Mike Crecco, age 10, of Florence, South Carolina, for his question:

What is the Black Forest?

Our Black Hills are in South Dakota. The earth on these gentle hills is a lovely rosy red color. But from a distance they look almost black because they are covered with forests of dark, furry pine trees. The Black Forest also is filled with thick, dark evergreen trees. It has been in Germany much longer than anybody can remember. People have lived on its slopes and in its valleys for ages. They gave it the German name Schwarzwald, which in English means the Black Forest.

The river Danube is born in this forest and along one side of its flows the River Rhine. It has stone quarries and spas where people go to enjoy the mineral springs. The folk who live there often wear costumes like ones their ancestors wore, centuries ago. They also remember the things their ancestors taught them to do. For example, the Black Forest people still make cuckoo clocks, toys and all sorts of clever handicrafts to be sold around the world.