The%20Amazing%20Mine%20Story

1
The Amazing Mine Story
2
Since before he could remember, Phil had always
dreamt of finding wealth in the old and abandoned
Creaky Rock mine. Each day, Phil would pack his
tools and trudge up the steep mountain to the
mine for another day in search of this buried
treasure. This day, Phil had a strange feeling
that he would find his treasure at last.
3
As Phil was unpacking his rope and tools from
his cart, he heard a terrible noise. The sound
surrounded him. It was the sound of breaking
frames and falling rocks. A CAVE-IN!! Suddenly,
everything was as black as night.
4
When Phil re-lit his lamp, he was amazed at what
he saw. All around him were huge rocks of gold
and silver. This gold and silver must have
become exposed as rocks fell during the cave-in,
the miner thought to himself. In his excitement,
Phil forgot all about being caught in the mine
and began to fill his cart with the valuable gold
and silver.
5
Once his cart was full, Phil remembered that the
cave-in had blocked the exit to the mine, and he
might never find a way out. Sad and alone, Phil
began to cry. He wished for a way out of the cave
so that he could show the world his newly found
treasure. Suddenly, Phil heard a faint cry from
somewhere in the darkness. Curious, he began to
explore inside of the mine.
6
From under a rock, Phil heard a whimper, Help
me! Im stuck! Phil picked up the rock from
which the noise came. Underneath the rock was a
small brown and white mouse. Hello, the mouse
said, my name is Peeps the Mouse. That rock fell
on me during the cave-in. Thank you for rescuing
me.
7
Well, sure, said Phil, but I dont know if I
have rescued you since we are both trapped in the
mine with no way out. No, we arent, Peeps
the mouse explained. I know a hidden passage out
of the mine. We can both escape. Together they
headed through the mine with Peeps in the lead
and Phil wearily following close behind, pulling
his cart of gold and silver.
8
After traveling deep into the mine, the two
explores came to a tall ledge, which blocked
their way. Though both could climb over the wall,
Phil could not lift his treasure cart high enough
to move it over the ledge. Phil did not want to
leave behind his treasure and so he began to
think of a way to move his cart over the wall.
Looking around, Phil saw some wide planks lying
on the ground. I know, Phil said, we can build
a ramp to help us move the cart over the ledge.
Phil placed one end of the plank on the ledge and
the other end on the ground. This made a
ramp. But when he tried to push the cart up the
ramp, it was still too hard for him to push.
9
Phil remembered that it is easier to move
something up a longer ramp. Looking around, Phil
found a longer board to make a bigger ramp As
Phil was pulling the cart up the ledge, Peeps
remembered an old mouse saying If you take a
small bit at a time, even a mouse can move a
mountain. Even though Phil now had a longer
distance to pull the cart, he was able to easily
pull it up onto the ledge. The larger ramp had
made it easier to pull the heavy cart and
finally, Phil succeeded and reached the top.
10
Peeps and Phil had been traveling a very long
time when they came to a tall mine shaft. Oh
no, Peeps said, How are we going to get our
gold up the mine shaft? It is so high and the
gold is so heavy. Phil sat down to think of a
way they might lift the gold up the tall mine
shaft. Peeps, Phil asked, can you climb with
my rope in your teeth up the mine shaft? Well,
yes, but why? Peeps ask. I want to make a
pulley to lift the gold out of the mine
shaft. Peeps climbed up the shaft with the rope
in this mouth.
11
He lowered the rope down over a strong old log.
With one end of the rope tied to the cart, Phil
pulled with all this strength, but the cart was
so heavy with all the gold and silver that he
just could not lift it.
12
Then Phil remembered that the more loops a rope
makes through a pulley, the more a person can
lift. Together, Peeps and Phil made several more
loops of the rope over the log and through the
cart. This time when Phil pulled on the rope,
the cart easily lifted into the air. Although
now, there was more rope to pull, each tug was
much easier than before. Peeps, again, remembered
the old mouse saying. If you take a small bit at
a time, even a mouse can move a mountain. In a
short while, the cart was up the mine shaft, and
the explorers were continuing on their way.
13
Together, Peeps and Phil continued towards the
secret exit to the mine. Up ahead, Peeps saw a
glimmer of light. Sunlight! Peeps and Phil made
their way down the long tunnel toward the light.
As they moved closer, the daylight coming from
outside the cave became brighter and brighter.
14
Phil could smell the warm, dry air, and as he
was inhaling another breath, he heard the
terrible noise of another cave-in. After the dust
settled, both Phil and Peeps saw a large stone
boulder blocking the way out of the
cave. Discouraged, Phil and Peeps sat down to
think. They had used a ramp to get over the high
wall, and they had used a pulley to pull
themselves up the tall hole, but how could they
move such a large stone?
15
Phil began to think to himself, If I had
dynamite, I could blow up the rock, and if I had
a hammer, I could break the rock into little
pieces. All I have is my gold. Looking around
Phil also saw come old boards and a few small
rocks. All of a sudden, Phil jumped up. I know
how we can move the heavy rock, we can use a
lever. Peeps looked confused, What is a lever?
he asked? A lever works like a seesaw as one
end is pushed down, the other end rises
16
Together, Phil and Peeps began to build a lever.
Using the small rocks, they made the base of the
lever. Phil then placed the strongest board he
could find on top of the rocks. When he did this,
the board teetered back and forth. Next, Phil put
one end of the board under the large stone that
was blocking the caves exit.
17
By pushing the long end of the lever down, we
will force the short end up. Now, if we are heavy
enough, Phil said, we will be able to move the
rock. Both Peeps and Phil climbed up on the end
of the lever. Nothing happened. Oh no, we are
not heavy enough to move the rock that is
blocking the entrance. We need something heavier.
What do I have that is heavy?
18
We have the gold! Peeps answered. But if we
use the gold to lift the rock, wont the gold and
silver be trapped in the mine? Yes, it will,
answered Phil, but now that I can use simple
machines, I can come back to get my gold any time
I want. With that, Phil and Peeps loaded the
gold and silver onto the high end of the lever.
As they loaded the last piece of gold onto the
lever, the pile of gold began to sink to the
floor as the stone was lifted into the air by the
lever.
19
As they headed down the mountain, Peeps thought
about how simple machines make work easier by
only doing a little work at a time. If you take
a small bit at a time, even a mouse can move a
mountain.