Beginners' Book in Language Part 7

3. Does the sentence end with a period?

4. If the word _I_ is used, is it written as a capital letter?

2. Now the sentences that pupils wrote at their desks may be read. Those that are very good may be written on the board under the ones about the same months. Then the cla.s.s will point out mistakes in them, if there are any.

=20. Making Riddles=

=Oral Exercise.= 1. Can you guess either one of the following riddles?

I come once in a year. I always bring Santa Claus with me. When I leave, a new year begins at once. What am I?

I come once a year. Turkeys do not like me, but everybody else gives thanks after I have been here several weeks. What am I?

2. Make riddles about the months, for your cla.s.smates to guess. Begin your riddles like the two above.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WOODEN BOWL]

=Game.= Twelve pupils stand in a row in front of the cla.s.s. The teacher whispers to each the name of one of the months. The game is for the cla.s.s to arrange these pupils in the order of the months of the year. Of course January will be placed at the beginning of the row. December will be placed at the end. Each pupil in the row makes a riddle about the month he is. The cla.s.s must guess who is January, who is February, and so on to December.

Those who guess the riddles may be the months in the second game.

=Group Exercise.= Pupils who make very good riddles may write them on the board. Then the cla.s.s will try to make them still better.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BUFFALO-HORN SPOONS]

=Written Exercise.= When the riddles on the board have been corrected, copy the one or two you like best. Take these copies home to show to your parents. Write the name of the month under each riddle you copy.

Begin that name with a capital letter. How will you make sure that you have spelled it right?

=21. Correct Usage--_Did, Done_=

Some pupils spoil their talks and stories because they make mistakes in using _did_ and _done_. They say _did_ when they should say _done_, and _done_ when they should say _did_. The sentences at the top of the next page show these words used correctly:

1. The Indian boy _did_ a brave deed.

2. He _has done_ deeds of bravery before.

3. I never _did_ anything so daring.

4. _Have_ you _done_ your work?

5. I _had done_ my work long before you spoke.

=Oral Exercise.= 1. As you read the sentences above, try to find out when it is right to use _did_ and when _done_.

2. Read the sentences again. Now notice that nowhere is the word _done_ used unless _has_ or _have_ or _had_ is used in the same sentence. Is this true of the word _did_ also?

Let us remember, then, never to use _done_ alone, and never to use _did_ with _have_ or _has_ or _had_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: EARTHEN COOKING POT]

=Game=.[31] 1. One of the pupils plays that he or she is an old Indian squaw. All the other pupils are her children. She stands before them and says: "Children, I must go to the river. I must see whether the warriors are catching many fish for supper. I want you all to stay here in the tepee and finish your work." In a little while the squaw returns from the river. She walks up and down the aisles and asks each of her children this question: "Have you done your work?" Each one answers: "No, I have not done my work, but I think that John (pointing to the next pupil) has done his." The questions and answers go on until every pupil in the cla.s.s has spoken. Then those who made no mistake in their answers join in an Indian dance. They march up and down the aisles, clapping their hands and chanting, "All good Indians have done their work."

2. The old Indian squaw again leaves and again returns to her children.

This time she asks each one, "What were you doing while I was gone?"

Each one answers, "I did the work you gave me to do." All those who answer correctly join in an Indian dance, singing, "I did my work yesterday, and I have done my work to-day."[32]

=22. Telling Fairy Stories[33]=

PETER AND THE STRANGE LITTLE OLD MAN[9]

On the edge of a great forest there once lived a toymaker and his little family. Although he worked hard, he was very poor. His wife had to help him whittle and paint the toys, which he sent to the nearest village to be sold.

"Times are hard," the toymaker said one night to his wife, "I cannot save any money. Christmas is near at hand, and I am afraid we shall have no presents for the boys."

They had two boys. These looked as like as two peas from the same pod, but they were very unlike at heart. Peter, the younger one, made his father and mother very happy. Joseph, the elder, caused them much worry.

The toymaker would say: "Put wood on the fire, boys. We cannot work if we are not warm." Peter would go to the shed at once, bring in an armful of wood, put some of it in the stove and the rest in the woodbox. All the while Joseph would stay in the warm room and would not lift a finger to help him.

So it was with everything. Peter worked steadily at his father's side most of the day, whittling and gluing and painting toys, while Joseph slipped away and spent his time in idleness and play. In the evening it was Peter who helped his mother dry the dishes.

One day as the three workers were busily bent over the bench, a knock was heard at the door. They were surprised to see standing outside a strange little old man, no higher than the tabletop.

"Excuse me," he said, lifting his red cap very politely. "I have lost my way. Would one of the boys kindly be my guide through the woods?"

"Yes, of course," answered the toymaker. He looked from one of his sons to the other, wondering which one to send. He hoped that Joseph would offer to go, because he was the elder. But Joseph was already shaking his head very hard and turning away. Peter caught his father's look and put on his hat and coat.

"I know all the paths," he said to the stranger, "and will help you find your way."

They started off at once. When they had gone a short distance, it began to snow. They trudged along just the same until the ground was covered with a thick white blanket as far as they could see.

They talked very little, but kept their eyes open for the way, and hurried along. At last they reached a place where four great oak trees stood in a row, as if some one had planted them so.

"This is the place," said the little old man. He took a golden whistle from his pocket and blew it. A low sweet tone came from it, that sounded like pleasant music in the silent woods. In a moment a large sleigh, drawn by eight prancing reindeer, appeared before them. The little old man motioned Peter to follow him and jumped in. As soon as Peter had jumped in too, they drove away as fast as they could go, bells ringing, and sparks flying as the reindeer's hoofs struck the ground. Now and then the strange little old man spoke to the reindeer. They seemed to know his voice. He called each by name, "Now, Dasher," and "Now, Dancer," and "Get up, Prancer." Then they dashed and danced and pranced faster than ever.

They had been moving over the ground in this way for more than an hour. Then Peter saw in the distance a building that was longer and wider and higher than any building he had ever seen or heard about.

As they got nearer, a steady buzzing sound was heard. Peter thought it was the sound of machinery. He thought a thousand wheels must be turning and humming within. As he looked and listened, the sleigh suddenly came to a stop. They stood at the entrance to the mighty building.

"What is this building?" asked Peter.