Maggie's Meals

       ''There was once a little girl whose name was Maggie,'' said daddy, ''and how she did love meals! Now, one evening when Maggie had gone to bed along came a fine looking creature very handsomely dressed.

       ''Who are you?' asked Maggie.

       ''I'm the Dream King and I'm going to take you to a party.'

       ''So Maggie went with the Dream King and they visited such interesting and hospitable people.

       ''They went to a huge city which seemed to be made of delicious things to eat and which, as soon as people ate from the city, the food grew or was cooked back again!

       ''It was all very marvelous. And to Maggie's surprise she saw Duke Ice Cream take up a spoon and scoop a huge mouthful right off his very arm. And in another few minutes his arm was as before.

       ''The Duke told her he liked the cold weather and that he always lived in the coldest part of the city.

       ''Lady Lettuce was followed everywhere by her pages, the Vinegar and Oil boys. And sometimes she had friends to call on her like the Tomato Twins and the Cucumber Cousins and the Potato Pals. Maggie also met Apple, the queen of all the Pies.

       ''Maggie had the very best time in the world and when the Dream King told her he must be taking her back Maggie said:

       '''And you've not told me I was wrong to enjoy my meals so much.'

       '''I gave you a surprise, in not scolding you, eh?'  asked the Dream King. 'Well, you're never greedy or selfish and if you like your food I think it is fine. Good-night!'''

• Kids Watch ''The Fresh Vegetable Mystery'' from 1939!
• Betty Boop ''Dizzy Dishes'' from 1930

A Pumpkin Shaped Crossword for October

 Teachers, parents and ministers may download and print this October, pumpkin puzzle for kids! 

Fall/Halloween fun crossword for kids.

• Color the pumpkin in the field and practice writing Pp
• Color the farmer harvesting pumpkins here

The American Prairie-Dog

Prairie dogs looking out for each other.

        Now  we  come  to  a  distinctly  American  animal,  the  Prairie-dog.  These strange  creatures  live  together  in  vast  colonies,  or  dog-towns,  which  are  generally situated  where  the  soil  is  soft  and  sandy.  Its  name,  prairie-dog,  comes from  two  sources :  first,  because  it  lives  on  the  prairies,  and  second,  because, when  alarmed,  it  gives  a  tiny  bark  like  a  dog.  The  dog-towns  are  often  very large  and  present  an  odd  appearance.  Outside  the  burrow  is  a  mound  which has  been  thrown  up  in  digging.  While  the  prairie-dog  is  busy  burrowing  its tunnel  and  throwing  the  earth  out,  another  prairie-dog  will  rush  up,  fill  its  paws with  earth,  and  ram  it  into  the  hole  upon  the  digger  and  then  scamper  off. After  awhile,  the  other  prairie-dog  comes  scratching  out  of  its  burrow  snorting with  anger,  goes  in  search  of  its  enemy,  and  then  there  is  a  fight.  Wherever there  are  prairie-dogs,  there  are  always  rattlesnakes  and  owls.  It  was  thought at  one  time  that  the  animal,  snake,  and  bird  lived  peaceably  together,  but  that is  not  true.     The  owl  and  rattlesnake  live  with  the  prairie-dog  simply  because the  latter  is  not  strong  enough  to  put  them  out.  They  use  its  burrow,  kill  its young,  and  often  slay  the  owner.  The  prairie-dogs  are  very  cautious.  They always  have  a  sentinel  on  watch,  and  when  it  sees  anything  it  does  not  understand it  gives  its  bark,  and  the  dogs  disappear  into  the  burrows.  It  would seem  as  if  the  place  was  utterly  deserted.  After  awhile  the  dogs  poke  their noses  out  of  their  holes,  and  if  they  think  the  enemy  has  gone,  they  soon  come out  of  hiding  once  more.

• The social behavior of prairie-dogs by prairiedogchatter
• Prairie dogs are way smarter... by The Wild Files

Kids can learn how to draw an American prairie-dogs step-by-step!

The Zebu

        The  Zebu  was  one  of  the  famous  sacred  animals  of  India.  It  was  also  found in  parts  of  Southern  Asia  and  even  in  Madagascar,  though  its  true  home  was  in India.  
       It  is  rather  a  pretty  and  intelligent  animal,  about  the  size  of  a  Jersey cow.  It  has  a  hump  on  its  shoulders  and  short  horns.  English  people  who lived  in  India long ago  looked  upon  the  zebu  as  a  great  nuisance,  but  owing  to  its sacred  status, they  dared  not  interfere  with  it.  The  zebu  was  allowed  to  run  wild wherever  it  pleased.  It  was  quite  a  common  sight  to  see  one  of  these  animals going  through  the  village  streets  with  a  comical  air  of  dignity.  It  would  pause to  examine  anything  that  would  catch  its  eye  or  help  itself  to  fruit  from  a  Hindoo vendor's  stand,  and  no  one  would  raise  a  protest.  If  it  wanted  anything  it  demanded it  with  a  grunt,  and  if  not  attended  to  quickly  it  was  apt  to  use  its  horns.  Sometimes the  zebu  fell  asleep  in  a  narrow  roadway  so  as  to  completely  block  it up,  and  nothing  could  pass  along  until  the  beast  awakes.  Therefore  the  English people  disliked  the  animal,  but  the  Hindoos  still  held  it  in  awe.
       The  zebu  is  not  blessed  with  a  good  temper.  If  it  sees  any  man  or  woman doing  anything  that  it  does  not  like,  or  wearing  clothes  of  a  red  color,  it  will charge  them  without  warning,  and  all  the  natives  can  do  is  to  fly  until  they reach  a  tree  or  wall  upon  which  they  can  climb.  The  Hindoos  which  crowd the  streets  will  not  attempt  to  turn  the  zebu  from  its  victims,  but  simply  draw away  to  one  side  and  let  it  pass  on. 

 

Mamma zebu and her calf.

• Five top zebu breeds by Agro Bull
• What are mini zebus used for? by Marrero Family Farm

The Intelligent Chimpanzee

Chimpanzee drinking by stream.

        The chimpanzee  has  the  most  intelligent  face  of  all  the  ape  tribes,  using  its  lips to  show  hate,  pleasure,  or  rage.  It  is  not  able  to  stand  erect,  but  moves  along resting  its  hands  knuckles  down,  instead  of  on  the  palms.  It  has  been  proved that  the  chimpanzee  has  one  singular  habit  in  common  with  the  orangutan of  Sumatra,  namely,  that  of  building  a  sort  of  hammock-nest.  Only  the  female and  young  occupy  this  nest,  while  the  male  stations  himself  on  top.  Chimpanzees are  really  ground  apes,  preferring  rocky,  broken  country  to  the  forest. Their  food  consists  entirely  of  vegetable  matter,  and  it  is  impossible  to  raise any  crops  near  one  of  their  colonies.
       Many  travelers  have  claimed  that  the  chimpanzees  carry  clubs,  and  there seems  to  be  no  reason  to  doubt  it.  They  may  have  copied  the  natives  they have  seen,  for  their  imitative  ability  is  well  known,  but  as  it  has  been  proved that  they  cannot  stand  erect,  it  is  almost  impossible  for  them  to  use  clubs  to fight  with.  They  have  enormous  strength  in  the  arms,  but  greatest  in  the hands.  A  chimpanzee  is  able  easily  to'  snap  a  branch  that  would  be  far  beyond the  strength  of  a  couple  of  men.
       Another  curious  thing  about  these  apes  is  that  they  live  in  social  bands, and  at  sundown  may  be  heard  barking  and  yelling  before  they  settle  down  for the  night.  Though  a  chimpanzee  would  not  risk  a  fight  alone  with  a  panther or  other  large  animal,  yet  even  an  elephant  will  turn  aside  rather  than  face  an angry  crowd  of  these  apes.     Chimpanzees  seldom  travel  alone,  and  if  one  is attacked  it  raises  a  shrill  cry,  and  at  once  all  the  chimpanzees  near  by  flock  to
the  rescue.  When  a  band  of  these  apes  is  engaged  in  feeding,  they  set  a  sentinel to  guard,  who,  on  the  slightest  sign  of  an  alarm,  utters  a  loud  cry,  which is  said  to  resemble  a  human  being  in  agony.  It  is  promptly  answered  by loud  barks  and  yells,  which  are  increased  as  the  alarm  spreads.  They  flock  to battle,  for  they  are  very  ferocious,  or  else  decamp  rapidly.
       A  fine  specimen  of  a  chimpanzee,  better  known  now  as  the  late  lamented "Sally,"  lived  for  many  years  at  the  Zoo,  in  London,  where,  from  the  fact  that she  was  so  intensely  human,  being  able  to  do  almost  everything  but  talk,  it  was very  popular.

• How intelligent are chimpanzee? by JRE Fun Clips
• The making of chimp empire by Still Watching Netflix

We know so much more about Chimpanzees because of Jane Goodall:

• The Jane Goodall Institute official website
• First Look at Jane by National Geographic
• Study on Mammal and Camouflage includes intro to Jane Goodall

 

Connect the dots in numerical order to see ''who'' swings through the trees.

The Sacred Macaque

The Macaques tease a crocodile.

       The   Macaques  are  a  large family  of  monkeys  that  dwell  in Asia.  They  are  found  all  over India  and  Ceylon,  where  they  are protected  as  sacred  beings.  Their name  macaque  comes  from  the word  macaco,  which,  on  the  coast of  Guinea,  means  the  same  as  our English  word  monkey.  They are bright,  active,  and  insolent  in  the extreme.  The  natives  regard them  as  sacred,  therefore  the white  man  does  not  dare  interfere or  beat  them  off,  for  fear  of  raising; the  anger  of  the  natives.
       These  monkeys  delight  in gathering  in  large  bands,  and then  seeking  out  some  being  to torment.  A  poor  old,  sleepy crocodile  offers  fair  sport,  and they  shout  and  yell  at  him. This when the  insolent  monkeys  begin  to  hurl  cocoa-nuts,  mud,  stones, anything they  can  lay  their  hands  to, he  returns  grunting  to  a  quieter  part  of  the  river. It  has  been  said  that  the  macaques  will  hustle dogs  away,  although  a  fox-terrier would  easily  out-match  a  single  macaque.

• Macaques fighting over turf and food by Smithsonian Channel
• Macaques steal belongings to trade for food by Nature on PBS

To A Grandmother

 To a Grandmother by Bernard Barton

Oh, say not so! A bright old age is thine,
Calm a the gentle light of summer eves,
Ere twilight dim her dusky mantle weaves;
Because to thee is given, in thy decline,
A heart that does not thanklessly repine
At aught of which the hand of God bereaves,
Yet all he sends with gratitude receives.
May such a quiet, thankful close be mine!
And hence thy fireside chair appears to me
A peaceful throne - which thou wert formed to fill;
Thy children ministers who do thy will;
And those grandchildren, sporting round they knee,
Thy little subjects, looking up to thee
As one who claims their fond allegiance still.