The Story of the People Who Hugged Trees

by Alison Chaplin

In November 1977, the forestry department marked out 640 trees for felling near the village of Advani. The villagers resolved to stop the felling, and the women tied a sacred thread around the fated trees. Tying a sacred thread is a symbolic gesture in Hindu custom. It symbolises the bond between brother and sister, and by tying a thread around the trees, the women were declaring that they would save the trees, even if it cost them their lives.

The forestry officer visited the village, and tried to persuade the women of the benefits of the felling. But he had no success.

Eventually he said, "You foolish village women, do you know what these forests bear? Resin, timber, and therefore foreign exchange!"

And he insisted that this was the way that development would reach the hill villages.

The women in charge of the meeting replied:

"Yes, we know.
What do the forests bear?
Soil, water and pure air.
Soil, water and pure air,
Are the basis of life."

This was echoed by the hundreds of men, women and children who were gathered at the meeting. So the forestry officer left Advani empty handed and reported the situation to higher authorities. Meanwhile, the villagers were full of enthusiasm for their new slogan.

The next day the officer came back, this time with armed policemen and hired woodcutters. The villagers formed into groups of three or four and each group surrounded a marked tree. Whenever the woodcutters advanced towards a particular tree, the group would clasp their arms firmly around its thick trunk. The woodcutters could not fell a single tree.

The policemen had no solution to this unique form of tree protection. The only thing they could do would be to drag each villager away from the trees, and then make an arrest. And all the while the people continued to affirm their non-violent protest, repeatedly shouting slogans such as:

"No matter what the attack is on us,
Our hands will not rise in violence!
The policemen are our brothers,
Our fight is not with them."

The police had no fear that the villagers would show violence towards them, but they were unable to take any drastic action against a gathering that showed such warmth and friendship towards them, and who kept saying that their only intention was to protect the trees, not to create any disturbance.

After waiting for several hours, the officials consulted one another and decided to move away. Some of the police congratulated the people on their success. As the vehicles roared away, the joyous people reassembled to repeat their message: "We will offer our own bodies before the axes fall on the trees."

First Day of School

by Roger McGough
 
A millionbillionwillion miles from home
Waiting for the bell to go. (To go where?)
Why are they all so big, other children?
So noisy? So much at home they
Must have been born in uniform
Lived all their lives in playgrounds
Spent the years inventing games
That don't let me in. Games
That are rough, that swallow you up.

And the railings.
All around, the railings.
Are they to keep out wolves and monsters?
Things that carry off and eat children?
Things you don't take sweets from?
Perhaps they're to stop us getting out
Running away from the lessins. Lessin.
What does a lessin look like?
Sounds small and slimy.
They keep them in the glassrooms.
Whole rooms made out of glass. Imagine.

I wish I could remember my name
Mummy said it would come in useful.
Like wellies. When there's puddles.
Yellow wellies. I wish she was here.
I think my name is sewn on somewhere
Perhaps the teacher will read it for me.
Tea-cher. The one who makes the tea.

Television

by Roald Dahl

The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your television set --
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb on the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink --
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?
We'll say it very loud and slow:
THEY ... USED ... TO ... READ! They'd READ and READ,
AND READ and READ, and then proceed
To READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!
One half their lives was reading books!
The nursery shelves held books galore!
Books cluttered up the nursery floor!
And in the bedroom, by the bed,
More books were waiting to be read!
Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales
Of dragons, gypsies, queens, and whales
And treasure isles, and distant shores
Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,
And pirates wearing purple pants,
And sailing ships and elephants,
And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,
Stirring away at something hot.
(It smells so good, what can it be?
Good gracious, it's Penelope.)
The younger ones had Beatrix Potter
With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,
And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,
And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and-
Just How The Camel Got His Hump,
And How the Monkey Lost His Rump,
And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,
There's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole-
Oh, books, what books they used to know,
Those children living long ago!
So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks-
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something to read.
And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Biography – by Ken Nelson www.ducksters.com

• Occupation: Civil Rights Leader
• Born: January 15, 1929 in Atlanta.
• Died: April 4, 1968 in Memphis.
• Best known for: Advancing the Civil Rights Movement and his "I Have a Dream" speech

Biography:

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s. He led non-violent protests to fight for the rights of all people including African Americans. He hoped that America and the world could become a colourblind society where race would not impact on a person's civil rights. He is considered one of the great orators of modern times, and his speeches still inspire many to this day.

Where did Martin grow up?

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, on January 15, 1929. He went to Booker T. Washington High School. He proved he was intelligent at high school. He started his college education at Morehouse College at the young age of fifteen. After getting his degree in sociology from Morehouse, Martin went on to achieve a doctor's degree in theology from Boston University.

Martin's dad was a preacher which inspired Martin to pursue the ministry. He had a younger brother and an older sister. In 1953 he married Coretta Scott. Later, they would have four children including Yolanda, Martin, Dexter, and Bernice.

How did he get involved in civil rights?

In his first major civil rights action, Martin Luther King, Jr. led the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This started when Rosa Parks, a black lady, refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. She was arrested and spent the night in jail. As a result, Martin helped to organise a boycott of the public transportation system in Montgomery. The boycott, (a refusal by many people to use public transport) lasted for over a year. It was very tense at times. Martin was arrested and his house was bombed. In the end, however, Martin prevailed and segregation on the Montgomery buses came to an end.

When did King give his famous "I Have a Dream" speech?

In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to organise the famous "March on Washington." Over 250,000 people attended this march in an effort to show the importance of civil rights legislation. Some of the issues the march hoped to accomplish included an end to segregation in public schools, protection from police abuse, and to pass laws that would prevent discrimination in employment.

It was at this march where Martin gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. This speech has become one of the most famous speeches in history. The March on Washington was a great success. The Civil Rights Act was passed a year later in 1964.

How did he die?

Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4. 1968 in Memphis. While standing on the balcony of his hotel, he was shot by James Earl Ray.

Interesting Facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.

• King was the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.
• There are over 730 streets in the United States named after Martin Luther King, Jr.
• One of his main influences was Mohandas Gandhi, a past Indian leader, who wanted a peaceful world and encouraged people to protest in a non-violent manner.
• He was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• The name on his original birth certificate is Michael King. This was a mistake, however. He was supposed to be named after his father who was named after Martin Luther, the leader of the Christian reformation movement.
• He is often referred to by his initials MLK.

Glossary:

Orator-a person who makes public speeches.

Ministry-the profession of a religious leader.

Segregation-where groups of the community are isolated or separated from each other

The Day The Wolves Went

by Mary Goodchild

I could see them. I could hear them and I could feel them. But they weren't there. I heard the knock and answered it. It was a tough job opening the door but it had been left slightly ajar and by falling on it, it finally opened. There were wolves on the doorstep. They were scratching, sniffing and generally made me very suspicious. So being me, I let them in. Their tongues hung out as they padded, soft-pawed up the wooden stairs my suspicions grew as I remembered where they would be going. My bed is quite small and I didn't know if I could share it with this many wolves. Well, I supposed they could go under it. I closed the door and went to tell Mummy.

That day I broke past my baby gate while Mummy was on the telephone, dressed the dog up in my old baby bonnet, (the dog doesn't seem to like me much), hid Daddy's glasses on the kitchen table, (after trying them on the dog and baby Freddie) and was just getting bored when I heard the next knock. Mummy didn't seem to notice, which wasn't a surprise-she doesn't usually hear the things I do. So I said to her, "Wolves are knocking."

"Oh, wolves again is it? Well we can't have them waiting on the door step."

Mummy began to walk towards the door and I tottered after her. One of my dungaree straps had come undone so she stopped to do it up. The door opened swiftly and the wolves entered. One of them, I noticed, was wearing a top hat..

Mummy was very good about letting my wolves in but she asked: "All in yet Mary?"

I could see that she was worried because Freddie was bawling at the top of his voice in the next room. I agreed that they were and promptly wet my nappy.

The wolves had been coming for about six months and every day Mummy would open the door and stand patiently while I counted them in, (actually, I would pretend to because I couldn't count then, but Mummy didn't know that).

My cousins came over that evening. It was usually really fun when they came because Susanna, who was ten, played with me and brushed my hair. However today she had brought her friend Verity, and they were more interested in each other than me. I was bored. I had nothing to do and I was being ignored-I really didn't like that, so looking for attention, I decided to tell Susanna and Verity about my wolves. I told them and Susanna laughed. Then Verity said something spiteful and mean: "Oh, she's so sweet. She thinks there are wolves under her bed."

I wasn't supposed to hear this but I heard it loud and clear. "She thinks there are wolves under her bed!"

My nose started to run, my eyes watered, tears spilling over my lashes. I bawled like Freddie and Mummy came up the stairs.

That night, when I went upstairs, I looked under the bed; my wolves weren't there.

On the 20^th July 1969

On the 20^th July 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. Read on to find out about Neil Armstrong and the other NASA astronauts who visited the moon as part of the Apollo programme.

NASA's challenge - to go to the moon!

Around fifty years ago, the United States of America and Russia were competing with each other to prove that they were the most powerful country in the world. Space exploration became a key area in which they could show their superiority.

Russia beat the United States to put the first man in space, when in 1961 Yuri Gagarin flew into space in his rocket, Vostok 1.

Newly elected US President John F Kennedy decided to show America's might by challenging NASA to put a man on the moon, in less than ten years.

The first men to walk on the moon

On 20th July 1969, NASA met President Kennedy's challenge, and Neil Armstrong (left) and Buzz Aldrin (right) became the first and second men to walk on the moon.

Listen to a sound clip of the landing by clicking here.
Michael Collins (centre) waited for them in orbit around the moon, in the command module spacecraft that would take them all home.

When they landed, the first words said on the moon were: "The eagle has landed", and as Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon's surface he said: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Listen to this famous speech by clicking here.
They explored the moon's surface for less than three hours, collecting 22 kilograms of rocks for study back on earth. When they returned to earth they were welcomed as celebrities, and international heroes!

The first Apollo crew died tragically in an accident during training. NASA then made changes to make Apollo spacecraft safer for their crews.

Apollo 8 flew the 250,000 miles to the moon. They flew round the moon and came back again, but did not land.

Apollo 11 was the mission where NASA were satisfied every part of the spacecraft had been tested and was ready for an attempt to land on the moon.

The last Apollo mission was Apollo 17. By 1972 public interest was waning in moon landings, and since Apollo 17, no-one has returned to the moon.

Certain companies, such as Virgin Galactic, have aimed to send tourists into space. Bookings so far have been priced at a minimum of £156,000 each. Virgin Galactic have built SpaceShip Two, but there have been disasters when one crashed during a test flight run over the desert in California, when one pilot was killed.

Would you spend this amount of money to orbit the Earth? If you have the money, another consideration….would you dare to venture?

Should we test on animals?

by Ian Murnaghan

British law says that any new drug used for medicine must be tested on at least two different types of live mammal. One of these must be a large non-rodent type animal.

This is to make sure the drug works and will not harm humans.

Animal testing has also sometimes been used for developing:

• Household products
• Agricultural chemicals
• Industrial chemicals
• Pesticides
• Paint
• Food additives

In some countries animals are also used to test beauty products. But this is not allowed in Britain any more.

Should we test on animals?

There are many advantages and disadvantages to the practice of animal testing, (vivisection). Unfortunately, neither seem to fully tip the scale to a side that pleases everyone - including the general public, government and scientists.

The major advantage for animal testing is that it aids researchers in finding drugs and treatments to improve health and medicine. Many medical treatments have been made possible by animal testing, including cancer and HIV drugs, insulin, antibiotics, vaccines and many more. It is for this reason, that animal testing is considered vital for improving human health and it is also why the scientific community and many members of the public support its use. In fact, there are also individuals who are against animal testing for cosmetics but still support animal testing for medicine and the development of new drugs for disease.

Another important aspect to note is that animal testing helps to ensure the safety of drugs and many other substances humans use or are exposed to regularly. Drugs, in particular, can carry significant dangers with their use but animal testing allows researchers to initially gauge the safety of drugs prior to commencing trials on humans. This means that human harm is reduced and human lives are saved - not simply from avoidance of the dangers of drugs but because the drugs themselves save lives as well as improve the quality of human life.

Scientists typically use animals for testing purposes because they are considered similar to humans. As such, researchers do recognise the limitations and differences but the testing is done on animals because they are thought to be the closest match, and best one, with regards to applying this data to humans.

On the other hand, vivisection means that experiments are undertaken on countless animals, which are then killed after their use. Some animals are injured and will still live the remainder of their lives in captivity. The unfortunate aspect is that many of these animals receive tests for substances that will never actually see approval or public consumption and use. It is this aspect of animal testing, that many view as a major negative argument against the practice. This aspect seems to show the idea that the animals have died in vain because no direct benefit to humans occurred from the animal testing.

Another disadvantage on the issue of animal testing, is the sheer cost. Animal testing generally costs an enormous amount of money. Animals must be fed, housed, cared for and treated with drugs or a similar experimental substance. The controlled environment is important but it comes with a high cost. On top of that, animal testing may occur more than once and over the course of months, which means that additional costs are incurred. The price of animals themselves must also be factored into the equation. There are companies who breed animals specifically for testing and animals can be purchased through them.

There is also the argument that the reaction of a drug in an animal's body is quite different from the reaction in a human. The main criticism here is that some believe animal testing is unreliable. Following on that criticism is the premise that because animals are in an unnatural environment, they will be under stress. Therefore, they will not react to the drugs in the same way, compared to their potential reaction in a natural environment. This argument further weakens the validity of animal experimentation.

Whilst there are numerous points to consider on the subject, emotion may be the ultimate determining factor in whether a person believes the benefits of animal testing outweigh the problems associated with the practice.

Cycling

by James Bow

The invention of the bicycle gave people the freedom to move around with speed at little cost. As science technology has advanced, so too have the speed and skill of the people who compete on the different types of cyclosport.

From BMX and cyclocross to mountain biking and road racing, competitive cyclosport demands a remarkable level of fitness and skill from the rider and reliability and outstanding performance from the bike.

Cycle science

Bicycles have come a long way since Baron von Drais invented his "running machine" in 1817. Modern bikes are amazing machines made from the latest materials. They rely on basic scientific principles. Simple gears allow riders to scale even the steepest mountain roads and race down the other side at breathtaking speeds. And if the bike has come a long way, think about the human machine that propels it along at such an incredible rate. Coaches are turning to science to come up with the best training plan to get the most from the riders. Cyclists are now jumping higher, racing faster and performing amazing tricks.

Different disciplines

There are many different types of cyclosport, from the acrobatic feats of bicycle motocross (BMX) and mountain biking to the bursts of acceleration on the track and the long distance challenge of road racing.

In road racing, the cyclists set off in a group and race along the open road to the finish line. Teams of cyclists ride in pace lines to take advantage of slipstreaming, in which riders at the front reduce the wind resistance on the riders behind.

BMX racing

Bicycle motocross (BMX) races are on dirt tracks, with jumps, mud traps and banked corners, among other obstacles. Races usually last just 30-40 seconds. BMX riders often perform acrobatic tricks such as backflips. These were first done on the dirt track. As they became more popular, ramps called fun boxes and pipes were built for freestyle competitions.

Off road cycling

Mountain biking races can be cross-country, downhill, uphill or slalom. In all these races, the riders push their bikes across punishing terrain. In slalom, a cyclist must move his or her bike around a series of gates like an alpine skier. Mountain bikers must repair their own bikes during a race, but cyclocross racers can use up to three machines, switching when their bikes get too clogged with dirt. They push their bikes up short, steep hills and cycle along muddy paths through woodland trails.

On the track

Track cyclists take the race indoors on a purpose-built velodrome with banked curves. These allow the cyclists to corner at top speed. Starting gates hold back cyclists until the race begins. Bikes are fixed gear, so riders must keep turning the pedals until the race is over.

Fact-Tour de France

The 100th Tour de France, held in 2013, was 3,403 kilometres (2,115 miles) long. It was won by Chris Froome, the second consecutive British cyclist, after Bradley Wiggins had accomplished the feat the previous year, when their average speeds were 40.5 and 39.8 kilometres per hour respectively. Truly amazing!

Glossary:

Cyclosport: any sport that involves using bicycles, such as BMX, mountain biking or road racing.

Slipstreaming: when a cyclist tucks in behind another rider to save energy by cutting down on drag.

Velodrome: a purpose-built indoor arena for bike racing. Modern velodromes have steeply banked oval tracks.

The French Confection

by Anthony Horowitz

Everybody loves Paris. There’s an old guy who even wrote a song about it. “I love Paris in the springtime…” that’s how it goes. Well, all I can say is, he obviously never went there with my big brother, Tim. I did – and it almost killed me.

It all started with strawberry yoghurt.

It was a French strawberry yoghurt, of course and it was all we had in the fridge for breakfast. Tim and I tossed a coin to decide who’d get the first mouthful. Then we tossed the coin to see who’d keep the coin. Tim won both times. So there I was sitting at the breakfast table chewing my nails, which was all I had to chew, when Tim suddenly let out a great gurgle and started waving his spoon in the air like he was trying to swat a fly.

“What is it, Tim?” I asked. “Don’t tell me! You’ve found a strawberry!”

“No, Nick! Look…!”

He was holding up the silver foil that he’d just torn off the yoghurt carton and looking at it, and now I understood. The company that made the yoghurt was having one of those promotions. You’ve probably seen them on chocolate bars or crisps or Coke cans. These days you can’t even open a can of beans without finding out if you’ve won a car or a holiday in Mexico or a cheque for a thousand pounds. Personally, I’m just grateful if I find some beans. The prize was written on the underside of the foil:

Congratulations from Bestle Fruit Yoghurts! You have just won a weekend for two in Paris! Just telephone the number printed on the carton for further details and … Bon Voyage!

“I’ve won Nick!” Tim gasped. “A weekend for two in Paris….!” He stopped and bit his thumb. “Who shall I take?” he muttered.

“Oh thanks a lot, Tim,” I said. “It was me who bought the yoghurt.”

“But it was my money.”

“If it wasn’t for me, you’d have spent it on a choc-ice.”

pages 9-10

He rang the number but there was no answer.

“That’s because you’ve telephoned the sell-by date,” I told him. “This is the number here…”

And that was how, three weeks later, we found ourselves standing in the forecourt at Waterloo Station. Tim was carrying the tickets. I was carrying the bags. It had been more than a year since we’d been abroad, when we went by ferry. Tim had been completely seasick even before he reached the sea. I was relieved that this time, we were going by train, taking the Channel Tunnel.

We took the escalator down to the international terminal. Ahead of us, the tunnel was waiting; a thirty two mile stretch linking England and France, built at a cost of twelve billion pounds.

“You have to admit,” Tim said, “it’s an engineering marvel.”

“That’s just what I was thinking,” I said.

“Yes, it’s a fantastic escalator. And so much faster than going down the stairs…”

Cider with Rosie

by Laurie Lee

The village school at that time provided all the instruction we were likely to ask for. It was a stone barn, divided by a wooden partition into two rooms-The Infants and The Big Ones. There was one dame teacher, and perhaps a young girl assistant. Every child in the valley crowding there remained until he was fourteen years old, then was presented to the working field or factory with nothing in his head more burdensome than a few memories, a jumbled list of wars, and a dreamy image of the world's geography. It seemed enough to get by with, in any case, and was one up on our poor old grandparents.

This school, when I came to it, was at its peak. Universal education had packed it to the walls with pupils. Wild boys and girls from miles around-from the outlying farms and half hidden hovels way up at the ends of the valley-swept down each day to add to our numbers, bringing with them strange oaths and odours, quaint garments and curious pies. They were my first amazing vision of any world outside the womanly warmth of my family; I didn't expect to survive it for long and I was confronted with it at the age of four.

The morning came without any warning when my sisters surrounded me, wrapped me in scarves, tied up my bootlaces, thrust a cap on my head and stuffed a baked potato in my pocket.

"What's this?" I said.

"You're starting school today."

"I ain't. I'm stopping 'ome."

"Now come on Loll, you're a big boy now."

"I ain't."

"You are."

"Boo hoo."

They picked me up bodily, kicking and bawling, and carried me up to the road.

"Boys who don't go to school get put into boxes and turn into rabbits and get chopped up on Sundays."

I felt this was overdoing it rather, but I said no more after that. I arrived at the school just three feet tall and fatly wrapped in my scarves. The playground roared like a rodeo and the potato burnt through my thigh. Old boots, ragged stockings, torn trousers and skirts went skating and skidding around me. The rabble closed in; I was encircled; grit flew in my face like shrapnel. Tall girls with frazzled hair, a huge boy with sharp elbows began to prod me with hideous interest. They plucked at my scarves, spun me round like a top, screwed my nose and stole my potato.

I was rescued at last by a gracious lady-the sixteen year old junior teacher-who boxed a few ears and dried my face and led me off to The Infants. I spent the first day picking holes in paper, then went home in a smouldering temper.

"What's the matter, Loll? Didn't he like it at school then?"

"They never gave me a present!"

"Present? What present?"

"They said they'd give me a present."

"Well, now, I'm sure they didn't."

"They did! They said: "You're Laurie Lee ain't you? Well, just you sit there for the present." I sat there all day but I never got it. I ain't going back there again!"

But after a week, I felt like a veteran and grew as ruthless as anyone else. Somebody had stolen my baked potato so I swiped somebody else's apple. The Infant Room was packed with toys such as I've never seen before-coloured shapes and rolls of clay, stuffed birds and men to paint. Also a frame of counting beads which our young teacher played like a harp...

My Story: Pyramid of Secrets - An Egyptian Boy. Giza 2517BC.

by Jim Eldridge

page 19

Beyond this city was a man-made lake, the largest I had ever seen. It was so much bigger than our fields during the flood season that it was more like a small sea. I could see that it had been man-made because the edges were dead straight and lined with roadways. There were sailing boats on it, which looked tiny from this distance, and made me realise just how wide the lake was.

Beyond this giant lake was the huge structure of Khufu's pyramid, with other small pyramids leading off it. And, beyond that, was the enormous base of Khafre's pyramid under construction.

And the people! Thousands of them! They moved around the site like ants, scuttling here and there, all busy working.

"Behold, the pyramids!" murmured Isesi.

pages 22-23

Whether it was because of the thousands of people here, all attracting the flies with their sweat, I didn't know. All I knew was that there was a constant hum and buzz of flies hovering all around and crawling all over us.

I thought of asking my uncle what we were queuing for, but he would only scowl at me and tell me to mind my own business. So instead, I asked Isesi, who seemed to know everything, despite only having been at Giza the one season before.

"We'll be given our markers," he said. "From this, we find out which barracks we'll be staying in, and which gang we'll be working with."

I looked at him, curious.

"What do you mean, gang?" I asked.

Isesi frowned and cast a look at my uncle, who was engaged in talking to another man just ahead of him in the queue. From what I could make out they were talking about crops and the flood season, so that would keep my uncle occupied.

"Hasn't your uncle told you how the system works here?" asked Isesi.

"No," I said. I nearly added, "He never tells me anything," but I thought he might hear, so I shut up and listened as Isesi explained things.

"The site has at least two or three thousand people working on it at any one time, mostly labourers hauling the big stones from the quarries to the pyramid. Some work here all the time, but most of the workers are seasonal. Like those of us who come from farms to work here during the flood. At times like this there could be four or five thousand men and about a thousand women working here."

"A gang is made up of 1,000 men and that gang is divided into five groups of 200. Those groups are split up into ten smaller gangs of twenty men each. Twenty men together can pull a wooden sledge with a really large block of stone on it from the quarry to the pyramid, and up the ramps. Sometimes, if it's a smaller stone, ten men can pull it."

Glossary

Barracks: housing for soldiers, camp, quarters.

Pearl.

Why doesn't Granny remember my name?

by Sally Murphy

On Tuesday afternoons

Our class goes swimming.

I dive down

To the bottom of the pool

Blow bubbles

And watch them

Blub

Blub

Blub

To the surface. It is quiet down there

In my cold cocoon

But soon I need air.

At the surface

I breathe deeply

Ready to submerge once more.

Pearl, says Ryan

The swimming instructor

You cannot learn to swim

On the bottom of the pool.

Stay up here

And listen to me.

I don't want

To learn to swim. What I want

Is a set of gills

So I can stay under

Without drowning.

At the shallow end

Some ladies

Are jumping

And lunging

And stretching.

Aquarobics.

They have pink swimming caps

And flowery bathers

And happy smiles

On their faces.

Granny would love

Aquarobics-

If only she

Were not confined

To her little bed

In our little house.

At home

I talk to Granny

Tell her about

The aquarobics ladies.

You should see it, Granny.

I jump

And lunge

And stretch

Then fall down

Laughing.

Granny does not laugh.

But just for a moment

Her eyes meet mine

And I think she's in there.

If only

She could come out

To play.

Mum used to work

In the bank

Up the road.

She says she will again

One day.

But since Granny got ill

She's been on

Compassionate leave.

My dictionary says

Compassionate means pitying.

Who is pitying who?

Is the bank manager pitying Mum?

Is Mum pitying Granny?

Or is Mum pitying herself?

Sounds pitiful to me.

But I am glad

Mum can take time

To care for Granny. I think Granny would be glad, too -

If she remembered who Mum was.

So Mum spends her days

And her nights

Looking after her mum, my granny.

Wiping her nose, her brow, her bottom.

Never complaining

But always looking so tired.

So

Very

Tired.

While Mum cooks dinner

I sit with Granny.

She is looking out of the window.

I look too and remember

How Granny used to

Push me on that swing.

How Granny and I

Planted that rosebush

How Granny and I

Painted that old bench.

I sigh.

Something rolls down Granny's cheek.

A tear.

Does Granny remember, too?

I take her hand

Her feathery skin is cool

Her muscles don't respond.

But Granny is still in there somewhere.

Glossary:

Compassionate leave-when managers allow employees to take time off work because of difficult circumstances.

Why I left this dog at a railway station...just like Paddington

by Eleanor Harding

He was found like Paddington Bear at a railway station with nothing but a suitcase stuffed with his worldly possessions. Now the woman who abandoned this adorable two year old dog has finally come forward to defend herself - claiming that he had been sold to her under false pretences.

Fin Rayner, 39, said she left the animal last week after realising he was not the same dog she had agreed to buy. The mother said she had offered to buy a dog for £400 after replying to an advert on listings website Gumtree. But when she arrived at the station to collect the dog-whose previous owner named him Pluto-he was clearly a different animal, and in a poor state of health. "I went to buy a dog but the dog was not the same as the picture advertised," she said. "The guy rushed out with a food chest and the dog on a lead, but I could see there was something up because he was very skinny. I said I wanted to take the dog for a walk, so he asked me for £150 as a deposit in case I didn't come back. Then I saw him tearing off in his car. He never came back."

Mrs Rayner, who had travelled to Ayr station in Scotland with her nine year old daughter, claimed she then panicked as she had to get the last train home to Aberdeen. She called her son who studied the photograph in the advert and found it was actually from a picture taken in the United States in 2005.

She said: "I said to a member of staff it was somebody else's dog. I'm just going to tie him up out there and did that." After she left, the dog was spotted tied to a railing by a commuter who made sure he was passed to an animal charity, who later renamed him Kal. The dog had been left with a suitcase containing a toy, bowl, food and a pillow.

His tale is reminiscent of the story of Paddington Bear, who was found looking lost by the Brown family at Paddington station in London with only a suitcase. Kal, who has been described as very friendly, gained fame after the incident on January 2nd and there are now hundreds of people around the world offering to adopt him. He is being cared for by the Scottish SPCA and is said to be doing well. A JustGiving page set up to raise funds for the shar-pei cross-breed, who needs an operation to cure an eye condition, has raised more than £3,800. It is far more than needed so the surplus will be used to look after other animals in need, the SSPCA said.

Police said they were not involved in the investigation yesterday. However, the Scottish SPCA said it was keen to speak to the man who tried to sell the dog. One of the inspectors, Stewart Taylor, said: "We have received information as to how Kal came to be found tied up at Ayr railway station. This appears to have been a sale over the internet which has gone wrong and an example of the potential dangers of buying a pet online without knowing an animal's background. His sad story has touched the hearts of animal lovers all over the world and we have been overwhelmed with kind messages and offers of new homes."

The Wishcatchers

by Carol Christie

Ant kicked a stone against the bike-shed wall, head down, making herself as small as possible. She didn't kick the stone hard, so it only made a small tut noise as it hit the wooden wall of the shed. Tut, tut, tut. Surely it must be time for the bell.

She didn't dare look at her watch. The hands on it seemed to go slowly during break, much more slowly than when she was in the classroom and a million times more slowly than when she was at home or out on the beach. Looking at her watch would only make time drag even more.

If she kept quiet and still it would be all right. If she didn't look up, nobody would notice she was there.

"Look who's here!" It was the unmistakable, shrill voice of Rosie Brash.

Ant knew it would be worse if she didn't answer. She took a moment to catch the stone under her foot, trapping it there, then she mumbled, "Hello, Rosie."

In a split second, Rosie was bent down beside her, so close that Ant could feel her breath hot on her cheek. "What are you doing?"

Ant shrugged. "Just hanging about."

Rosie straightened and turned to address her friends. "Did you hear that? Antonia is just hanging about. We can't have that, can we?" She turned back to Ant. "Didn't Mrs Cook just give us a little talk about being nice to each other and all playing together?"

Ant shrugged again.

Rosie held out a hand. "Why don't you come and play with us?" Her voice was false and sickly sweet.

"Maybe in a minute," said Ant, feeling the bump of stone under the sole of her school shoe. Surely the bell would go soon.

"Now!" commanded Rosie, and Sarah sniggered.

"OK." Ant tried to sound calm, but her heart was beating loudly as she followed Rosie into the middle of the playground.

Rosie stopped. Ant waited, trying not to think about what Rosie was planning. Whatever it was, it was probably worse than anything Ant could imagine.

We'll play sleeping princesses," Rosie said eventually. "You be the princess." She shoved Ant into the middle.

"I want to be the princess," complained Rachel.

"It's Antonia's turn." Ant hated the way Rosie said her name, as though she couldn't quite believe it, each syllable carefully separated - An-to-ni-a. "Close your eyes," Rosie said. "No, tighter."

Ant screwed up her eyes.

"Tighter!" Rosie sighed. "That's no good. We're going to have to use your tie, Sarah."

Sarah was the only girl in the class who ever wore a shirt and school tie. Everybody else wore school polo shirts. Somehow, Sarah never got teased about it and the tie seemed to come in handy for a lot of Rosie's games. Now, Sarah wordlessly removed the tie and handed it to Rosie, who wound it roughly over Ant's eyes.

"There!" said Rosie.

She had tied it so tightly that Ant saw stars.

Rosie spun Ant around, making her dizzy. "Now, An-to-ni-a, see if you can catch us before we get to you."

As usual, Rosie was playing her own version of the game. It wasn't just the addition of the blindfold and the spinning. The girls didn't take turns to approach the sleeping princess and they didn't start far enough away. Instead, they rushed at Ant all at once, not giving her a chance to point them out before they reached her. And instead of just tapping her when they got close, they slapped her on the back or on her arm, hard enough for Ant to wince at each blow. Someone, probably Rosie, pulled her hair.

Ant stood her ground. It was a matter of principle not to cry. Under her shirt, she felt the shell necklace. It was smooth and warm against her skin. She could deal with this, she thought. In her head, she saw a seagull soaring high up above the sea and then swooping down again. It was almost restful, thinking of the seagull and the sound of the waves tugging and sucking at the sand.

The bell rang.