Weather Forecasting

[A. R. M.]

     It was October and the Native Americans 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.

    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 chief has his people on the Reservation
    collecting firewood like crazy."