Vasilissa's Doll

Summary: Vasilissa, only eight years old girl, lived on the edge of a great forest. Before death, Vasilissa's mother gave her a beautiful doll as a blessing and told her to feed her and ask her for help, whenever she is in need. After the death of her mother, her father married again and had two more daughters. They did not love Vasilissa and tortured on her. One day, Vasilissa's father went off on a long journey. At night her stepmother ordered her to spin. Her stepsisters were also assigned to make lace and to knit stockings. One of her stepsisters put out the candle and told her to go to the witch Baba Yaga's house and get another light. Vasilissa went to Baba Yaga's house which is in the forest to get light. But Baba Yaga told her that she will not get any light until she works for it. Vasilissa did all works so quickly with the help of her doll. When Baba Yaga asked her, she told her that her mother gave her a blessing before she died. Baba Yaga threw her out of the house because she did not want any blessed children in her house. When Vasilissa returned home, she did not welcome warmly. She was greeted with a scream, not a smile by her stepmother. Her stepsisters snatched the skull from her, and they and their mother stared into the eyes of the lighted skull and in a few moments became three piles of white ash. In the morning Vasilissa and her father buried the skull and the ash in the garden. In time, a bush sprang up out of the black earth; a rose bush with red and white roses. Often she plucked a rose and placed it in the hair of her little doll.

Answer the following questions:

What blessing did Vasilissa's mother make for her child?

Vasilissa's mother gave her a blessing before she died. It was a beautiful doll. Vasilissa's mother told Vasilissa to feed her and ask her for help, whenever she is in need. But, never tell anybody about her.

Who were the three horsemen? What did they bring?

The three horsemen were Baba Yaga's servants. The white horseman was Baba Yaga's Bright Morning. He brought the earliest Light. The red horseman was Baba Yaga's Fiery Sun. He brought the Day. The black horseman was Baba Yaga's Dark Night. 

In what way was Vasilissa's day made pleasant?

Vasilissa's day was made by the beautiful doll which was the blessing of her mother. Vasilissa longed to be out in the fresh open air, but she had much to do. She turned to start her work, but it was all done! The room was sparkling, the year was cleared, the linen was washed, and the grains were neatly separated into bins. The vegetables were already chopped, the bread was in the oven and the meat was in the trays, ready to be cooked. Vasilissa smiled at the doll, and went out to pick some flowers and sit in the sunshine. What a pleasant day she had!

Why did Baba Yaga throw Vasilissa out of the house?

Baba Yaga did not want any blessed children in her house. That's why, she threw Vasilissa out of the house. When she informed her that her mother gave her a blessing before she died, Baba Yaga told her that she did not want to get any blessed children in her house and told her to get out.

What kind of welcome did Vasilissa get when she returned home?

When Vasilissa returned home, she did not welcome warmly. She was greeted with a scream, not a smile by her stepmother. Her stepsisters snatched the skull from her, and they and their mother stared into the eyes of the lighted skull.

Send Three and Four Pence

Summary: Mike, the elder brother of Ruth Dixon informed her that the next day, Miss Middleton wanted to see her before assembly with a dead frog. Ruth was surprised by the message because Miss Middleton was not her teacher. But Mike informed that Derek told it to him. As Ruth liked animals, she wanted to keep the frog alive. After Mike had gone, she found a box and poked air holes in it. Inside it she put damp grass and a tin lid full of water. Then she left it outside. In the next morning, she got a frog inside the box. She scooped up the box and went to the school to meet with Miss Middleton who was in Class 3, arranging little stones in an aquarium on top of the bookcase. She told Miss Middleton that she got him alive and she won't let her kill him. She swept off the lid of the box, the frog sprung out, and landed on Miss Middleton. It was unexpected to Miss Middleton, she jumped backwards. The Aquarium skidded in the opposite direction and shattered against a desk. The content broke over Ruth's new sandals, and Lily, the goldfish, thrashed about in a puddle on the floor. Ruth was sent to see the headmaster. She informed him that Mike told her to see Miss Middleton before assembly with a dead frog. But Miss Middleton did not ask her to bring a frog. The headmaster investigated about it and understood that it was a misunderstanding among all like Chinese Whispers game.

Answer the following questions:

Why was Ruth surprised by the message?

Mike informed Ruth that the next day, Miss Middleton wanted to see her before assembly with a dead frog. Ruth was surprised by the message because Miss Middleton was not her teacher.

What did Mike say, jokingly, that Ruth could do with the frog?

Mike said, jokingly, that Ruth could peel frogs off the road sometimes when they had been run over. They went all dry and flat, like pressed flower.

How do we know Ruth liked animals?

Ruth was informed by Mike that the next day, Miss Middleton wanted to see her before assembly with a dead frog. But Ruth wanted to keep it alive. She found a box and poked air holes in it. Inside it she put damp grass and a tin lid full of water. Then she left it outside. In the next morning, she got a frog inside the box. She whispered through the air holes that he will not less Miss Middleton to kill it. We know from this that Ruth liked animals.

What damage did the frog do in the classroom?

When Ruth swept off the lid, the frog sprung out, and landed on Miss Middleton. Miss Middleton gave a squawk of alarm and jumped backwards. The Aquarium skidded in the opposite direction and shattered against a desk. The content broke over Ruth's new sandals, and Lily, the goldfish, thrashed about in a puddle on the floor.

How did the headmaster sort out the problem?

When Ruth was sent to see the headmaster, she informed him that Mike told her to see Miss Middleton before assembly with a dead frog. But Miss Middleton did not ask he to bring a frog. The headmaster called Mike. Mike informed him that Derek Bingham told it to him. In this way, the headmaster called one after another and understood that it was a misunderstanding among all. They seem to play Chinese Whispers without knowing it.   

The Boy who Served his Tribe

Summary: The people of the Chippewa tribe was contented with their existing life style though they had a custom to send the boys to some lonely place for seven days, without food, at the age of fourteen. These days they think about the life which lay ahead of them. This time the eldest son of one of the family of the Chippewa tribe went to the woods without food for seven days to pray to the Great Spirit. On the third day a young warrior appeared in front of him and told him that the Great Spirit has heard his prayers. He asked him to wrestle with him. On the seventh day, he threw the young warrior to the ground and the warrior breathed his last. The boy buried the young warrior and came back to his family. He did not tell about it to anybody but everyday he visited the grave, weed it and water it. One day he saw the fresh clean earth of the grave was covered in green plumes. Weeks passed, and the boy went on watering and weeding the warrior's grave. The green shoots pushed up through the earth and became tall, strong plants. At last the day came when thick golden tassels swung from them. The boy fetched his father to see them and explained the whole story to him. The father told him that it is a gift from the Great Spirit for the Chippewa people. It is a new kind of food. It will grow where they plant it in the earth. The Chippewas need not spend all of their time and strength on hunting animals in the forests, instead they can grow corn, harvest it and make bread for themselves. In this way, the Great Spirit made their lives a little less hard.

Answer the following questions:

In what ways was the tribe contended?

The people of the Chippewa tribe loved the good things of the Earth. They loved sunshine, the forests and the cool springs of water. They were often cold and hungry. They did not know about growing corn. Instead they lived only by hunting. In these days, the tribe was contended.

What was one of the customs of the Chippewa people?

When boys of Chippewa tribe reached the age of fourteen, it was the custom for them to go into some lonely place, without food, so that they could be alone for seven days and think about the life which lay ahead of them.

Who do you think the young warrior was?

The young warrior was the gift from the Great Spirit. And he is the messenger of Great Spirit to teach Chippewa tribe how to grow corn. The Great Spirit has heard the boy's prayers. The young warriors came to test his courage.

Why did the boy not tell anybody about what he was doing?

The boy did not tell anybody about what he was doing because he was afraid that, if he told people about the warrior and his visits, they would say that he had dream it all because he'd been so weak from lack of food.

What was the gift sent by the Great Spirit to the Chippewa tribe?

The gift sent by the Great Spirit to the Chippewa tribe was a new kind of food. The Great Spirit has sent a young warrior to the Chippewa tribe who taught them how to grow corn. It will grow where they plant it in the earth.