Burbank Junior High School - Wizard Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

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WHY BIRDS HAVE WINGS Many thousand ypars ago in the northern hills of Europe lived fluffy little animals called birds. They were always being killed by stalking mean cats who devoured them greedily. As the years passed so many of the birds were killed that only a few of these bright little creatures were living their gay 1 ives. One day a little bird was walking along happily in the forest bothering no one. A sly old cat happened to see him and thought to himself, Here’s a good supper for me and an easy one at that, So he sprang after the bird but it ran pell-mell away. Soon the poor little fellow came to a steep cliff. He thought to himself, Oh, if I had only stayed at homel No more shall I see my brother and sisters. The cat was just ready to lunge at him so the little ani- mal thought he would jump off the cliff and crush himself in the canyon below rather than afford the cat a good meal. As he jumped, to his surprise he did not fall, but soared high up into the sky. Minerva who had been silently observing the plight of the bird, had taken pity on him and given him soft fluffy wings. Now a bird may fly away to safety when he sees his old enemy, the cat. --Bryan El lam L9z WHY THE ROSE IS FRAG RANI ' . Once upon a t ae far off in a lonely woodland there bloom- ed a beautiful rose. She was unhappy because no one stopped to admire her beauty. Cere who loved grains, trees, and flow- ers, happened to be passing by one day. Observing the tears of the rose she asked her the cause of her sorrow. The rose said, I’m most unhappy. Although I’m beautiful, no one ever steps to admire me. I might just as well be homely. Ceres smiled. Then she reached into her long golden pock- et and pulled out a package of fragrantly perfumed powder. This she sprinkled over the petals of the rose. How happy the rose was wh«n she inhaled her fragrance.’ She knew that she would now be the most popular of all the flowers of Mother Nawre. --Annie Co so L9z

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HOW A SNAKE GOT ITS RATTLES Once upon a time in Africa there was a ferocious old snake which lived in the swamp land. He delighted in killing animals and human beings. He would coil himself around a large branch of a high tree and doze away until his victim would approach. One year the food supply of the natives ' was just about ex- hausted. They had grown lean and lank from hunger. No one dared to go into the woods to kill a wild animal. Diana, goddess of the woodland and the chase, was wander- ing through the swamp. She found her favorite stag groaning in the coils of the snake. She screamed angrily. Never a- gain shall you creep upon an innocent stag. You shall have rattles and every animal will know when you are about to strike . The people to whom the birds told the joyous news were no longer fearful of their old enemy. They went into the woods and returned home with many animals ' which they roasted and ate. --hilliam Santos L9z WHY THE HOSE K S THORNS .1 beautiful rose grew in an old-fashioned garden. The stately hollyhocks, the snow white calla lillies, and the blue batchelor buttons were jealous of her beauty and fragrance. One would think the rose would be happy uecause of so much admiration, but she was bitterly unhappy. Her kind friend, Ceres, asked, LIy dear, why are you drooping your beau- tiful head? Oh, answered the rose, people are always bothering me. They stop and inhale my fragrance and bruise my soft petals. Some of them are so cruel that they pluck my sisters and tear them to pieces. Ceres was impatient and said, You selfish thing. You don’t deserve to be loved. 3he waved her wand and thorns pushed their way out of the stem of the rose. The rose straightened herself proudly and haughtily threatened any in- truder. Ever after the rose and its descendants have had thorns. All the thornless roses have been destroyed. --Kielo Kyrskymurto L9z

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MARCH WINDS Oh, March winds that dash across the sky, As if cn errands swift, Where do you g , After you dart so far and wide? I see you in your cloak of gray; You keep the hilltops , Scour the plains, Then, where do you go? --Helen Norden H8y ' GOING AFTER THE COWS How many of us have gone after the cows with a father or uncle? I remember when I was a little tot, I would skip along at my uncle ' s side, dancing and singing with the sheer joy of being in the country. Down the old road we went, with the fine soft, yellow dust floating up into our faces, if I merely stepped a little hard on it. On either side of us were the massive fields of alfalfa, green-tipped with purple blossoms, swaying lightly in the summer breeze. Then we would come upon the herds as they grazed contentedly in a large field. Call- ing loudly to the cows, my uncle always managed to get the un- wieldy mass of black and white out into the road. Keeping a safe distance behind the cows, I ' would watch the dust filter- ing up from the road, making queer fantastic shapes in the twilight. At the end of the old road the cows obediently turned into the old corral, lowing and perhaps licking their calves. --Dorothy Cabral H8y’ TO A LITTLE GIRL IN A FRAME Ah, little rosy cheeked girl, Gathering flowers for one you love, Do you always stand in a frame, Or do you roam about in spring? Your golden locks are the sunshine, That sends its beams so brightly. Fortunate child that lives in a picture. ' But don ' t you ever get lonely? --Lena Titoni H8y '