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 more and 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."
