1 - Sparky's 'Unsettled' World

Hi, I am Sparky, a Squirrel. I live on a huge Banyan tree on one of the many islands of a river that flows by gently all through the year. I spend my time eating fruits and nuts, playing with my friends, and writing ‘Sparky’s World’, a weekly Magazine which the residents of the Banyan enjoy reading.

I report on the various happenings in and around the Banyan and also set lots of riddles and activities for the readers.

Now, for the top news of the week:

Ø  The weather has been most undecided. I understand that winter’s making way for summer but that doesn’t mean it can be winter one hour and summer the next.

Ø The Birds’ Welfare Association leader, Madame 'Not-So-Common' Coot, says if the weather does not make up its mind soon, they will all go on a strike.

Ø Mr. Goldback, the leader of the Monkeys says they are tired of packing away the blankets for the season only to be unpacking it again. He says they have formed a committee that is investigating into this entire affair of unsettled weather and the initial findings are that humans are somewhere behind this. The final report is awaited.

Ø  The Crows from the city who are visiting their cousins in the tree are a most noisy lot, cawing from dawn to late after sun-down. As the residents complained, the hosts have tried to get them to caw softly but apparently they are so used to cawing at the top of their voice to be able to be heard in the noisy city that it has been a losing battle for both the Banyan Crows and the other residents all of whom are waiting for their departure.

I had planned to write an article on how different the City Crows are from the Crows of the Banyan. Wanting to make their acquaintance, I had approached them yesterday and had given my Magazines to the visitors. We had a couple of hours of peace while they read the Magazines and solved the puzzles but soon they were cawing louder than ever, comparing answers. Many of you blame me for the increase in their activity and I would want you all to know that I have dropped the idea of that article and am just as eagerly as you all, awaiting their departure.         

That’s all the news for the week, folks. Now, for some activities to keep you all busy for a while.        

• Solve the riddles one by one and get a word that solves another riddle.

	I ran the race & beat the hare, To challenge me again, he will never dare.
	I am the one with the long hair, To get healthy & strong hair such as mine, it takes a lot of care.
	When it rains, I am most needed, If you don’t have one & get wet, Don’t let mummy’s advice to dry yourself up, go unheeded.
	I am a star & this is what I do.
	I am the one who lost the race, Learnt my lesson well, that arrogance never pays.
	Put together the first letter of the answer to the riddles above & you get me, Tell no lies, tell only me & I will set you free.

•   Many animals, birds, insects and more call Forests around the world their home. If you go on a jungle safari and quietly look for them, you will find them:

E	N	T	I	G	E	R	A	T
L	A	U	H	I	P	P	O	B
E	D	E	E	R	J	U	P	A
P	A	B	R	A	B	B	I	T
H	I	A	S	F	I	S	H	R
A	N	T	H	F	O	X	G	R
N	I	E	A	E	A	G	L	E
T	A	L	E	O	P	A	R	D

•     Rhymes and Numbers together solve these riddles:

	The number of children who went up the hill
	The number of soldiers who stood in a row
	Number of bags of wool with the sheep
	The time the clock stuck when the mouse ran on it
	The count on which the door is shut

•   Some more fun with numbers. Fill the empty boxes with numbers 1, 2 and 3, so that no number repeats in any row or column and all rows and columns add to the same number:

2
	3
		1

•     Make as many words as possible with the below letters without repeating them:

A

O

P

C

S

T

(There are at least 16 of them)

•  Cut the individual pictures below, put it together to find three of my friends. If you like, you can also colour them.

See you all next week with more news, activities and answers to this week’s puzzles.

In the meanwhile, if you would like to write to me, email me at Sparkyatbanyan@gmail.com