It's a Mystery

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Check It Out! A Mystery Lost to Time My Mystery Friend The Mysterious Great Pyramid Mystery of the Sea Dragons Puzzles Mysterious-Looking Animals Max & Gracie Two Science Mysteries Mysteries in a Cave 10 Mysterious Creatures The Mysterious Kate Warne Mystery of the Edmund Fitzgerald Vanished Kids Corner Mystery of the Missing Chow Mysteries of Chaco Puzzle Solutions

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ysteries can be fun to read about. They are like puzzles. You wonder what happened and who did it. To find the answer, you follow clues, just like a detective.

There are mysteries all around us. Here are some things that are a mystery to me: How do birds fly? What makes every blade of grass in my yard a different shade of green? How does my dog hear things that I can’t?

This issue explores lots of mysteries. Many are unsolved.

Do you have any mystery questions? Go outside and observe your surroundings. Then write and tell us what is a mystery to you, or draw us a picture. Maybe you’ll wonder why ants walk in a single file. Or how leaves know when it’s time to change colors and fall from the trees. Report back to us about the mysteries you discover. We are looking forward to hearing from our detectives.

Write to: Kids Corner, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227. Or email us at: kidscorner@funforkidz.com

Phovoir/Shutterstock.com

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by Kerrily Sapet

As the explorers peered into the tomb, their excitement grew. Through the thick shadows and the dust of 3000 years, they saw glints of gold and jewels beyond their wildest imaginings. They had discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun (toot-ahnk-ah-mun).

King “Tut,” for short, has become one of the most famous Egyptian pharaohs since archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb in 1923 near the tombs of other Egyptian kings. Carter had searched for several years. King Tut’s tomb was well worth the wait. Inside, Carter and his team found swords, musical instruments, model boats, food, beds shaped like lions and crocodiles, and even the king’s wig, robe, and sandals. Tut’s mummy wore an elaborate solid gold mask.

But by opening the tomb, Carter began what became known as the “Curse of the Mummy.”

Just a few months after discovering the tomb, a power failure plunged the entire city of Cairo, Egypt, into darkness. Days later, Lord Carnarvon, the man who provided money for Carter’s work, died suddenly. Doctors believed Carnarvon died from an infected mosquito bite and pneumonia.

Strangely, the bite on Carnarvon’s left cheek was in the same spot as a wound on Tut’s face. People claimed that back in England, Lord Carnarvon’s dog howled and died at the exact moment of his master’s death. Carter’s pet canary also fell victim to the curse.

Egyptians blamed these events on the fact that the pharaoh’s mummy had been disturbed.

For hundreds of years, people believed that mummies held magical powers. Within months of Carnarvon’s death, people claimed that many other people on Carter’s archaeological team had died of unknown causes. All of them, people said, had been in Tut’s burial room. Some people believed King Tut cursed those who entered his tomb because he was angry.

Hieroglyphics written on treasure found in the tomb

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Game pieces used by King Tut

Tut became the ruler of Egypt when he was only nine years old. Nine years later, he mysteriously died. Many think his advisor, Ay, had him murdered. Tut’s mummy has a wound on its head. Ay became pharaoh when Tut died.

There is evidence that King Tut’s death was sudden and unexpected. His tomb was filled with beautiful objects, but it was small compared to other kings’ tombs.

The mummification was done quickly and sloppily.

Embalmers added too much resin, or tree sap, to Tut’s linen bandages. His mummy actually got stuck to the bottom of his coffin. Tut’s name was even carved over a previous name.

Did King Tut die of a sudden illness, or was he murdered by an ambitious advisor? This is a mystery lost to time. Recently, scientists suggested that ancient molds on fruits and vegetables inside Tut’s burial chamber possibly caused the deaths of the archaeological team. But the idea of an angry mummy is enough to send shivers down your spine.

King Tut’s gold funerary mask

Is the mummy’s curse real? That’s for you to decide.

King Tut’s tomb was found in an area known as the Valley of the Kings.

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My Mystery Friend

by Phyllis Raybin Emert • illustrated by Donna Catanese

“How was your first day at school, sweetie?” asked Dad at dinner.

“It was great, Dad,” answered nine-year-old Remy. “My teacher is Miss Patton, but I like Jack the best. He drank from the goldfish bowl.”

Dad looked at Mom and shook his head. “Of course, dear. Next time, Jack should try drinking from the fountain if he’s so thirsty.”

Remy burst out laughing. “That’s funny, Dad.” The next day, Remy had spelling homework. “We were assigned words from our reading books,” she told her parents at dinner. “Mine is called Meeting New Friends.”

Mom handed Remy a plate of food. “Speaking of friends, how did Jack do today?” asked Mom. “The kindergartners painted Jack red,” answered Remy quietly.

Mom began to choke on a sip of water. Remy patted her on the back until she felt better. “That poor thing. Why on earth did the children do that?” Mom asked.

“I guess because they ran out of blue paint,” answered Remy. “More potatoes, please.”

On Wednesday, Jack was locked in the janitor’s closet by mistake. The principal let him out. On Thursday, Mrs. Temple, the school librarian, gave a speech to the students in the auditorium. She explained how to check out library books. Right in the middle, Jack got up and walked across the stage behind the surprised librarian. The kids all giggled and applauded.

“That was very rude of Jack and the children,” said Mom, when Remy told her parents.

“On Friday, Jack slept in class all day long,” said Remy. “I guess he was very tired.”

The following week, Remy dressed up for her class picture.

When she came home, her mother said, “You looked very pretty today, dear. Did Jack dress up too?”

“You’re joking, aren’t you, Mom?” asked Remy. She added, “He sneaked into every single class picture.”

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“You mean he had his picture taken with each class at school?” asked Dad. “How could the teachers let that happen?”

“Jack fooled them every time, Dad,” explained Remy. “He’d run in at the last second and sit by the front row. It was really pretty funny.” Mom and Dad looked at each other in amazement.

Day after day, they heard stories about Jack. “Some high school kids were bothering the sixth graders at recess today,” said Remy.

“Let me guess,” said Dad. “Jack ran over and threw them off campus.”

“You’re close, Dad,” said Remy. “Jack ran over and chased them off campus. Those older guys were really afraid. Jack can be pretty mean when he wants. Only to the bad guys, of course.”

“How old did you say Jack was, Remy?” asked Dad. “I’m not sure, but I think he’s pretty old – 13 or 14,” answered Remy.

“And still in elementary school?” whispered Mom to Dad. Finally, it was time for open house at Remy’s school. Her classroom was decorated with special stories and pictures. Mom and Dad were excited about seeing Remy’s teacher and her classroom. They were also looking forward to finally meeting Jack.

“What do you think he looks like?” Dad asked Mom. “I think he’s tall, dark, and strong, but friendly.”

“I think he’s short, thin, and very tired,” said Mom. “The poor boy spends most of his time sleeping at school. Yesterday Remy said Jack was scratching himself a lot. He must have a skin problem.

Someone should tell the school nurse.”

Mom, Dad, and Remy drove to the school. They walked to the fourth-grade classroom. They looked at Remy’s spelling story and her math papers. Then they saw her handwriting practice sheets. Finally, they spoke to Remy’s teacher. Miss Patton told them Remy was doing well in all her studies.

“We’re glad to hear that, Miss Patton,” said Mom. “May I speak to you about something that’s been bothering my husband and me?”

“Certainly,” said Miss Patton.

Mom and Dad spoke quietly. “We’re a little concerned about one of the boys at school. His name is Jack. He seems to do the most incredible things and always gets away with it.”

Miss Patton started smiling. Dad continued. “Remy has told us he drinks from the fish bowl, sleeps in the classroom most of the day, and sneaks into the class pictures.”

Miss Patton began to chuckle.

“Once he was painted red by the other children,” said Mom, “and he was even locked in the janitor’s closet.”

Miss Patton started laughing out loud. She laughed so hard that tears started running down her face.

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“He has some sort of skin problem and is scratching all the time,” said Mom. By this time, Miss Patton was doubled over with laughter and nearly on her knees.

“I don’t believe we’ve said anything funny, Miss Patton,” said Dad, who was getting angry.

“The principal should do something at once about Jack,” declared Mom. Miss Patton stopped laughing and said, “Please forgive me. I think we can straighten out this whole misunderstanding.” Then, guiding Mom and Dad, she started walking with them to an area at the back of the classroom. She stopped walking and pointed down. “I’d like you to meet Jack,” said Miss Patton, “probably the most popular student at school.”

Mom and Dad looked down. They saw a medium-sized white animal. It was snoring loudly.

“A dog?” Dad and Mom said together. They looked at each other.

“Jack is our school mascot,” explained Miss Patton. “He lives in the neighborhood, but for years, he has spent most of his time at the school. The children love him.”

Mom and Dad started laughing. They were laughing so hard tears ran down their cheeks, and they had trouble standing up straight. They laughed so hard they woke up Jack.

Jack opened his large brown eyes and yawned widely. Then Jack scratched his ear, licked his paw, and settled back to sleep again.

After all, tomorrow was a school day. Jack needed his rest.

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Over 4500 years ago, the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu ordered a pyramid built as his royal tomb. It was so big, it could be seen for miles across the desert. Inside the pyramid, passages led to smaller twisted passages. There were concealed doors and chambers with hollow spaces behind them. There may be a hidden chamber deep inside. The mysteries of this complicated structure have baffled the world for hundreds of years.

Khufu’s pyramid is the oldest and largest pyramid still standing near Giza, Egypt. Today it’s called the Great Pyramid, and archaeologists are trying to unlock its secrets.

This pyramid is so enormous, 10 football fields could fit inside its base. It’s nearly as tall as a 13-story building. More than 2 million stone blocks were used to build it. How did workers get the stone there? Did they float the stones by boat along the flooded Nile River? Did they drag sled-like sledges across the desert? It’s a mystery.

How did workers cut each block so precisely and fit them together so well? Each super-heavy block weighed at least 2000 pounds. How were the blocks lifted into place?

Did workers build ramps that wrapped around the pyramid?

Did they use ropes and wooden levers to pull and push the blocks up higher and higher? These are more mysteries.

The original entrance (top of photo) was up higher than the entrance used today.

Egyptian writings tell us that the Great Pyramid took 23 years to build. That means workers would have had to set a block in place every 2-1/2 minutes around the clock, 7 days a week. How many thousands of people must have worked on the pyramid during that time? We may never know.

Here’s another mystery: At certain times of the year, the pyramid lines up with certain stars and planets. How did ancient Egyptians know how to do this?

Egypt has over 100 pyramids, large and small. If there are more, they are buried in the sand, holding their mysteries and awaiting discovery.

The Great Pyramid was originally covered in a layer of gleaming, polished white limestone. Over the years, people stripped away these stones to build other things.

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by Kim Osburn The fantastic animals gliding through the water appear to be mystical characters in an ancient fairy tale. They might be colorful glass sculptures created by a clever artist to decorate an aquarium. But these animals are very much alive. Sea dragons are fascinating creatures of the sea. They live off the coast of Australia. Why do they look the way they do? You can solve that mystery once you know more about them.

Sea dragons look like miniature dragons, but they are not! They are fish, closely related to the seahorse. Sea dragons have thin, elongated snouts. They Close-up of a leafy sea dragon have armor-like plates covering most of their body, just like a seahorse. But sea dragons do not grab onto things with their tails, as seahorses do. Instead, their tails help them to move through the water.

Leafy sea dragons look like they are made of leaves. They are yellowish in color and easily blend in with their surroundings This makes them masters of camouflage. As they drift along, leafy sea dragons look like pieces of seaweed swaying delicately in the water. They rely on this to keep predators away.

Weedy sea dragons are also quite unusual. They are not quite as elaborate as leafy sea dragons.

Weedies come in many colors, including purple. They have beautiful bright blue stripes on their necks and chests and tiny white or yellow spots. Their feathery fins help them blend into debris near the sea floor. They can hide among the seaweed and seagrass and not be easily seen.

All sea dragons are spectacular animals! Leafy sea dragons grow to be about 14 inches long.

Weedy sea dragons are a bit larger at about 18 inches long. Sea dragons are slow-moving creatures and can look almost motionless in the water. They use their fins to steer, move, and balance themselves.

The sea dragon’s mouth is like a tube or a drinking straw. Sea dragons slurp up their food! They like to eat tiny shrimp-like crustaceans like mysids and amphipods. They also eat larval fish and plankton. Sea dragons don’t have teeth or stomachs, so they are eating almost constantly.

Like seahorses, it’s the male sea dragons that deliver the babies. A female deposits bright pink eggs into a male’s “brood patch” on the underside of his tail. He carries the eggs – anywhere from 100 to 250 of them – for several weeks. Males do not care for the babies after they are born. They are on their own right away.

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Can you see how the leafy sea dragon got its name?

Sea dragons live in cool, rocky reefs off the coast of southern and western Australia.

People there like to go scuba diving so they can see these mysterious animals. Australian law protects sea dragons. Divers are not allowed to bother them or harm them in any way.

Aren’t you glad these unique sea creatures are protected?

Look at the snout of this weedy sea dragon!

Did you solve the mystery of why sea dragons look so unusual? What other kinds of mysterious-looking animals might live in the ocean? Use your imagination. What would a sea creature look like in your underwater world? Describe it, or draw a picture, and send it in to Fun For Kidz!

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by Guy Belleranti

Eliminate the mystery from these nine strange words by crossing out the letters M-Y-S-T-E-R-Y, one time, in each line. Write the leftover letters in the boxes to spell out a mystery-related word. The first line has been done for you. The 10 circled letters which you DO NOT cross out will spell out the answer to the riddle.

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L M O Y S C A T T E R E Y L O C A T E 2. S M O Y L U S T T I E R O Y N 3. A M D V Y E S N T T E U R R Y E 4. S U M S Y P S T E E N R S Y E

RIDDLE: Where does a detective learn to detect?

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C M A Y S T S E E R Y 6. T H M R Y S I L T E L I N R Y G 7. M S U Y S R P T R E I S R Y E 8. M S P Y S O T O E R K Y Y 9.

P M U Y Z S T Z E R L E Y

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Can you figure out where the slide is?

by Charlotte Redden and Ken Switzer

You may not know what something is when you first see it. That’s what makes it a mystery. Here are eight examples of common things in uncommon colors. Can you figure out what they are?

You get two big helps: 1. For each word, the letters you need are scrambled after the boxes.

2. A hint about the answer is printed below each set of boxes.

1. YELLOW

SEBET

(Root vegetables, usually red)

2. PURPLE

TOAPOT

(America’s favorite vegetable)

3. TRANSPARENT

TYFLUBRET

(Insect from a caterpillar)

4. WHITE

LUFABOF

(Shaggy animal important to the Plains Indians)

5. BLUE

MIDDANO

(Hardest gem in the world)

6. RED

ANORGE

(Round fruit with segments)

7. PINK

DEJA

by Donna Lugg Pape

To learn the answer to the riddle, find each word of the puzzle title, and circle it. Look up, down, across, and diagonally. The leftover letters will reveal the answer.

B R O F O T T H A C R R E O E A C L C K P D I A I S M A Y L T C R H H I N E W G Answer:

.

(Usually a carved green stone)

8. BLACK

SEOR

(This flower is often red or pink.)

Now put the circled letter in each answer, beginning with #1, in the boxes below to spell out a special phrase.

TRUTH IS

THAN FICTION!

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

by Doris Hier

Can you find out what is unusual about this paragraph? It looks so ordinary, that you wouldn’t think anything was unusual about it. But it is unusual. Do you know why? Sit and study it. Think about it, and you may find out. I cannot assist you in any way. You must do it without any of my coaching. If you work at it for long, it may dawn on you. Now, go to work. Try your skill. In about a half hour, you should know what is unusual about this paragraph.

Answer: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

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The world is filled with animals that look very mysterious to us. Maybe an animal looks bizarre only until we get used to seeing it. Think about this: When pandas were first found in China, the people there thought they were looking at monsters! Take a look at these odd, but real, animals.

Blue Dragon This creature looks like it came from outer space. It’s actually a sea slug. The electric-blue coloring camouflages the blue dragon as it floats belly-up on the ocean surface. Because these animals blend in with the color of the water, predators looking for a snack don’t see a thing!

Blue dragons are just about an inch long, but they are very feisty. They will take on much larger animals. When they scrap with the Portuguese Man o’ War, these strange sea slugs actually eat the Man o’ War’s poisonous stinging cells. Blue dragons can store the venom in these cells in their finger-like appendages. Now it has poison to use the next time it feels like scuffling.

Dumbo Octopus This small eight-inch-long sea animal doesn’t look like any octopus you’ve ever seen! Just look at its strange ear-like fins.

This octopus was named after Dumbo, the cartoon elephant with the big flapping ears.

Dumbo octopuses have soft, jelly-like bodies that allow them to glide easily from place to place. They flap their fins when they want a little extra power to get somewhere. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? These little guys live on the floor of every ocean in the world, but not much is known about them. They really are mysterious!

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Tarsier Oceans aren’t the only places with mysterious-looking animals. The tarsier lives on a few islands in southeast Asia. With their huge eyes and long, spindly fingers and toes, some people think tarsiers look other-worldly. Would you be afraid if you encountered one?

These shy primates are small, only about sixand-a-half-inches long. They live in trees, and their strong hind legs let them leap between branches with ease. Pads on the ends of their fingers and toes help them cling and climb. Tarsiers are nocturnal animals. That means they are awake at night and sleep during the day. Now you know why they have such large eyes: They need them to see clearly at night in the dark rainforests. Tarsiers have pointy bat-like ears, which give them incredibly sensitive hearing.

Mouse-Deer Are they mice? Are they deer? They are neither, although they look a little like both.

A mouse-deer is way bigger than a mouse, but it doesn’t get any larger than a small dog. In the wild, they are found in parts of southeast Asia. These fidgety creatures are the smallest hoofed animals on Earth.

A mouse-deer looks cute, but don’t get too close. It has two long, thin fangs inside its mouth. The males use them to stab each other. Ouch! Luckily, a mouse-deer has an extra thick coat of fur around its neck and backside that helps protect it from bites.

Their legs may look fragile, but they are super strong and good for running away from animals that might get too close.

Maybe predators are just curious about what these mysterious-looking animals really are!

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Fairbanks, Alaska 3:30 AM

It’s warm in the room, yet there’s frost on the windows.

Max and Gracie and their owners, Linda, Craig, and their seven-year-old son, Ed, are driving the back roads of America. Perhaps you have seen Max and Gracie with their heads out the window. If not, here is a letter describing their most recent adventure.

kibble neatly lined up my ball, I see 20 pieces of dog ieve retr to ir cha a er und g Crawlin our dog food?” hy are you building a fort with against the wall. I ask Gracie, “W s, she said, “When mptly ate the food. Between bite pro and me to t nex in ed wd She cro ?” every crumb put in front of me have you known me not to eat her bowl. the type of dog that left food in Gracie had a point. She was not ation.” food. We need to start an investig “Well, something is stealing our t from 2:00 AM to 5:00 awake. Gracie took the late shif That night we took turns staying were lined up along the wall. at 5:00 AM. Ten pieces of kibble AM. I had to nudge her awake food. cie said, jumping up to eat the “Oops, I fell asleep. Sorry,” Gra rustling in our dog food with her. At 3:15 AM, I heard a The next night I changed shifts vement behind the door. A the closet, I could still hear mo in is bag the ugh tho n Eve . bag er the door. Not seeing me, its mouth peeked out from und in ble kib of e piec a h wit use mo ind the chair. The mouse the kibble down in the spot beh ed plac and l wal the g alon ran it est imagination did I suspect a was shocked. Never in my wild I es. tim 10 on acti this ed eat rep mouse. e rning, she thought we should leav When I told Gracie the next mo ble. kib the ing m?” she asked, eat the mouse alone. “What’s the har e y, but how am I going to convinc We may have solved the myster use problem?!

Gracie we need to solve the mo

Max

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If you like solving mysteries, then you’ll love doing these science experiments!

Scientists do experiments to learn things they don’t know. Sometimes they experiment to prove something they DO know. They often make a guess, or HYPOTHESIS, then experiment to see if their guess is right. Here are two mysteries. I have given you my hypothesis for each one. Remember, a hypothesis is only a GUESS, so you don’t have to agree with me. Do the experiments to find out whether our guesses are correct!

Science Mystery Number 1

Is a tomato a vegetable or a fruit? My hypothesis is that it is a fruit. What is YOUR hypothesis? How can you tell what a tomato is? Experiment!

But first, do you know the difference between a fruit and a vegetable? Fruits are parts of plants we eat that have SEEDS in them. Vegetables are parts of plants we eat that don’t have seeds in them. You may be surprised to know that to scientists, peas, beans, and corn are fruits, even though we use them as vegetables!

To decide whether a tomato is a vegetable or a fruit, carefully cut one open. Are there seeds inside?

Science Mystery Number 2

Some objects float in water, and some objects sink. My hypothesis is that fruits will float in water, and vegetables will sink.

What do YOU guess? Do the experiment to find out who’s right. Fill a large, deep bowl with water. Drop in different kinds of fruit, like an apple, banana, or whatever you have. Then drop in different kinds of vegetables, like a carrot or potato. SEE what happens. Were you correct?

Now that you have solved the mysteries, here comes the best part. You can EAT these experiments because both fruits and vegetables are very tasty and good for you!

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by Mary Reina

H ave you have ever made a hand tracing or stencil? If

so, you recreated something prehistoric people painted over 30,000 years ago. Hand stencils are found in caves all over the world. No one is sure why ancient painters left such personal signs of themselves. Most experts don’t think they did it for fun. Cave painting was just too difficult and dangerous.

Most stencils were painted in deep, dark cave areas.

Painters had to walk through pitch-black tunnels. Handheld torches provided their only light. It would have been easy to trip over a rock, fall into a hole, or surprise a wild animal.

There was no such thing as going to a store to buy supplies. Prehistoric people made their own coloring materials. They would grind Two and three middle fingers closed: Whoever made and pound charcoal or red these hand stencils held some fingers close together. clay and then mix it with a liquid, like cave water. Making the actual stencil was another challenge. A person placed a hand against the cave wall, took a mouthful of paint, and sprayed it around the hand. They also may have used a hollow tube. Less often, they made a handprint by applying paint to the hand and pressing it against the cave wall.

Some hand stencils show the entire hand, with all the fingers spread out. Others show hand positions that look like the painter held two or more fingers close together before applying the paint.

Ancient people may have used the different combinations as a kind of sign language, but there is no way of knowing what messages they were leaving.

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Hand stencils weren’t the only things prehistoric people left behind in caves. Paintings and drawings of animals, people, and mysterious symbols are found on cave walls and ceilings throughout the world. Some caves have rock carvings cut into the walls. These are known as petroglyphs.

The paintings, drawings, and petroglyphs in the Altamira cave in northern Spain are some of the most famous. Wild horses, bison, mammoths, deer, rhinos, and other animals are shown standing, running, or lying down. Altamira has handprints too. When the cave art was discovered in 1879, people thought it was a hoax.

They couldn’t imagine how prehistoric people of 20,000 years ago could create such beautiful art. The artists had painted over the bumps on the cave walls and ceiling.

By flickering torchlight, the animals look as if they are moving! Scientists wonder about some of these painted animals. Were they symbolic, or were they real animals that lived at the time?

Did prehistoric people around the world use cave art to tell stories and express their beliefs and ideas? Were they describing good hunting areas? Maybe. But then why is most of the art hidden so deep inside? Narrow passages and darkness would keep people away. Who would see the paintings? These are just some of the mysteries of prehistoric cave art.

Like many other troglobites, this millipede has pale skin.

Can you see the bulges where the eyes of this Texas blind salamander should be? The frilly things are external gills used to get oxygen from cave water.

Reproductions of Altamira cave paintings are in museums. This protects the original art from light, fingerprints, and even people’s breaths.

Can you see the boars, stags, and other animals?

Close-up of a bison

Cave animals have always mystified people.

We’re not talking about animals that use caves once in a while, like bats and bears.

Deep inside a cave, where there is no sunlight, true cave dwellers live their whole lives in extreme darkness. They never go outside. These animals are called troglobites and include spiders, salamanders, fish, and millipedes. Troglobites have no real eyes. They don’t need them. They have no skin pigment. Other animals can’t see them, so there’s no need for camouflage. Their hearing is super, though, and they have an excellent sense of touch and smell.

There are many cave systems that haven’t been explored. Who knows how many more cave-dwelling animals are undiscovered?

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A giant squid-like sea creature rumored to attack and capsize sailing ships

The largest shark that ever lived is now extinct.

A legendary beast, usually a horse, with a long spiraling horn projecting from its forehead

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by Emily VonBerge walked into the Pinkerton In 1856, 23-year-old Kate Warne a job. Unfortunately, Allan Detective Agency to apply for the secretarial job had been Pinkerton had to inform her that secretary work,” may have filled. “But I’m not here to apply for took a chance that day in been Kate’s reply. Allan Pinkerton ective. It was a smart move hiring Kate as his first female det on his part. working as a detective, No one ever suspected a woman advantage. She became and Kate learned to use this to her g different accents, and adept at wearing disguises, usin blend in with the enemy. changing her name as needed to and Mrs. Cherry. Pinkerton Some names she used were M.B. n of mystery, and very little called her Kitty. Kate was a woma wn. That is, until one day personal knowledge of her was kno an assignment that would in 1861, when Pinkerton gave her put her in the history books. activities for his While investigating secessionist Pinkerton uncovered employer, the Baltimore Railroad, aham Lincoln. He felt a plot to kill president-elect Abr until he could confirm very uneasy approaching Lincoln only one operative the Baltimore plot. In his eyes, gathering additional could remain undetected while e Warne. information. That operative was Kat rners that had These secessionists were Southe m up. They did not slaves and didn’t want to give the ieve in slavery. When like Lincoln because he did not bel ists were afraid they Lincoln took office, the secession es. Rather than do would be forced to give up their slav that, they plotted to kill Lincoln.

Barnum Hotel, Kate’s assignment was to go to the essionist activities. a known meeting place for sec while pretending There, she was to obtain information d in a long gown, to be a secessionist herself. Dresse g a black and white she completed her outfit by stickin her hat band. This coiled ribbon called a cockade in ionist. cockade identified her as a secess

The plotters met in the Barnum Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.

Detective Pinkerton (left) with President Lincoln and General McClernand

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Allan Pinkerton is sitting on the right. It is believed that the person standing right behind him is Kate Warne in disguise. This may be the only known photo of her.

Detective Kate learned the secessionists planned to strike when Lincoln would be unprotected during a two-mile buggy ride. Lincoln would use the buggy to change railroad stations in Baltimore before continuing his trip to the White House. The schedule for that 1861 train trip was printed in all the newspapers of the day.

So Lincoln’s enemies knew every stop the train would make before it reached the White House.

Allan Pinkerton pleaded with Lincoln to alter his traveling agenda. Lincoln refused, saying, “I cannot consent to this. I shall hoist the flag on Independence Hall tomorrow (which was Washington’s Birthday) and meet the legislature of Pennsylvania. Then I shall have fulfilled all my engagements.”

When Pinkerton received another warning, Lincoln had second thoughts. He reluctantly agreed to leave early after he performed his duties.

Pinkerton and his detectives took extra precautions to stay one step ahead of the secessionists. He sent one detective to cut the telegraph wires and had others stationed at passing train depots on the way to Washington,

D.C. A prearranged signal of raising a light up and down meant “all’s well.” Meanwhile, Kate had secured the last two rail cars for Lincoln’s use.

Rather than attend a party in his honor, Abe pretended to be tired and told everyone he was going to turn in early. Instead, he headed for the train station. The train was held up until the last possible moment. The train workers thought they were waiting for important government papers.

Lincoln dressed in a scotch plaid hat and a long military coat. He walked stooped over, posing as Kate’s invalid brother. Even the conductor didn’t see the occupants in the last rail cars because the detectives handed over the tickets in the passageway.

Kate, Pinkerton, and another detective named Timothy Webster were all armed and didn’t sleep a wink on the midnight train ride. After a long night, they reached their destination at 6:00 AM, one day ahead of the previously planned schedule.

Pinkerton sent one of his detectives to fix the cut telegraph wires so a message could be sent back to the government. “The plums and nuts have arrived safely,” was the code, meaning Lincoln and Pinkerton had reached their destination.

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by Joyce Styron Madsen “The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down, of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee . . .”

The haunting song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” tells the legend of a shipwreck.

But the story is more than a legend. The Edmund Fitzgerald was a real ship. On November 10, 1975, it suddenly plunged to the bottom of Lake Superior. What happened is a mystery.

The Fitzgerald was as long as two city blocks. It was called “The Pride of the American Side” and was one of the hardest-working ships on the entire Great Lakes. This mighty ship carried tons of taconite, a flinty rock, from Minnesota mines down to blast furnaces along the lower Great Lakes.

Then came that fateful day in 1975. The Fitzgerald set out from Lake Superior’s western shore on November 9. Sailors call this lake “Old Treacherous” because of its furious November storms. That day’s weather was mild. The next day, though, the wind shifted. It brought a blast of frigid air and a storm into the area.

Waves 30 feet high hammered against the ship. Sixty-mph winds rocked it dangerously.

Captain Ernest McSorley had experience guiding ships through blustery storms. But soon, he began to worry. The captain radioed a nearby ship, the Arthur Anderson. McSorley asked the Anderson to stay by the Fitzgerald.

The two ships continued to communicate by radio. Then the Fitzgerald disappeared from the Anderson’s radar screen. The Anderson tried to radio the Fitzgerald. There was no response. The Anderson’s concerned captain made an emergency call to a Coast Guard station.

A night search began and continued for days. Finally, a week later, the wreckage of the Fitzgerald was found. All 29 crew members were lost. They hadn’t even had time to send a distress signal or lower the lifeboats.

What caused the disaster? The answer lies at the bottom of Lake Superior, along with the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

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Slava Gerj/Shutterstock.com

by W. Richard Reegan • illustration by Mary Snyder Everyone aboard the small ship disappeared without a trace. Except for an occasional creaking rope or the flapping of a wind-whipped sail, the Mary Celeste drifted along in ghostly silence.

Missing were the ship’s captain, his wife, their small child, and the seven crew members.

This ship had left New York on November 7, 1872, bound for Genoa, Italy. Twenty-eight days later, the Mary Celeste was spotted near the Azores, islands off the coast of Portugal, by the crew of another ship, the Dei Gratia.

“AHOY, THERE!” yelled the Dei Gratia’s captain.

When there was no response, he ordered three of his men to board the silent ship. What they found only deepened the mystery.

In the cabin, the helm spun around lazily. The ship’s shiny brass clock had stopped, and the compass was smashed to pieces. Other navigation instruments were gone. The bed in the captain’s cabin was neatly made, but there was an impression in the blanket, as though a child had lain there.

One thing was certain: When the crew left the ship, they did so in a big hurry. They left behind their clothing, raincoats, boots, and even their pipes. They hadn’t even taken water. All the fresh water kegs were in place. Perhaps the strangest thing of all was the last entry into the ship’s log, dated November 25, 1872. A lone sentence, shakily scrawled, stated there were strange noises coming from the cargo area. But the cargo of 1701 oak casks of crude alcohol hadn’t been disturbed, although nine of them were empty.

No one who had been aboard the Mary Celeste was ever seen or heard from again. Only the vast rolling ocean knows what occurred. But then, the sea never gives up her secrets.

What do you think happened? Write to Kids Corner, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227 or kidscorner@funforkidz.com, and let us know.

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ATTENTION READERS! Send us a photo of you with your pet, and you may see it in our very next issue! Include your name, age, and a parent’s signature as permission.

eations s, an d other cr , ry et Dear Rea der po k, artwor hat yo u , an d tell w Sen d us yo ur er tt le a us yo u! n! Write hearing from ve lo for publicatio e W . z id Fun For K om, think about funforki dz.c corner@ x 227, Email to: ki ds Corner, PO Bo ds Ki : to l ai m or 45817- 0227.

Bluffton, OH

Mystery Story Contest Everyone loves a good mystery! Write a mystery story and send it to us. Follow the contest rules.

1.

Dear Editor, Hi! My name is Bailey Adams. I had two rats that just died when I was 9. Now I am 10. I’m going into the 5th grade. I love the stories in your magazine. I love the Boxcar Children book, Legends of the Guard books, and Hank the Cowdog books.

I like these authors: Erin Hunter, Beverly Cleary, Ted Naifeh, and Nathan Hale.

Can you make an issue about you guys?

Your #1 fan, Bailey Adams Logan, UT

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Dear Editor, Hello, Bonjour, Hallo, Hola, Ciao . . . My name is Katrina Strahm, and I am 12. I live in Bern, KS. I like to send letters to my friends that live far away. One of the things I liked about the Communication issue (May 2017) was “What’s Your Ring Tone?” I also liked the “10 American Words That Are Different in England.” I don’t know where they got ‘queue’ for ‘line’.

Well, thanks for making such a good magazine. I look forward to getting it.

Sincerely, Katrina Strahm Bern, KS

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Contest Rules

Your entry must be your own original story of 300 words or fewer.

You may not be older than 14 to enter the contest.

Include your name, age, and full address on each entry.

Your entry must be signed by your parent, guardian, teacher, or librarian, saying it is your own original story and that you received no help.

If you want your story returned, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for each entry.

Your entry will not be considered if it is missing the information requested in rules #3 and #4.

The 1st-place winner will have his or her name and story published in a future issue and receive a prize and certificate.

All 2nd-place, 3rd-place, and honorable mention winners will have their names published and receive a certificate.

Stories must be received by November 15, 2017.

Send entries to: Mystery Story Contest, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227.

Dear Readers, Would you like to join Zip’s Pen Pal Club?

It’s easy!

• Write us a letter, and include your name, age, full address, and up to four interests. Send to: Zip’s Pen Pal Club, PO Box 227, Bluffton, OH 45817-0227.

• Have your parent sign your letter giving their permission.

• Include a SASE to receive the names and addresses of pen pals.

by Diane L. Burns • illustrations by Daniel Mather

Can you find 39 different cat and dog words in this silly story? The answers are on page 30.

One rainy afternoon, my detective friend, Rex, and I sat listening to our favorite mewsical group, the Elkhounds. The beagle section blared without a paws. The phone rang. It was our friend Grandma Tabby.

“Help! The collie-flower and the shepherd’s pie are missing from my refrigerator,” said Grandma in her husky voice. “That was my dinner. Will you take the case?”

Rex turned off the music. Thunder rumbled outside. “We’ll get awfully wet,” he said, “but we must collar the thief and retriever the goods.”

“You’re not kitten,” I said. “It’s the leash we can do.”

We splashed in poodles all the way to Grandma’s house. We got very terriered. Dingodongo, the doorbell chimed. Once inside, Grandma pointered to the bare refrigerator shelf.

“I was napping, resting mastiff joints,” she said. “Now the food is gone.”

“Look!” Rex said. A pug nose was pressed against Grandma’s pooch window. “Someone is Pekingese at us!” The shadow began to lynx away. We grabbed the intruder. A cat!

“Who are you?” I barked. “Well, panther me!”

“I’m not a cheetah, honest. I’m Angora, Grandma’s friend,” said the cat. “I’m not lion!”

“But do you have Grandma Tabby’s food?” I asked.

“Don’t hound me,” whiskered Angora, frightened. “The food is here in the clawset, see?”

Sure enough, the missing chow was safe inside a cardboard boxer. I grinned at Angora. “Manx a lot! Our case is solved!”

Angora explained to Grandma. “We were going on a picnic today, remember? I gathered the food, but how kennel we have a picnic when it’s raining?”

Grandma smiled. She spread an afghan hound on the floor.

“We’ll just have our picnic inside. Let’s setter places for lots of extra guests,” she said, listening as the rain drummed harder on the woof. “Can you hear them? It’s beginning to rain cats and dogs!”

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by Shirley Anne Ramaley

A soft wind blows through the empty buildings and down the streets of the ancient town of Chaco. There are many large rooms in the buildings, but the rooms are empty. The buildings are in decay, and many of the roofs are gone. The people all left long ago. No one knows why. It is one of the mysteries of Chaco.

This place is quiet. A small group of us, schoolkids and adults, follows our guide. We take pictures and talk softly. We are learning about the Chaco Culture National Park in New Mexico and the people who lived here 1000 years ago.

There are many mysteries about Chaco. Why did ancient people build here in the first place? The land is harsh. Temperatures reach 100 degrees in the summer.

Winters are long, with subzero temperatures. The growing season is short. Only about nine inches of rain fall each year. It’s not enough for most crops.

Sometime before Chaco was built, the Pueblo people stopped hunting and gathering their food as they had done for centuries. They began raising crops instead. When the Pueblo people created the city of Chaco, they carefully built dams and canals. With these, crops could be planted and grown. The Pueblo were experts at managing the little rain that fell.

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The Pueblo descendants of Chaco say that Chaco was a very special place. Meetings and ceremonies were held there. Perhaps it was a trading area, where shells and other items were purchased from lands far away. Some researchers today think Chaco may have been a place where food was distributed to people who did not have enough, especially during poor growing seasons.

The people of Chaco appeared to be experts at watching the sky. They knew about the sun and moon and stars. Petroglyphs, images carved in rock, show their interest and knowledge about the solar system. Today many wonder how people understood so much about the sun and moon over 1000 years ago.

Chaco was suddenly abandoned about 300 years after it was established. When the people left, many mysteries followed them.

Why did they build there? How did they develop such an amazing place, even with their knowledge of the solar system? How did they learn to construct the canal systems?

Many descendants still consider Chaco a sacred place. Some Native American clans trace their history to Chaco. Stories are told of their ancestors leaving this place and moving to other areas. Some believe the spirits of their ancestors still live here.

Why did the people leave? There are many theories. A long drought may have occurred.

Did crops stop growing? Was there a famine?

Were there arguments among the people?

We don’t know the answers. Maybe someday we will. Mystery surrounds Chaco.

As we drive away in the van, we look back.

We all feel that mystery.

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Be a Word Detective on page 12

1. L O C A T E 2. S O L U T I O N 3. A D V E N T U R E 4. S U S P E N S E 5. C A S E 6. T H R I L L I N G 7. S U R P R I S E 8. S P O O K Y 9. P U Z Z L E Where do detectives learn to detect?

CLUE SCHOOL

Inspector Danger on page 12

Mystery of the Missing Chow on page 27

The slide is hidden inside the biggest fish in the aquarium. The fish happens to be artificial.

There are no air bubbles coming from its mouth.

rex, mewsical, elkhounds, beagle, paws, tabby collie-flower, shepherd’s pie, husky collar, retriever, kitten, leash poodles, terriered, dingo-dongo, pointered, mastiff pug, pooch, Pekingese, lynx, cat barked, panther, cheetah, Angora, lion hound, whiskered, clawset chow, boxer, Manx, kennel Afghan, setter, woof, dogs

The Truth Is on page 13 Mousetraps and Colds on page 13

B R O F O T T H A C R R E O E A C L C K P D I A I S M A Y L T C R H H I N E W G

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Why are mousetraps like colds?

BOTH ARE CATCHING.

1. BEETS, 2. POTATO, 3. BUTTERFLY, 4. BUFFALO, 5. DIAMOND, 6. ORANGE, 7. JADE, 8. ROSE Truth is STRANGER than fiction!

Throw Light on This on page 13 The letter “e,” the most-used letter in the English alphabet, doesn’t appear in this paragraph!

Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons: Djehouty (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0] 4 (middle); Dave Nakayama from Palo Alto, USA [CC BY 2.0] 4 (bottom); Dan Lundberg [CC BY-SA 2.0]; 5 (bottom); Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada [CC BY-SA 2.0] 9 (top); Peter Southwood (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0] 10; James Rosindell (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0] 11 (top); Greg Goebel from Loveland CO, USA [CC BY-SA 2.0] 11 (middle); Sylke Rohrlach from Sydney [CC BY-SA 2.0] 14 (top); Bjørn Christian Tørrissen (Own work; [1].) [CC BY-SA 3.0] 15 (bottom); Thomas Quine (Cave paintings) [CC BY-SA 2.0] (19 top, middle); Greenmars [CC BY-SA 3.0] 24 (bottom). 123rf.com: Image ID #15038257: ©[3355m]/123RF.com 17. Shirley Anne Ramaley All Photos on Pages 28-29.

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V i s i t U s O n l i n e ! F a c e b o o k . c o m / F u n F o r K i d z • w w w. F u n F o r K i d z . c o m Vol. 16 No. 5 • SEPT/OCT 2017 Publisher: Thomas M. Edwards Editor: Marilyn Edwards Associate Editor: Diane Winebar Graphic Design: Gaurakisora Tucker Marketing Director: Jonathan Edwards

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