It all began one night when a witch flew by my window. Yes, it was a witch. She was old and ugly and she had a big black hat on.
«Hello, Walker,” cried the witch.
“Hello,» I said.
“Do you want to see a flying saucer?”
“Which flying saucer?» I asked, “The big flying saucer with the stripes,” she cried. “Just like your pyjamas.”
“Just like my pyjamas? Where is it?” I asked.
“It’s in the middle of the field, just behind your house,” she cried and flew away.
I couldn’t believe that a flying saucer could have the same stripes as my pyjamas, so I got up, put on my shoes and went out.
More »

Can you solve the mystery?!

It was a cold morning in October. Holmes and I were sitting by the fire when Mrs Hudson knocked at our door.
“There’s a telegram for you, Mr Holmes,” she said, and left.
“It’s from Lestrade,” Holmes said. “Come at once to 23 Hill Street. Woman murdered. Well, Watson, the game is afoot.”
We soon arrived on the scene. Inspector Lestrade greeted us at the front door of the victim’s house.
«A bad business, this,” he said. “Messy, too. The poor woman’s head has been shattered like an eggshell. Here’s the murder weapon.” He held out a revolver. Its handle was in blood.
“Any suspects?” Holmes asked.
“None at present, Mr Holmes,” answered the little inspector. “We talked to the servants. They’d been given the night off and were out the whole time. They’ve just come back and found the woman like this.”
More »

I met Richards ten or more years ago when I first went down to Cuba. He was a short, sharp-faced, agreeable chap, then about 22. He introduced himself to me on the boat and I was surprised to find that Panamerica Steel was sending us both to the same job.
Richards was from some not very good state university engineering school. Being the same age myself, and just out of technical college I saw at once that his knowledge of engineering was rather poor. I couldn’t imagine how he had managed to get this job.
Richards was naturally likable, and I liked him a lot. The firm had a contract for the construction of a private railroad. For Richards and me it was mostly an easy job of inspections and routine paper work. At least it was easy for me. It was harder for Richards, because he didn’t appear to have mastered the use of a slide rule. When he asked me to check his figures I found his calculations awful. “Boy,” I was at last obliged to say, “you are undoubtedly the silliest white man in this province. Look, stupid, didn’t you ever take arithmetic? How much are seven times thirteen?” “Work that out,” Richards said, “and let me have a report tomorrow.”
More »

Harry Harrison

There was I on the rusty deck of the Maria Bella heading off home. Depressing. The summer was over. Europe was saying an indifferent goodbye. I spat into the ocean and turned my back on Europe.
Africa was waiting on the other side of the strait, just hazy green hills from here. Yet it was a continent, with jungles, deserts, exotic cities, elephants, cannibals …
I was saying good-bye to Africa too — without ever even seeing it. Andy Davis: ex-student, ex-painter. Back to the country which would grab me the second my foot touched the shore. The Army. The job. Responsibilities. I could see it all and I was deeply depressed.
A group of bagged men appeared on the deck. A new passenger? I moved over for a better view. My only fellow passenger was an old French priest with red eyes and not a word of English. Captain Sebastiano spoke a kind of English, but we didn’t understand each other well. So another passenger would really help since I didn’t want to talk to myself.
More »

They are making a mistake. I keep telling them, but they just look at me and nod their heads and say yes, we know we’re making a mistake.
Like I had to be humoured or something.
So now I’m going to see Beresford again.
I remember the way he shook my hand that day.
That day. What day? Yesterday. Hell, it seems a year ago.
Well, Beresford said, so you’re leaving us. How does that feel?
I said I felt — but I couldn’t think of the right word.
A million dollars I felt like. I felt like I was God. But these expressions didn’t really express it. At last I got the right word for him.
I feel myself again, I said. He nodded. He knew what I meant. He’d seen my type before.
So there isn’t any doubt they cured me. You don’t get that feeling unless you’re You again.
More »

Crocodile as a pet after B. Myers

If the one thing in the whole world you’ve always wanted is a crocodile, then here is how to get one.
You don’t even have to leave home. You can send away for it.
You don’t have to tell your parents or grandparents about it. They won’t notice.
When the box comes, open it. But be careful. Don’t throw away the little bird. The bird is the crocodile’s toothpick. He always sits on the crocodile’s back.
Now you have the crocodile. But what will you do with him?
When he is small, he will be a nice pet. Children you’ve never seen before will want to play with you. It’s great for your science project too.
More »

Lesson at the pond

Far away and in the mountains there was a castle. In the big castle lived only a man, his cook and his dog. Their names were Wil, Curtis and Pip-Pop. They lived a happy life. Not far from the castle and in the woods there was a pond. Although the pond was small, many creatures lived there: frogs, snakes, fish, flies, worms and even a toad. At the pond creatures were often sad.
One day a frog, two fish and a fly were talking together at the pond. They were not happy.
The frog, whose name was Frankie, jumped onto a lily pad and looked at himself in the water. «Have you seen Curtis from the castle?» he asked. «He has a long, handsome mustache. I don’t like my face. I want a mustache.»
The two fish, whose names were Sheldon and Shanna, swam over to the lily pad. They looked at the frog and then they looked at themselves. «Have you seen Wil from the castle?» they asked. «He has shiny glasses. We don’t like our eyes. We want glasses.»
More »