Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Discussion Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Rainy_Day_Woman who wrote (2153)	9/30/2008 1:40:23 PM
From: one_less	1 Recommendation Respond to of 3816

I have three daughters. Just the eleven year old and myself are still at home. She's great fun to be around and one of the things we like to do is tell each other stories at bedtime. This one came from over the drivers wheel one Fall day, as we were taking one of her sisters home. She has me tell this one over and over and each time I'm required to include some new twist. It reminds me of the three girls and to some extent these SI discussion threads. ================= The Three Salamander Sisters In a puddle not too far from here a frog and a minnow once swam and played day-by-day. Cat tails grew from the puddle and near by was an old Cottonwood tree, which provided a pleasant little shade during some parts of the day. One Autumn day Minnow was heard complaining to Frog about a gust of wind and some falling leaves which had made his life in the puddle a little less comfortable. The yellow salamander who had been lurking from her pond to the East, heard this and immediately came to the puddle. Yellow Salamander had no tolerance for messes so she went to work cleaning up the puddle for Minnow, who seemed delighted as the pond became crystal clear in the calm of mid day. “Oh no,” cried the horrified frog. “This wont do. Eagle will spot me in this clear water. Now I’m frightened because you see, my brother was recently served as lunch for the Eagle’s nestlings. You have done a terrible thing Yellow Salamander.” “I am so dreadfully sorry about your brother and for causing you such distress, dear Frog,” replied Yellow Salamander. Brown Salamander, as was her habit, had been eves dropping from the pond she inhabited just to the South of the puddle. So, she scurried on over and right a way went to stirring up the puddle until it had a nice dark murky polish, which even an Eagle eye would not be able to penetrate. “Ahhh how nice, you’ve been very helpful,” said Frog. “Aaachhh, ickkky, p’tooee, I can’t breath, I’ll surely die if I am forced to swim in this quaggy swamp any longer,” cried the distressed Minnow. Quick as she heard what was going on, Red Salamander hustled from her pond West of the puddle with an offer to help. She got right to it, in spite of objections from Frog and Minnow and a discussion now underway between Yellow Salamander and Brown Salamander, who were agreeing on very little, except that Red Salamander was once again putting her nose in their business, without an invitation or even authorization. Red Salamander, who believed her vast experience with such things enabled her to get the exact mix between clear and dark was not hearing any of it. However, she was shocked when neither Frog nor Minnow were pleased with the compromise she had created. The quarreling that ensued roused Old Owl who had been at rest in the Cottonwood tree. “Hooo Hooo whooo is making so much racket ’neath this tree?” In a choral response the Salamander Sisters replied, “it is us old friend.” “Oooo oooo it is yuoooo … again. What is it this time my dears, anything newwww?” He could see for him self that it was not as they all began their explanations at once. When they paused for a breath, Old Owl interjected, ‘I shall contact Buffalo who will surely have the solution.” As he flew off, the Salamander Sisters returned to their quarreling. With the sun now low in the sky, a faint kthmb’kthmb could be heard. The sound became clearer and the Earth began to vibrate with a K’thumpa K’thumpa Kthumpa, louder and stronger until the ground seemed to be shaking apart with K’thumpa, Kathommmpa, KerSSSplllash!!! The puddle water flew up into the air in every direction. Frog went hurling to the Southern Pond and Minnow to the Eastern pond. On about sunset, the Salamander Sisters became weary of their quarreling and each returned to her home … after bidding each other a polite farewell of course. Everyone seemed happy and settled as the cold season approached and the ponds froze over. With the Spring time rains, a bouquet of flowers was seen growing where the now forgotten puddle had once lived. More rains came, it kept coming and coming until there was so much water, the ponds flooded over their banks. But the flood didn’t last long. As the Summer approached and the Prairie began to dry out, there were three sets of curious eyes busily investigating dozens of new puddles left behind, and it seemed to the Salamander Sisters there was a bit of work to be done.