Old Houses

Long ago, the world was wide and very windy. To stay warm, families huddled together inside deep, dark caves.

A crackling fire made friendly shadows dance on the stone walls, but the chilly wind still whistled inside.

When the warm spring sun chased the winter away, families stepped out of the dark caves into the bright green valleys.

Using bendy branches and golden grass, they wove cozy little huts right in the middle of the green meadows.

At night, they could look up at the twinkling stars and listen to the gentle, whispering river nearby.

But when the chilly autumn winds began to howl, the fragile grass huts shook and shivered in the storm.

To make their homes strong, the clever builders gathered thick wooden logs and wet, sticky clay from the river.

With hard work, they stacked the heavy logs and patted thick mud onto the walls. Sturdy wooden houses began to rise.

The wooden houses were very strong, but cold drafts and curious forest animals still crept through the open doorways.

To keep the cold out, the clever builders carved a flat wooden board to fit perfectly inside the open doorway.

They carefully hung the heavy board on strong hinges, creating the very first door that could swing open and shut.

With a gentle click, the new door shut tight. Inside, it was warm and safe, making the perfect cozy home at last.