TWIGMAN TEACHES THORNY A LESSON

ONE DAY TWIGMAN DECIDED THORNY TWIG WAS GETTING OLD ENOUGH TO LEARN ABOUT WOOD CUTTING. HE GAVE THORNY A BRAND NEW AX AND TOOK HIM INTO THE FOREST THE NEXT MORNING TO START HIS TRAINING. AS THEY WALKED ALONG THORNY WANTED TO CUT THE FIRST TREE THEY CAME TO BUT TWIGMAN TOLD HIM THE TREES IN THIS PART OF THE FOREST WERE ALREADY A NICE DISTANCE APART AND IT WOULD BE BETTER TO CUT WOOD WHERE THE TREES WERE CLOSER TOGETHER AND NEEDED MORE SPACE TO GROW.

WHEN THEY GOT TO A PLACE WHERE THE TREES WERE CLOSE TOGETHER THORNY WANTED TO CUT THE BIGGEST TREE HE COULD FIND. TWIGMAN SAID O.K. AND THEY FOUND A LARGE TREE. THORNY SWUNG HIS NEW AX AND MADE A CHIP IN THE TREE BUT TWIGMAN EXPLAINED THE AX STROKE WAS TOO HIGH. IT WOULD LEAVE TOO MUCH WOOD TO BE WASTED IN THE STUMP.

THORNY SWUNG HIS AX AGAIN AND HIT THE GROUND BESIDE THE TREE. TWIGMAN EXPLAINED AGAIN. IF YOU HIT THE GROUND WITH YOUR AX IT WILL MAKE THE AX BLADE DULL AND YOU CAN NOT CUT TREES WITH A DULL AX BLADE. THE TROUBLE WAS THORNY SWINGING THE AX JUST TOO HARD. HE COULD NOT HAVE GOOD AIM WITH A HARD SWING. THORNY TOOK GOOD AIM FOR HIS NEXT SWING AND STRUCK THE TREE JUST AT THE RIGHT PLACE. TWIGMAN WAS VERY PROUD OF HIS SON.

WHEN THE TREE WAS LAYING ON THE GROUND TWIGMAN AND THORNY SAT ON IT TO REST AND EAT THEIR LUNCH. THORNY TWIG WAS NOW A SKILLED WOOD CUTTER JUST LIKE HIS FATHER. THORNY SAID, "NOW THAT I AM A WOOD CUTTER I CAN QUIT GOING TO SCHOOL, YIPPEE!" TWIGMAN SAID, "JUST A MINUTE NOW. BY THE TIME YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO QUIT SCHOOL NO ONE WILL REMEMBER HOW TO CUT A TREE WITH AN AX. YOU MUST ALWAYS LEARN EVERYTHING YOU CAN. ITS BACK TO SCHOOL FOR YOU TOMORROW." THORNY SAID, "AW SHUCKS!" BUT HE WAS KIND OF GLAD INSIDE BECAUSE HE REALLY DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE HIS FRIENDS.