Special Friends

Sunny Stories:

One Thursday evening, when Hasini was doing her homework she looked up suddenly and said, “It is more than one year now since Waira went missing.” She said this in a loud voice hoping mother, who was folding some clothes near by, would hear her.

“Yes,” agreed Marshi. “I have almost forgotten how a cat looks like,” she said, looking at mother.

Mother laughed. “How can you say so when it was only last Saturday that you played with Bushy’s kittens at grandma’s place?” she asked.

Marshi and Hasini ran to mother when they heard the magic words “Bushy’s kittens.”

“Please mother, can we have one of the kittens?” begged Hasini.

“Yes, can we, mother?” said Marshi. “Grandma says they are big enough to leave Bushy now.

Can we bring one back home with us next Saturday when we visit grandma?”

“We could call the kitten Max” said Hasini.

“No, we will call the kitten Waira Junior “ said Marshi. “We must never forget our dear Waira.”

“But Max is such a great name...” Objected Hasini. Mother raised her hands in despair.

“Do stop arguing,” she said. “Have you forgotten all about Gypsy who lives next door? We agreed to look after Gypsy till grandma Rita comes back from her vacation in England. Cats and dogs do not get on well. Gypsy will not like having a kitten around her.”

“What is happening here? Why do you look as if the end of the world is near?” asked father coming into the room.

Marshi and Hasini explained to him about the kitten and how they cannot have him because Gypsy was sure to dislike him. Father thought for a moment. “Mother is right. Cats and dogs do not usually like each other. But...” he started to smile. “I am sure if we hope for the best everything will be alright. Let us go to grandma’s this Saturday hoping nothing will go wrong when the kitten comes to live with us.”

“Yippee” said Marshi and Hasini. They hoped Gypsy would not mind having a new friend.

By the time the kitten came home grandma Rita had left for England and Gypsy had become a part of Marshi and Hasini’s family.

“If you think positively you are bound to have a positive outcome,” said father as they came home on Saturday with the new kitten.

When Gypsy saw the bundle of white and grey fur in Marshi’s hand she barked several times and ran back to mother, who was standing on the front doorstep.

“It is alright, Gypsy” said Mother, patting Gypsy’s head. “You are going to have a new friend to play with.”

“Let us give Gypsy sometime to get use to Max, or is it Waira?” said Father.

“Max-Waira,” said Hasini.

“Waira-Max,” said Marshi.

“Whatever it is, he must be the only cat around here with such a long name,” Father said with a smile. That night when Marshi went into the sitting room to look for one of her library books she saw a beautiful sight.

“Everyone, come and look at this,” she shouted to the others.

When father, mother and Hasini came running to the sitting room they were delighted to see Gypsy and Max-Waira sleeping together on Gypsy’s blue blanket. Even after grandma Rita came home and Gypsy returned to live with her, Max-Waira and Gypsy remained close friends. Whenever Max-Waira felt sleepy he jumped through one of grandma Rita’s windows and curled up next to Gypsy. Both of them would fall asleep together but while Gypsy slept soundly, Max-Waira would open his eyes every now and then to see what was happening around him.

Grandma Rita said their friendship was a miracle.

“No, grandma Rita,” said Hasini. “It was not really a miracle. When we brought Max-Waira home, we simply hoped for the best.”

“Father was right,” said Marshi. “Positive thinking always works.”

-Aditha

[email protected]

Why footwear?

Oh! My little one! Have footwear
To avoid dirt smearing your soft feet
You can be safe from pricking things
Also you can keep the feet clean.
Islam always insists on walking with footwear
As it is the practice of prophet Muhammad
So other religionists too will follow this practice
On the basis of health care that is common to all.

M Y M Meeadh, Dumbuluwawa

Preserving the Ozone Layer

Dear children,

International Day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer falls on Sunday, September 16th. United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed September 16th as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer on December 19, 1994, commemorating the date on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed in 1987.

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty designed to protect the Ozone layer by putting an end to production of numerous substances that cause damage to the ozone layer.

Do you know what the Ozone layer is? It is a layer in earth’s atmosphere that protects the earth from the harmful rays of the sun. This layer absorbs sun’s ultraviolet radiation which potentially damages living beings including plant species that are exposed.

With the advancement of technology and scientific innovations humans through out the world are involved in development activities on a massive scale and the harmful industrial emissions can cause damage to the Ozone layer thus allowing harmful rays of the sun to reach the earth.

On Sunday the whole world will be celebrating the significance of this day with many educational programmes that focus on the importance of protecting the ozone layer. Better to be aware of what the ozone layer is and what steps could be taken to protect it from getting damaged.

Bye for now,
Sanju
[email protected]

Trees

There are many kinds of trees. We can get vegetables, fruits, herbs and timber from them. There are many kinds of flower trees too. We must water the trees to protect them.

G Shisuka T Pinnaduwa
grade 2
Stanley Thilakarathne Model School
Mirihana
Nugegoda

Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda (2008) will be screened on September 15 at 3.30pm at the American Centre, No 44, Galle Road, Colombo 3. (Running Time: 118 minutes)

In the Valley of Peace, Po the Panda finds himself chosen as the Dragon Warrior despite the fact that he is obese and a complete novice at martial arts.

Please contact the American Centre at [email protected] or at (011) 2498100 with any inquiries.