On the 5th of November, in almost every town and village in England, you can see bonfires burning, fireworks, and rockets shooting across the skies. Small groups of boys and girls push an old pram or cart with a figure like a scarecrow.
The children ask people for a “penny for the Guy.” With the money, they buy fireworks. This has been the custom every 5th of November since 1605.
In 1605, James I was the king of England. He was unpopular and disliked by many people. Some people decided to kill the king and his ministers by blowing up the Houses of Parliament with gunpowder. Guy Fawkes promised to do it.
The conspirators first tried to dig a tunnel under the Houses of Parliament, but the walls were too thick. Then they took a cellar under the Houses of Parliament, and Guy Fawkes, together with some other men, put firewood and gunpowder there.
On the 5th of November, before Parliament opened, one of the conspirators got frightened. He wrote a letter to his friend, a Member of Parliament. This man showed the letter to the king. The cellars were opened, and gunpowder was found. The names of all the conspirators were discovered, and Guy Fawkes and the others were put to death.
