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 replied.

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."