Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, there lived a group of construction workers who were building a bridge. The bridge was going to be the most magnificent in all the land, but they had one big problem: they were out of building materials.

One day, while they were wandering through the forest in search of supplies, they stumbled upon a magical talking girder. The girder was so impressed with the workers' plans for the bridge that it offered to help.

"I have a secret," said the girder. "I come from a place called the Grade Mountains, where all the finest building materials can be found. I can take you there, but there's a catch: you must solve a riddle to find the way."

The workers were eager to get their hands on the best materials, so they agreed to solve the riddle. The girder recited:

"A gleaming gloss, a measured gauge,
A rough gravel road, a shining glaze.
A textured grain, a solid stone,
The path to the Grade Mountains is shown."

The workers were stumped, but they were determined to find the way. They set out on the rough gravel road and searched for the other clues. Suddenly, they spotted a gleaming gloss on a nearby rock and they knew they were on the right track.

As they continued their journey, they came across a measured gauge and a shining glaze. Finally, they found a textured grain in the bark of a tree and a solid stone, which was none other than a piece of granite.

The workers followed the clues and finally arrived at the Grade Mountains, where they found all the finest building materials they could ever dream of: glossy gloss, gauges that were perfectly measured, glazing so shiny it lit up the sky, grains as textured as the fur of a wild cat, and granite as solid as a rock.

With their new supplies, the workers built the most magnificent bridge the kingdom had ever seen. And every time someone crossed it, they would whisper the girder's riddle and remember the adventure that led them to the Grade Mountains.

The end.

Reflections

1. What was the big problem that the construction workers faced in the beginning of the story?
2. Who offered to help the workers find building materials?
3. What was the catch in order to get to the Grade Mountains?
4. What were the clues that the workers followed to find the Grade Mountains?
5. What did the workers find in the Grade Mountains?
6. How did the workers use the materials they found in the Grade Mountains to build the bridge?
7. Can you remember the girder's riddle?
8. Why do you think the workers whispered the girder's riddle every time they crossed the bridge?
9. What do you think would have happened if the workers didn't solve the girder's riddle?
10. Do you think you would like to go on an adventure like the workers in the story? Why or why not?