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 responded.
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 moreand 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!"
