Limbas (Safety section)

Media

Part of The Young Citizen: The Magazine for Young People

Title: Limbas (Safety section)
Language: English
Year: 1935
Rights
Fulltext: 308 THE YOUNG CITIZEN December, 1!1?!: SAFETY SECTION LIMBAS By MARIANO PASCUAL * THEY called it the "limbas." It was truly a beautiful little thing. It could fly in the sky and turn this way and that and up and down like any living bird. Of course it was not a bird. It was only a kite. But this kite was like a living bird because it could swoop clown and tear another kite as easily as a hawk 01· an eagle swoop down upon a chicken. That is why it was called the "limbas." Perto loved the "limbas." His uncle made it for him one Saturday afternoon in November. In November, the days and the nights are cold and the wind is good for flying kites. When the kite was finished, Perto went to the beach and flew his kite there. It was not yet called the "limbas." There were many other boys in the beach flying kites. Some of their kites were red; some yellow; some were green. Perto's kite was white with two little reel wings flapping in the air. It flew up and up and up and seemed to say, "See how well I can fly!" There was a green kite flying near Perto's kite. The green kite looked at Perto's kite and said, "I can fight you, white kite. I can fight you!" Perto's kite shook in the wind with laughter. "Ha! ha! ha!" it laughed. "I laugh at you, green kite. Come and fight me. I laugh at you!" And so the two kites fought. The green kite snapped his teeth at the white kite's tail. But the white kite jumped away and swooped down upon the green kite. The white kite caught the green one on the face and bit him until his face was torn all over. When Perto's kite went down the bo?S in the beach crowded round it. "What a beautiful kite!" said one. "It fights like the 'limbas' ." And so it was called the "limbas." (Please turn to page 315) •Assistant Principal, Tonrlo Elementary School. THE SPIRIT OF GIVING By JOSE FELICIANO * CHRISTMAS is here again to gladden our hearts. What child does not look forward to the coming of this day'i And what grown person is not carried away by the spirit of Christmas? Old and young, rich and poor, join in the observance of this holiday, the happiest of all the year. People wish one another peace, happiness, and prosperity. From everyone's lips comes joyously, "I wish you a merry Christmas." Why do you think the Christmas season so full of joy for every one? There seems to be only one answer: we give with all our heart and we wish others all the blessinge from above. Yes, we believe in the old, old saying, "It is more blessed to give than to ·receive." Of course, it is not all giving, for we also receive something-not necessarily in return for what we have given. No, indeed. If we 1·emember our friends, they too remembe1· us. If we give something out of the goodness of our heart, others do the same. Kindness begets kindness. Now I should like to remind you of something you should not fail to do when Christ. mas comes around and even afterwards. You, who are fortunate enough to have a good home, loving family and friends, and comforts of life, must" not forget your less fortunate brothers. Young as you are, you know that there are people who have not even the bare necessities cif life. They are not to blame for nut having enough to live comforbbly. Perhaps misfortunes have befallen them one after another. Perhaps they have lost their piece of land, or their employment. We cannot exactlv tell why ( Pfc>ase turn to pa9e 316) "'Academic Divi;.:io11, Bureau of Education. 316 Francisca San Jose of Baiz. Negros Oriental and Preciosa Inna P:"neda of Jacinlo Elemrntan; Schoo! of Manila. Agustina Gayo of Tanjay Elementary School ·and Nora Cruz of Rizal Elementary Schoo!.' A1anila. THE YOUNG CITIZEN guita. Dauin. Siaton. Bacong and Tolong. Before the games began there WJS a parade which was pre ceded by the town band. The di~ tricts that look p.irt in the parade were Tanjay, Dumagmtc. Zam· boanguita and Tolong. It was a very attractive parade. The uni December, 19.!fi -He did not use any body protccto:.-. Because of the brilliant work of - these two boys Tanjay won the g;;.mc easily. At the end of the meet the total points were counted. The following were the results: Tanjay got 80 points: Dumaguerc, '39 points: Zamboanguita. 36 points: and Tolong, 0. Tanjay won the general championship of the Unit II Athletic Meet. Aunt Alma, l think this is 111 I can tell you at present. Sincerely yours, PATERNO RODRIGUEZ Tanja11, Negros Or. Dear Paterno. Congratulations for the victory of Tan_iay in the Athletic Meer! Dear Aunt Alma. forms of the athletes captured the I am Agustina Gayo. I am in attention and admiration of th1• Your description too. is excellent. grade four. I am fond of reading people. The best group was th..: I am sure children in other parts of magazines including .. The Young Tanjay group The town peop~c our country will enjoy reading it. Citizen." were surprised to sec the girl~;' uni I should like to make friends forms. In the history of this town with another girl in grade four. they have never ,<>ecn girls paradDear Agustina. AGUSTINA GA YO ing the slrcets in shorts. Our girls Tanjay Elrm. School were neat-looking and businesslike Tanjay, .\"t'[J. Oi·.icnf.-,[ in their new uniforms. Afcer th:' p::.rade ir was thought that our athll'tes would not haw any chanL~ AUNT ALMA Dear Aunt Alma. I am twelve years old and in the last stage of the intermediate grade. I am one of the admirers of thl': I gave your letter to l-.fora Cruz. ar·other reader of the ''Young CitiZ('n. She promised lo anstver yotir Idler. Have you heard from hff? Young Citizen and I enjoy reading it very much. All of my brothc;.s and sisters also enjoy reading th.: to win because they were younger stories. In school. we read this ~md smaller as compared with those magazine in our spare moment~ of the other groups .of Jthletes. The and sometimes advertise them as ,1 first g:imc played was bJscba\!. Pres. C. Limbaga of Tanjay pitch~·d the first b,111. \\'h.:n the ball w.::.s AU.YT ALM.4. Dear Aunt Alma. I am going to t:ll yo:.i something pitchrd the crowd shout-.'d and al1 out the Unit II Athlclic Meet. clapped their hands. Ccnon Aguii.lr On October 4 th: meet began The rown> that wc1"': r.-prcsenrrd were Tanjay. Sibulan. Ay~guitan. Dumagu.:t:. Luzuriagl. Zamboanof our team was the star pitcher. His balls were very swifL He i;.; kft-han<l,'d. Lino Buenaflor was the carcher. He was a good cltcher. part of our lesson in rca<ling. My classmates are all intcrestc{i in the Young Citizen. Every time they sec a new issue of that magazine they read it eagerly. Your admirer, ADELIA B. FUGOSO l'll-fl,' Emilio Jacinto Elementai·y School, Mamila LIMB AS :ind therefore there was no school The "limbas" was tossed inrn the (Crm 1i1•11cd f,·0~11 p:~{f<' ;os) So many boys were on the beach J.ir and it flew upward proudly as Many other afternoons Perro Perto saw the other boys toss if to say, "Look at me. I can flv went to the beach. Many oth.n their kires into the air. But th..! evm in a storm. Look at me. ls kites fought with the white ki1·c. there a better kite than I?" but always the white kilc won. wind was strong .rnd many of the The "limbas" went higher and 0 I f P kites danced crazily in the air. and h. h . rh · At fi'rst ,·, ne car y a t:rnoo~. er~o wrnl lben they would suddenly clivc tc tg er mto c air. to the beach with his while kit,· danced merrily and flapped its the "limbas." ·The sky was cloucl·; .. the ground again. wings with pride. Then its brav.;and the sea was angry wirh long Peno LHig~1':d aloud white face became troubled and it rolling waves that beat on the sho11.' "Sec my "limbas'," h': sJid looked down at its little master. with a loud noise. On a day like "Your kites cJnnot rly in a hard down. down the earth looking lik.: that. boys do not go to the bcadl wind The 'limbas' can rly a tiny little ant. to fly kites. But it was Saturday. in a slorm." (Please turn to })Hge ./25) THE WONDERFUL ORGAN (Continued from pugc 298) The night deepened. Now and then. the silence was broken by sounds from firecrackers. In other houses, other boys like him were playing and having a good time. ''Good evening." someone called at the gate. "Will you give a tired traveller a drink of water?" "Good evening." answered Benito, as he came down the house with the drinking bowl. The stranger drank the water and said, "Thank you." Then he returned the co::o:iut bowl to Benito. "Your h.rnJ is bleeding." h..: observed. The voi..::c was soft and kind. No one had spoken to Benito as kindly as that before. Benito looked at his hand anJ saw that it wa.s. indeed, bleeding. "I am working on the organ for the church. It must be finished hy tcmorrow morning." Benito ,c;aid softly, as if he were saying his prayers. "And will you finish it? asked the srranger. "'If I can keep awake, I will try hard to finish it." Benito answered. ··1 am very sleepy.'' "Let me tell you stories, then. while you work,'' said th:.> stranger Benito looked around him. Thi.! bouse was very ::till. The ulfern had gcu\e to hear ,he midnight mas~. The onie< slaves w1.:1e fast asleep Benito led the stranger upstairs. He sat a.a the floor in front of Benito. Then he told Benito stories. He told him abo:.it the fairy moonbeams that danced and leap2d among the leaves of the trees and about golden fishes that played hide-and-seek among the corals ur.der the deep. blue sea. He told him. too. about a land where the birds were always gay and the flowers never withered. As he spoke, thl? ,;re v;:ry kind to you." The little boy was very happy because of his new toy, and the mother was very happy because of the happiness of her boy. The mother and the son felt the joy of Christmas Day. THE YOUNG CITIZEN LIMB AS (Conlinu<'d .from pagr .116) Perto on the ground held lh\.' string of his kite with trembling hands. At first he had been smiling. But now h:.> did not know what to do. The wind had blown harder and harder carrying his brave lamp glowed more brightly. The room seemed to be flooded with moonlight. But outside, it was very dark. A sweet delicious scent hung in the cold, December air. And from afar. came the sofr. swec-r strains of an unknown song. The knife dropped from the yo;J.ng boy·s hands. His head sank lower in hi1> breast. The stranger's quiet voice had lulled the tired b:::iy to sleep Then. all of a sudden. the stil!P.ess was broken by the ringing of the bells telling of the birth of the Saviour. The Christmas morning was bright and cheery. - When Benito awoke, the sunshine was streamin:; into the room through the win· dows. He remembered the organ with a start. He felt very much frightened. He took the knife right away and looked for the part which he had left unfinished. He coulJ r;ot find it. Both sides of the org"n were done in the same beauti· ful way. More than that, they were beautifully pintcd. Beni10 did ·HH ~,now how to paint. Who had fin1~hed the organ and painted it wh:le he was asleep? Then Benito remembered the strange visitor of th(' night. He looked at the organ again. The flowers looked so fresh he kn('W tbey would never wither, and the h;rds looked so gay, he knew the~· \:ould alw~ys remain so. He looked at the leaves. The moonbeams werE still there. Then he looked at his hand. 1'. was completely healed. For the first time in many yens ttars stood in Benito's eyes. Bm he was too simple and good of heart to be afraid. Lifting his eyes up to the sky, he murmured softly to himself. "God, I thank You fo1 all Your kindness." wbite kite up. up. high';!r and higher. although he tried hard to pull the kite down. The string w.,s humming loud and he had all he could to prevent himself from be ing lifted up into the air. The white kite grew smaller and small er and then suddenly, h~ fell back on the sand. The string h:iJ ~napp:?d broken and the "limbas .. was gone sailing· in the, wind farther and farther away. Perto sat on th~ sand sobbing. The "limbas" was fast disappearing, his dear, bra Vi!, little "limbas." He saw the broken half of the string gleaming in the wind and noticed that the little kite was flying lower and lower. Quickly wiping his eyes, he ran away in the direction taken by the "limbas." Half an hour later, he found the "limbas" still· flying over the roof of a nipa house. The string it carried had caught around a lamp post and the kite flew up and down a'i if trying to free itself. Perto ran here and there looking for something. A policeman standing near the lamp po~t watched him as he ran. Perto found a long pole standing against the wall of a house. V..'ithout asking the owner any permission, Perto took the pole and went back to the street. He was about to reach the string caught around the lamp post when the policeman stopped him. "Wait." the policenian said. Perto wanted to cry again. but he stood still at the policeman's bidding. They saw the kite flying up and down. Sometimes it whirled wund and round and then it would suddenly fall down again. As they watched the kite whirl again for the second time, it suddenly flew toward the wires. There was a hiss ;ind a sudden light, and the kite burst into flame. 'The next moment it had curned into ashes. "Did you see that~" asked the policeman. Perto. pale with fright. nodded at the policeman He would ha\l'e died if he had touched the wires with the pole.