Slide 1 Febold Feboldson, Drought Buster An American Tall Tale Why is rain important? What happens if it rains too much? What happens if it doesn’t rain enough? Back a long, long time ago in the early days in Nebraska, the weather was always changing. The settlers didn’t know what to do. Then along came Febold Feboldson, the incredible pioneer who never let anything defeat him. That Febold was so amazing he could even adjust the weather! Take, for instance, the Year of the Frozen Snow. Nebraska was as cold as the North Pole! It was so cold that the snow never melted. But Febold spread hot sand from the desert over the plains and melted all the snow. That’s why, nowadays, the plains are hot in summer! Then there’s the Year of Many Rains. There was so much rain that chickens were getting stuck in the mud. Febold made them webbed feet so they could swim. That’s how he invented ducks!

Slide 2 Febold Feboldson, Drought Buster An American Tall Tale (Cont.) But some of Febold’s best feats came during the Year of the Drought. That year, it never rained. Nebraska was as dry as dry can be. Crops did not grow, and the cattle had no green grass to eat. Febold tried to persuade the cows to eat sand but they just wouldn’t. Febold’s cattle got so skinny that he had to tie sand bags to their tails. That’s what kept his cattle from blowing away when the wind blew! One day, though, the other settlers noticed Febold’s cattle eating again. “Look!” they said, “Febold’s cattle are gaining weight. What’s he gone and done now?” So all the settlers went to take a closer look. And there they saw Febold’s cattle—each one wearing a pair of green glasses! “Hey, there, Febold,” they said. “What’s the purpose of those green glasses?” Febold winked. “Well, the sand looks green through the glasses,” he said. “The cattle think it’s green grass!”

Slide 3 Febold Feboldson, Drought Buster An American Tall Tale (Cont.) But the green glasses did not make the rains come. By now, the sun had been shining for months. Sometimes a lonely cloud would blow across the blue Nebraska sky, but it never dropped any rain. But Febold Feboldson had an even bigger problem to solve. “I want to go fishing!” said Febold. He got out his fishing rod and went out to the pond. But of course the pond was all dried up. Now it certainly is not practical to go fishing when there is no water and no fish to fish for. Febold had to do something fast! “What will you do, Febold?” asked the settlers. “Well,” he said. “I’m going to think of a way to bust this drought!” So Febold sat down with his head in his hands. He thought. And then he thought some more. Finally, when he was almost all thought out, he came up with a plan. “Way up north,” he said, “in those faraway northern hills, there are lakes. I’m heading up to those faraway lakes. By the time I get back, this drought will be busted. You just wait and see!”

Slide 4 Febold Feboldson, Drought Buster An American Tall Tale (Cont.) So Febold headed up north to find the lakes in those faraway hills. “I will build huge bonfires around the lakes,” he said. “If I keep the fires very hot for a long time, I will bust that drought we are having down south.” And that’s what Febold did. He burned huge bonfires for three weeks straight. The fires were so hot that the water from the lakes evaporated. That vaporized water floated up into the sky to make clouds. Those clouds floated south towards the plains. Soon, there were so many clouds from that vaporized water that they bumped into each other over those southern plains. And then the rains poured down. Once the rains started, the drought was over. Febold’s cattle could take off their sand bags and sunglasses. The settlers could grow their crops. And Febold Feboldson could once again go fishing! And that’s how Febold Feboldson, the legendary pioneer, became the greatest drought buster of all time. Unit 6, Week 3 1. When do you need to adjust the sound on a TV set? 2. Do you think a lion could defeat an elephant? Why or why not? 3. What happens to plants in a drought? 4. How does a towel feel after the water on it has evaporated? 5. What are some feats that circus performers can do? 6. What do you know about the legendary apple grower, Johnny Appleseed? 7. What have you persuaded someone to do? 8. What are some practical things to take with you when you go for a hike? 9. What is the purpose of carrying an umbrella? 10. What made life hard for early settlers in California?