Whootie Owl's Newsletter August 2004 Scroll down for the New Story of the Month!

Hello, Storylovers!
Welcome to Whootie Owl's August 2004 Newsletter

WHAT'S NEW WITH WHOOTIE   • Whootie Owl's New Story for August 2004:       "The Coral Sea Contest," a folk tale from Micronesia.      • Whootie Owl's Free Bedroom Door Sign:      Third & last of a series.   • Kids Whisper to Whootie - Last Month   • Adults Whisper to Whootie - Last Month

New Story of the Month - "The Coral Sea Contest" (Micronesia)

                    One morning in Micronesia many years ago, Sandpiper ran into the water for her morning breakfast of minnow. Whale scolds Sandpiper. "What are you doing, running into my water?" sniffs Whale, shooting a spray of seawater.

                    "What do you mean, your water?" squeaks Sandpiper. "The sea is for sandpipers, too. Don't think you get the sea to yourselves just because whales are so big. Besides, there are more sandpipers in this world than whales, anyway."

                    "Is that so?" retorts Whale, irked more than ever. "We'll just see about that!"

                    The challenge is on. Sandpiper sings to the east and the west. To the north and the south, she sings. Soon the air is filled with the rusle of feathers as row after row of birds close ranks. The the trees bent low from the weight of so many birds.

                    Meanwhile, Whale called his cousins, too. When they had all come, that bay was so crowded with whales you could have walked across on their backs!

                    So now are they more sandpipers? Or whales? The whales decide that if they eat up the beach, the birds will drown. At the same time the sandpipers decide that if they drink up the sea, the whales will die. The whales start munch, munching on the beach. The birds start scooping up the seawater in their beaks.

                    Soon the whales lay dying without water. The fish of the sea, too, lay gasping, including - the sandpipers noticed to their alarm - the tiny crabs and sea creatures they eat.

                    "This is a bad idea!" the sandpiper cries out, alarmed. The crabs and sea creatures are our food. This is what we eat. If they die, we will die, too. Quick, everyone! Spit out the water! Spit back the ocean!"

                    The birds all spat back the sea. The whales began to move again. The fish began to swim about. The little crabs and the starfish stretched out their legs and began to live.

                    "This was a terrible idea!" said the whale. "There is plenty of ocean for us all to share."

                    "Yes, yes," said Sandpiper.

                    So the whales and their whale cousins all swam away. The sandpipers and their cousins all flew away. And to this day no one knows. Are they more whales or more sandpipers? And to this day the Sandpipers and the Whales are content to never find out.

*Book source: Retold from the story "The Coral Sea Contest" from the book The Magic Calabash, edited by Jean Cothran, published by David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1956, pages 38-44.

*2nd Book source: Retold from the story "The War Between the Sandpipers and the Whales" from the book Peace Tales: World Folktales to Talk About, by Maragaret Read MacDonald, published by Linnet Books, Connecticut, 1992, pp. 39-47.


Whootie Owl's Free Bedroom Door Sign!

Click here to view and print Whootie Owl's Free Bedroom Door Sign - third and last in a series and featuring a little girl! 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 JULY 2004*

Shay, child 13 or over:
"I just have read Dorani - that is a great story. I will come back and read more stories."

Shobhana, child under 13:
"The language is really good and also leaves a message to the children."

Terri, child 13 or over:
"I like reading some fun books!"

Wee Heng, child under 13:
"I like your stories, they're cool."

The Chicken's Foot, child over 13:
"Coolest website ever!!!!  I come here every day to read the stories."


ADULTS WHISPER TO WHOOTIE
*from JULY 2004*

Cecile Zibilith, teacher:
"I've never come across such a huge selection of interesting stories online. I've always read aloud to my class. This will be such a treat for them."

Lorraine King, teacher:
"Hi Whootie, I just love your web-site."

Bridget Martin, teacher:
"I look forward to reading and discussing these stories with my students next year. Thank you."

Marilyn, teacher:
"Just received and previewed your site...a great resource as we prepare to take our trip around the world this coming school year! Thanks so much!"


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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.



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