National Adult Literacy Database

September 12, 2005

My name is Carol Rain. I am a mother of four beautiful children two boys and two girls. We moved here from Alberta about three years ago. We came here to make a better life for our family. My children have given me the inspiration to come back to school. I am planning on being a good role model for my kids. I want them to know that they can do anything if they put their minds to it. They can be successful in life.

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Sky

by Carol Rain

Once upon a time, many years ago there was a little old woman named Sky. She lived in a very old cottage deep in the forest. Sky's life was very simple. She enjoyed the forest and she didn't mind being alone. But because she was alone, Sky didn't have any person to talk with. Instead of people she had the animals as her friends. Sky knew every animal in the forest.

One day after Sky woke up from her nap, she looked out of the window. She could not believe what she saw. At the top of the hill she saw a strange looking animal. It wasn't any animal that she knew.

Sky went outside to get a better view of this strange looking animal. When the creature noticed that Sky was coming outside, it ran back into the deep forest.

Sky went to asked her animal friends if they knew of this strange animal. Her friend the rabbit, which Sky had named Little Foot, had no idea what it could have been.

"I can't help you." said Little Foot.

Sky continued walking along; she saw her friend the bear. The bear was a little bit older, bolder and wiser than Little Foot. That's why the other animals call him Wise. Sky asked Wise if he knew about that strange animal that she had seen by her cottage.

Wise paused and said, "What does this strange animal look like?"

Sky said, " I'm not really to sure but it looked very big!"

"Bigger than me you say?" Wise thought. "Through the years there have been stories going around the forest. The older animals say that a creature such as this lives deep in the forest by the mountain."

"The animals say that when there is a full moon this beast comes out to roam the forest searching for food. Many of the other animals are very afraid. They think this strange creature likes to eat the other animals."

Sky could not believe what Wise was saying.

"Have any of the animals in the forest ever seen this strange creature?" she asked.

Wise said, "I don't believe so; not that I know of. But, then again, I have heard some of the older animals, who been around for many moons. They must have seen this strange animal."

"My friend the Beaver said that one day, he and his friends were swimming through a ravine. They were just having a good old time. Suddenly they a very loud growl. Everyone was afraid. Beaver swam closer to edge of the ravine to see where the noise was coming from."

"He saw a large creature there. Slowly it walked along the bank. Beaver could not believe his eyes. The beast looked so hairy. It had a long face that looked like man and huge hands and feet. Its head was much bigger than its body."

"Beaver thought from the looks of it that the beast had just finished eating. There was a heap of fur and bones lying near him. But Beaver never really saw it eating. Beaver slapped his tail on the water and swam away as fast as he could."

Sky thought to herself that would be so scary. She asked, " Wise, where does Beaver live now?"

"I'm not really sure but some of the animals say he moved to the lower parts of the forest. I know I would have moved out of there also! But come to think of it I saw beaver swimming close by here yesterday."

The little old lady said, "Well I must go look for Beaver because I would really like to know in which ravine he saw this strange animal."

As Wise wished Sky good luck on finding Beaver, he warned her, "If I was you I wouldn't want to find that strange animal. He might eat you."

"Oh is that right?" she replied. "That could just be a tale you know. Thanks for the help, Wise. I'll be back soon. I'll see you at my place for supper."

Sky was on her way to look for Beaver. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. She was so hungry that she decided to have a snack as she walked though the berry patches.

As she walked, Sky had a great idea. She would also pick some berries for a pie and make it for supper that night. Sky had asked her some of her friends to supper. She would rush home as soon as possible to start on her dessert. The rest of the meal was baking right now.

As Sky was picking berries her mind kept on drifting back to what she as seen standing outside of her window. She still couldn't believe it, although she had seen with her own two eyes. Her eyesight had been failing over the years, but she still knew that her she had seen something strange.

It did cross her mind that maybe her eyes had been playing tricks on her. She had just gotten up from a nap; maybe she had dreamed it all. Maybe, she thought, it could have been another bear just exploring the forest. There was a noise in the bushes behind her. She stopped and looked. It was her friend Little Foot.

"Hello," Little Foot said.

Sky replied, "Hello! You startled me! How are you, my little friend?"

Little Foot stood on her hind legs and said, "I'm hungry."

Sky replied. "I was just thinking about you. Supper is only an hour away. By the time I'm back at my cottage, our supper should be done. Will you join me?"

Little Foot went on all fours paws and became very excited. One paw started tapping in a very fast motion. "Yummy, yummy, yummy!" Little Foot asked. "What is for supper?"

Sky said, "You just hold on now. It's a surprise. It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you; now would it? One thing though, saskatoon berries may be a part of the supper."

Little Foot was very excited and really hungry too. Little Foot just bounced around in circles.

Sky said, "Now you run ahead and remind the others. Tell them that supper will be ready in about one hour."

Little Foot bounced into the forest towards the river saying "OK! One hour. I'll see you at your place."

Sky finished picking her saskatoon berries and started on her way back to her cottage. As she was walking through the forest her mind continued to race from one thing to another. She thought about dinner, her friends and the beaver. Where would she find him?

Suddenly a large shadow appeared just to the left of her. Sky was a startled. Sky wasn't really scared. She was more amazed. There was the large hairy beast. It noticed her at the same moment and it too was just as startled by the little old lady.

Sky was very brave. The creature now stood in her path. Sky held her saskatoons tightly and asked, "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

The big hairy beast sniffed the air as Sky moved closer. Of course the hairy beast understood what Sky was saying and replied in a very deep voice. "My name is Henry."

Sky said, "You're different. I haven't seen your kind before."

"Well, I'm what people call a Sasquatch."

Sky was happy and very excited to meet Henry.

Henry asked, "And who are you?"

"I'm Sky and if you'll excuse me you're in my way. I just finished picking berries for my desert. I'm having a surprise supper for a few of my friends. Would you like to come?"

Henry was very hungry but he was also very shy. "Well I'm sort of hungry myself but I like spending most of my time alone. People usually run away from me. Everyone is afraid of me."

Sky said, "Oh come on. It will be nice. You'll like it. My friends are very friendly. They will be glad to meet you. You're a legend; don't you know?"

"Well Sky, I'll take you up on that offer, if you're sure it will be OK. I would like to meet your friends. I am lonely."

They walked through the forest talking and asking each other questions. When they arrived at Sky's cottage, Wise and Little Foot were waiting; Beaver was also there. They all looked in wonder. Who was with Sky?

"Hi my beautiful friends!" Sky said, "I would like you to meet my new friend. This was the fellow that I was asking about. His name is Henry."

"Hello" said Henry.

"Hello!" the others replied. They all stood there looking at each other. Finally the bear spoke. "My name is Wise and this is Beaver and Little Foot."

Beaver said, "Hi. Nice to meet you."

Little Foot said, "I'm a rabbit. My name is Little Foot. Nice to meet you."

"Okay everyone let's all go inside and have our supper." said Sky.

As they entered the cottage they smelled a wonderful smell. The table was already set and Sky went to the stove and put on her oven mitts.

"Have a seat everyone; pull up a chair and enjoy getting to know our new friend."

They were all interested in the story that each other told. Henry made new friends and Sky and the gang also made a new friend.