Features | Online edition of Daily News

Are you enjoying your school holidays? I know you are. You must be having big plans to spend your holidays.

It's also Kandy Esala Perahera time. I suppose some of you children must be already in Kandy and may have already witnessed the Kumbal Perahera.

Please share your holiday experiences with us. I am sure you have lots of unforgettable, funfilled and daring stories to share with other children.

When we talk of the Kandy Perahera we think about the Kandyan dancers and elephants.

Here's a bit of sad news. 'Millangoda Raja', considered as the elephant with the longest tusks in the Asian region died recently.

This magnificent tusker, 70-years-old Millangoda Raja carried the sacred Tooth Relic for over 25 years in the Kandy Esala Perahera.

Enjoy your holidays but also don't forget to keep in touch with your homework and schoolwork. Studies are very important.

Aunt Anji

READ A BOOK WITH ME...

Hi everybody,

Did you like the folk tale we read last week? This week I have brought you another folk tale. However, unlike in the story we read last week, in this story you don't meet any animal friends. The main characters in this folk tale are Zhirenshe, a very talented poet and bard, and Karashash, his wise and beautiful wife.

Zhirenshe the bard and fair Karashash is a Kazakh folk tale. The Russian tale is translated into English by K.M Cook-Horujy and the beautiful drawings are by Alexander Koshkin. The book is published by Raduga publishers, Moscow.

Both Zhirenshe and Karashash are wise. The story will tell you how they escape the traps of Khan, their ruler through their wisdom. Doesn't this sound familiar to you? If you are a keen reader I'm sure you have come across many stories like this, especially folk tales, about people and animals who escape trouble because of their wisdom. Wisdom is celebrated in literature all over the world. Wisdom is a very common topic in literature. Many folk tales, religious stories and popular tales tell us about wisdom and wise people. For instance, in Buddhist Jataka tales the Bodisatva is always introduced as a wise man or a wise animal.

In this folk tale, apart from wisdom, what are the other such common themes you can find? Did you notice that, again, like in many other stories, the main female character is a beautiful woman? Beauty is another such very common theme in literature, from fairy tales to the heaviest novels available.

So, what do you think about these wise and beautiful people in these stories? And, often in these stories there are characters who oppose these qualities. What do you think about all these people? If you write a story what will your characters be like? And why?

I think many of you are on school vacation now. I hope you will have more time during your vacation to read as much as you like. I know these days even primary school students are very busy with tuition and all kinds of classes even during the vacation. And I know sometimes parents don't encourage their children to read because they are scared that they will not be able to finish their home work, and study for thier exams. It is important that you do your homework and learn all your subjects well, but do find time to read extra books, story books as much as possible. That's a very good way of learning a lot of things and improving your language. So parents will one day be happy that you spent a lot of time reading so many books.

No matter what people say, if you're a good reader, don't ever give up your good habit!

- Gayathri

A group of children of Regent International School Gampaha performing at the Kiddies Concert 2010/2011 which was held at the school on August 1. Picture by Malwana group correspondent - Mahanama Vithanage

Islamic students of OKI International School Network presenting an item at the annual Islamic Day of the school recently. Managing Director of the school Nirmalie
Saparamadu was the chief guest.

The annual Islamic Day prize giving of the Presbyterian Girls’ National School, Dehiwela was held at the school hall recently. Here the students presenting an item. Picture by Ruzaik Farook

The annual prize-giving of Ahadiya School, Mahagoda, Beruwala was held recently. Here schoolchildren singing the welcome song. Picture by B M Mukthar, Beruwala Special corr.

Teddy bear	My friend	Temple	Flower

Theepika Grade 1 Kingston College International, Wellawatte	N Abiramy Grade 5 Kingston College International, Wellawatte	Janana Rashmika Pre Grade II B Sujatha Pre-school, Nugegoda	Dharshini 6G Kingston College International, Mutwal, Colombo 15

Fishing	Bright day	Friendly animals

Vion Jehanathan 2A Belvoir College Colombo 4	S Bavuuthri Grade 5 Kingston College International, Wellawatte	Nuzla Naseem 3B Kingston College International, Mutwal, Colombo 15
A house	Waterfall	Our garden

Stefina 2B Kingston College International, Mutwal, Colombo 15	Talant 3A Sailan International School, Negombo	Minuki Divuhara Bulathsinhala Grade 1 ‘Sandaras’ Minu/Horagasmulla Primary School, Divulapitiya

Enjoyable holidays

Dear children,

Aunt Anji

READ A BOOK WITH ME...

Hi everybody,

- Gayathri