IT WAS OCTOBER AND THE INDIANS ON A REMOTE
>RESERVATION ASKED THEIR NEW
> CHIEF IF THE COMING WINTER WAS GOING TO BE COLD OR MILD. SINCE HE
>WAS A
>
> CHIEF IN A MODERN SOCIETY HE HAD NEVER BEEN TAUGHT THE OLD SECRETS.
>
> WHEN HE LOOKED AT THE SKY HE COULDN'T TELL WHAT THE WINTER WAS GOING
>TO BE LIKE.
>
>
>
> NEVERTHELESS, TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE HE TOLD HIS TRIBE THAT THE
>WINTER
>
> WAS INDEED GOING TO BE COLD AND THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE
>SHOULD
>
> COLLECT FIREWOOD TO BE PREPARED. BUT BEING A PRACTICAL LEADER, AFTER
>
> SEVERAL DAYS HE GOT AN IDEA. HE WENT TO THE PHONE BOOTH, CALLED THE
>
> NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND ASKED, "IS THE COMING WINTER GOING TO
>BE COLD?"
>
>
>
> "IT LOOKS LIKE THIS WINTER IS GOING TO BE QUITE COLD," THE
>METEOROLOGIST
>
> AT THE WEATHER SERVICE RESPONDED.
>
>
>
> SO THE CHIEF WENT BACK TO HIS PEOPLE AND TOLD THEM TO COLLECT EVEN
>MORE
>
> FIREWOOD IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED.
>
>
>
> A WEEK LATER HE CALLED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AGAIN.
>
> "DOES IT STILL LOOK LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE A VERY COLD WINTER?"
>
>
>
> "YES," THE MAN AT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AGAIN REPLIED, "IT'S
>GOING TO
>
> BE A VERY COLD WINTER."
>
>
>
> THE CHIEF AGAIN WENT BACK TO HIS PEOPLE AND ORDERED THEM TO COLLECT
>
> EVERY SCRAP OF FIREWOOD THEY COULD FIND.
>
>
>
> TWO WEEKS LATER THE CHIEF CALLED THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AGAIN.
>
> "ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE WINTER IS GOING TO BE VERY COLD?"
>
>
>
> "ABSOLUTELY," THE MAN REPLIED. "IT'S LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKE IT
>IS
>
> GOING TO BE ONE OF THE COLDEST WINTERS EVER."
>
>
>
> "HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE?" THE CHIEF ASKED.
>
>
>
> THE WEATHERMAN REPLIED, "THE INDIANS ARE COLLECTING FIREWOOD LIKE
>CRAZY.