The Rain

The clouds are dark.
The rain falls down.
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter.
How beautiful to see the rain.
After many many sunny days.

It goes across the window pane.
A muddy tide on the road.
Softly now the rain falls down.
And the rain like a little mouse.
Pattered all around the house.
Raindrops are footsteps from out of the sky!
Now the rain is fading away.
All the trees and flowers are fresh.
And now, oh! the rain has gone away.

Thiloma Ingarjola,

Royal International School,
Kegalle.

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Myself

My name is Lalith Kooragoda. I am eleven years old. My birthday is on September 8th. I have two brothers and no sisters. I live in Nagoda. I am the eldest in my family. My favourite subject is Science. I like chocolates very much. My favourite sport is cricket. My hobby is playing cricket. I want to be a good citizen. of this country.

Lalith Kooragoda,

G./Patana K.V.,
Hikkaduwa.

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The Sun

Awaking in the early morning.
Peeping out over the mountains,
Shining, blazing and dazzling,
Like the king of the sky.

It gives us the power,
from morn to eve,
But when the sky,
Is cloudy and gloomy,
And when the moon appears,
The sun sadly disappears,
Saying good-bye to us.

Chammi L Ratnasuriya,

Vihara Maha Devi B.V.,
Kiribathgoda,
Kelaniya.

---

The Guest I Forgot

My mind was full of thought
Around three o’clock one Sunday afternoon
It was the day the guest came to our sweet home
I dreamed how he would look
And thought how I would welcome him.
Then I sat in the living room and dreamed of various things.

About half and hour past.
Two men came with my guest
Oh! how lovely,
He was full of black wool.
And looked like a small bear.
I welcomed him and walked with him in my garden.
Me and my brother named him “Ben”
Evening was passing into night time
Still my father hadn’t come home,
We took Ben in and shut the door.
Suddenly, a motorbike came and horned.
We saw he was our relative.
Ben barked and tried to bite him.
So my mother was unable to let him stay in the house.
She opened the door and said.
“You go out Ben”
Oh! how sad. His mood changed
He went out.
After a few minutes father arrived and we went out.
Oh! My lovely puppy Ben, was the guest I forgot
Still I’m waiting for my Ben

Dulakshi Ferdinadis Yapa,

Convent of Mary Immaculate,
Matara.

---

To my dearest Alma Mater

‘Southlands’, a famous girls’ school
In Southern Province.
Which stands majestically
Beside the deep blue sea and
Well protected by the gigantic Dutch Fort,
Commemorates its 113 years of
Invaluable service this month.
I still remember the day
I came to your shade,
Grasping my father’s hand.
The big May tree warmly welcomed me
With those red flowers.
While those old fashioned buildings
And huge Catholic church
Frightening me.
From that day I was your
Obedient pupil for eight years,
And obtained so many precious things.
I just haven’t enough words to say.
How much I owe you.
My Dearest Alma Mater,
I wish you another hundred or more years of service
To lighten the lives of the girls
In Southern Province,
Knitting them together
In love and service.

Thanuja Karunarathne,

Akuressa.

---

The Glove and the Lions

King Francis was a great lover of all kinds of sport: and one day he and his courtiers, noblemen and ladies, sat watching wild savage lions fighting each other in the enclosure below.

Amongst the courtiers sat Count de Lorge beside a beautiful and lovely lady of noble birth whom he loved and hoped to marry. The lions roared and bit and tore each other with savage fury, until the king said to his courtiers, “Gentlemen, we are better up here than down there!”

The lady, hearing this thought she would show the king and his courtiers how devoted her lover was to her! So she dropped her glove down among the fighting lions, and then looked at Count de Lorge and smiled at him. He bowed to her, and leaped down among the savage lions without hesitation, recovered the glove, and climbed back to his place in a few moments. Then he threw the glove right in the ladies face. King Francis cried out, “Well and bravely, done! But it was not love that made your lady set you such a dangerous thing to do, but her vanity!

By Hafeel Cassim,

Alexor International College.

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Boxing

Boxing is a world famous game today. Many people in many countries box as a sport. Boxing is a game where the players have to be physically and mentally healthy to win a match. Also boxing has a long history as a game.

The earliest references to boxing with gloves was found in Greece. It was depicted on a fresco from island of Thera, Greece. It has been dated back to 1520 BC. The earliest price-ring code of rules was formulated in England in 1743. The first world heavyweight titles were held in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A on 7th September, 1892.

Boxing has made many people famous during its history. Some of them are Rocky Marciano, Mike Tyson, Evander Hollyfield and Mohammed Ali, The Great.

A boxer must have some qualities to be a winner. He must have perfect balance, speed, good training and a sound knowledge of the human anatomy.

Many people in many countries watch WBA titles and other International matches as television stations telecast them live.

Boxing is in other words the best way to keep fit and healthy.

Upul Punchihewa,

Ananda College,
Colombo 10.

---

Stamp News 14

Commemorating Vesak

By Uncle D.C.R

The month of May is the month of Vesak. On the full moon day of Vesak, Buddhists commemorate the Birth , Enlightenment and Passing away of the Buddha.

The issue of stamps to mark Vesak is now a regular feature in Sri Lanka just as much as Christmas is marked by the release of stamps every year.

Vesak in the year 1956 marked the Buddha Jayanthi when 2500 years of the Parinibbana(demise) of the Buddha was commemorated. To mark this great event, a set of four stamps was issued on 23 May 1956. A feature of this commemorative issue was that two stamps (4 cts & 10cts) had a surcharge of 2 cts & 5 cts respectively. The other two were of 3 and 15 cent denominations.
The landing of Vijaya, which happened on the day the Buddha passed away (3 cts), a traditional oil lamp with the Dharmachakra around it (4cts), The Hand of Peace on a lotus and the Dharmachakra(10cts) and the Dharmachakra encircling the globe (15 cts) were depicted on the stamps. The surcharge was withdrawn on 15 January 1958.

The next time Vesak stamps were issued was on 10 April 1969. Three stamps (4, 6& 35 cts) designed by reputed artist LTP Manjusti were released. Two stamps (4 &35cts) featured the Vajrasanaya (symbolising Buddha’s Enlightenment) under the Sri Maha Bodhi(the sacred Bo tree). Budu-res (Buddha’s rays) encompassing the five colours - blue, yellow, red, white & deep orange - was featured on the 6 cts stamp.

Dambava temple

Six colourful stamps depicting temple paintings from the Dambava temple in Wahakotte in the Matale district, which dates back to the 18th century, were relased to mark Vesak in 1976. The stamps feature paintings, which tell the story of the birth of Prince Siddhartha. The prince descends from the heavens to enter the womb of the sleeping queen, Mahamaya in the form of a white elephant (5 cents stamp). The king consults the astrologers (10cts) and entertains them with food (1.50).The queen seated in a palanquin is taken in procession to her parents (Rs 2). The royal procession is led by drummers, dancers, musicians, flag bearers and officials(2.25). The queen gives birth to a son in the grove of Lumbini(Rs (5.00). More next week

How animals live

Part 2

There are three main feeding groups of ani- mals. These are the plant-eaters or herbivores, the carnivores which feed on other animals, and the omnivores, which will eat almost anything. Each of these main groups have smaller groups within them.

Herbivores

Among the herbivores there are animals that eat mainly grass and vegetation on the ground. These are the grazers. Some invertebrates, like many molluscs and echinoderms, are grazers. They feed on algae and other types of vegetable matter.

Familiar farm animals, like sheep, horses and cattle are better known grazers. Among the wild grazers are gazelles, zebras and buffaloes.

Other species feed on leaves, twigs and fruit. These animals are called browsers. They include giraffes, goats, elephants and giant pandas.

Grazers and browsers have different types of teeth. Grass is tough and often gritty and must be well chewed. Grazers have long teeth that do not wear down quickly. Browsers chew their food less. Their teeth get little wear and although they are short, they do not wear out.

Carnivores

Carnivores, or meat-eaters, feed on herbivores, other carnivores and omnivores. They include many kinds of animals - from microscopic creatures to complex and efficient hunters such as sharks, eagles and lions.

Hunters

Many carnivores are active predators. They use a number of different methods to catch their prey. The method depends upon the way the prey defends itself.

Many predators hunt their food by speculation. They guess that the food will be in a certain place and use their senses to help find it Some wading birds probe the mud below shallow water, expecting to find the worms and other small animals which they eat. The raccoon reaches under the water with its forepaws for shellfish.

Other species stalk their prey. They move towards their prey hoping they will not be seen or heard until they are within striking range. The big cats, such as lions and cheetahs creep very slowly, with their bodies crouched so they are hidden in long grass. The kestrel hovers motionless. Then, when the victim is not looking, it attacks.

Ambush is a common method of hunting, often used by animals which also stalk their prey. The hunter will hide, lying in wait, until its prey approaches. Many animals which hunt like this use camouflage patterns to disguise themselves. Some spiders blend with the colour and texture of the branch on which they wait for an unsuspecting insect. The tiny hydra ambushes passing water fleas by extending its sticky tentacles.

Omnivores

Animals that eat both plants and other animals are known as omnivores. Invertebrates such as starfish that feed on debris containing many kinds of organic matter, can be called omnivores. Others include some birds, bears and man.

Balance of nature

Many different factors make up the balance of nature. All life depends on water, air and minerals, which are not living things, and in same way on all other living things in the environment.

Food chains

Plants, such as grass, are eaten by herbivores, such as zebras, which are eaten by carnivores, such as lions. This relationship between dependent food species is called a food chain.

Food web

Many species are involved in one or more food chains. Grass is eaten by many different grazing herbivores. Each of these is prey for one or more carnivores. These complicated inter-relationships of food chains make a food web.

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