4　From an Airplane

People of the Bronze and Iron Ages thought the world was flat,and they knew only a little bit of the world,the small part where they lived；and they thought that if you went too far the world came to an end where you would

If we should go up in an airplane and look down on the world at the place where the first civilized people once lived,we should see several rivers,seas,and a gulf,and from so high up in the air they would look something like this：

Now,you probably have never even heard of these rivers and seas,and yet they have been known longer than any other places in the world. One of these rivers is the Tigris River,and another is the Euphrates.They run along getting closer and closer together until at last they join each other and flow into what is called the Persian Gulf.

You might make these two rivers in the ground of your yard or garden or draw them on the floor if your mother will let you.Just for fun you might name your drinking cup Tigris and your glass Euphrates.Then you might call your mouth,into which they both empty,the Persian Gulf,for you will hear a great