This website is very useful if you are planning to travel.
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/travelenglish/index.html
AIRPORTS/AIRPLANES:
AT THE AIRPORT 1: Looking for the check-in
desk
AT THE AIRPORT 2: At the
check-in desk
AT THE AIRPORT 3: At
the check-in desk
AT THE
AIRPORT: What's wrong?
AT THE
AIRPORT: Questions and answers
ON
THE PLANE: Speaking with flight attendants/passengers 1
ON THE PLANE: Speaking with flight
attendants/passengers 2
ON
THE PLANE: What's wrong?
CUSTOMS/IMMIGRATION: Entering a country
CUSTOMS/IMMIGRATION: Questions and
answers
HOTELS/ACCOMMODATIONS:
AT THE HOTEL: General vocabulary
1
AT THE HOTEL: General
vocabulary 2
AT THE HOTEL 1:
Checking in
AT THE HOTEL 2: Checking
in
AT THE HOTEL 3: Getting from the
hotel into the city
AT THE HOTEL 4:
Talking to someone at the reception desk
AT THE HOTEL 5: Making a
reservation
AT THE HOTEL 6:
Asking directions
AT THE HOTEL:
Talking about what you like/don't like
AT THE HOTEL: Questions and
answers
RESTAURANTS/BARS/EATING
OUT:
AT THE RESTAURANT 1: Getting
seated
AT THE RESTAURANT 2:
Ordering
AT THE RESTAURANT 3:
Ordering
AT THE RESTAURANT 4:
Ordering
AT THE RESTAURANT 5: Eating a
meal
AT THE RESTAURANT 6: Eating/bad
service
AT THE RESTAURANT 7: Finishing
a meal/paying
AT THE RESTAURANT:
Talking about what you like/don't like
AT THE BAR: Ordering drinks 1
EATING OUT: Fast food
vocabulary
SHOPPING/BUYING
THINGS:
SHOPPING 1:
General
SHOPPING 2:
General
SHOPPING 3: Postcards,
souvenirs
SHOPPING (Q
+ A) 1
SHOPPING (Q +
A) 2
SHOPPING VOCABULARY: ANTONYMS -
Describing items 1
SHOPPING/BUYING THINGS: Name the item in
the picture 1
SHOPPING/BUYING
THINGS: Name the item in the picture 2
SHOPPING/BUYING THINGS: Name the item in
the picture 3
SHOPPING/BUYING
THINGS: Name the item in the picture 4
TRANSPORTATION (TRAINS/CARS/ETC.):
Modes of transportation 1 - How are we getting
there?
BUYING TICKETS
(train/bus tickets): Questions and answers 1
BUYING TICKETS (train/bus
tickets): Questions and answers 2
BUYING TICKETS (plane, train, bus, etc.)
1
BUYING TICKETS (plane, train,
bus, etc.) 2
BUYING TICKETS
(plane, train, bus, etc.) 3
BUYING
TICKETS (ferry/boat)
TRAINS/TAKING
TRAINS: What's wrong?
DRIVING
1: At the gas station
DRIVING:
What's wrong?
SIGHTSEEING:
Sightseeing-related words/expressions -
Definitions 1
Sightseeing-related words/expressions -
Definitions 2
Sightseeing-related words/expressions -
Definitions 3
Sightseeing-related words/expressions -
Definitions 4
Sightseeing-related words/expressions -
Definitions 5
SIGHTSEEING:
Conversations while sightseeing 1
SIGHTSEEING: Conversations while sightseeing
2
SIGHTSEEING: Conversations while
sightseeing 3
SIGHTSEEING:
Questions and answers
SIGHTSEEING:
Common terms/expressions
MEETING AND TALKING
TO PEOPLE:
Meeting people
1
Meeting people 2
TALKING TO PEOPLE: Making small
talk
TALKING TO PEOPLE: Talking
about your age, family, etc.
TALKING TO PEOPLE: Saying goodbye
ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS:
Conversations 1
ASKING FOR
DIRECTIONS: Conversations 2
ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS: General
terms/phrases
INTERNET
CAFES/COMPUTERS 1
HEALTH/SAFETY:
HEALTH: Seeing a doctor
HEALTH: What's wrong?
SAFETY/CRIME: What's wrong?
Friday, October 12, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Decoupage
Decoupage for the descriptive paragraph
I.
Tutorial
It shows the technique.
II.
Instructions
1.
The descriptive paragraph must be in the center
of the tile.
2.
The decoupage Puerto Rican elements (places, food, arts, animals,and people) must be around
the descriptive paragraph(like a picture frame).
Diorama
How to make a diorama
I.
Tutorial
II.
Your diagram must:
1.
be about a Puerto Rican legend, myth, fairy tale,
or fable. It could the fable that you
wrote for the class or one discussed in class.
2.
have the characters and setting of your story
inside the shoe box.
3.
Have the story on the back of the shoe box.
Mobiles
How to make a mobile
A.
Tutorial Videos
*Your mobile doesn’t have to be exactly as the ones in these
videos. These videos are a resource to get
an idea on how to make the mobiles.
B.
Your mobile must have:
1.
20 bottle caps (10 for facts and 10 for opinions
about Puerto Rico)
2.
Figures about different things that represent
Puerto Rico (parrot, flag, flowers like flor de maga, amapola, etc., el morro,
leaves, coconut, coqui, etc.) Do them in materials that make sounds.
3.
Place the strings in different heights.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Curricular Maps
Steps:
1. Find mapas curriculares.
2. Click ENGLISH.
3.Find the address that has your grade, and access it.
4. Find and click ANEJOS/ATTACHMENTS.
5. Click the unit that we are working on.
6. Print the handouts.
________________________________________
This is another site where you could find the curricular maps.https://www.box.com/shared/e35673c269df9f298051
Monday, September 10, 2012
Half-a-chick/El medio pollito
FOLKTALE
J. Alden Mason and Aurelio M. Espinosa found three versions of the El Medio Pollito story that were being told in Puerto Rico in the beginning of this century. These versions were European and probably were brought to the island from Castile. R. S. Boggs in his article �The Halfchick Tale in Spain and France� summarizes the story as it was basically being told in Puerto Rico, but also found a literary version that was being used in schools in the United States. The story is retold in The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang from Fernan Caballero. The version that I have translated seems to be closer to this version than to the original Castilian story. Apparently this version was introduced in Puerto Rico after the island became a possession of the United States in 1898. Marigloria Palma in her book Muestras del Folklore Puertorriqueno (in Spanish) tells the story as she heard it as a child. I have translated her version of the story and illustrated the story as I see it.Summary
Half-a-chick decides to travel to the capital to find a doctor to repair or add his missing half. He has one leg, one eye, and one wing but believes he is better than everyone in the chicken coop and cannot stand being there anymore. Before leaving, his mother gives him advice which he does not follow. On his way to the capital he refuses to help river, wind, and fire. When he finally arrives to the big city, he confuses the king and queen with the cooks of the palace. He is overcooked and thrown out of the kitchen window. The wind picks him and takes him high in the air and puts him on top of the cathedral where he becomes a weathercock at the mercy of the rain, the wind, and the hot sun.The story focuses on the punishment of arrogance and conceit. Half-a-chick pays dearly for his attitude and treatment of those in need. The full translation of this tale is found in the following pages. El medio pollito �Half-a-chick� Once upon a time and two more makes three, a beautiful hen hatched many chicks but among them there was one that was different from the others, with only one eye, one leg, and one wing. Mother Hen loved him just a little more because she felt sorry for him. So it happened that with all this extra attention Half-a-chick became very arrogant and conceited; he would look down upon his brothers and sisters with dislike. If the others made fun of him, he thought it was because they were jealous of him. If the pretty chicks looked at him with disgust or anger, he thought it was because lie did not pay attention to any of them.
�My son,� she said, �where did you get such a silly idea?� Your father has never left this chicken coop and we have been very happy here. Where are you going to find more love than here with us?� Half-a-chick answered, �I sent to go where the king and queen live, I want to meet them! Everyone here is very stupid and inferior to me.� Mother Hen could not stand to hear him any longer and said,� Son, haven�t you seen your reflection in the pond? You have only one wing, one leg, and one eye! That is your disgrace because your father was very handsome.� �Don�t talk to me about my father�s good looks!� grumbled Half-a-chick, �It�s your fault that I look like this! It was your egg . . .� Mother Hen sadly lowered her head until her until her beak touched the ground. She felt helpless; she couldn�t give Half-a-chick his missing half. She whispered, �Forgive me, my son, even though it is not my fault. Yours was the last egg I laid, maybe that�s the reason . . .� Half-a-chick interrupted her and said coldly, �In the big city I will find a doctor who will operate on me and add the parts that I�m missing. I�m leaving as soon as I can!� Since it was useless to change Half-a-chick�s mind, Mother Hen decided to give him some advice. �Listen to me, my dear son, never walk in front of a church: Saint Peter and the saint there do not like roosters. Stay away from cooks: those are your worst enemies, they are experts at wringing chicken�s necks.� She then gave him her blessing and prayed to Saint Raphael to protect him. Finally she told him to get his father�s blessing even if they did not get along very well. Half-a-chick went to see his father, kissed his foot, and asked for his blessing. His father, who also loved him out of pity, was very kind in his farewell. Mother Hen hid and cried. She did not want her son to see her crying. Half-a-chick flapped his only wing, crowed three times, and hopped out of the chicken coop to conquer the world. After following the road for a while he came upon a river that was almost dry. Down the center he could see a thin trickle of water. The trickle of water said faintly to Half-a-chick, �Friend, I feel so weak that I cannot push those branches out of my way, and I�m too tired to go around them. Can you move them out of the way for me? You can use your beak. I beg you! Help Me!�
The trickle screamed, �You will need me someday, you fool!� Further down the road, he found a dying breeze lying on the ground. �Oh good Half-a-chick, � said the weak breeze, �I am lying here and cannot get up. I, that am really a powerful, strong wind. I would like to go and push some waves and get tangled in the high branches of the trees. Can you lift me up with your beak? If you gave me a little shove with your wing, I could get going. The heat is killing me down here! �Look, you dumb wind, you are getting what you deserve. You�re staying right where you are! You have bothered me enough already. You have spread my feathers apart and since I only have one leg, you have pushed me against the wall. I have gotten a lot of bumps and bruises because of you, mean bad wind.� Half-a-chick yelled furiously and turned to go on his way. The wind that could not get up off the ground screamed, �Every chicken gets cooked! You are a fool!�
The spark gathered together its last energy and yelled, �I�ll remember you! Someday you might need me, you fool!� Half-a-chick got so angry at the spark that he stomped on it with his only leg until it became ashes. When Half-a-chick finally arrived at the big city, the first thing he did was to disobey his mother�s advice. He went straight to the cathedral door and started to crow loudly so that Saint Peter would get angry. He then set out for the palace. In front of the palace, where the king and queen lived, the guards told him to stop. For the first time in his life, he was afraid. The guards had guns! Instead of stopping, he turned around and sneaked in through a side door. Once inside the palace, Half-a-chick kept hopping and walked into a huge kitchen where the men were wearing tall white hats. He thought that they were the king and queen. He walked straight up to them. One of the cooks grabbed him and wrung his neck. The cook yelled at his helper, �Get me some hot water to feather this sneak!� �Oh Water, dear friend, don�t scald me too much, have pity on me! begged Half-a-chick. �Did you have pity on me when I asked you to push the branches that were in my way? Do you remember me?� Water asked. After the cook had feathered Half-a-chick, he put him in the oven. Half-a-chick screamed at the fire, �Fire, dear friend, you are so powerful and destructive, have pity on me. Don�t burn me, please!� �You fool! Now you come with that. Don�t you remember me? I was that little spark that begged you for help and to not let me die,� said the fire and roasted Half-a-chick until it burned him to a crisp. Now when the cook saw the burned chick, he cursed and threw it out the window. Then the Wind swept it up. �Dear Wind, I want to lie down on the earth, drop me anywhere, under a tree, don�t take me up high, don�t drop me . . . I have already suffered so much,� Half-a-chick sobbed. �What are you saying?� roared the furious Wind, while rolling Half a-chick around and around. You have a terrible memory . . . Don�t you remember when I pleaded with you to give me just a little shove, to lift me off the ground? Did you help me? No! You insulted me!� Then the Wind started to go higher and higher in the sky, over the houses, over the buildings, until it got up to the top of the cathedral. Saint Peter grabbed Half-a-chick and put him on top of the steeple and changed him into a weathercock. And now, for the rest of his days, Half-a-chick will pay for his conceit and meanness at the mercy of the wind, the sun, and the rain; going around, and around, and around . . .
The Arrogant Princess
TALE OF ENCHANTMENT/FAIRY TALE
Stokes of ghosts and the devil abound in Puerto Rican folktales. In the southern part of the island, it is said that most of these stories or events have happened, because many people say they are true. The following is one such story.The Arrogant Princess
Once upon a time, there was a young lady who was very pretty but very conceited. She was as proud as a peacock. She put on heavy make-up, wore expensive dresses, and turned down all the suitors that came her way because none of them was rich or handsome enough. In just a few years, she had broken the hearts of many an honest man who wanted to marry her. She insisted that she deserved no less than a prince.The years passed by and her beauty was fading when a very handsome suitor swept her off her feet. She knew her prince had finally come. She fell madly in love with him. The man asked her parents for her hand in marriage and they were engaged. Rosamada, that was her name, was the happiest woman in the world. They were married in a fabulous wedding, the groom was more handsome than ever in his high hat and tuxedo. A reception followed with plenty to eat and drink. She looked beautiful in her lace wedding gown, her veil, and flower crown. After the reception, the newlyweds went on their honeymoon. When they arrived at a castle in the forest that the groom had chosen, she embraced and smiled at her husband lovingly. lie returned the smile and she noticed that his teeth were very long, sharp, and shone like gold. Rosamada was quite surprised; she had not noticed that his teeth were like this before. Her husband then took off his coat and then she saw that he had a two-pointed tail. She started to tremble with horror. What was happening? She had married a very handsome young man, who was this person? Her husband very abruptly took off Ids hat and the new wife almost fainted. The man had two horns and two very big and pointed ears. He then took off his shirt and she saw that his chest was covered with long black hairs. When he started taking off his gloves, Rosamada tried to escape from his sight but he caught her with his hairy arms and very long claws. He held her while he took off his shoes and she was able to see that his feet were hoofs. She started to scream for help but no one could hear her. She understood at once that she had married the devil himself, and that she was being punished for her arrogance. They say that the devil and the castle disappeared all at once. By pure luck, a hunter found Rosamada lying on the ground and took her back to the city. She ems sick six months with hot and cold chills and then she died, which always happens.
Guanina
LEGEND
One of the first legends retold in Puerto Rico is that of Guanina by Dr. Cayetano Coll y Toste. Once the Taino Indians had proven that the Spaniards were not immortal through the death of Diego Salcedo, they rebelled. The legend of Guanina tells of that rebellion.
GUANINA
Guanina was a Taino Indian princess in love with Don Cristobal de Sotomayor, a Spanish officer who had come to Boriquen to conquer and colonize. Her brother, Guaybana, was the principal chief of the Tainos who hated the Spaniards because of the way they had mistreated and betrayed the Tainos. He swore revenge against the Spaniards. Juan Gonzalez, Sotomayor�s aide, found out about the plan to kill his captain and tried to warn him. Sotomayor would not hear of the planned uprising. He sent for Guaybana and for some of his men to carry his baggage, since he was going to Caparra, the capital.Guanina begged him not to go because she knew that he was going to die and that it would be her own brother who would kill him. Sotomayor did not change his plans, and the next morning set out with Guaybana and his men to the city. On the way, he and five other Spaniards were attacked by the Tainos, and Sotomayor was killed. When Guanina was given the news of her lover�s death, she tried to bring him back to life through her kisses and caresses. The Taino elders considered Guanina a traitor, and decided to offer her as a sacrifice to the gods as a sign of their gratitude in succeeding in their attack. When they went to get Guanina, they found her dead with her head resting on Sotomayor�s bloody chest. The two were buried together near a giant ceiba tree and on their tomb red hibiscus and white lilies appeared as if by magic. These flowers represent the true and passionate love these two souls felt for each other. The legend has it that on occasion, the huge ceiba tree casts a shadow over the land, a soft breeze gently moves the leaves and whispering sounds are heard, then Guanina and Sotomayor come out of the tomb to look at the evening star and kiss each other under the light of the moon. Sotomayor�s actual death took place in the year 1511. The original retelling by Cayetano Coll y Toste was written in the style of the early nineteenth century with words which would be difficult to understand today by many adults and children. Jose Ramirez Rivera has translated twelve of these legends into English and rewritten the Spanish versions so that students may be able to read and understand these stories easier. His Leyendas Puertorriquenas (Puerto Rican Tales) are modern versions of tales from the colonial times. In analyzing this tale, some research needs to be done in preparation for the actual reading. Information on the Tainos as recorded by the Spaniards; the reasons for further explorations by Colon; how the Tainos felt about the Spaniards when they first arrived on Boriquen; and, why the Indians rebelled against the invaders.
Taino Origin of the Sea
MYTH
The following tale was recorded by Friar Ramon referring to the Taino origin of the sea and I have translated for classroom use:There was a man named Yaya who had a son Yayael, whose name means son of Yaya. Yayael wanted to kill his father. When Yaya found out that his son wanted to kill him, he had him exiled for four months and then killed him himself. Yaya put his son�s bones in a gourd which he hung from the ceiling of his house, and here it hung for some time. One day, Yaya wanted to see his son and said to his wife,� I want to see our son Yayael.� His wife felt great joy, brought the gourd to her husband, and turned it over to empty out the son�s bones. Large and small fish came out of the gourd, and they realized that their son�s bones had turned into fish and decided to eat them. Later, one day when Yaya was out in his conucos, which means possessions or lands, the four children of a woman named Itiba Tahuvava came to his house. Their mother had died giving birth to the four and the first one to be born was Caracaracol, whose name means scabby or leprous . . . , the others did not have names. Itiba Tahuvava�s four identical sons went together to steal Yayals gourd where the bones of his son Yayael were kept. Of the four brothers only Dimivan Caracaracol dared to bring the gourd down from its place but all four ate the fish they found inside it. While they were eating, they heard Yaya returning from his conucos, and in the confusion that followed, when they tried to put the gourd back in its place, it fell and broke. People say that so much water came out of the gourd that it covered the whole earth and along with the water fish of all sizes came out too. This, according to Taino myth is the origin of the sea. This and other fascinating myths and descriptions are found in the work of Friar Ramon in his report to Admiral Cristobal Colon, which can be read in its totality in Cr�nicas de Puerto Rico by Eugenio Ferndandez Mendez.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
"The Pesky Goat" Puerto Rican folktale
The Pesky Goat
translated and retold by Marisa Montes
Copyright © 2001 by Marisa Montes. All rights
reserved.
Doña Josefina
lived on the outskirts of Ciáles, a small town in the highlands of Puerto Rico.
Her tiny house was as spotless as a porcelain teacup. Although she lived alone,
except for her dog, Ladrón, and her cat, Misifú, Doña Josefina was too busy to
ever be lonely.
She spent all
her waking moments tending her beloved garden. Doña Josefina was known
throughout the island for her mano santa--the blessed hand that turned
all plants she touched into breathtaking specimens of splendrous color and
robust good health.
In the garden,
she grew prize-winning roses and orchids, hibiscus and hydrangea, and dozens of
jewel-colored flowers that grow only in the tropical climate of the lush
Caribbean Islands. The garden air was forever perfumed with the scent of roses
and honeysuckle.
Since Doña
Josefina had no children of her own, she watched over her garden as a mother
watches over her children. Each of her flowers was precious to her. She thanked
God daily for the gift of being the caretaker of such a delightful
paradise.
During the day,
her paradise attracted butterflies and hummingbirds, bees and ants, and
nightingales whose song was as sweet and pure as the water from a secret spring.
At night, the garden attracted worms and toads and coquíes, tiny Puerto
Rican tree frogs. One unfortunate night, the garden paradise also attracted a
pest.
The next
morning, Doña Josefina noticed, much to her distress, that the blossoms and
tender branches of several young hydrangea plants had been badly chewed. The
following morning, the leaves and flowers at the bottom of the large vine in
front of the house had disappeared. On the third morning, Doña Josefina
discovered that her begonias were gnawed almost to the root. Only stubby,
mangled fingers remained, protruding from the rich, black soil.
On each
occasion, Doña Josefina searched the ground for footprints or other signs as to
what was destroying her precious garden. But she could find no clue.
That night, Doña
Josefina didn't sleep. She stayed up all night watching from her window for the
culprit to appear. Just before dawn, something crept into the garden. Doña
Josefina held her breath and waited. As she watched, the thing seemed to rise
into the air and take the shape of a small white goat. The goat floated toward a
hydrangea plant. When it reached the plant, the goat began to feast on the large
balls of blossoms.
"Ay, ay, ay!"
cried Doña Josefina. "A cabra is destroying my precious
darlings!"
Doña Josefina
ran through the living room and out the front door. When she raced down the
slick, tile-covered steps, her heel slipped, and she twisted her
ankle.
"Oh, no!" she
cried. "What shall I do?"
Unable to
continue into the garden, Doña Josefina hobbled back into the house and called
her dog.
"Ladrón, I will
give you an extra helping of meat today if you'll go into the garden and chase
away that cabra."
"¡Seguro!" Ladrón replied with an enthusiastic bark. "Of course I'll do
it!"
Ladrón raced to
the garden, his jowls drooling at the thought of an extra helping of meat. He
sniffed loudly as he trotted around the flower beds, searching for the
goat.
The goat heard
him and prepared herself for an attack. She climbed onto a boulder that was
hidden behind a bush. Then she took a deep breath to make herself appear larger
and said in a deep, loud voice:
"Heed my words
and stay away.
I'll devour the first
to disobey!"
and stay away.
I'll devour the first
to disobey!"
To Ladrón, the
tiny goat seemed to have grown ten times its size. He swore that the goat's evil
eyes glowed like burning coals. Its teeth would put a crocodile to shame. He
didn't want to put those terrible teeth to a test, not for all the delicious
meat in Puerto Rico!
Ladrón became a
blur of spots and dust. He didn't stop running until he was safely under Doña
Josefina's bed. There, he turned into a mass of trembling fur and clattering
teeth. He refused to come out until morning, untempted by Doña Josefina's
promises of roasted meats and spicy sausages.
"Ay, ay, ay!"
cried Doña Josefina. "Now, what shall I do?"
At that moment,
Misifú rubbed up against the old woman's leg.
"Ah, Misifú!"
said Doña Josefina, stooping to pick up the white cat. "I'll give you two extra
helpings of fish tonight if you'll just go into the garden and chase away that
pesky cabra."
"Why not?"
Misifú replied with flick of her tail. "¿Porqué no? It might be
interesting to chase a goat."
In no particular
hurry, Misifú sauntered out to the garden. Because she made no effort to hide
herself, the goat spotted her strolling down the main garden path.
The pesky little
goat prepared herself for battle. She climbed halfway up a sturdy trellis,
poking her head between the vines. In a deep, loud voice, the pesky goat
said:
"Heed my words
and stay away.
I'll devour the first
to disobey!"
and stay away.
I'll devour the first
to disobey!"
Misifú froze in
her tracks. Her luminous eyes widened and searched the darkness like lanterns
for the owner of the voice. High above her head, Misifú saw a horrible head, the
shape and size of a dragon's. Huge horns stuck out above its eyes. At its sides
flapped large, wide wings. Its serpentine body entwined itself around the
trellis. Misifú swore that from the creature's nostrils flames escaped and
licked the sky.
This was no
pesky goat--this was a dragon! And there weren't enough helpings of fish in all
of Puerto Rico to tempt Misifú to tangle with a dragon. Misifú became a streak
of white in the darkness and didn't stop running until she was safely under Doña
Josefina's bed next to Ladrón. No promises of sweet cream and tender giblets
could entice her out.
Doña Josefina
placed her hands on top of her head. "Ay, ay, ay! ¿Qué haré? What shall I
do?"
In the meantime,
a bee had flown into the house through an open window. "¿Qué pasa, Doña
Josefina? What's the problem?"
"Ah, brave
abejita," began Doña Josefina, feeling some hope returning, "I'll give
you ten drops of honey if you'll chase that pesky, pesky cabra from my
garden."
The bee
considered Doña Josefina's proposition, and replied: "¡Seguro! It'll be
easy. The pesky goat will be gone in no time."
The bee buzzed
out the window and into the garden. He buzzed in and out of the flowers and
vines looking for the pesky goat. But the goat heard him and was ready. Rearing
up on her hind legs, she said in a deep, loud voice:
"Heed my words
and stay away.
I'll devour the first
to disobey!"
and stay away.
I'll devour the first
to disobey!"
The bee stared
at the white phantom that loomed up before him. Never had he seen anything so
large and hideous! It had to be the ghost of a dreadful ogre. No amount of honey
was worth standing up to a phantom ogre!
In the next
instant, the bee zoomed from the garden and didn't stop flying until he had
passed two barrios. He had no intention of ever returning to Doña
Josefina's garden paradise.
Doña Josefina
waited and waited for the bee to announce that the pesky goat was gone for good.
When the bee did not return, Doña Josefina began to cry.
"Ay, ay, ay! My
beloved garden. That pesky, pesky, pesky cabra is going to destroy it
all!"
The elderly
woman felt a sting on her ear. "No llores, Doña Josefina. Please, don't
cry," said a tiny voice. "Tell me your problem and perhaps I can
help."
Doña Josefina
flicked her ear and a little black ant dropped onto the palm of her hand. She
stared at the little ant in disbelief. If her faithful Ladrón, her irascible
Misifú, and a brave little bee could not chase away that pesky goat, how could a
tiny little ant?
"Hormiguita," began Doña Josefina, feeling desperate, "are you brave
enough to chase that pesky, pesky, pesky cabra from my
garden?"
"I'm willing to
try," said the little ant.
She crawled off
Doña Josefina's hand and into the garden. Because the little ant was so tiny and
quiet, she was able to sneak up on the pesky goat. Before the goat realized what
was happening, the little ant climbed onto the goat's hind leg. She stung the
goat in the leg, then on the stomach, then on the chest, and headed for her
ear.
All the while,
the pesky goat jumped and kicked and scratched. She rolled and rolled on the
ground. But she couldn't make the stinging stop. Suddenly, a voice sang
out:
"Heed my words
and go away.
I'll sting the one
who dares to stay!"
and go away.
I'll sting the one
who dares to stay!"
Believing the
garden had been invaded by an army of nasty stinging ants, the pesky goat ran
off, never to be heard from again.
Doña Josefina
rewarded the spunky little ant with all the sugar and bread crumbs she and her
friends could carry to their ant hill. When her ankle healed, Doña Josefina went
back to tending her beloved garden. With her help, the flowers and vines that
the goat had chewed quickly mended and all traces of the pesky goat
disappeared.
"The Song of Coqui" Puerto Rican folktale
The Song of Coquí
translated and retold by Marisa Montes
Copyright © 2001 by Marisa Montes. All rights
reserved.
Many, many years ago, when the earth was still covered with trees and green and flowering plants, and the animals lived together in peace, the islands of the Caribbean were ruled by la cotorra, the parrot, La Iguaca. Queen Iguaca was a wise and caring ruler, but she was saddened by what she saw in her native island of Puerto Rico.
The animals of Puerto Rico had grown fat and lazy.
Anole the lizard had grown so large, he could no longer climb trees. He could only waddle under the ferns and lie on his back in the shade of a palm.
Boa the snake was as thick as a tree trunk and twice as long. She spent her days coiled around a branch, sleeping or nibbling on sweet, tender leaves.
Sapo Concho, the giant toad, was a big as a bull. And Toro the bull was larger still.
But the saddest of all were the tree frogs. Their once-slender bellies had gotten rounder and rounder, till their tiny toes barely touched the ground. Even El Duende, the tiniest of the tree frogs, could no longer hop or climb--he could only roll . . . plop, roll . . . plop, roll . . . plop beneath the ferns.
The island no longer resounded with the song of the birds or the croak of the frogs or whispered with slithering snakes.
No one had the energy to run and play.
No one wished to sing and dance.
And certainly, no one wanted to work.
The only thing the animals would do was eat and sleep.
Queen Iguaca worried over the fate of her beloved island. She consulted with the Day and the Night, the Moon and the Stars, the Sun and the Clouds. She spoke to the Sea and questioned the Earth. She flew from island to island in search of an answer.
At each island, La Iguaca watched the foxes run and the rabbits play.
She listened to the nightingales sing and marveled as the lizards danced.
And she saw the ants and other insects hard at work.
After each flight, the Queen returned home and thought and thought and thought. How could she bring Life back to her island?
Then one day, when the Sun was in good cheer and not a Cloud marred the Sky, El Viento spoke to La Iguaca: "Your Majesty, I have the answer for which Her Majesty has searched so far and suffered so long."
"Speak, wise Wind," said the Queen. "What is the answer?"
"Your Majesty must hold a race for all the animals to enter. And to win this race, they each must work hard and exercise to get in shape."
Queen Iguaca stared at the Wind as if it had suggested that the Queen fly upside-down. "But Viento, you cannot be serious! Have you seen Duende and the other tree frogs lately? Or Anole or Boa or Sapo Concho? They can barely move. What makes you think they or any of the other animals would care to enter a race?"
"Because," El Viento replied, "Your Majesty will offer them a premio, a prize they cannot resist."
The Queen threw back her head and laughed. "What type of premio can entice Anole from under his palm, uncoil Boa from her branch, or budge Sapo Concho from his mud hole? What can possibly tempt the tree frogs away from the ferns?"
The Wind whirled and swirled and whistled around the Queen. Then it died down and whispered in her ear.
La Iguaca fanned her stubby tail. Her short head feathers fluffed up, and her eyes glowed red with excitement. She strutted back and forth, toe over toe, as she thought over El Viento's words.
"Sí," she said with a flap of her wings. "Sí, it might work. We shall do it!"
And so Cotorra La Iguaca, Queen of the Animals, announced to everyone on the island that a race would be held in one month and that the winner would receive a very special prize. But the nature of the prize would remain a secret until the race was won.
"A secret prize!" cried the animals. "A wonderful, special, secret prize!"
Excitement spread through the island. Each animal tried to guess what the prize might be. Anole guessed that the winner would receive daily tummy rubs. Boa thought long, tender vines of seaweed from the bottom of the Sea would be the perfect prize. She had never tasted seaweed. Sapo Concho wanted a bigger mud hole, and he was sure that was the secret premio.
At the foot of a giant fern, deep in the rain forest of El Yunque, gathered all the tiny tree frogs of the island. Because they were mute, they signaled and drew pictures to tell each other what they thought the prize would be. Each tree frog knew what the perfect premio should be: a Voice. A Voice for all the tree frogs. And if they were to win such a special prize, they would sing and sing and sing, never again to be silent!
El Viento was right. For the next month, Life returned to Puerto Rico. Anole remembered how to do push-ups and head-bobs and how to flick his tail and stick out his tongue. And especially, how to inflate his dewlap, which he practiced daily with remarkable skill.
Boa slithered from branch to branch and tree to tree, and she glided through the grassy underbrush. Each day, she got slimmer and quicker.
Sapo Concho's loud croak could be heard from one end of the island to the other, as he ker-plop, ker-plop, ker-plopped around his mud hole.
Everyone trained for the big race. Especially the tree frogs. Because they were so tiny, they knew they had to practice extra hard to beat the larger animals. It was their one chance to win a Voice, and they very much wanted a Voice.
But a few days before the race, winning began to look impossible for the tiny tree frogs. Anole was fit and trim and agile. He scampered through the forest with lightning speed. Large as Boa still was, she slithered faster than the tree frogs could hope to hop. Each of Sapo Concho's jumps carried him many yards. Yes, things looked bleak for the tree frogs.
On the eve of the race, Duende had an idea. When he shared his idea with the others, all the tree frogs agreed that Duende's plan was their only hope. They spent the rest of the evening practicing what they would do.
The next morning, the tree frogs took their places. They had agreed that El Palmeado would start the race because he was the biggest and had webbed toes. He was sure to make the best time. The others would station themselves behind trees along the race trail. Only if Palmeado began to fall behind would the frog stationed closest to him dart in to take his place.
Everyone agreed that Duende should be stationed closest to the finish line. It would be fitting that he have the honor of crossing the finish line first and being declared the winner. It was, after all, his idea.
The race was about to begin! Each animal lined up at the start line. The Air sizzled. The Sun beamed. The Sky grew intensely blue.
Queen Iguaca presided over the race from the top of a tall palm. "On your mark!" she yelled. "Get set! GO!"
The Earth thundered with the stampede of animals. A cloud of dust was all La Iguaca could see. Inside the dust cloud, Anole was in the lead, but Palmeado was close at his heels. Next came Boa and Sapo Concho, Toro, and the others.
Soon Palmeado was nose to nose with Anole, then he was in the lead. Palmeado was winning! Perhaps the others wouldn't have to take his place after all. And the tree frogs would win the race fair and square.
But then, "Get out of my way, you pesky little toad!" Anole flicked his long tail over his head and whipped Palmeado against a tree. The tree frogs were out of the race!
But not for long. Another tiny frog had been hiding behind the tree where Palmeado lay injured. He jumped into the race and was soon at Anole's side. Anole swatted him away, onto Boa's path. Without slowing her stride, Boa wrapped the tree frog in her tail and threw him into the nearby brush. Far ahead of the others, another tree frog took his place.
As one frog fell behind or got pushed out of the race, another would take his place. Finally, it was Duende's turn.
When he saw the cloud of dust approaching the finish line, Duende darted onto the trail and headed toward his prize. Only a few short feet from the line, he heard the snap of Anole's whip-like tail. Duende took one mighty leap and flew through the air, barely missing the sting of Anole's tail and finishing first.
Queen Iguaca stuck out her chest and fanned her tail. Her eyes burned bright red. "Congratulations, little Duende! You are the winner!"
Huffing and puffing, Anole and Boa approached the Queen. "No, he is not," cried Anole. "The tree frogs cheated! I am the winner!"
"No," said Boa, "Anole cheated, too. I am the winner!" And Boa went on to explain what she had seen during the race. After each of the animals told their stories, it turned out that they had all cheated. Each had pushed and shoved one another throughout the race.
"Well," said the Queen, "We are saddened to hear that each of you has cheated to win the special prize. Perhaps no one should win, but--"
La Iguaca felt a breeze tickle her shoulder. El Viento whispered in her ear. Queen Iguaca listened, her red eyes flickering.
The wise Queen nodded. "You shall have your prize, little Duende. The tree frogs began with the right idea. You worked hard and planned together to achieve something you wanted dearly. For this you shall each be rewarded with the thing you want the most: A Voice."
The tree frogs hopped and danced and hugged each other.
"Wait!" commanded the Queen. The tree frogs froze. "Your victory was not an honest one, and for this you must also be punished. You will have a Voice, but only at night, and if you ever try to leave this island you shall die."
And so it came to pass that in Puerto Rico, the tree frog sings only at night: "Co-kee! Co-kee!" he sings. The sound of his song is what gives him his name, the coqui. And if you are lucky enough to find a coqui, do not try to take him from his native island of Puerto Rico, because the coqui will surely die.
Author's Note:
Most of the animals in this story are endangered. Sapo Concho, the giant Puerto Rican toad, is considered threatened, as are the Puerto Rican Giant Anole and the Pigmy Anole. Two species of Puerto Rico's boas and the Giant Snake Lizard are at risk of extinction.
The Puerto Rican parrot, la Cotorra Puertoriqueña, is nearly extinct. In 1971, only 16 parrots could be found. By 1989, with the help of conservationists, the population of Puerto Rican parrots had risen to about 99 (52 of them lived in an aviary in El Yunque, the Caribbean National Forest and the remaining 47 lived in the wild). Then Hurricane Hugo reduced the population that lived in the wild to only 25. For this reason, it is illegal to own or sell a Puerto Rican parrot or anything belonging to it, like its eggs or nests, or even its feathers!
"La Iguaca" was the name the Taino Indians gave their native parrot. At about 11 inches long, the Puerto Rican parrot is one of the smallest species of Amazon parrots. Iguaca is totally green except for some blue in its wings, which is best seen when in flight. It has a red band over its nose and a ring of white skin around its eyes.
Sadly, even three of the 16 species of the coquis in Puerto Rico are highly endangered. The Web-footed Coqui, el Coquí Palmeado, and the Mottled Coqui, el Coquí Eneida, are classified as threatened in Puerto Rico. El Coquí Dorado is the most endangered of the three.
"The Dinner Party"
"The Dinner Party" by Mona Gardner
http://my.hrw.com/support/hos/hostpdf/host_text_103.pdf
http://my.hrw.com/support/hos/hostpdf/host_text_103.pdf
“The
Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner
1 The
country is India
2 A
spirited discussion springs up between a young girl who insists that women have
outgrown the jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse era and a colonel who
says that they haven’t.
3 “A
woman’s unfailing reaction in any crisis,” the colonel says, “is to scream. And
while a man may feel like it, he has that ounce more of nerve control than a
woman has. And that last ounce more is what counts.”
4 The
American does not join in the argument but watches the other guests. As he
looks, he sees a strange expression come over the face of the hostess. She is
staring straight ahead, her muscles contracting slightly.With a slight gesture,
she summons the native boy standing behind her chair and whispers to him. The
boy’s eyes widen, and he quickly leaves the room.
5 Of
the guests, none except the American notices this or sees the boy place a bowl
of milk on the veranda just outside the open doors.
6 The
American comes to with a start. In India
7 His
first impulse is to jump back and warn the others, but he knows the commotion
would frighten the cobra into striking. He speaks quickly, the tone of his
voice so arresting that it sobers everyone.
8 “I
want to know just what control everyone at this table has. I will count to
three hundred — that’s five minutes —and not one of you is to move a muscle.
Those who move will forfeit fifty rupees. Ready!”
9 The
twenty people sit like stone images while he counts. He is saying “two hundred
and eighty” when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the cobra emerge and
make for the bowl of milk. Screams ring out as he jumps to slam the veranda
doors safely shut.
10 “You were right, Colonel!” the host exclaims. “A man has just
shown us an example of perfect control.”
11 “Just a minute,” the American says, turning to his hostess.
“Mrs.Wynnes, how did you know the cobra was in the room?”
12 A faint smile lights up the woman’s face as she replies.
“Because it was crawling across my foot.”
“The
Dinner Party” by Mona Gardner, © 1942, 1970 by SATURDAY REVIEW.
15 The use of third-person point
of view in this story makes the reader feel like a —
A participant
B relative
C spectator
D friend
16What is the initiating event
for this story?
A The American’s challenge for the
guests to keep still
B The change in expression on the
face of the hostess
C The Indian boy placing milk on
the veranda
D The guests screaming as the
veranda doors close
17 Which detail about the setting
contributes to the plot of the story?
A The plant life in India
B India Southern
Asia .
C India
D Cobras live in India
18 What does the author mean by
the phrase “jumping-on-a-chair-at-the-sight-of-a-mouse” in paragraph 2?
A An appropriate activity
B A quick movement
C A fearful reaction
D An athletic response
19 What does the author mean by
the phrase “like stone images” in paragraph 9?
A As large as statues
B Without moving
C Appearing to shift
D Without any life
20 What is a theme of this story?
A A calm reaction to a crisis is
the best choice.
B Beware of snakes under the dinner
table.
C Men usually react better in a
crisis situation.
D A large group of guests can be
difficult to manage.
21 Why is the hostess’s reaction
to the snake important to the story?
A The character of the native boy
is introduced.
B It offers proof to end the
discussion.
C She is able to focus on her
guests.
D It reinforces the colonel’s view.
22 How would the story have been
different if it had been told from the hostess’s point of view?
A Readers would have been aware of
the snake’s location earlier.
B The story would have been much
more dramatic.
C Readers would not have known why
the milk was placed outside.
D The story would have included a
description of the dinner menu.
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