BORN FREE

 

 

 

 

We reared a wild boar in our farmhouse as a pet. My father found it in our sugarcane fields when it was a week old. My father named that male piglet "Piggy". Papa bought a feeding bottle for him. Days passed by. Piggy started to eat solid food. My father wanted to leave him in the jungle. But I was not ready to part with my new friend. I persuaded my father to keep Piggy. Piggy's favourite food was chapathis and milk. He was so choosy that he ate only "Marie" biscuits and would reject the "Good Day" biscuits with cashew nuts.

Papa built a big cage for Piggy with iron mesh so that he could move around freely. Everyday I used to rub him with a thick brush. Piggy was behaving like a pet dog.

But in the jungle, wild boars are ferocious. They are very good "sniffers" . In England, people use them to detect tubers, which are two feet under the ground.

One day, while I was climbing a Guava tree, I slipped and fell down. Sleeping on the bed the whole day without playing made me frustrated. I felt touchy. Piggy was a year old at that time. I thought of Piggy being in a cage , missing his jungle life and companionship. I decided to let Piggy go free. Holding my father's hand I limped towards the cage and opened the door. Piggy came out hesistantly and stood beside me. He had forgetten to run. Piggy sniffed here and there, turned quickly and trotted towards our sugarcane field. I waited for him to return. But he didn't. He preferred freedom to "Marie" biscuits and chapathis! After all, he was independent.

Krishanu D S, VII A
l

Story of the salute

 

 

The custom of saluting has existed in all cultures. A salute is a gesture of respect to a person of superior rank.

During the 18th Century, there came a change in the method of saluting, for a very practical reason! When soldiers fired their muskets, black powder used to settle on their hands, covering them with grime. And if they had to then take off their hats, it would spoil the hats! So by the end of 18th Century, the form was changed.

In some cases it involved bowing and in others laying on the ground or gesturing with hand and arm in a special manner.

An officer of the sword, carrying it at the shoulder, salutes by bringing the hilt to his mouth and then the point to the right and downward. This form of salute goes back to the Middle Ages.

The military salute of today — raising the right hand to the forehead or to the hat brim or visor is a recent innovation.

Samarth, IX

Cause of fever

Go, go away examination dear!
For me you are a picture of fear,
You are an uninvited, boring guest.
I warn you oh! Arrogant test.
While you are here, I don't have rest.
You have been a terror even for the best.
When your testing days come near.
I will get high fever.

Soumya G B, VI A

Priyanka G, VI




Apoorva J, VIII

Young scientists in the making

 

 

 

 

ENCOURAGING THEM: Deputy Director of Public Instruction S.L. Chauvan taking a look at an exhibit in Shimoga