Young Wordsmiths

YOUNG WORDSMITHS Young Wordsmiths is the online magazine of Lekha Writing Center.

It is dedicated to publishing writing BY and FOR children.

FOUNDER: JYOTI YELAGALAWADI

Text Copyright by Lekha students as noted in the Lekha Anthologies published by Lekha Publishers LLC. Material in this magazine are drawn from student writings’ from Lekha Anthologies published over the years as well as from current student writings’ from Lekha Writing Center classes and camps.

Images Used are Copyright Free and Royalty Free.

Shutterstock images have been used in this issue.

Fonts Used: Segoe Print, Bradley Hand ITC, Gabriola & Dreaming Outlook Pro.

FOUNDER’S NOTE

Dear friends of Lekha, To tell a story is innate.

To write words on paper is much more.

It is to express in ink.

To create something new from the words written is to evolve and transform.

For these newborn thoughts to leave an imprint one must find a home.

Give your thoughts a home with a byline and live long in print.

WRITE4JOY !!

Jyoti Yelagalawadi.

Founder of Lekha Ink, Corp.

YOUNG WORDSMITHS is a quarterly magazine.

ONLINE ISSN: 2691-7912 Vol 7. No 2 Price: $2.99 EDITOR: Radhika Rajesh Raikar

If you love to write and love telling stories, then please send your submissions to the following email address:

submissions@lekhaink.com

Inside this issue…

Heart Head

...Page 6-10

Whispers of Hope

....Page 11-13

The woman and the mouse

…Page 14-15

Wordsearch

...Page 16

Word Scramble

...Page 17

The flies vs the toads

...Page 18-21

Hummingbird

...Page 22-25

The Dragon king’s magic

…Page 26-35

The Apple Man

...Page 36-38

Word Scramble answer sheet

...Page 39

HEART HEAD

BY ANGELICA HENDERSON, AGE 8, 2024

Once upon a time …

There was a girl who looked strange.

She had a heart head with pink skin.

She knew she was different from everyone around her. To avoid everyone who would think she was strange she chose to live alone deep in the woods by herself.

One might wonder how she got her heart head and pink skin..?

Let me tell you her story.

Her name was Arabella.

She used to be a pretty princess.

She lived in a beautiful castle and was loved by everyone.

A spell was cast on her and she turned into a girl with a heart head and pink skin.

I am sure you are wondering who would have cast such a wicked spell on the lovely princess??

It was an evil wizard!

He soaked a ribbon in a potion that made people have heart heads and pink skin.

To be free from the spell Arabella needed help from a prince who would be willing to untie the blue ribbon

After the spell was cast on her, Arabella had fled to the woods.

She did not want people to see the change in her and chose to live alone in the woods by herself.

The princess who once lived in a castle, now lived in the woods away from everyone. She had made a home in the woods.

Everyday, she woke up from her log bed to cook fish and make

Right next to the woods there was a wheat farm. She would get wheat from the farmers to cook her food.

She made a fire to cook her meals. After she cooked and ate breakfast, she washed the pit and filled it with water from the nearby stream.

Not so far from the woods there lived a prince named Daniel. Daniel needed to marry someone soon because his parents were getting old.

His parents wanted him to become the king and rule the kingdom with a queen who would help him rule in peace.

Deep in his thoughts and worried about his parents, Daniel wandered into the woods where Arabella lived. There he saw Arabella. He was so astonished, when he saw her heart shaped head and strange pink skin.

But the prince was kind, “ Who are you?? Why are you so different from others?”

Arabella’s heart was softened by the kindness in the voice of Prince Daniel.

Arabella asked Daniel, “Who are you kind Sir?” Prince Daniel told Arabella that he was a prince from a neighboring kingdom.

She decided to tell him who she was and how she had been transformed by a spell into a person with a heart head and pink skin.

Arabella wondered if Prince Daniel would be willing to help her and free her from the spell. She decided to ask him.

“Would you be willing to help me and set me free from the spell!” said Arabella.

“How can I help?” asked Daniel.

“All you need to do is to untie this ribbon around me!” said Arabella.

Daniel untied the ribbon and Arabella returned to her former normal self.

Princess Arabella and Prince Daniel knew they were meant to be together.

They lived happily ever after...

Verse Metrical lines in a poetic composition grouped together as stanzas.

WHISPERS OF HOPE: A VERSE OF RESILIENCE

BY ISHITA KAPOOR, AGE 14, 2023

In the quiet spaces where shadows retreat, I find a melody, soft and discreet.

In the tapestry of life, woven with care, I'm hopeful because of the dreams in the air.

Beneath the stars, where wishes are sown, A silent promise, a future unknown.

In the echo of laughter, in a child's gaze, I'm hopeful because of hope that stays.

Through the stormy nights and the cloudy days, A resilient sun in mysterious ways.

In the whispers of the winds, tales unfold, I'm hopeful because of stories untold.

A symphony of hearts, beating in rhyme, In the vast expanse of the endless time.

In the canvas of colors, where feelings blend, I'm hopeful because love has no end.

With every sunrise, a canvas reborn, A promise of hope in the early morn.

In the embrace of nature, gentle and wise, I am hopeful because of endless skies.

I'm hopeful because in each human heart, A flame of kindness, a work of art.

In the courage to change, to rearrange, I'm hopeful because of the power of change.

Through the dance of seasons, a perpetual flow, In the seeds of tomorrow that we sow.

In the unity of voices, rising strong, I'm hopeful because we all belong.

So, in the tapestry of life, rich and vast, I find hope in every moment that's cast.

In the symphony, the stars, and the dreams we chase, I'm hopeful because hope is our grace. .

I am hopeful because of the dreams we share, The visions of a world that's free from despair.

With every step we take, every goal we chase, Hope lights the path, at a steady pace.

THE WOMAN AND THE MOUSE

BY CLAIRE CHEN, AGE 10, 2024 There once was a yellow house in which lived a woman. She lived a simple life on her own, and worked at a sewing shop each day.

Now if you look just closely enough at the bottom left corner of her living room, you just might see a hole.

A mouse hole.

And if you put your eyes in there and look more closely, you just might see a mouse scurrying away. That is Marlee.

He is a very quick mouse.

Everyday he would take no less than a centimeter wide in height and length of cheese from the counter. But that woman, (you can call her Mary) never noticed. Only a few weeks later did Mary notice that the piece of cheese started to shorten every way. But she thought not much of it. She only thought that a part fell off, since it was so close to the edge of the counter. Soon, the piece of cheese was gone.

“Rats!” Mary cried.

After that she set mouse traps all over the house with peanut butter to attract the rats. But what Mary didn’t know was that peanut butter also attracted ants, and that was the case.

When Mary woke up and went downstairs to the living room, it was full of ants. She screamed in fright. All the ants that had gone under the trap were smashed in half. A few minutes later, the cops came and said that to clear out so many ants would take more than a week.

“Once you're done, just put this house on sale. I don’t want this house anymore! Rats! Ants! No more for me!” Mary cried.

“Sorry ma’am, that’s impossible. We cannot do that.” said the cop.

“Then...then I’ll give it to my nephew! He has been wanting a house for years anyways.” said Mary in frustration.

The cop nodded, and Mary stepped out of the house and drove to her sister’s house.

When Marlee heard the news, he danced around happily.

His family cheered with him. Marlee has seen Mary’s nephew before. His name was Thomas and he lived in Mary’s sister’s house along with his little sister called Talia.

Thomas just finished college, while Talia just started her first year in high school.

Thomas would always give Marlee pieces of his leftover dinner when Mary, Mary’s sister, and Talia, weren’t looking.

A few weeks later, Thomas moved and until this day, Marlee is still living peacefully with Thomas and his mice family.

THE END

On Page 39

THE FLIES vs THE TOADS

BY KANAV SHAH, AGE 12, 2024

Dear Toads, I know you are hungry, and I understand that, but instead of eating us flies, why don't you eat something else? It could be anything; small or big. It could be something like a mosquito. They normally have more blood than us flies! You could also eat different insects like the bees, wasps, ants and praying mantises. Now I have no idea why out of all those insects that you can eat, you eat us flies, the MOST! Some of these insects are juicier than us, taste better than us, and have more blood than us. Yet you eat us the most. This is so unfair. I am sending this letter to you toads requesting you to stop eating us flies. Let us make an alliance instead. The flies we sent to carry the letter to you are our peace offering.

You may eat them, if you wish.

Regards, The Fly King

Dear Fly King, We do not accept your offer. We don't see any benefits for us in it.

We would like to make it clear that the reason we eat you flies is that we both live in the same environment. We both live in the swamp. None of the other insects that you suggested that we eat instead of flies taste as good as flies. We decline your offer unless you make a counteroffer which benefits us in ways that are unimaginable.

Regards, The Toads

Dear Toads, We will offer you 30 percent of our population as food every year guaranteed! We will also help you hunt different insect species!! You will receive exclusive 3 course meals of various insects every month as part of the deal!! We also grant you protection from different insects, but after we do all of this, we ask that you stop eating FLIES as our population is going down dramatically.

Regards, the Fly King

Dear Fly King, We like your proposal, but we have some additional conditions. We would like something extra. We want 40 percent flies to eat every year instead of 30 percent. We want a 3-course meal of different insects every 2 weeks instead of every month and we want a fly army to help protect us against other insects. If you agree to all these additional terms, then we will officially accept your proposal.

Regards, The Toads

Dear Toads, We will end up losing more flies doing this deal compared to the flies we are losing right now. We are offended by your offer! We have decided to not only decline the offer, but we also shall rage war against you!! This offer is a disgrace to our country of flies!! WE WILL TAKE YOU DOwN EVEN IF WE GO DOWN!!!

Regards, The FLY KING

NARRATOR: As the war starts, the toads decide to let the flies fall into their trap cave where they are all hiding.

But some spy flies find out about their plan. The toads are very fast and in their first ambush they kill off many flies. After losing many fly soldiers in the first wave and now aware of the toads plan to ambush and kill them, the fly king comes up with a novel war strategy. The plan was to find a hole at the top of the cave where the toads live. The spy flies are able to identify a hole. The fly king

decides to use 80 percent of his army in this one daring ambush! If this attempt failed, then the war would be over for the flies! The flies charge into the cave and attack the toads! In this do or die battle the flies fight with all their might and are victorious. They drive the toads out of the swamp and into the tiny river. The flies gain full control of the swamp. But the sense of peace turns out to be a temporary victory.

The toads were now gone. But, it freed up space for the birds to come and settle. The birds started

to eat them. This time they couldn’t do anything about it.

HUMMINGBIRD ARIA LELE, AGE 12, 2024

Summer Winter Fall Spring Seasons of life Happiness of the Hummingbird Summerbird Green and Orange-red and gold

Colors of the Hummingbird Summerbird Sun and clouds Glimmer and Jewels Adornments of the Hummingbird Summerbird Graceful and wild Free and warm Sensitivity of the Hummingbird

Fall Spring Winter Summer Seasons of life Happiness of the Hummingbird Fallbird Brown and red and gold

Colors of the Hummingbird Fallbird Wind and clouds Glimmer and Jewels Adornments of the Hummingbird Fallbird Wild and unruly Free and happy

Sensitivity of the Hummingbird

Winter Summer

Fall Spring Seasons of life Happiness of the Hummingbird Winterbird Blue and Orange and gold Colors of the Hummingbird Winterbird

Moon and stars Glimmer and Jewels Adornments of the Hummingbird Winterbird Mystical and wild Free and peaceful Sensitivity of the Hummingbird

Spring Fall

Winter Summer Seasons of life Happiness of the Hummingbird Springbird Yellow and Orange-red and gold Colors of the Hummingbird Springbird

Flowers and stratus clouds Glimmer and Jewels Adornments of the Hummingbird Springbird Happy and wild Free and cool Sensitivity of the Hummingbird

THE DRAGON KING’S MAGIC A GROUP PLAY WRITTEN BY CALI TABOR (AGE 8), ELIA CALVILLO (AGE 10), CAITLIN COLEMAN (AGE 9), GABI CALVILLO (AGE 8), HANNAH (AGE 8), 2024 CHARACTERS Dragon King, Ice Dragon, Water Dragon, Earth Dragon, Fire Dragon, Alpha Wolf, Mini Alpha, and Unicorn Princess.

Narrator: Hello there! This show is called the Dragon King’s magic. It’s a story about animals who live in an enchanted forest. The Dragon King from the Dragon realm raises the sun for all the people who live in the forest.

The other important characters in the story are the wolves who raise the moon by howling at the sky in the distance.

Dragons and wolves protect the forest.

Unicorns live in the forest too, and they have a unicorn stone. This stone gives the unicorns the power to defend themselves. They also control how much time the moon and sun stay up there in the sky. Dragons, wolves, and unicorns with their power stones help take care of the enchanted forest.

But today someone stole the dragon’s stone.

Let’s be a witness to the play to see how matters are finally resolved.

SCENE 1: THE MAGIC STONE IS STOLEN

The Dragon king is asleep on his throne. The Unicorn princess appears mysteriously and silently in the throne room.

Unicorn Princess (triumphantly): I finally found the stone of powerrrrr!

(The Unicorn princess takes the power stone and vanishes.)

Dragon King (waking up): No no, no, no, nooooo! The stone is missing. How do I raise the sun?

SCENE 2: THE UNICORN PRINCESS (The Dragon King is pacing up and down in the throne room) Dragon King: oh no! Oh noooo!

(Ice Dragon walks in looking confused) Ice Dragon: What’s the matter, your majesty?

Dragon King: Someone has stolen the stone and now I can’t raise the sun!

Ice Dragon: What? Without the stone we will all be powerless. What will we do?!!

Dragon King: I have an idea. Call all three of the Dragons to come here ASAP. Ice Dragon: Yes, your majesty.

(Ice dragon walks off stage and comes back with Earth Dragon, Water Dragon and Fire Dragon.)

Earth Dragon: Your majesty, what has happened? Why did you call us all?

Dragon King: The stone is gone!!!

Water Dragon: Whattttt?!

Fire Dragon: Guys, guys, stop worrying. The king will tell us what to do. What were you gonna say, your majesty?

Dragon King: Ahh! Thank you, Fire Dragon, so what I was sayingEarth Dragon: We’re all gonna die!

Dragon King: Earth! Stop! So what I was saying is I’d like all of you to go on a quest to find the person who stole the stone, then get the stone back, return home, and I’ll be able to raise the sun again. All right?

All Dragons: Yes, your majesty!

Dragon King: Alright, now go pack your stuff for the quest.

Bye! (All walk off stage. Unicorn princess comes back on stage.)

Unicorn Princess: Ah! The evil little king had to tell everyone about the crime. Well, I don’t want him to tell anyone else as I’ll have so many people coming after me. Alright I have an idea! Time for him to pay!

(Unicorn princess walks off stage. Dragon king walks on stage.)

Dragon King: Ah! At last, everything is finally coming together.

(Unicorn princess walks on stage and faces the king) Unicorn Princess: Umm your majesty

Dragon King: Who are you?

Unicorn Princess: (She shows her wings) I’m the Unicorn princess and you’re coming with me!

(The Unicorn princess kidnaps the Dragon king. Both walk off stage.)

SCENE 3: THE SHADOW LANDS (Dragons start looking in the Shadow Lands.)

Earth Dragon: Come on! I know this place, so come on.

Ice Dragon: Are you sure? Because we are not supposed to go into the Shadow Lands. It’s scary like you, Fire Dragon!

Fire Dragon: Take that back!

Ice Dragon: No! Fire Dragon: Take that back… or… you…

Water Dragon: Hey, be quiet! Don’t you feel like we’re being watched? (Everyone looks around.)

Earth Dragon: Water, you are right! We are not the only ones in the Shadow Lands.

Ice Dragon: Wait, wait, what? (he freezes time for all except for Earth). Tell me who is out there?

Earth Dragon: Fine, I will tell you. There are wolves.

Ice Dragon: I thought wolves were all gone like 50 years ago.

Earth Dragon: Three packs survived but I didn’t tell the others because the wolves are always watching.

Ice Dragon: Okay. (he unfreezes time) Water Dragon: Um Ice, your finger is melting.

Ice Dragon: Water, come with me to Snow Land and heal me.

Water Dragon: Okay (Water Dragon and Ice Dragon leave.)

(Fire Dragon starts running towards the wolves and Earth tries to catch up. They stop and Fire Dragon quietly stares at the wolf. Mini Alpha wakes up and whimpers.)

Mini Alpha: Wake up, wake up… Dragons! Ohhhh (he runs off) Alpha Wolf: Relax, Dragons don’t come here. (opens eyes)

Alpha to Fire Dragon (growling) : What are you doing here?

(Fire Dragon is about to breathe fire.)

Earth Dragon: Silence! Fire, these are wolves that protect the borders. They are supposed to be a secret.

(Mini Alpha runs and heads towards Fire as if to attack him but instead, falls down.)

Mini Alpha: Owwww! That hurts! Alpha, did you see the way he tripped me?

(Runs to Alpha complaining.)

Alpha Wolf: You fell, she did not trip you.

Mini Alpha: Yes, he did. Oh, never mind.

Earth Dragon: We need your help. The sun stone has been stolen.

Mini Alpha: No wonder mommy can’t raise the moon yet.

Alpha Wolf: I am not your mama. I just found you and yes, I will help you. Wait… I smell something (sniffing) different.

Fire Dragon: Let’s go back to the castle.

(They all go back) SCENE 4: THE DRAGON KING IS MISSING The four Dragons and wolves enter the throne room.

Fire Dragon (calls loudly): Dragon King!

(He is surprised when there is no response): Oh where is he?

He’s not on his throne!

Water Dragon: Oh, maybe he has gone to the main hall. I will go and look there (exits stage) Earth Dragon: I will look in the library. He may be reading something. (exits stage)

Fire Dragon: I’ll look in the kitchen. He may have gone to meet the chef. (exits stage) Mini Alpha: Hmm, maybe he’s in the living room. Let me check there. (exits stage) Ice Dragon: Let me check in the bathroom. Oh… and bedroom. He could be taking a nap. (exits stage) Alpha Wolf (thinking aloud): Is there anywhere I can check – aha… the dining hall. No one has checked there. Let me go. (exits stage) (All except the Alpha Wolf come back in running one after the other panting and start talking together. It sounds like a a cacophony with words like I couldn’t find him, he’s not in the...)

Ice Dragon: Oh, where could the king be?

(He becomes glum and so do the others.)

Mini Alpha (confidently): Wait, my Alpha isn’t here yet. He will find the king.

Alpha Wolf (rushing in): The king has been kidnapped!

Fire Dragon: Whaaat?

Earth Dragon: Who? Water Dragon: Why? Alpha Wolf: A wolf from our pack witnessed the Dragon King being taken away by the Unicorn princess All: Let us go, save the king!

SCENE 5: ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL The setting is a forest area with many trees and a few bushes. The unicorn villain can be seen tiptoeing on stage with the stone.

Unicorn Princess: Ha-ha! I can’t believe those silly dragons spent all day searching for that silly king while I got their magical stone and the Dragon King. This is why unicorns are better than dragons!

(Four dragons rush on stage towards the Unicorn princess to save their king.)

Earth Dragon (calm and assertively): Stop in your tracks! Don’t make me turn my plants on you!

Fire Dragon (very aggressive): Yeah, don’t make me turn you and your little horn into ashes!

Water Dragon (calmly): I too, would be very displeased if I am forced to bring a tsunami on you.

Dragon King (demandingly): Unhand my stone now!

Unicorn princess (sarcastically): Oh look. The oh so mighty and tough dragons found their powerful king!

(The two wolves enter from stage right.)

Alpha Wolf: Not so fast princess!

Mini Alpha: Yeah, the (in a baby like voice) powerful king and his dragons brought some strong wolf friends.

Unicorn Princess (hesitates, then smirks): Pffft! I am not scared of some wolves, all you do is raise the moon, you basically replace the sun with a night light! (sarcastically) Oh a night light, how scary!

Wolves look offended and shocked.

Alpha Wolf: I will let you know that we don’t just raise the moon.

Mini Alpha: Yeah! We also guard the kingdom!

Unicorn Princess: You’re basically a mommy. (sarcastically) Oh how terrifying.

Earth Dragon: Stop insulting two innocent wolves. They are better than you.

Unicorn Princess: I’m not afraid of two silly wolves and their dragon friends.

(Alpha Wolf whispers something to Mini Alpha quietly. Mini Alpha nods and exits the stage left.)

Alpha Wolf: I’ll let you know that the wolves are actually strong.

Unicorn Princess: If wolves are so strong, how about you prove it?

(Alpha Wolf runs at the unicorn princess. The Unicorn princess uses force to knock the wolf down.)

Earth Dragon: How dare you?!

(Earth Dragon shoots a vine at the unicorn princess. Unicorn princess takes a step to the side. Water Dragon shoots water at the unicorn princess. Unicorn princess uses force, and they all fall to the ground.)

Ice Dragon (gets up): Don’t make me do what I think you’re going to make me do. My room has been warmer lately and it would be nice to cool it down.

(Alpha Wolf tries to get up.)

Ice Dragon (turns to Alpha): Stay down and protect the king!

(Alpha Wolf stays down.)

Fire Dragon (gets up and turns to Unicorn princess furiously): I’m going to make you feel the wrath of my flames!

Water Dragon: Don’t lose your cool! She’ll get the better of you!

Fire Dragon: We have to get the stone, or the sun will never rise again!

Ice Dragon: And we can’t have that, as much as I’m enjoying the cooler weather.

Dragon King: I can make it cold any time, but I need the stone if you want the day back. Retrieve it from that meanie unicorn!

Unicorn Princess: You’ll never get that stone! It’s mine now and for ever! (turns to face stage)

Ice Dragon (sighs): You asked for this…(freezes the Unicorn Princess’s feet in place) (Ice Dragon and Fire Dragon Walk up to the unicorn and the Ice Dragon snatches the stone.)

Unicorn princess: Hey! Unfreeze me right now.

(The Alpha Wolf, Earth Dragon, Water Dragon, and Dragon King all stand up. The Ice Dragon goes past the Unicorn princess and hands the stone to the king.)

Dragon King: Yes! My stone! I can raise the sun and end this eternal night.

Unicorn princess: Unfreeze me…now!

(Dragon King walks in front of unicorn and faces her.)

Dragon King: Not so fast, princess! Why did you come here to take my stone?

Unicorn Princess: Well, I wanted to take over your kingdom and the only way to do this was to steal your power.

Dragon King: I see. Well, instead of taking over my kingdom, why don’t we make an alliance instead?

Alpha Wolf: Whyyy would we want to do that? We always hated them and their kingdom.

Unicorn Princess (annoyed): Yeah, I feel the same! Why would we want to make an alliance with you, Dragon King?

Dragon King: I believe in forgiveness, and I believe in you.

Unicorn princess: You know what, that isn’t such a bad idea.

Dragon King (crosses his arm, nods, and turns to Fire Dragon): Unfreeze her please.

Fire Dragon (sigh): As you wish, my King.

(Fire Dragon melts the Ice. The king and unicorn shake hands.)

Unicorn Princess: Can I have 50% of the stone, now that we have an alliance?

Dragon King (shaking head): You had to try, didn’t you?

Unicorn Princess (chuckles and shrugs): Yeah.

(All exit stage.)

THE END

Apple On My Face

The Son of Man, 1946 by Rene Magritte THE APPLE MAN

BY RADHIKA JHAVERI, AGE 12, 2024

Apple On My Face.

I am stuck with an apple on my face.

Standing for eternity in a suffocating suit, itchy gloves and an apple on my face. And the bowler hat! That is so out of fashion.

You could have painted me doing anything...

Sitting mysteriously like Monalisa or tilting my head like the Girl with the Pearl Earrings.

I would even settle for grabbing my face with a shocked expression like the Scream.

But no, I’m just standing awkwardly with an apple on my face.

I mean, what was going through your head when you painted me? Maybe you were thinking...

“What about a man in a 1900s suit with orange gloves. The background could be a classic water scene and Oh! maybe I should have one of his elbows facing the wrong way, that won’t be creepy at all! And a big green juicy apple floating in front of his face, just to make fun of the fact that he can’t eat it.”

You know I’ve worked really hard to come up

with this monologue and I really hope you are writing this down.

So what did you think of my speech?

I’m sorry if I insulted you, I just really wanted to say something before you published me, after all I really don't want to be like this forever.

So what did you think? Did I change your mind about the apple? …

…

…

I just asked you a question, are you going to answer? …

…

…

ARGH!! You can’t hear me!

Now I’ll never get this apple off!

ANDWER SHEET WORD SCRAMBLE

CURIOUS COMPASSIONATE ADVENTUROUS OPTIMISTIC RESOLUTE INTUITIVE CAPABLE PERSISTENT THOUGHTFUL DEPENDABLE RELIABLE AFFECTIONATE FAITHFUL AMIABLE CONFIDENT VIRTUOUS DISCIPLINED CALMING STRONG