GET READY:
In your country, is there some action where the new bride is given to her new husband? What is it, exactly?
Having sent the minister's son home, the gardener's son now returns.
READ THIS:
[65] The next morning, at daybreak, a wonderful ship with every sail set came to anchor before the town. The King happened at that moment to be at the palace window.
[66] "What strange ship is this," he cried, "that has a golden hull, silver masts, and silken sails, and who are the young men like princes who man it? And do I not see St. Nicholas at the helm? Go at once and invite the captain of the ship to come to the palace."
[67] His servants obeyed him, and very soon in came an enchantingly handsome young prince, dressed in rich silk, ornamented with pearls and diamonds.
[68] "Young man," said the King, "you are welcome, whoever you may be. Do me the favor to be my guest as long as you remain in my capital."
[69] "Many thanks, sire," replied the captain, "I accept your offer."
[70] "My daughter is about to be married," said the King; "will you give her away?"
[71] "I shall be charmed, sire."
NOTES:
Here is some vocabulary from the story:
a. daybreak: when the sun comes up; "at daybreak" means "at sunrise"
b. anchor: the heavy weight used to keep a ship from moving; to "come to anchor" is to arrive and stop
c. enchantingly: almost like magic; "to enchant" is to put under a magic spell
d. ornamented: decorated; an ornament is a decoration
e. capital: the governing city of a country
f. charmed: delighted, very happy
PRACTICE:
Use one of the above terms in each of the following sentences. Be sure to use the correct form.
1. As soon as our ship __________ I'm going to visit the town.
2. He was such a __________ young man that the girls couldn't resist him.
3. The Christmas tree was covered with __________.
4. We had an __________ time at the governor's house.
5. I like to get up __________ and run 5 miles.
6. Have you visited the state __________?
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION OR WRITING:
If you can, try to talk about these questions in English with a friend. If not, try writing your answers.
1. Why doesn't the king recognize the gardener's son?
2. Why do you think the king asks gardener's son to "give the bride away"? (These means handing her over to her new husband, a symbolic action in many wedding ceremonies.)
3. Why do you think the gardener's son agrees to "give the bride away"?
ANSWERS TO THE PRACTICE:
1 b comes to anchor; 2 f charming; 3 d ornaments; 4 c enchanting; 5 a at daybreak; 6 e capital
This lesson is ©2012 by James Baquet. You may share this work freely. Teachers may use it in the classroom, as long as students are told the source (URL). You may not publish this material or sell it. Please write to me if you have any questions about "fair use."
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