Chapter 1
Jimmy Martin Needs Soap

          One warm day in spring Jimmy Martin came home from a long hike. His face and hands were so black with dirt that his mother hardly knew him. Supper was ready, and Jimmy was hungry, but just then Jimmy needed something more than food. We can guess what Jim needed!
          But, when Jimmy began to wash, he found that there was no hand soap. He called to his mother:
          ”Mother, where is the soap?”
          ”I’m sorry, Jimmy. I bought some soap today, but the grocer is late in sending it.”
          ”Well, mother, I guess I’ll have to eat with dirty hands, then.”
          (Do you think he could get clean without soap? The next time your hands are dirty, try to get them clean in water alone.)
          When Jimmy found he couldn’t get his hands clean, he began to think for the first time how useful soap is. Just then the soap came, and Jimmy felt that a friend had arrived. He really enjoyed washing his face and hands.
          Later, at the supper table, Jimmy said:
          ”Father, I’ve been thinking about soap, and I’ve a pile of questions I’d like to ask.”
          ”All right, son; let’s hear them.
          ”Well, did people always have soap? What would we do if we didn’t have any soap at all? What is soap, anyway? Why does it get my hands clean?”
          ”Wait a minute, son,” said his father, as Jimmy was going on. “Slow up a bit. Those are good questions, but I can’t answer them as fast as you can ask them. I have an idea. How would you like to write down those questions you wish to ask about soap, and we’ll try to answer one or two every night?”
          ”Fine, father,” said Jimmy. “I’ll start that list tonight.”
          Then Mother Martin spoke:
          ”I’d like to play a soap game right now. Let’s see who can name the greatest number of different ways that we have used soap in this house today. You begin, Jimmy.”
          ”Soap for bath,” said Jimmy, promptly.
          ”Shaving soap,” said father, like a flash.
          ”Soap in toothpaste,” said mother. “I don’t believe any of you thought of that!”
          ”I washed my dog with soap today,” said Sister Sue, and they all laughed.
          ”That’s why there wasn’t any soap left in the bathroom,” said Jimmy.

Here are some things for you to do:

Think of the different ways you have used soap in your home, or have seen it used, and see how long a list you can make.

Write out the questions about soap which you think Jimmy is going to ask.

Where would you like to go next?