Afghanistan
Ethiopia
Peru
The Magic Carpet
High in the cold, old Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan there was a man who lived alone execept for his floxk of sheep. No one ever visited him, but he wasn't lonely. For the old man was making a magic carpet. Now everyone knows that in Afghanistan they make truly beautiful and woderful carpets. But only one of them ever was or ever eill be a magic carpet. This is its story.
Every year the old man would shear the wool from his sheep. He spun it into thread, and he dyed it in many beautiful colors. Then he would take all the wool to his loom. There he sat, and closed his eyes, and dreamed. And as he dreamed, his hands moved over the loom, weaving wool into the pictures of his dreams. His dreams were magic dreams, for what he saw was real - real people and real things in real places all over the world. They were dreams of the past and the future. Many years he sat there dreaming and weaving his wonderful pictures, until at last the carpet was done.
The old man woke from his dream, he smiled happily to himself. He picked up the beautiful magic carpet carried it to a cave high up,on the mountain. There he hid the carpet, and went away and never came back again. Many years later a boy named Sham and his sister, Fatima, came to the cave. It was winter time, and very cold, and the were lost in a snow storm. They were very happy to find the cave and even happier tyo find the carpet. They sat down on it, and wrapped the edges around them, and at once they felt warm again.
They were surprised at the wonderful places woven into the carpet. "They look like wonderful places," said little Fatima. She pointed out one picture and said,"I would liket to go there." It being a magic carpet suddenly took of heading towards the place which Fatima had pointed to....
The Enchanted Princesses
There was a handsome young Ethiopian named Abeda, who took his rifle and went hunting. He wanted to catch a dibatag, which is a kind of gazelle. He had not seen one before, but he had heard that they were wonderful creatures.
After much searching he found five dibatags grazing quietly among some bushes. He raised his rifle ready to shoot. Then he lowered it and looked at the dibatags abgain. He couldn't shoot then. They were too beautiful. He quite fell in love with their beauty. They had long slim bodies, delicate legs, and long and graceful necks.
The dibatags came towards him, touched him with their noses and smiled at him with their eyes. Suddenly, there was a great crahsing sound ! Another dibatag was charging him. Quickly he raised his rifle and fired.. Blam! Balm! He shot off the dibatags horns! The dibatag changed into an instant into an ugly angry djin. Then, without a sound he disappeared.
Then, surprise on surpises! Round Abeda clustered five lovely Ethiopian maidens! They had been put under a spell by the evil Djin who had captured them. The pricesses then led him back to their palace. There was great rejoicing, and everyone was happy.
The End.
Why Humming Birds Hum
Once upon a time all the tiny birds in the world gathered in Peru in South America to have a singing contest. All the animals came too, to be the judges. Evry bird had to sing his own song. The very air tingled with music. When every bird had sung his song, they asked the judges to tell them which bird had the best song. They couldn't decide, since all the songs were good. So they chose- all 319 of them!
All the 319 best singers gathered together and gave a concert! Nothing like it would ever be heard again, for the 319 birds sang so long and so loud that they all lost their voices. They would never sing again! The could only twitter and squeak. They were soo sad they cried.
So the peacock said that she would give them some of her wonderful colored plumes just to cheer them up. They all shared something with the sad birds... beauty,speed, strength, brightness and happiness. The 319 birds lept up into the air and flew with pure thankfulness. Their wings moved soo fast it sounded like humming... humming of happiness for the 319 birds were singing with their wings.
The concert ended then but the wings of the birds are humming still. That's why we call them humming birds.
The End.