The Journey of River Rider
My canoe will go to the Hudson Bay. I hope it sees deer and meets fawns. Along the way, my canoeՉs journey will be dangerous.
Josթ. saw that an eagle flew over him and knew that the river was melted. He went to put me in the Red River. Jose called me River Rider. I am a canoe. I had a long journey.
Along the way I met a beaver. He tried to make me part of his dam. So he put me on top of his dam and went to work. ՉExcuse me,Չ I said.
ՉYes?Չ He asked, not looking up.
ՉCould you push me off your dam? IՉm River Rider and I need to cross the river to get to my home.Չ The beaver looked surprised.
ՉFine, but IՉd sure like some of that wood youՉre made of for my dam, in return,Չ The beaver said. I thought about that for a long time. Then I spotted pine trees, lots of them.
ՉThere!Չ I said. The beaver thanked me and pushed me off his dam.
A little while later I saw air. An eagle had swooped down and picked me right off the water. ՉPut me down this instant!Չ The bird was so surprised he dropped me. The good news was that I was in the water. The bad news was that I was upside down! I was sinking too! Luckily, a trout saw me.
ՉNeed some help?Չ He asked. I couldnՉt speak because of the water, but I moved so quickly that he knew I meant yes. So, soon I was upright.
In Winnipeg someone was fishing. Well, he caught me and thought I would be a good toy for his son. So, he brought me to his son. If Josթ. hadnՉt written on me, I never would have made it back on the water. The boy saw that I said, ՉPut me back in the water, please.Չ So, he threw me back in the water.
I didnՉt sail long when I came to a pond. There was a girl that picked me up to show her friends.
ՉI carved and painted this myself,Չ she bragged.
ՉWhat will you do with it?Չ asked one of her friends.
ՉIՉm going to let it go in the Red River. Whoever finds it will get to keep it,Չ she said. So, she set me free, like she said she would. Do you want to know something? Well, none of her friends found me!
ՉI donՉt believe it!Չ Josթ. was standing with his long lost canoe, five years later. When his town found out that it was his boat that traveled the places in the paper, they thought they could become famous. ՉYou came back River Rider!Չ Those were the words Jose said to me when he found me again. Never again did I go back in the water. But this time, I didnՉt care. I had Josթ..