Long time ago in China a trading caravan was attacked by bandits in a region far from human habitation. The merchants and their servants abandoned the caravan and fled into the hills. Soon their food ran out and they were faced with the prospect of starvation.
One of the servants came across a plant that was covered with pods containing small beans. Nobody knew what sort of plant it was but it was soon found that there were several such plants growing in the region. The merchants decided to experiment. They asked their servants to pound the beans into flour and use it to make chappatis. This was done. The chappatis were not very tasty but they were nutritious.
After a few days of this diet the merchants and their servants felt strong enough to launch a counter-attack on the bandits and they succeeded in regaining possession of their caravan.
They carried specimens of the plant home and soon the plant was being cultivated all over China.
What was this remarkable plant?
We call it soyabean!
We do not know whether the story of the discovery of soyabean is true or not, but there is reason to believe that the plant was first cultivated in China more than 5000 years ago.
Today it is one of the world's most useful and cheapest sources of protein.
Wonderful effort! Do keep it up! We've run Nature Trails camps for kids 7 - 13 yrs from 1990 to 2006. We influenced young people for 2 decades, and are now beginning to see results.
Now, at 59, I'm writing for children, short stories on environment and other subjects, and have completed two books which await publication.
All the best!
