Long ago, people got wet in the rain because they didn't know how to build houses.
"The animals are wise," the people said. "Let's ask them how to build houses."
"You'll need posts," Elephant told them. "Big and strong like my legs."
"And you'll need poles," added Snake. "Long and straight, just like me!"
Buffalo, mourning her husband, showed them his skeleton. "Your house must fit together like these bones."
Then Fish said, "Make layers of leaves like our scales. They will keep you dry."
So that is how people learned to build houses and stay dry in the rain.
Inspired by: "How the First House Was Built" in A Twist in the Tale by Aditi De, 2005.
Notes: The Singphos are a people who live in what is now the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh; they also live in Myanmar and in China. Find out more at Wikipedia.
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