Hello, nice to meet you!

My name is Bohlale.

I am nine years old.

How old are you?

This is my family. I am the youngest and my Gogo is the oldest.

I have one brother. He is two years older than me. I also have a sister. She is three years older than my brother.

What are the ages of my brother and sister?

My siblings are allowed to go to the mountains to collect fruit, and to go to the river.

I would love to do those things as well. Everyone always tells me that I am too young, too small, too weak, and not brave enough yet.

I wish my family would believe in me!

Gogo comes into my room. She kisses me and says, "Goodnight."

Then she whispers in my ear, "Always remember that I believe in you."

I fall asleep. In my dream, I find a message in a bottle. The message is:

"If you want to be brave, follow the map to the highest mountain. There you will find a special drink.

One sip of that drink will make you the bravest girl in the world."

I am not as wise as my Gogo. I am not as strong as my brother nor as brave as my sister.

But if I find this drink, then I will be able to do anything.

Help me to follow the map, count 50 steps straight ahead.

1, 2, 3,

47, 48, 49, 50 steps!

Oh no, a river! How will I make it to the other side? I think I will give up because I cannot swim.

Look at that leaf floating on the water!

I have got an idea.

I can build a raft!

Here are five tree branches. How many more branches do I need to build a raft with eleven branches?

After building the raft, I can cross the river without swimming. Where will I go next?

After 100 steps, I think am lost! Where is the mountain?

I will never find the way to the highest mountain. I think I have to give up because I am too small.

The giraffe can see the mountain because it is very tall.

If I climb this tree, I will be as tall as a giraffe!

I can see how far away the mountain is.

I climb down from the tree.

After 200 steps, I am at the foot of the highest mountain.

There is a cave, with scary eyes looking at me!

I think I will give up because I am afraid.

Look again carefully, those scary eyes are only fireflies.

The fireflies could help to guide me through the cave to the top of the mountain.

Here I am at the top of the mountain!

How many steps did I walk in total?

I can see the special drink of bravery! I am going to drink it now.

"Good mooooorning!" says Gogo.

I wake up suddenly!

"Gogo, I had a dream." I tell Gogo about the message and my journey.

"I am still not as wise as you. I am still not as strong as my brother nor as brave as my sister."

Gogo smiles and says, "Are you telling me that you are not brave enough? How did you get to the highest mountain? How did you walk through the cave?

You do not need that special drink, because you ARE brave!"

Questions
1. How many siblings does Bohlale have?
2. What was in the bottle in her dream?
3. How did she cross the river?
4. Which animal gave her the idea to climb a tree?
5. What did she see in the cave?
6. What did she find on top of the mountain?