come, he goes to them in a surly manner, as before, and perceiving them to be very sore with the stripes that he had given them the day before, he told them that since they were never like to come out of that place, their only way would be forthwith to make an end of themselves, either with knife, halter, or poison. "For why," said he, "should you choose to live, seeing it is attended with so much bitterness?" But they desired him to let them go. With that he looked ugly upon them, and rushing to them, had doubtless made an end of them himself, but that he fell into one of his fits (for he sometimes in sunshiny weather fell into fits) and lost for a time the use of his hands; wherefore he withdrew, and left them as before to consider what to do. Well, towards evening the giant goes down into the dungeon again, to see if his prisoners had taken his counsel. But when he came there he found them alive; and truly, alive was all; for now, what for want of bread and water, and by reason of the wounds they received when he beat them, they could do little but breathe. But I say he found them alive; at which he fell into a grievous rage, and told them that seeing they had disobeyed his counsel, it should be worse with them than if they had never been born. Now the night being come again, his wife asked the giant concerning the prisoners, and if they had taken his counsel: to which he replied, "They are sturdy rogues; they choose rather to bear all hardships than to make away with themselves." Then said she, "Take them into the castle yard to-morrow, and show them the bones and skulls of those that thou hast already dispatched, and make them believe, ere a week comes to an end, thou wilt tear them in pieces, as thou hast done their fellows before them." So when the morning was come, the giant goes to them again, and takes them into the castle yard, and shows them as his wife had bidden him. "These," said he, "were pil grims, as you are, once, and they trespassed on my grounds, as you have done; and when I thought fit I tore them in pieces; and so within ten days I will do you; get you down to your den again." And with that he beat them all the way thither. They lay therefore all day on Saturday in a lamentable case, as before. Now, a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half amazed, broke out into this passionate speech: "What a fool," quoth he, “am I, thus to lie in a stinking dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty! I have a key in my bosom, called Promise, that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle." Then said Hopeful, "That is good news; good brother, pluck it out of thy bosom, and try." Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try at the dungeon door, whose bolt, as he turned the key, gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful both came out. Then he went to the outward door that leads into the castle yard, and with his key opened that door also. After that he went to the iron gate, for that must be opened too; but that lock went desperately hard, yet the key did open it. Then they thrust open the gate to make their escape with speed; but that gate, as it opened, made such a creaking that it waked Giant Despair, who hastily rising to pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, for his fits took him again, so that he could by no means go after them. Then they went on, and came to the King's highway, and so were safe, because they were out of his jurisdiction. This story is told in so simple and direct a way that it can be readily understood without questions. SUGGESTIONS FOR ORAL AND WRITTEN ENGLISH In which of the stories you have read so far, is there much conversation? In Zenobia's Infidelity does the boy talk to the doctor naturally? Does he say what is necessary for his purpose, and no more? In How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Sharp for Mr. Fox, how much of the story is in conversation? Does it add to the interest? When writing dialogue, i.e. a conversation between two, for a play, do not write "he said,” or similar terms, as you would in the case of novels or short stories. Each time there is a change of speaker, write the speaker's name on the left on a new line and follow it with a colon, then begin the speech as you would begin a sentence. Try to have your speakers express themselves naturally. Perhaps you can give a conversation you have overheard in some public place. Write in the form of dialogues the indicated conversations between the giant and the pilgrims, and the giant and his wife. Write their names under the heading Characters. Take each episode after you have written the dialogue and write the place, the time, and a heading for the episode, as, for example, Giant Despair's Discovery of the Pilgrims. Can you make a complete outline of four acts? Try to do the same in Hop O' My Thumb, or Jack the Giant Killer, or any similar fairy tale. SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL READINGS From The Pilgrim's Progress: The Slough of Despond. Mr. Great Heart. At the House Beautiful. The Great Stone Face (in The Snow Image). Nathaniel Hawthorne. Dr. Heidegger's Experiment (in Twice-Told Tales). Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Man Without a Country. Edward Everett Hale. The Dawn of To-morrow. Frances Hodgson Burnett. SKIPPER IRESON'S RIDE1 JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER The Quaker poet, John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He received only two years of academic training. He edited and contributed to newspapers for over twenty years, and published during that time many volumes of poems. His Snow Bound is a perfect picture of a New England country home. See also: Halleck's History of American Literature, pp. 234-244, 284. Perry's John Greenleaf Whittier. Pickard's Life and Letters of John Greenleaf Whittier; and WhittierLand. 1. Of all the rides, since the birth of time, On Apuleius's Golden Ass,2 4 Islam's prophet on Al-Borak 5 The strangest ride that ever was sped 1 This poem is used by permission of, and by arrangement with, Houghton Mifflin Company, authorized publishers of Whittier's works. 2 The Golden Ass, the most celebrated book of Apuleius, a Roman philosopher of the second century A.D. A story from Arabian Nights Entertainments. 4 Mohammed. 'A wondrous animal on which Mohammed rode from Mecca to Jerusalem. 2. Body of turkey, head of owl, 3. Wrinkled scolds with hands on hips, With conch-shells blowing and fish-horns' twang, Over and over the Mænads 2 sang: "Here's Flud Oirson, fur his horrd horrt, 4. Small pity for him! he sailed away Brag of your catch of fish again!" And off he sailed through the fog and rain! 1 The god of wine. 2 Priestesses of Bacchus who became frenzied when they danced in his train. 3 An inlet in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. |