beautiful green trees and plants. It rained very much, there was almost an endless supply of vegetation. The gigantic trees provided shade for the people on those hot, sticky days. If you were hungry you did not need to go more than ten feet away to get a delicious snack. There was always some type of luscious fruit hanging off of a tree, ripening in the beaming sun, just waiting to picked. There was so much food no one had to work. The trees were also a source of clothing for the people. Even though you did not have to work there was always something to do. After playing or picking fruits and vegetables, you could go and jump in one of the many cool, rejuvenating fresh water springs.

One day, The Creator looked down upon the earth and saw that the people were becoming lazier and lazier. They were not running around and doing as much as they used to. They would just lay or sit down and do nothing but eat all day long. The Creator knew he had to do something about it. If he let the people go on being lazy they would end up eating all of the fruit. Also people were beginning to cut down trees to make boats and many people decided to enlarge their houses. In no time the land would be ruined. The people were also using huge containers to take water from the springs and store it in their homes. If they did not stop this the water would soon be gone. The people were taking advantage of their luxurious surroundings. They took everything for granted.

The Creator decided to go down to Earth in the form of a regular villager. He acted as a messenger for Himself. He told the people that The Creator wanted everyone to stop eating so much. He said they were not to cut down as many trees as they wanted and take water as they like. The people laughed at him and said he was stupid. They said they would not obey him. They thought he was just a crazy man. They did not believe his request for what The Creator wanted. They said if there were really a God he would have come to them himself. With that The Creator returned to his normal self. He scolded the people. He shouted.

"Now you will pay for your ungratefulness and disobedience!'' He did not say what the punishment would be. This made the people even more terrified. They did not know what to expect. They imagined being thrown into prison or fed to crocodiles, or thrown off a cliff, or being burned. But they never imagined what they had to face the next day.

The next morning when the people arose, the sun was beaming into their houses as never before. When the people went outside to see what was happening they were struck by the blinding light of the sun. Never before had they been so exposed to the sun. They did not know what it meant to be truly before had they been so exposed to the sun. They did not know what it meant to be truly hot. This happened because The Creator had taken most of the trees away. He had also dried up the water springs. From this day on the people suffered and suffered. The wood that their houses were built from rotted and the houses collapsed. They were forced to build houses out of dead leaves and straw. Some people died from exposure and some starved to death.

Moral: What is abundant today maybe scarce tomorrow.

---- Jonathan Allen, age 13 English Literature, Berkeley EDUCATION MONTH ED