Tall Stories From the Big City There are many stories about New York City. Some are true but others are not. Untrue stories are sometimes called "tall stories." some of New York's stories are as tall as the Empire State Building! Danger Below the Streets! The story: Some people say that alligators live under the streets of Manhattan. How did they get there? children had baby alligators as pets. When the alligators grew, the children threw thern away. But they did not die. They lived in the dark under the streets. After years with no sun, the alligators are white. They cannot see, but they can bite The facts: An alligator was found in New York in East Harlem in 1935. The animal was near the river. It probably fell off a boat coming from Florida. But scientists say that alligators could not live under the streets for long. Big Building, Big Stories There are a lot of stories about the Empire State Building. which of these stories is true? 1 The building ts slowly going down into the ground. 2 Every year there is a race to the top of the building. 3 If you drop a penny from the top of the building, it can kill someone on the street.