Taro's Reward

Taro, a woodcutter who lived in Japan with his parents, chopped down trees into pieces using an axe. One windy day, his parents sat in their small house with holes and cracks, feeling cold from the strong wind. Taro's father wished for a warm drink called Saké.

 Feeling sad and worried, Taro decided to work harder to earn money to buy Saké for his father. The next morning, he woke up early and went to the forest to chop wood. As he worked, Taro thought about his cold father and decided to work even harder to buy nice things for him.

While working in the forest, Taro heard a strange noise and felt very thirsty. He found a beautiful waterfall that tasted like Saké. Taro filled a container with the special water and took it home. After giving it to his father, he was very happy and stopped shivering. When a neighbor visited, Taro's father shared the special Saké, and the neighbor loved it. Taro shared the story of the magic waterfall, and soon, everyone in the village knew about it.

The next morning, Taro woke up earlier than usual and went to the forest where he chops wood. He used his axe to cut down trees and made pieces of wood. As the weather was so hot, Taro got warmer and was sweating. So he took off his jacket. While he was working hard, Taro thought about his father at home. He felt sad because he imagined his father might be feeling cold while Taro was warm from working in the sun.

So, Taro decided to work even harder that day. He wanted to earn more money so he could buy nice things for his father and keep him warm and happy at home. Taro continued working hard in the forest. Suddenly he heard a strange noise like fast-moving water. He did not expect this sound in that part of the forest before. And also as he worked hard, he felt very thirsty. So he dropped his axe down and ran towards the sound of rushing water to know from where the sound was coming from and to quench his thirst with water. He found a small beautiful and lovely waterfall that was hiding behind the rock.

Taro kneeled down next to where the water was moving gently. He used his hands to scoop up a little bit of the water. Then, he tasted it to see what it was like. Instead of tasting like regular cold water, the water from the waterfall tasted like Saké. Taro was amazed by this discovery. He tasted the water multiple times to make sure, and each time, it still tasted like delicious Saké and not plain water. He took a big container with him and filled it with this special water. Then, he quickly went home.

In the afternoon, a neighbor came to visit Taro and his family. Taro's father kindly gave the neighbor a cup of the special Saké. The neighbor drank the Saké quickly because she liked it a lot. Taro then told the neighbor about the magic waterfall where he got the Saké. The neighbor thanked them for the tasty drink and left quickly. she found the story very interesting and couldn't wait to tell other people about it. By the evening, the neighbor had told everyone in the village about the magic waterfall and the special Saké.

At evening when Taro's neighbor left Taro's home, many people came to Taro's house one by one. This is called a "procession," which means a long line of people coming one after another. Each person who visited heard the story about the magic waterfall from Taro. Taro gave little bit of the Saké to all the visitors. In less than an hour, many people came and drank all the Saké that there was none left in the pitcher. The next morning, Taro woke up even earlier than the day before. He took his biggest pitcher with him because he wanted to go back to the waterfall. When he got there, he was very surprised to see all his neighbors already there. They had brought pitchers, jars, buckets—anything they could find to collect the magic Saké. 

One of the villagers knelt down and put his mouth under the waterfall to drink. He drank several times and then shouted in an angry voice, "Water! It's just plain water!" Other villagers also tried, but they found out there was no more Saké coming from the waterfall—only cold water. This shows that the magic Saké was only available for a short time, and now it was just regular water again.

The villagers were very upset when they realized they had been tricked. They shouted angrily, "Where is Taro? Let's throw him into this waterfall!" They wanted to punish Taro because they believed he had lied to them about the magic Saké. But Taro was clever. When he saw that the villagers were angry and looking for him, he quickly hid behind a big rock where no one could see him. So, when the villagers looked around, they couldn't find Taro anywhere. After the villagers got angry and left, talked quietly.

The Kite- By Harry Behn

 Lets understand this poem line by line

How bright on the blue

Is a kite when it’s new!

This poem talks about how beautiful a kite looks when it's flying high in the sky and how sad it looks when it's stuck in a tree. When the kite is flying freely, it moves smoothly with the wind like a ship sailing on the sea. But when its string has become caught in the branches of a tree, it looks torn and can't fly freely anymore.

During day time,  kites flying in the sky looks very bright and colorful. Just imagine a kite that is brightly colored with shades like red, blue, or yellow. 

With a dive and a dip

It snaps its tail

Then soars like a ship

With only a sail

Dive means to move downwards

Dip means to move up and down

Soars means to Fly smoothly

Snap refers to sharp noise made by kite when it moves through the air  

Kite move downward, move up and down like a bird.The tail of the kite, which is the part that hangs down and often has a ribbon or strings attached to it, can make a snapping sound as the kite moves through the air. This snapping sound is like a quick, sharp noise.

When wind blows in the air, boat sails across the water smoothly and follows the direction where the wind pushes it. In the same way, when you fly a kite, the wind moves it through the air.

As over tides

Of wind it rides,

Climbs to the crest

Of a gust and pulls,

                                            

Gust means strong wind
Waves formed in ocean are of different sizes. Similarly strength of the wind in the sky is also different.Author compares the movement of ship in different waves size with the movement of kite in the sky with different wind strength.Strong wind will push ship forward or sideways. sailor adjust the angle of sails(verticle pole) to move ship in the desired location. Similarly kite stay in sky due to wind.
When there is a strong wind in the sky, the kite gets lifted higher into the sky. When we fly a kite, it stays in the air because the wind blows against it. The kite has parts, like its wings, that catch the wind. These parts are shaped in a way that when the wind blows against them, they create a force called lift. This lift is what keeps the kite up in the sky.

Then seems to rest

As wind falls.

When a strong wind stops blowing, the kite slows down and seems to rest in the air. This happens because the wind is no longer pushing the kite as strongly as before. As a result, the kite may float more gently and smoothly in the air, moving more slowly compared to when the wind was stronger. Imagine how a feather might float down slowly when there's just a light breeze, compared to how it might flutter quickly when the wind is strong.

When string goes slack

You wind it back

And run until

A new breeze blows

And its wings fill

And up it goes!

Slack means loose
All the strings of kites is connected to spool. If strings of kite is loose, kite might start coming down because it's not catching enough wind to stay up. to fix this we must tight the string by rolling the loose string onto the spool.If wind slow down, kite will come down. so wait for next strong wind. once strong wind starts, you start gently running with the kite so that part of kite will catch the wind. In this way, we can keep the kite flying high and enjoy watching it float in the sky!

But a raggeder thing

You never will see

When it flaps on a string

In the top of a tree.

Raggeder thing means something which is torned or looks in poor condition.

The kite gets stuck at the top of a tall tree. It's not flying freely in the sky anymore. Instead, it got stuck in the branches. Even though kite is not flying freely, the wind can still blow through the tree's branches. This wind causes the kite to move back and forth or up and down slightly. This movement is what the poem refers to as "flapping."

This part of the poem shows the contrast between the joy of flying a kite and the sadness when it gets trapped and can't fly as it should.

Summary

The poem "The Kite" talks about flying a kite. At first, it shows how bright and colorful a new kite looks in the blue sky. It compares the kite's movements to a ship sailing on the ocean, smoothly gliding and sometimes pulled by strong winds. When the wind slows down, the kite seems to rest. If the string gets loose or the wind changes, you can wind the string back and fly the kite again. However, if the kite gets stuck in a tree, it looks sad and worn out because it can't fly freely anymore.

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Exercise

1. List out the action words in the poem are: dive,dip, snaps, soars, rides, climbs, pulls, rests, falls, goes, blows, flaps and wind (used as a verb: "wind it back")

2. Read these lines from the poem: Then soars like a ship With only a sail. The movement of the tailless kite is compared to a ship with a sail. This is called a simile. Can you suggest what or who the following actions may be compared to?

He runs like a ________

He eats like a_________

She sings like a________

It shines like a_________

It flies like an_________

Answer:
Simile is a creative way of comparing 2 different things using the words "like" or "as."


He runs like a cheetah.(here we compares someone's running speed to a cheetah's spee)
He eats like a pig.
She sings like a nightingale. (here we compares someone's singing to the beautiful singing of a nightingale.)
It shines like a diamond.
It flies like an eagle.

The Kite - by Harry Behn

How bright on the blue Is a kite when it’s new! With a dive and a dip It snaps its tail Then soars like a ship With only a sail As over tides Of wind it rides, Climbs to the crest Of a gust and pulls, Then seems to rest As wind falls.

When string goes slack You wind it back And run until A new breeze blows And its wings fill And up it goes! How bright on the blue Is a kite when it’s new! But a raggeder thing You never will see When it flaps on a string In the top of a tree.

How the Dog Found Himself a New Master

Before we get into the story, lets first understand is dog and wolf are same?

Wolf lives in the forest. So Wolf are called Wild Wolf. when man brought Wolf to city and he start domesticated it, Wolf become friendly to men and changes its characteristics for Human. Man named it Dog. So Dog and Wolf's parents are same. As Human domesticated Wolf and named it as Dog, both were considered as different. 

                                      Wild Wolf means wolf which lives in forest

😊Now lets get into the story😊

A wild Wolf lived in a forest independently. It used to find its food and survive at forest without help of human and so they do not worry about food. As they smaller in size and were less powerful, they were affraid of other animals. Wolves are physicall strong and so they have strong muscle with which they can hunt and fight.

Wolves are Brave and are not afraid of anything.

Wolves have strong sense of smell. when they find something dangerous they used to hide themselves in a safe place

Wolves are not friendly in nature and are dangerous.

After many years some Wolves did not liked to live alone. these Wolfs were not afraid of powerful and large size animals. They were worried about whether they would find enough food to eat. Due to these reasons they started looking for a powerful master who could take care of them and they could live safe and comfortable life. So they started to travel on a trip to find their master. Due to this reason they were called Dogs.

On the way of their journey one of the Dog met a Wild Wolf. As Wild Wolf was very strong and brave, Dog felt scare and nervous. Wild Wolf asked Dog where are you going? Dog replied I am looking for a powerful Master to serve. Would you like to be my Master, Wolf? Wolf said "Sure why not!". So Dog and Wild Wolf decided to stay together as close friends.

While walking together, Wolf suddenly stopped walking and raised his nose in the air and sniffed around carefully. Wolf quickly hided itself bushier areas(area where trees and plants grows closer together).

The dog was surprised by this sudden change in behavior. He didn't understand why the wolf had stopped and moved away so quietly.Dog asked the Wolf " What's the matter? why did you get scared and run away?". The wolf told the dog, "Look! There's a bear nearby(not too far from where they are). It's dangerous because the bear might try to attack and eat both of us.

The dog saw that the bear was stronger than the wolf. Because of this, the dog decided to leave the wolf and join the bear instead. The dog asked the bear if he could be his new master, and the bear agreed to this right away. 

Then, the bear proposed that they look for a group of cows. Bear planned to hunt and kill one of the cows so that both of them could eat as much as they needed. They both saw a group of cows. But before they could get close to the cows, Cows heard a loud and scary noise and so they started mooing loudly and running away in different directions, Cows looked very frightened.

Bear climbed above a tree and saw a lion in the forest. Bear become scared of lion and went back to dog and told that "This part of forest is ruled by the lion" 

Dog asked Bear "Who's the lion?". The bear explained, "Don't you know? The lion is the strongest animal on earth!". Upon hearing this, the dog decided, "Well then, I'll say goodbye to you, bear. I want a master who is stronger than anyone else on earth!"

After deciding to leave the bear, the dog went to the lion and asked to be his servant. The lion agreed, and from then on, the dog stayed with the lion and served him for a very long time. The dog enjoyed this new life because it was good and comfortable. He had no complaints because the lion was the strongest animal in the forest. Because of this, no other animal dared( are brave enough) to harm the dog or treat him badly in any way.

One day, the lion and the dog were walking together along a path that passed between steep(narrow passage) consisting of rocky cliffs both sides. All of a sudden, the lion stopped walking. Lion felt something nearby was a threat and wanted to warn it away and so it roared loudly and hit the ground hard to show it are strong and scare away things that might be dangerous. As lion hit the ground hard, there was a hole created on the ground. Then, quietly, the lion started moving backward.

Rocky cliff means- It refers to walls of rock which lion and dog are seeing from a land surface and which is not straight and smooth and is structured up and down. 

Surprised, the dog asked, "What's wrong, Master? Is something happening?". The lion replied, "I smell a human coming this way. We should run away quickly, or we might get into trouble."

The dog decided, "Well then, I'll leave you, Lion. I want a master who is stronger than anyone else on earth!" So, the dog left and joined a man. He stayed with the man and served him faithfully. This happened a long time ago, but even now, dogs are known as humans' most loyal companions and it don't serve anyone else.

Summary of the story

In short, the dog's journey from the wild to living with humans shows how it search safety and has become human's most loyal friend over time.

Moral of the story

The story shows that animals, like dogs, look for safety and comfort with strong leaders. It also highlights how dogs are loyal to their masters, showing a strong bond between humans and dogs.

 

A House A home- A poem by Lorraine M. Halli

What is a house?	What is a home?
It’s brick and stone and wood that’s hard. Some window glass and perhaps a yard. It’s eaves and chimneys and tile floors and stucco and roof and lots of doors.	It’s loving and family and doing for others. It’s brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers. It’s unselfish acts and kindly sharing and showing your loved ones you’re always caring.

Explanation of poem

What is a house?

• It is just a building where people can live. It has following parts:
• Bricks, stone, wood- they are used to build the walls
• window glass- It is used to make windows
• Yard- Outdoor area around the house is called yard
• Eaves, Chimneys and tile floor
• Eaves- Edge of the roof is called Eaves. It help keep rainwater away from the walls and foundation of the house
• Chimneys- It refers to a big pipe or tube connected to fireplace. Fireplace is a structure made of 3 different parts:firebox, Mantel and hearth. firewood is placed inside firebox and we light it, Mantel helps to hold decoration like pictures or candles. Hearth refers to floor area made of noninflammable material(stone or tile) in the front of fireplace. Chimney helps to release smoke and gas produced by fire and thereby allowing fresh air to enter the room.

• Stucco- It refers to a type of plaster used for walls 
• Doors- House consist of Many doors
• Roof-structure which covers the top of the house

What is a Home?

• Home is a place filled with love, family and helping each other
• It includes family members like Father, Mother, Brothers and sisters etc. They all live together as a family
• Unselfish act- In it, people do kind things without expecting anything in return and share with each other.
• Caring- It means to help others and make them feel good and happy. So Home is a place where we show love and help our family. 

 

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Exercise

House vs Home which makes us more comfortable, safe and happiest?

• Home. 

What is the meaning of proverb "There is no place like Home"?

• Imagine you have been on a very long journey. Even if you stayed in a nice hotel, you will still feel the happiest and the most comfortable feeling when you reach back your own home. This is because the home carries special feeling that no other place can match.
• So there is no place like Home.

What is the meaning of proverb "Charity begins at home"?

• It means we must be kind and help our own family before helping others. 
• This proverb suggests that taking care of your family is the first step to being a good and kind person.

Fill in the blanks

1. He lives in a rented House (A house is a building where people live. Since it’s rented, it refers to the physical structure.)
2. Rana worked in Singapore for five years. Then he returned home.(Home refers to the place where Rana feels a sense of belonging and comfort, likely where his family is)
3. Home is where the heart is.(home is a place where you feel loved and safe, not just a physical space)
4. The red house in front of us belongs to Mr Lal.(here house refers to the physical building that is owned by Mr. Lal)

What is the difference between house and home?  

House	Home
A house is made of bricks, wood, and other materials. It has walls, a roof, doors, and windows.	A home is made by love, care, and the relationships between family members. It has laughter, support, and shared memories.
So a house is just a building made of materials, while a home is where people care for each other and share emotions.

complete the following sentence

1. My house is a strong building with walls made of bricks, a roof covered with tiles that keeps us dry, doors that invite guests inside, and big windows that let sunlight come in.
2. The best thing about my home is the comfortable feeling of family gatherings, where we eat together, laugh, help each other during difficult times, and make special memories together.

Who did Patrict's Homework?

Once there was a boy named Patrick who really didn't like doing homework. He preferred playing sports and video games instead of studying.

His teachers told him that if he didn't do his homework, he wouldn't learn anything. Patrick did not understand the subject he studied clearly and he didn't enjoy doing homework.

One day, Patrick saw his cat playing with what he thought was a toy doll. But to his surprise, it was a tiny man dressed in old-fashioned clothes.

The little man asked Patrick for help to save him from the cat. The little man said to Patrick, "If you help me, I'll do something nice for you. I'll make one of your wishes come true." This was his way of saying thank you to Patrick for helping him.

Patrick didn't like doing homework and saw the little man's promise as a way to avoid it. He thought, "If the little man does my homework, I won't have to do it myself." So, Patrick made an agreement with the little man: "You do all my homework for the next 35 days, and I'll save you from the cat."

The tiny man agreed, but he wasn't very good at some subjects like math and history. so even though the little man promised to do Patrick's homework, he didn't know how to do everything.

So, Patrick had to spend a lot of time helping the little man. This involved explaining things to him and finding information for him, like looking up words in a dictionary or finding books in the library. In the end, Patrick ended up doing a lot of the work himself. Because the little man didn't know how to do Patrick's homework by himself, Patrick had to help him a lot. Patrick had to work more than usual. He had to stay up late at night to get everything done, which made him very tired. So, instead of having less work, Patrick actually had more work and felt very tired all the time.

When the last day of school finally came, the tiny man finished all of Patrick's homework and left quietly. Patrick got good grades, and everyone was impressed. But Patrick realised that it wasn't just the tiny man who had helped him. Patrick's success was the result of his effort and not just luck or the help he received. And so, Patrick understood that even though homework is hard, if he tries his best and gets help of others when he needs it, he can still do well.

Last day of school means?

Last day of school is when students complete all their tasks and activities for the academic year. After this day, they start their summer vacation, which is a break from attending classes and doing schoolwork. It's a time for students to relax, have fun, and enjoy activities outside of school until the next academic year begins.