Beginners' Book in Language Part 11

2. He ---- an old song that he had ---- many times before.

3. When he had ---- a silver bell, a troop of fairies appeared.

4. Peter is not a fairy. He has never ---- nectar.

5. But he has often ---- the song he heard the fairies sing.

6. He has never ---- a silver bell.

7. Have you ever ---- the school bell?

8. Have you ever ---- spring water?

=Game.= Let the girls of the cla.s.s, working together in a group, write on the board six sentences in which _rang_, _sang_, and _drank_ are used correctly. Let the boys in the same way write six sentences in which _rung_, _sung_, and _drunk_ are used correctly. The boys will correct the girls' sentences, and the girls the boys'. The teacher will decide whether the boys or the girls made fewer mistakes, and which group wrote the more interesting sentences. Then all the sentences may be read aloud by several groups of pupils in turn, each trying to read the most clearly.

=29. Making up Fairy Stories=

The magic ring that Santa Claus gave Peter would bring him any one thing that he might wish. When Christmas morning came, he had only to say his wish, and it would be fulfilled.[38]

=Oral Exercise.= 1. Suppose that you had such a magic ring. What would be your one big wish? It will be fun to see whether you and your cla.s.smates have the same wish.

2. What do you think Peter himself wished when Christmas morning came?

What happened then? Tell your cla.s.smates the story of Peter's wish on Christmas Day, exactly as you think everything happened.

=Group Exercise.= One or two of the best stories about Peter's wish should be told a second time. This time the teacher will write them on the board. Now you and the other pupils should read them carefully to see where they can be made better.[20] These questions may help in this work:

1. Can better words be used for some of those in the story?

2. Should some of the _and's_ be left out?

3. Can anything be added to make the story interesting?

=Written Exercise.= Silently read one of the improved stories, perhaps more than once, noticing the spelling of the words, the capital letter at the beginning of each sentence, and the mark at the end of each sentence. Write it from dictation. Then compare your paper with what is written on the board, and correct any mistakes you may have made.

=Oral Exercise.= Suppose that Peter lost the magic ring before Christmas came. Who might have found it? What might have happened then? Make up a story to tell this. You might call it "The Lost Magic Ring." Try to make up a fairy story that your cla.s.smates will be very glad to hear. Try to think of some wonderful happenings for it. Perhaps the following ideas will help you to begin your story:

1. When Peter learned that he had lost the magic ring, and could find it nowhere, he started off at once into the woods. He wanted to find the strange little old man and tell him what had happened. Peter had not gone very far when he met a giant. On the giant's finger Peter saw his magic ring. What did he do?

2. Peter's careless and lazy brother, Joseph, saw the magic ring on the window sill. Peter always laid it there when he washed his hands. Joseph took the ring in order to tease his brother. Then the thought came to him that he would wish himself something on Christmas Day. On Christmas morning he placed the fairy ring on his finger and spoke his wish. What was that wish? Was the wish fulfilled, or did a fairy appear to punish the boy? What happened then?

3. The strange little old man himself took the ring from Peter's finger while Peter was asleep. Why did he do this? Did he want to see what Peter would do? Did he plan to give him another ring instead,--a ring that held three wishes instead of one? How did Peter find the strange little old man? When and where did he receive the more wonderful ring?

What were his three wishes on Christmas morning?[39]

=30. Writing Dates=

If you were asked to write on a slip of paper your name and the date of your birth, could you do it? Of course you know how to write your name.

Some time ago you learned to write the names of the months. Now you are to learn how to write dates. You will need to know this when you begin letter writing, which will be soon.

=Written Exercise.= 1. Here are two dates:

January 1, 1918

December 25, 1917

The first date is that of a New Year's Day some time ago. The second date is that of Christmas more than a year ago. See the little mark (,), called a comma, between the year and the day of the month. Write the date of the last New Year's Day; of the next New Year's Day. Write the date of last Christmas; of next Christmas.

2. Write the date of your birth; the date of the birth of your mother; of a friend.

3. Write from dictation the list of dates that your teacher will give you.[40]

=31. Telling Interesting Things=

Now the Christmas vacation is over. Of course you had a good time. Of course Santa Claus brought you something. It would be fun for every pupil to tell the cla.s.s about his Christmas. Probably each one's Christmas was different in some ways from that of his cla.s.smates.

=Oral Exercise.=[41] 1. Did Santa Claus come to your home? Did you see him? If you did, tell the cla.s.s how he looked. Show the cla.s.s how he walked into the house. How did he talk? What did he say?

2. Tell the other pupils what Santa Claus brought you. If he brought you a little engine, or a sand machine, or a small airplane, or a steamship that runs by clockwork, or a baby sewing machine, or a music box, or a doll stove on which one can really cook, or some other interesting toy, explain to the cla.s.s exactly how it works. Perhaps it would be pleasant if each pupil brought a toy to school and held it up before the cla.s.s while he explained how it works.

3. What was the best fun you had during the Christmas vacation? Tell the cla.s.s about it.

=32. Story-Telling=

JACK AND JILL[C]

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"Clear the lulla!" was the general cry on a bright December afternoon. All the boys and girls of Harmony village were out enjoying the first good snow of the season. Up and down three long coasts they went as fast as legs and sleds could carry them. One smooth path led into the meadow. One swept across the pond, where skaters were darting about like waterbugs. The third, from the very top of the steep hill, ended abruptly at a rail fence near the road. There was a group of lads and la.s.ses sitting or leaning on this fence to rest after an exciting race.

[C] Copyright by Little, Brown and Company.

Down came a gay red sled. It carried a boy who seemed all smile and sunshine, so white were his teeth, so golden was his hair, so bright and happy his whole air. Behind him clung a little gypsy of a girl. She had black eyes and hair, cheeks as red as her hood, and a face full of fun and sparkle.