Weave a story

Ammu patti taught kids the art of telling a story. All they had to do was put on their thinking caps and come up with words!

Illustration for young world

Ammu Patti , as she was popularly known in the apartment complex was an excellent story teller. She was in her late 70s. Everyone was fond of her, as she would keep the kids occupied during weekends and holidays with her numerous stories and generous snacks.

One Saturday evening, Ammu told the kids, “Today I am going to take you to see the performing artists of Nature. Let us get on the magic carpet and we will fly.” The children jumped on to the carpet and closed their eyes. Lo and behold they were flying northwards. Ammu Patti took them to a far off country called Norway, and showed them the rainbow dancers popularly known as Northern Lights. The children were amazed. As they flew they heard percussion bands, the water fall, running brooks and the pitter patter of raindrops playing different rhythms. They flew over deserts and heard the shrill music of the wind-instruments.

The children were thrilled and dizzy with happiness. They shouted, “

Patti you are great, just your word-picture took us all over and made us realise how beautiful Nature is.” They went home dreamily.

One day, one of the kids asked, “

Patti , how come you create stories?”

She replied, “I put on my thinking cap and take out words to make stories. This evening all of you put on your thinking caps and give me a word from each of those caps and I'll make a story with your words.”

The children pretended to put on caps and each one of them gave her a word. A beautiful story came out. Each one screamed, “I gave that word, I gave that word”.

Patti smiled and said, “See all of you can narrate a story”.

So next weekend, one of you will tell a story,” said Ammu Patti .