It was October and the Indians [american indians] on a remote reservation
asked their new Chief if the coming winter was going to be cold or mild.
Since he was a Chief in a modern society he had never been taught the old
secrets. When he looked at the sky he couldn't tell what the winter was
going to be like. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side he told his tribe
that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the
village should collect firewood to be prepared.

But being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to
the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is the
coming winter going to be cold?" "It looks like this winter is going to be
quite cold" the meteorologist at the weather service responded. So the
Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more firewood in
order to be prepared.

A week later he called the National Weather Service again. "Does it still
look like it is going to be a very cold winter?" "Yes," the man at National
Weather Service again replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter." The
Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap
of firewood they could find.

Two weeks later the Chief called the National Weather Service again. "Are
you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?"
"Absolutely," the man replied. "It's looking more and more like it is going
to be one of the coldest winters ever."

"How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked.

The weatherman replied, "The Indians are collecting firewood like crazy !!"