.

But our

scamp knows very

crafty

well that this

was

said

as a joke, and that the teacher would, on the contrary, like to kiss

A

him

few minutes

later,

Farfounet's father arrives in front

with his truck.

of the school

He at father who

Lustucru has done his job well as a carrier pigeon. once perched upon the shoulder of Farfounet's

promptly saw the message fastened to the bird's lost

no time

leg

and

in driving to the school.

In the wink of an eye he opens the rear door of the truck

and

cries gaily, "All aboard,

Mademoiselle

sits

everyone!"

near the driver, with Farfounet be-

tween them. Farfounet

is

not vain, but now, really in this place of

honor, he would not think the king his equal. In front of each house, the truck leaves a school child.

"Eat

Then

well, it

is

my

friends! See

you

this afternoon!"

Mademoiselle's turn. As she gets out, she

thanks the driver and says to Farfounet, "Without you

I

most surely would have caught bronchitis."

Our hero

smiles.

As the truck

is

about to

start,

he leans toward the win-

dow, then begs, "One moment. Papa! Just one

little

mo-

ment!" Quickly he opens the door, jumps out into the rain-swept

France

and bends down.

road,

"What do you suppose he has "What is he digging up now?" "Mademoiselle!"

The teacher

seen?" grumbles Papa.

cries Farfounet.

turns back.

"What

is it,

Farfounet?"

"Look, Mademoiselle!" Without a thought for the rain running down his happy

woman and little

face,

offers her, in the

he runs toward the young

palm

of his extended hand,

a

green frog.

"It's raining, it's wet, it's

a holiday for her!

I

give her to

you!" Farfounet's eyes are shining with such pleasure that

Mademoiselle cannot say no. She takes the frog hand, a

little

feels rather

unwillingly. This

unpleasant at

first.

wet and cold

Then, curiously,

just as agreeable to hold in one's

Mademoiselle smiles

in

palm as a

off,

and her

But her voice

lips is

is

fills

just start-

can be seen to move.

so low that only she

my

becomes

the downpour. Her heart

said:

"Thank you,

it

animal

little bird.

with joy. She waves toward the truck which ing

little

in her

kind Farfounet."

knows what she has

87

The Magic Stone by John M. Ibongia and M. Dobrin Kenya

Illustrations

by K. Francis Msangi

i^A



story

Xa.

I

am

coming.

.

words,

these

uttered

.

."

Whenever Grandmother

the

immediately

children

stopped their chattering and turned towards her. There she sat, high above the

stuck into the tied

mud

fire,

on a bed

of long straight sticks

walls on either side.

The

were

sticks

with ropes and covered with a thick cowhide so

Grandmother would be comfortable.

The

children often slept in Grandmother's hut

preferred

it

to their

own homes. Of

and many

course they helped

with the chores, such as fetching water and carrying

fire-

wood. But where also could they taste such delicious food or hear so

many

interesting stories?

Grandmother spent much puffing on her old clay pipe.

of the

day

sitting in the sun,

But she always cooked a

large

pot of thin, tasty gruel to give to the children when they returned from working on her farm.

Grandmother was for her years.

still

a fine-looking woman, and strong

She held herself

tall

and

straight, as she

was

used to carrying baskets and wood and fruit on her head.

When

she was tired, her back would bend a

did not really matter as she

little,

but this

now had grandchildren

to

Her old legs were still strong and muscles she had developed from all the

carry things for her.

showed the firm

walking she had done up and down the

hills of

Kisii in

Kenya. Round each ankle she wore a metal bracelet which showed she was a married woman.

89

Suppertime was just before sunset.

When

the children

had eaten and cleared away the remains of the meal, they lay down to sleep round the fire on mats made of soft cowhide. When they kept chattering and would not go to

Grandmother knew just the way to keep them quiet. She began to tell them a story. When Grandmother told

sleep,

her stories, no one so interesting.

who

left his

But

moved from it

was

the bed because they were

also well

known

that anybody

bed while a story was being told would never

90

The Magic Stone

grow again. So no one

stirred,

and when the story was

who were still awake would cry out, "Now I shall grow as tall as Mount Sameta!" Even tonight, in many huts in the Kisii highlands of Kenya, an old woman will climb into her bed, look down I am coming." at her grandchildren, and say, "A story finished, those



This

is

one of the stories she might

Once there

two brothers. One was very

lived

the other was very poor.

on an island of salt

on

it.

tell.

The

rich,

and

rich brother, Metusera, lived

Victoria. This island

had mountains

Metusera became wealthy by

selling the salt

in

Lake

to the people of Kisii

who had no

salt of their

own.

But Joseph, the other brother, who lived at the edge of the lake, had no salt to sell. There was little rain and his crops never grew well. All he had was one wife and seven

very hungry children.

One day, Joseph's

"Why

wife began to cry.

are you crying?" he asked her, as he sat on his

haunches beside

"Do you want sobs. "There's

her.

us to die?" she asked him, in between her

no food and we're starving. Our old cow no

Our

longer gives milk and she's too thin for us to eat.

den

is

empty. I've planted and hoed but there's

gar-

still

no

food as our maize has turned rotten on the stalk."

Joseph tried to comfort his wife but he could not pacify her.

Her grinding stomach kept her mind only on one

thing.

"Why

don't you go to Metusera?" she continued.

"You

can ask him for some money. He's very rich and can easily give you

money

so

Thinking about

you can buy us some food." her

words,

Joseph

shook

his

head

slowly.

"My

brother only loves

money and he

doesn't like to

give any away. All day, from sunrise to sunset, he sits in

Kenya

his

house and counts his cash. Even

me any

back sometime, he would not give but we both know that

could pay him

I

if

of his

money,

would never be able to return the

I

loan."

"Try," said his wife,

Maybe

he'll

still

crying.

"He

is

your brother.

give you the money, otherwise we'll

all

die of

hunger."

Joseph agreed to ask his brother and that afternoon he set

out for Metusera's island.

He walked

across the dusty

plains.

There were very few animals about as they had

moved

further south in search of food.

grass were burned brown. bare,

Some

above the loose sand.

An

The few blades

trees stuck out, stark

of

and

occasional breeze from the

lake blew the sand around in swirls, hurting Joseph's eyes as he continued his journey across the hot plains. Before sunset, he reached the beach opposite the island and, as he

could not cross over that night, he

near the lapping water which was

fell

asleep

by the shore

full of crocodiles.

The next morning, when he awoke under the

rising sun,

he began to build a boat so he could cross the blue water.

He

cut a few small trees and tied the logs together with

make a and he was weak from strong grass to

raft.

This work took a long time

and from the strong the task was completed and he

lack of food

heat of the sun. Finally,

set out for the island, paddling the raft across the lake.

When

he reached the island, he went to his brother's

home. Metusera was

sitting in his large house, counting his

money and arranging the

When Metusera saw

coins into

numerous

Joseph standing

quickly threw a cloth over the stacks of

a stern voice,

"What

are

in the

piles.

doorway, he

money and

said in

you doing here?"

Joseph quietly walked into the room.

"My

brother,

I

need your help," he began. "There's been no rain this year

no money to buy food

for

wife and children and they're starving. Please lend

me

and our crops have

my

failed. I've

91

92

The Magic Stone

some I

of

your money and

I'll

try to

pay

back as soon as

it

can."

After hearing this speech, Metusera began to laugh.

"Do you

expect

me

to give

you money?" he shouted.

"Why, I've hardly enough to keep me happy. If I give some to you, I would have nothing to do in the afternoons.

My

greatest pleasure in

why

should

life

is

counting

my

money. And

money? You're a lazy man, but I'll give you something just to show you how kind I am, even though you don't deserve anything. Here's a loaf of bread.

Now

I

give you

don't ever return here again," he finished, handing

him a large, Knowing

stale loaf. it

was

useless to pursue the subject, Joseph

sadly took the loaf of bread and began his journey home.

He rowed

across the lake

and started walking along the

dusty paths. Before he had gone very

far,

he encountered

an old man with a long gray beard and ragged

"What have you

there?" the old

man

clothes.

asked, pointing to

the loaf of bread.

"Just one loaf of bread. Old "I haven't eaten for three

Man," answered Joseph. days. Won't you give me

Kenya

93

some?" begged the old man.

"My "But as

if

family needs this bread," he said to the old man.

so does this old

he

will die

if

man," he

said to himself.

"He

looks

he doesn't eat soon." Joseph handed him

half the loaf.

"Thank you,"

said the old

because of your kindness

He

man. "You're a kind man and

shall help

I

you."

took a round stone from his pocket.

"This stone

will give

you anything you

desire,"

he

said.

"But you must wish wisely." Joseph thanked the old to his

man and

ran the rest of the

home, carrying the round stone

in his

way

pocket and the

bread in his hand.

His wife and children were near death when he reached

home. He gave them the bread and told them about the old

man.

"Let's wish for food then," said Joseph's wife. "Because

we're starving."

They wished hard and den were

full

of food.

moment the kitchen and garThe pawpaw tree sprouted fruit. in

a

Pineapples, carrots, tomatoes, maize, and spinach sprang

from the dusty earth. Suddenly, ten chickens appeared and all

started to lay eggs.

with milk and

five

The

old

cow appeared

to be bursting

In the

calves appeared besides her.

house there were loaves of fresh bread and gourds oil

and

full of

fats.

The family was delighted. "What else shall we wish for?" asked Joseph's wife. "Our neighbors are also hungry," replied Joseph. "Let's wish for food for them too." The neighbors' gardens soon became as plentiful as their own.

"Our children don't have any

clothes or shoes. Let's

wish for those," said Joseph's wife.

Immediately clothing appeared

in neat rows,

laid

out

Pawpaw Tree

before them. Shoes stood shining in a long Une. So that

wish came true as well

The news district

of Joseph's

sudden wealth spread across the

and reached Metusera on

with envy.

He

could not

let

He was mad

Joseph remain richer than

himself, so he decided that he

money and

his island.

would

steal his brother's

possessions.

own boat and went to There he looked into the window and

Metusera crossed the lake Joseph's house.

watched the happy family.

in his

He saw

Joseph take out the

Kenya

magic stone and say, "I wish for a new brick schoolhouse."

"So that's how he does

it!" said

Metusera. "I must steal

the stone."

He watched that night,

Joseph put the stone under a pillow. Later

when everyone was

asleep,

he crept into the

house, took the stone from under the pillow, and quietly stole out of the house.

boat,

He

ran to the lake, jumped into his

and started to row away. But he could not wait

until

he reached his island before he began to wish. "If

I

had

all

the salt in the world,

I

could

make a

money," he thought. "Everyone would come to me

and all

I

could charge a lot for

it."

Then he

said, "I

lot of

for salt

wish for

the salt in the world." Salt

It fell

was

came pouring down from the sky as if it were rain. on to the boat in a heavy mass and soon the boat

filled

with

salt,

but

still

it

continued to rain down.

what was happening, Metusera cried, "Stop!" was too late. The boat sank to the bottom of the

Realizing

But

it

lake

and no more was heard

of the

greedy Metusera.

The people of Joseph's village lived happily for the rest of their lives. The food in their gardens helped them through the dry years and soon they learned how to grow more and better crops and how to store up grain for a lean period, so they never starved again.

|

95

m

'-']

97

Helmut

in the City

Germany

by Giinter Herburger Translated from the

German

Illustrations

by Horst Lemke

Helmut

sat at the table doing his arithmetic.

was building a

Susanne

castle of pillows in the middle of the

living room.

"It will be the highest castle ever," Susanne said. "I

need more pillows."

Helmut paid no attention to his sister. With his pen, he was trying to draw a straight line under the numbers and across the page in his copybook. Suddenly, his pen shot

out and the line went right through the column of numbers.

Susanne had snatched the pillow from under him.

Helmut stared line

at his copybook.

with a loop at one end.

It

He saw

a thick, black

looked like a pig's

tail.

He

got up, walked over to the pile of pillows, and kicked them.

Down came "You

the castle.

shouldn't have done that," screamed Susanne.

Helmut started back to the table, but Susanne grabbed his arm and bit his hand. Helmut was furious. He slapped Susanne in the face. "Don't you dare cry," he said. "You spoiled my arithmetic. Now, I'll have to do it all over again." Susanne ran out of the room. Moments later, Helmut heard the elevator motor hum.

98

Helmut

in the City

"Susanne," he shouted.

He

"Come back

ran into the hall and

down

here!"

the narrow stairs.

Helmut and his family lived on the 15th floor of a highrise near the main street. His parents owned the linen shop on the first floor. Maybe Susanne had gone down to the

h^

shop.

Helmut went into the shop through the back entrance and searched for Susanne in all the hiding places. She was nowhere that he looked. He started

for the stairs that led

outdoors.

"Where's Susanne?" his father asked just as Helmut reached the

stairs.

"She's building a castle," said Helmut.

"How would you

like to

go to the meat

stall

some bratwurst for you and Susanne?" asked "Or would you rather have schaschlik?"

and buy

his father.

"I think schaschlik," said Helmut.

Across the counter, his father held out two marks.

Bratwurst

Helmut played with the stocking holder on the counter and made it spin like a merry-go-round. He had better take the

money and

leave before his father discovered that

Susanne was gone.

There was a parking

lot filled

with

all

kinds of cars be-

hind the shop. Helmut looked in every direction.

He

could

not see Susanne anywhere.

He

took his scooter from

parked

car.

He

Then he got

its

place near his father's

down the street. it down the stairs

scooted out of the lot and

off

the scooter and pulled

that led to the shopping center.

He saw

the machine that

scooted over to the

fish store

it.

made

Susanne was not

cotton candy. Helmut there.

She was not at

or at the fruit stand which they visited often.

"Hi, Helmut, you jughead," someone called. It

Schaschlik

was

brakes.

Sigi riding

a scooter with rubber wheels and foot

Germany

"I'm looking "I'll

for

my

sister," said

Helmut.

help you find her," said Sigi.

scooter.

Helmut

way and

waited.

into the garage

When

hall,

off

on his

to the under-

they ducked under an arch-

the light turned green, they sneaked

and hid to one

side of a car waiting in front

A woman

sat in the glass booth selling

of the ticket booth. tickets.

At the entrance

followed.

ground garage near city

He pushed

She did not see Helmut and

moved, they moved with

other, they scooted

the car

it.

"We'll have to go fast," whispered

They crouched on

When

Sigi.

Sigi.

their scooters and, one behind the

down

the steep curve on the ramp.

The driver honked his horn as he drove. The next curve was even steeper. Helmut had to use his foot brake. In front of him, Sigi swung into the first floor of the garage. That was where Helmut's uncle parked his car when he came for a visit. Susanne often drove with him to the garage.

"Susanne," called Helmut. "Susanne."

"Hey, you," shouted a garageman. "Get out

of here!"

Helmut turned and saw a man coming toward him. Sigi dropped his scooter and ran. Helmut scooted in and out between cars to the next parking place. Then he scooted toward the

exit.

The man followed him. Suddenly, the man stopped. He could not decide whether to pick up Sigi's scooter or follow Helmut. faster

and

ramp. In the meantime,

Sigi

Helmut scooted Helmut

faster until

had picked up

up the ramp. He squeezed

started

to get out of the

way

he reached the his scooter.

close to the wall

of a delivery truck.

As the truck

passed him, Helmut grabbed a piece of canvas hanging

from the back only and top of the

it

of the truck.

was

ramp

difficult.

He

could steer with one hand

But the truck pulled him to the

in a hurry.

99

When

he got to the ticket booth, Helmut put down the

two marks

his father

had given him

"What do you want?" asked

for the meat.

the ticket lady.

"I want to pay for parking," said Helmut.

"Hold

still!"

yelled the

man who had

been chasing Hel-

mut. "What were you doing down there?" "I was parking," said Helmut.

"Now

I

want

to

pay

for it."

"It doesn't cost anything to park a scooter," said the ticket lady.

"Everything costs something," said Helmut. But the ticket lady

While

would not take

this

his

money.

was happening, Helmut saw

Sigi

go by on his

scooter behind a delivery truck .and then out into the

shopping center.

"There goes the other one," shouted the garageman.

But before he could chase him,

Sigi

had disappeared into

Germany

the crowds.

"May "I'm

in

I

a hurry."

am

"So

go with you?" Helmut asked the truck driver.

Helmut picked up it

"Climb

I," said the truck driver.

his scooter,

in."

but he was unable to

lift

over the side of the truck.

"Help him," the ticket lady told the garageman.

Helmut put down his scooter and climbed into the back of the truck. The garageman lifted the scooter and Helmut pulled it into the truck. The truck began to move. The ticket lady waved. Helmut wanted to wave back, but just then the truck speeded up and Helmut was bounced into a corner.

They passed

city hall

and the railroad

truck entered the city tunnel.

came out

It

and drove past the gas works.

Finally,

it

station.

The

of the tunnel

stopped

in

a

courtyard at the back of a hotel.

Helmut climbed out

of the truck

and pulled

his scooter

after him.

"I have to look for

my

sister,"

he told the truck driver.

"Where are we?"

"A

long

way from

the city," said the driver.

"Are you planning to go back to the city?" asked Helmut.

"Not today,"

replied the driver.

"But

if

you go through

the hotel to the street, you can catch a bus that will take

you where you want

Helmut got on

to go."

his scooter

and followed the driver

into

the building.

The driver said good-by and disappeared behind a door. Helmut scooted down a long passageway until he came to an

alley

and then he scooted through a gate

into the

street.

"Where can I get the bus to the the doorman standing in front of the

city?"

Helmut asked

hotel entrance.

101

102

Helmut

in the City

"Right over there," said the doorman.

"Do you want a

taxi?"

"Too expensive," said Helmut. "But please help me. I must get to the city and find my sister. She ran away." The doorman went to the curb and waited. He watched cars, buses, and delivery vans pass. Suddenly, he waved his arms and blew his whistle. A truck, with a turning cement mixer on it, stopped. The driver leaned out of the cab and talked to the doorman. They shook hands. Then the doorman waved to Helmut to come over. Helmut scooted up to the doorman.

"Here he

is," said

get to the city.

"Get

the doorman to the driver.

"He must

Take him with you."

in," said the driver.

Helmut climbed into the cab of the truck. The doorman handed him his scooter. The driver stepped on the gas and the truck roared.

"You're lucky," said the driver. "The doorman brother-in-law.

day when

Helmut

I

I

pass

by the

above the

other cars on the road.

way

all

What

my

hotel about twenty times a

go from the factory to the building

sat high

is

it

high above

all

the

would be to ride

this

traffic,

fun

site."

the time and see everything!

When

they got to the

city,

they drove onto a bridge

that went past the third floors between two buildings.

Helmut could see people working in offices. Once Helmut had wanted to ride his scooter across this very same bridge. A policeman had stopped him and told him that it was forbidden. But now no policeman could see his foot on the scooter as he rode high

above

in the

cab of the truck. "Faster," shouted Helmut, ringing the scooter

bell.

"We

must get ahead of everybody." The driver laughed and stepped on the gas. Helmut watched the needle in the speedometer climb. They drove

Germany

and stopped. Helmut got out

to the building site

of the

truck with his scooter.

An

almost completed high-rise rose above the buildings

Helmut scooted through pools of water and over boards. He stopped to watch men in blue plastic helmets carry window frames into the high-rise. High above, two men, fastened by belts to the building wall, were putting frames into windows. Then Helmut scooted over to a around

it.

freight elevator.

"I'm looking

for

the motor. "But

I

my

man

he told the

sister,"

can see that she's not here.

running I

always

seem to go to the wrong place." "If

you search every

time," said the man.

street in the city,

"Maybe

the top of this building

take a long

it'll

you'll find her

you go

if

to

and look through the telescope up

there."

Helmut was

so glad to be allowed to go to the top of the

building, he gave the

man

the two marks his father had

given him to buy the schaschlik.

He

climbed into a cart in

The man The eleva-

the elevator and held tight. Up, up, up he went.

running the motor looked smaller and smaller. tor

swayed back and

forth.

Helmut was worried. He

turned and faced the wall. Then he "I

must

my

find

sister,"

felt safer.

Helmut

said to the

man who

operated the telescope.

"What

color

was her dress?" asked the man.

"Green," said Helmut. "Susanne ran away and don't find her before

my

parents get home,

I'll

if

I

be pun-

ished."

The man adjusted the telescope and put an empty box near it for Helmut to stand on. "Shut your right," the

left

man

eye and look through the lens with your

said.

Helmut obeyed. Through the

telescope,

the buildings

looked very near. So did the city park and the main street.

I

103

He saw

children with grown-ups, but no children alone.

looked up and that

made

down every

street.

He saw

He

the machine

cotton candy, and the entrance to the under-

ground garage, but he could not see Susanne. Once he thought he saw Sigi, but the boy was on a scooter with

wooden wheels. Sigi's scooter had rubber wheels. Now he saw the building in which he lived. He could see through the kitchen window into his apartment. No one was

in the kitchen or in the living

telescope

He saw

and watched the entrance to his father help a

ting

me

He

turned the

his parents' shop.

customer carry packages to a

waiting taxi. His parents were "It's

room.

still

at work.

no use," Helmut said to the man. "Thanks for look.

But

I

can't see

Helmut ran across the

my

roof

sister

let-

anywhere."

and scrambled into a

cart.

Dried plaster covered the inside of the cart and Helmut

He

up and waited until someone pushed the cart onto the freight elevator. As the iron cage rushed downward, the cart bumped against the scraped his knuckles on

it.

curled

Below, Helmut could hear trucks being unloaded.

wall.

The

elevator suddenly stopped under a storage bin with a

big

hole

in

it.

Immediately,

mushy cement and sand

poured down over Helmut. "Let

me

out of here!" shouted Helmut. "Let

Luckily a worker heard Helmut. the cart and Helmut "Let's give

"No,

he'll

fell

out,

him a shower,"

He

me

out!"

pulled a lever on

wet and messy. said the worker.

catch cold," said another.

"Do you cough very

often?" someone asked.

Helmut shook his head. He did not know whether to laugh or cry. The man who operated the elevator held a hose.

He

sprayed water over Helmut's shoes. Another

Helmut

106

in the City

I

man wiped Helmut's

made Helmut stand on a board "Hold

someone

tight,"

The valve

of the air

wind

hit

Helmut fish.

in front of

an

so fast, he could hardly breathe.

the air machine was shut

off,

A

his

shoes.

tremendous

air

rushed by

He gasped

like

a

Helmut's clothes

were dry. In the same way, the marvelous

had dried

machine.

else shouted.

Helmut. Everything blurred. The

When

air

machine was opened and from a

was pointed at Helmut.

distance a hose

Then they

clothes with a wet cloth.

air

machine

Happily, Helmut wiggled his toes

in his socks.

"So,

my

young

has turned out

friend," said the foreman, "everything

fine.

Now

Helmut picked up could.

He

go on home."

and rode as

his scooter

fast as

he

took a short cut. Soon he was parking his

scooter near his father's car.

He

rode the elevator up to

his apartment.

There lay Susanne "So

this

is

fast asleep

on the living-room

floor.

where you've been!" cried Helmut.

Susanne awoke. "Were you looking for me?" she asked. "I went to the paper factory and saw machines tear

up

cartons and then press the pieces into big balls."

To show Susanne

that he had forgiven her,

Helmut

built her a castle with all the pillows in the apartment.

Then they

sat together

the lamps light up "I won't

tell

all

on the pillow

castle

and watched

over the city.

anyone that you slapped me," Susanne

said.

Helmut

smiled.

"And

I

won't

tell

that you went to the

paper factory where you are not allowed to go." It

was

just as

though they had never quarreled.

Tomorrow, Helmut would do over the messed-up metic. Sometime, he

and Susanne would

about their day. Sometime.

tell

arith-

their parents

108

India

The Big Guest by Shankar Illustrations

by Pulak Biswas

109

An

elephant trainer, or mahout as he

in India, teaches elephants to

Everybody

called

is

known

obey commands.

him "Raja."

It

was not

but he liked being called "Raja."

He

his real

name

lived with his

Grandfather and Grandmother. They were his guardians.

when he was young. His father grandparents, who brought him up.

Raja's mother died

with his

Grandfather was a a loud voice.

strong man.

tall,

He knew

everyone

left

Raja

He always spoke

in

the village. People

in

They came to him for advice and help. Grandmother was kind and gentle. She took good care of Raja. She would follow him like a shadow, saying, "Drink this milk" or "Eat your food" or "Have your bath" or "Go to bed." Raja did not like this, but still he respected him.

loved his grandmother very much.

At home Raja did not have any Grandfather did not other children.

he did

so.

He

like

friend to play with.

Raja going out to play with

believed that Raja would be spoiled

Other children did not

like to

come

if

to the house

because they were afraid of Grandfather.

Yet

life

with Grandfather was not

dull.

Raja liked

his

home and the very large garden all round it. There were many trees in the garden: coconut trees, mango trees, and other kinds of trees. There were birds, butterflies, and

honeybees. There were

many

tanks, with plenty of fish in

them. Kingfishers, storks, and other water birds came to the tanks to catch the In a corner of the

fish.

compound was a

grove, where trees.

The Big Guest

110 I

and creepers grew

shrubs, cats,

and owls

wild. Jackals, mongooses, wild-

lived in the grove.

owned many cows, bulls, and bulplayed and ran about in the garden.

Raja's grandfather locks. Little calves

Raja liked to play with the

He

the birds in the garden. of the grove. flies

and

He

calves.

He

liked to

watch

looked for jackals coming out

ran after mongooses.

He caught

butter-

reptiles.

Once Raja's grandparents had a big guest at home. It was Lakshmi, a young cow elephant. She belonged to a rich

relative.

The

relative

wanted Raja's grandparents

some days. Grandfather did not like the idea very much. It was costly to feed an elephant, even a young elephant. But Grandfather could not refuse to keep the elephant for

Mongoose

the request of a relative.

Raja was excited when he heard Lakshmi was coming. Raja asked people how he should welcome the elephant.

Grandmother

him that elephants loved sugar cane

told

and that he should keep some for Lakshmi. One evening Lakshmi arrived with her ynahout, Kittu. Everybody in the house came out to welcome her. She was a beautiful young elephant.

Kittu

She

is

said,

"She

intelligent

is

young. She

is

hardly eight years old.

and learns things quickly. She

is

very

loving and likes to play with people."

Kittu said so

many good

things about

Raja thought Lakshmi could have been

Lakshmi that Kittu's

own

daughter.

Raja had a piece to give

it

of sugar cane with

to Lakshmi.

But he was

him and he wanted

afraid to go near her.

Kittu saw Raja holding the sugar cane and took him near

Lakshmi, saying, "She loves children." Raja offered the sugar cane to Lakshmi and she took

it

and ate

it.

At night Lakshmi was chained to a tree in the courtyard. Raja sat there for a long time watching her. He

India

would have remained there longer but Grandmother came out and said, "Now, Raja, you go to bed.

You can watch

the elephant in the morning."

Raja woke up early next morning and went shmi saw him and she waved her trunk as him.

He was

tried to

come

still

to

if

out.

Lak-

welcoming

afraid to go near the elephant.

Lakshmi

Raja but she could not as she was chained

to the tree.

Kittu came

in the

morning.

He

took Lakshmi out for a

bath. Raja had never seen an elephant bathing. So he

followed

them

to the tank.

water alone. She played her trunk and poured

Then Kittu went filled

it

in

in the water.

went

into the

She took water

and asked her to

in

sit

down. She

her trunk again with water and looked at Kittu.

She spouted

all

it."

But Lakshmi would not

the water on Kittu.

Kittu did not get angry. sit.

first

over her body several times.

Kittu said, "Don't, don't do listen.

Lakshmi

But Lakshmi again

filled

He

again asked Lakshmi to

her trunk with water.

Now

Kittu showed her his stick and warned her not to repeat

111

112

The Big Guest

the mischief. This time Lakshmi did not pour water on

him but threw it backward with force. Raja was standing just behind and the water fell all over him. It was great fun. Lakshmi was only playing. Kittu pulled Lakshmi by the ear and ordered her to sit. She obeyed.

He

then scrubbed her with a piece of stone

and cleaned her all over. On the way back Kittu gave Raja a Raja was

When

thrilled.

Grandmother, and see

all

ride

on Lakshmi.

they reached home, Grandfather,

the others were waiting outside to

Raja riding an elephant.

Kittu had told Raja that Lakshmi liked ripe bananas better than sugar cane. Raja waited for an opportunity

As soon as Grandfather was out. Raja the cellar and took half of a huge bunch of

to give her some.

quietly

went to

ripe bananas.

He

them with great Later,

took the bananas to Lakshmi. She ate

relish.

Grandfather noticed that some of the bananas

were missing.

He

asked everyone about

it

and found out

that Raja had taken the bananas. Grandfather did not like

anybody taking anything without

his permission.

He

took a long cane and called Raja.

Raja knew Grandfather wanted to beat him. He ran.

And Grandfather

ran after him.

Lakshmi was not chained to the tree at that time. She saw Raja running and Grandfather chasing him. She immediately came to Raja's help. She rushed towards Grandfather with a wild cry.

Grandfather was very frightened. into the house,

and patted

He

turned back, ran

and bolted the door. Raja went

to

Lakshmi

her.

After a while Grandfather came out, holding in his hand the other half of the banana bunch.

take

it

and give

it

to the elephant.

He

asked Raja to

Raja did

so,

and both

Grandfather and Lakshmi were happy. So was Raja.

India

113

114

A

Bowl of Peas

by David

J.

Wright

Illustrations

by Hugh McClelland

Mother

has this thing about Canadian pioneer

Canada

1*1

She and Aunt Dolly get hold I

wouldn't look at twice

—things

of

stuff.

junk that you and

like butter churns, spin-

ning wheels, rocking chairs. They scrape and sandpaper

and

stain

they like

and wax them. The older a thing

is,

the better

it.

Well, that's

all

right for Mother,

bother me, but there was a time

and

when

it I

doesn't usually

suspected her of

't^^^Hv

115

same way about

feeling the

she couldn't see

why

I

my

possessions.

needed a new three-speed bike

when the antique that I'd been years was still in working order. All the kids I

mine.

I

went with had

wanted to be the

three-speed bike, and

I

For example,

riding for the past three

bikes, ordinary bikes like

one

first

wanted

away because

it

in

my

gang with a

before school started.

I

was past the middle of August and school opening seemed awful close. I came needed

it

right

it

home from

Len's Bicycle Shop a

Mother was

just putting

little

away some

before lunchtime.

of her

sandpaper and