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Whootie Owl's Newsletter June 2004 |
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Whootie Owl's Newsletter June 2004 |
Hello, Storylovers!
Welcome to the June 2004 Newsletter for "Absolutely Whootie: Stories to Grow By"
New Story of the Month - "Chen Ping and the Magic Axe" (China)
LONG AGO in China there lived a boy named Chen Ping who worked for a rich merchant named Wing Fat.
One day while working by a river, Chen Ping's axe accidentally slips into the water. He cries out in alarm. Suddenly, an old man with a long beard appears from the river.
"Why is it you called out by my river?" says the old man.
"Ah, it's my axe, my axe has fallen into the river! Surely I will lose my job if my master finds out I've lost his axe!" moans Chen Ping.
The old man dives into the water. In a few moments he returns with an axe made of solid silver. He asks, "Is this your axe?" Chen Ping sadly shakes his head no.
A few minutes later the old man comes up again, this time with an axe made of gold. Again, Chen Ping shakes his head and says it is not his axe.
Finally the old man brings up Chen Ping's own axe, for which Chen Ping heartily thanks the old man. The old man tells him that because he was such an honest lad, his axe will bring him luck. From that time forward, Chen Ping's axe chops wood all by itself!
Chen Ping's master is greatly impressed with the axe that chops all by itself. He asks Chen Ping how he came upon it and the servant tells his master all about the old man in the river. Wing Fat rushes to the river, drops an axe into the water, and waits for the old man to appear. When he does, the merchant loudly wails about his sad loss and the old man of the river assures him he will search the river for the missing axe. When he returns with an axe made of solid gold and asks whether it belongs to the old man, Wing Fat eagerly claims it as his own. Reaching for it, he stumbles, falls into the river and is never seen again.
*Book source: Summarized from the picture book "Chen Ping and His Magic Axe" by Demi, published by Dodd, Mead & Company, New York, 1987.
*Note: Another version of this story can also be found in "The Book of Virtues" by William Bennett, published by Simon and Shuster, 1993, pp. 602-603.
Whootie Owl's Free Bedroom Door Sign!
Click here to view and print Whootie Owl's Free Bedroom Door Sign - first of a series! Just print the image from the computer, ask your child to add his or her name to it, and decorate the bedroom door like none other!
Note: If you have Acrobat Reader in your computer, the link above at "Click here" will take you to a PDF file that will automatically open Whootie Owl's Free Bedroom Door Sign . If the page does not appear when you click the link below, then click here for your free download of Acrobat Reader.
KIDS WHISPER TO WHOOTIE
*from MAY 2004*
Unnamed child, age 10:
"I don't know how you do it Whootie, these stories rock, man! Keep up the good work."
Bonnie-Jean, child under 13:
"YOU ARE YELLOW AND AN OWL AND YOU HAVE GOOD STORIES AND YOU ARE CUTE AND FLUFFY."
Jacqueline:
"I love your stories so much. I am your cousin and I think you are doing a great job. I've been listening to this since I was four and I am now seven."
Note: This youngster is a real-life cousin of Whootie Owl's human assistant, Elaine Lindy!
Tiffers, child under 13:
"You're cool."
Amy, child under 13:
"Keep up the excellent work."
ADULTS WHISPER TO WHOOTIE
*from MAY 2004*
Lisa Conran, teacher:
"I feel character education is an incredibly important piece of education in this day and age! I teach in an inner city school where the students are exposed to a lot of drugs, violence, and gangs. I am trying to incorporate a character education curriculum school-wide as my 4th grade students have not been respecting themselves and each other."
Teacher from the Lincoln YMCA CDP,
"I enjoyed this site a lot. I will bring stories for our summer reading program. Thanks a bunch :)
-from a happy supervisor"
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Hoots from Whootie Owl!
Absolutely Whootie: Stories to Grow By
"Where Education & Inspiration Intersect"
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Recommended to our nation's teachers by DISNEY
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If you would like to UNSUBSCRIBE to Whootie Owl's monthly newsletter, simply respond by return e-mail. Whootie Owl's Free Monthly Newsletter was brought to you by Whootie Owl International, LLC, "Where Education & Inspiration Intersect." You can write to Whootie Owl International, LLC, at PO Box 600344 / Newton, MA 02460-0004. Or call Elaine L. Lindy at (617) 244-0106.
©Copyright 1998-2004 Elaine Lindy -- All rights reserved.
E-mail: whootieowl@storiestogrowby.com
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 600344 / Newtonville, MA 02460-0004
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