Tracie Logue, 8, of Williamsport, Pa., for her question:

HOW DID INDIAN SUMMER GET ITS NAME?

We are not sure exactly how Indian summer received its name. The name describes that short period of fair weather and mild days that usually comes at the end of October or early in November.

Some believe that the American settlers named the period for the American Indians who had predicted this nice weather would come. Others say it was named because the weather gave the warlike Indians a chance to make more attacks on the settlers before winter storms arrived.

American Indians considered Indian summer to be the special gift of the god of the Southwest, Cautantowwit.

Europeans call the same short period of time Old Wives' Summer. Sometimes it is called Second Summer. The English call it All Hallow Summer or St. Martin's Summer. In Poland the three  or four week period of late summer like weather is called God's Gift to Poland.