1. maryam Al-shaer

2. maryam Al-shaer

3. maryam Al-shaer

4. maryam Al-shaer

5. A long time ago, when I was eight, dad took me fishing. It was in April, the first day of fishing season in
northern Quebec. And I didn’t care if it was cold, or if there was still snow on the ground.
“Help me find my warm boots?” I asked. And he did. Then I helped dad make peanut butter sandwiches, my
favorite. “Where’s my packsack?” I asked. Smiling patiently, he found it for me.
“This is how I’m going to get a fish,” I said. Holding my new fishing rod birthday gift full stretch, I saw its neat
lines, tightly wound threads and shiny eyelets. Then swinging it around, smacked the water glass from the
kitchen table. Good thing he helped me clean up all the bits and pieces.
Mom just stood and shook her head. I don’t think she was upset. Just glad her boys were going fishing
together, anywhere out of the house.
We loaded up our pickup truck. First my fishing rod was too long in the front. So I placed it in the back. Then I
put our packsacks with sandwiches and water right beside it. Almost forgot our fishing box with some neat
lures, but dad didn’t. He handed the green tin box to me.
The gravel road was full of loose stones. And they flew behind us as if fired from slingshots. But I couldn’t see
much because of the dust. Then we hit a huge bump. “My fishing rod!” I yelled, as I watched it bounce from the
truck. Dad put the brakes on so hard I flew across the seat and almost choked on the road dust that soon
covered us.
“I saw it fly across that ditch,” I said. Dad climbed down the side of the road. And stepped on some ice. “Don’t
get wet!” I yelled. But, he did.
Soon dad came back with my neat gift, scratched and covered in mud. The broken cork handle made it shorter
than before. After starting on our way, I could now keep my fishing rod in my lap. ere on the lake. And he’s
looking for a lost gold spoon for his little boy.
maryam Al-shaer

6. .
It’s hard to try and be a man when your birthday present tries to take off like a crow then gets broken. At least
it fit inside the front of the truck. “Does that mean I can’t go fishing? I ask.
“No,” dad answered. “I’m going to show you another way to fish,” he said. “Just like my own dad showed me.”
“At least we’re still going fishing!” I shouted. After a while, my hat blew off. Dad stopped the truck and this time
I went along to help him find it. I tried not to notice him talking to himself.
“Keep it in your lap, under the tackle box,” he suggested. “This is where our hiking begins,” dad said when we
finally stopped. The trail was full of icy ditches. He said, “Try not to get wet.” But I did.
It was fun jumping on the ice. Except when I broke through. It was like a freezing /waterfall splashing all over.
Good thing he brought an extra pair of pants for me. He must know me really well by now.
Finally we reach the lake. It seems like we walked half way around the world. Most of the ice is gone. And some
ducks are swimming. The water’s too cold for me though. I just want to fish.
I watch carefully as dad shows me my grandfather’s way to fish, without a fishing pole.
He finds a heavy rock, wraps some line around it then ties a knot. After that he makes a little circle with the
rest of the line, in a pile beside his foot. And ties a neat silver spinner on the very end. Then he makes another
knot keeping it fast to the strong black line.
Holding about three feet of line in front of him, he begins to twirl. He does that a couple of times and sends it
flying over the water. It sure took off, making a heavy splash some distance away. I can’t wait for my turn.
“
maryam Al-shaer

7. Do you want some help?” Dad asked.
“No, I want to do it all by myself.”
“Did you watch everything I did?” he asked.
“Yes,” I answer. “And I’m going to throw it farther than you!” I bragged loudly. I take my line and
wrap it around another rock. Then I make a circle with the rest beside my feet. And knot my
special gold spoon on the end I am going to throw.
After winding up like a baseball player, my first throw goes backwards and catches on a tree limb.
But dad gets it down for me. I think he ripped his pants. Now I’m ready to begin twirling again.
First, I do one big circle, then two, then three. And finally let go. My spoon, like a rocket, goes up
and up. The sun makes it shine.
A lucky crow gets out of the way. The floppy bird might think it’s a truck…no, maybe a plane that
flies. My line flies through the air, past a floating log. And over some ducks on the water.
It goes and goes and…Oh, oh. “Dad, I forgot to make a knot when I wrapped the line around my
rock!”
I remember long ago how he shook his head. And smiled. Now I do too. I think he’s still out there
on the lake. And he’s looking for a lost gold spoon for his little boy.
maryam Al-shaer

8. The Rabbit...
One day Rabbit was taking a walk through the jungle and ran into Elephant, who was making a
fine meal of the treetops. "Hello, brother," said Rabbit. "Fine day, isn't it?" Elephant paused to
look down at the tiny little creature at his feet and snorted. "Leave me be, Rabbit. I don't have
the time to waste on someone so small."Rabbit was shocked to be talked to in such a manner. He
wasn't sure what to do so he left quietly to go and think about what had happened. As he walked
along, he spied mighty Whale far out to sea and decided to ask her what she thought about
Elephant's rudeness. He cupped his tiny paws and yelled as loud as he could, "Whaaaaale!! Come
heeeeere!!"
Whale swam over to see who was calling her and looked about. After a few minutes she spied
tiny little Rabbit jumping up and down on a cliff. "Rabbit," Whale said impatiently, "Did you just
call me over here?" "Of course," said Rabbit. "Just who do you think you are? You are far too
small and weak to have anything to say to me." And at that she turned, flipped her huge tail, and
set off back into the deep ocean. But just then Rabbit had an idea.
He called out to her one more time, "Whale! You think that I am weak, but in fact, I am stronger
than you! You wouldn't be so quick to ignore me if I beat you at Tug-of-War." Whale looked at him
for a moment before falling into a fit of laughter. "Very well little one," said Whale. "Go get a rope
and we will see who is stronger."
Rabbit ran off to gather up the strongest and thickest vine he could. When he found it, he went to
Elephant and said to the giant animal, "Elephant, you had no cause to treat me with such
discourtesy this afternoon. I shall have to prove to you that we are equals. Elephant looked down
between chews and chuckled. "And how will you do that, small one?" Rabbit stood up as high as
he could, looked Elephant right in the eye and said, "By beating you at a game of Tug-of-War."
Elephant laughed so hard he nearly choked on his leaves, but agreed to humor the tiny animal.
He tied the vine around his huge, hefty waist, snickering the whole time..
maryam Al-shaer

9. Rabbit took the other end and started off into the jungle. He called back to Elephant, "Wait until I say 'pull'
and then pull with all of your might." Rabbit took the other end of the rope to Whale and said, "Tie this to
your tail and when I say `pull' you swim with all of your might." Whale tied the vine to her tail, all the while
smirking at Rabbit's foolishness.
"I will now go and tie the other end to my own waist," said Rabbit, and hopped off into the jungle. Rabbit hid
in the bushes and then called out, at the top of his lungs, "PULL!!" Elephant started to walk away with a smile
on his face, but the smile soon turned to a look of surprise when the vine stopped following him. "My
goodness," he said to himself, "Rabbit is much stronger than I expected!" The look of surprise soon became a
frown as Elephant pulled harder and harder, unable to make the tough vine budge any further.
Meanwhile, Whale began to swim away from the shore, but almost lost her breath when the vine pulled tight
and refused to come with her. She pulled harder and harder, but she could not pull it any further. "That little
Rabbit could not possibly be stronger than me," she said in outrage. Soon the vine could take no more strain
and, with an ear-splitting sound, snapped into two pieces.
When this happened, poor Elephant went sailing through the jungle and tumbled head over heels down a
steep valley. The end that was tied to Whale caught up to her suddenly and she went sailing through the
ocean and smashed into a very scratchy and very uncomfortable coral reef.
Rabbit left without a word and never mentioned the matter again. Elephant and Whale were completely
confused and never did figure out how such a tiny creature as Rabbit could have beaten the largest of the
animals. And to this day, they are very careful to greet little Rabbit with great respect whenever they meet.
maryam Al-shaer

10. maryam Al-shaer

11. • http://www.goodnightstories.com/read/story116.htm
• http://www.bedtime.com/html/up_up_and_away__c__2007_block_.htm
• http://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/
• http://freekidsbooks.org/
• http://www.childrensbooksforever.com/childrenpages/picture2.html
maryam Al-shaer

12. maryam Al-shaer