WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Solutions for all
English
Home Language
Grade 7
Core Reader
Compiler: G Leggat
WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Solutions for all English Home Language Grade 7 Core Reader
© Compiled by G Leggat, 2013
© Illustrations and design Macmillan South Africa (Pty) Ltd, 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
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First published 2013
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Published by
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Typeset in Stone Serif 12/14pt by Positive Proof cc
Cover design by Deevine Design
Cover image from INPRA
Illustrations by Flame Design and Marna Hattingh
Photographic acknowledgements
Gallo Images/Alamy: pp. 62, 75
Greatstock/Corbis: p. 70
The publishers have made every effort to trace the copyright holders.
If they have inadvertently overlooked any, they will be pleased to make the necessary
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ISBN: 978-1-4310-1975-5
e-ISBN: 9781431025503
WIP: 5005M000
It is illegal to photocopy any page of this book
without written permission from the publishers.
WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Contents
FOLKLORE1
What is folklore?
2
Ulysses and the Cyclops by Charles Lamb, adapted by Denys
Thompson3
The Frightening Black Bird retold by Dianne Stewart, adapted
by Gillian Leggat
8
The Cat, the Dog and the Little Red Hen by Eilis Dillon
14
Jabulani and the Lion by Jennifer Gardner and Gillian Leggat
19
Maqinase, the Wily One translated from isiZulu by N N Canonici,
25
adapted by Elana Bregin SHORT STORIES
What is a short story?
His First Flight by Liam O’Flaherty The Empty Basket by Grace Ogot You Pay for the View by Liesl Jobson, adapted by Gillian Leggat
The Sacrifice by Ahmed Essop
Obed, Secret Agent by Patrick Cairns
31
32
33
38
44
49
55
POETRY62
What is a poem?
63
The Ants at the Olympics by Richard Digance 64
The black badge of Africa by Gift Mudzingwa 65
In Memory of Yuri Gagarin by George Barker 67
Farm Gate by Uys Krige, translated by the author and Jack Cope 68
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost 69
Sometimes when it rains by Gcina Mhlophe
71
African Beggar by Raymond Tong
73
Sounds of a Cowhide Drum by Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali
74
The Withered-leaf Insect by Wilhelm Bleek and Lucy Lloyd,
reworked by Alan James
76
Cicada by Chris Mann 77
DRAMA79
What is drama?
80
The Littlest Warrior by Nadia Davids 82
GLOSSARY103
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS107
WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
FOLKLORE
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
What is folklore?
Folklore refers to the traditional beliefs, myths, art and customs of a
specific community, which are passed on from generation to
generation in the form of stories. These stories are called folktales.
Folktales often explain things that happen in nature or pass on some
truth about life and human nature.
Plot
Plot refers to the events in a story and the structure of these events.
The plot of a folktale usually concerns the explanation of a tradition
or belief. Folktales attempt to explain why things are the way they
are or why certain people or animals behave in the way they do. In
the past, people did not have access to the scientific knowledge that
we have today, so they used storytelling to try to explain the world
around them.
Characterisation
The characters in a folktale, even when they are animals, often
represent specific character traits in people, such as cheerfulness,
determination, vanity or selfishness. These features are often
exaggerated in order to teach the listener or reader a particular
lesson.
Role of the narrator
Folklore is part of an oral tradition, which means that folktales were
originally passed along by word of mouth. The narrator is often an
elder or ancestor who wants to teach the community about their
past.
Messages and themes
Many folktales have a moral lesson for their listeners. These moral
lessons are passed down from generation to generation, in order to
equip the next generation with the wisdom that their ancestors have
acquired.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
Ulysses and the Cyclops
by Charles Lamb,
adapted by Denys Thompson
This folktale links to the theme, “Minute to quiz it”, in the Learner’s
Book.
Pre-reading activities
1. Look carefully at the title and the second picture in this story.
Who is the hero of the story? Who is the monster?
2. Skim the story for the main facts. What happens in the story?
Coasting on all that night by unknown and out-of-the-way shores,
they came by the daybreak to the land where the Cyclops live. The
Cyclops are giant shepherds who neither sow nor plough, but the
earth, untilled, produces for them wheat and barley and grapes. They
live in caves on the steep heads of mountains. They have no ships or
boats and no trade, nor do they wish to visit other shores; yet they
have convenient places for harbours and for shipping. Here, Ulysses,
with a chosen army of twelve followers, landed to explore what sort
of men live there, whether friendly to strangers, or altogether wild
and savage for, as yet, no dwellers had appeared in sight.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
The first sign of life was when they came to a giant’s cave, of a size
that indicated the size of the owner. Ulysses, entering, longed to see
the tenant and resolved to flatter him with a present of Greek wine.
This was so strong that no one ever drank it without mixing twenty
parts of water to one of wine, and whoever tasted it was able to raise
his courage to the height of heroic deeds.
Taking with them a goatskin full of wine, they ventured into the far
corners of the cave. Here, they spent a whole day examining the
giant’s kitchen, where the flesh of sheep and goats was scattered, his
dairy where troughs and pails of goat’s milk stood, and his pens
where he kept his live animals. While they were observing these
sights, they suddenly heard a deafening noise, like the falling of a
house. It was the owner of the cave who had been away all day
feeding his flock in the mountains, and now drove them home.
He threw down a pile of firewood, which he had been gathering to
use at suppertime, and this caused the crash they heard. At the sight
of the monster, the Greeks hid themselves in the remote parts of the
cave. It was Polyphemus, the largest and fiercest of the Cyclops. He
looked more like a huge rock than a man, and he had a mind as
brutal as his body. He drove his flock inside, leaving the rams and
he-goats outside. Then he took up a stone so huge that twenty oxen
could not have pulled it, put it in the mouth of the cave and sat
down to milk his ewes and goats. Lastly, he lit a fire and, looking
round the cave with his great eye (for the Cyclops have only one eye,
set in their forehead), he saw some of Ulysses’ men in the firelight.
“What are you? Traders or wandering thieves?” he bellowed out in a
voice that terrified them, it was so astonishing.
Only Ulysses had the courage to answer that they were Greeks who
had lost their way returning from Troy and they now begged for his
hospitality.
Then the Cyclops ordered them to tell him where their ship was and
whether they had any companions. Ulysses cautiously replied that
they had no companions, but were unfortunate men whose ship had
been wrecked. The Cyclops did not answer, but seized two of the
men, killed them and ate them greedily. The Cyclops are man-eaters
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
and, for this reason, few men approach their coast. Then he took a
drink of goat’s milk and lay down to sleep. Ulysses drew his sword
and half resolved to thrust it with all his might into the sleeping
monster. However, he knew that only Polyphemus himself could
have removed that mass of stone which he had placed to guard the
entrance. So Ulysses and his men were forced to spend the night in
fear.
When day came and the Cyclops awoke, he kindled a fire and made
his breakfast of two of his unfortunate prisoners. Then he milked his
goats and, pushing aside the vast stone, let out his flock, shutting up
his prisoners again.
But the Cyclops had no idea of the strength and cunning of Ulysses,
who soon showed that his cleverness could defeat the strength of a
brute. He chose a stake as big as a mast from among the wood the
Cyclops had piled up for firing, and sharpened and hardened it in
the fire. He chose four of his men and told them what to do with it.
In the evening, the Cyclops drove home his sheep and, for once,
shut up the rams as well. He shut the stone of the cave and made his
horrible supper. Then Ulysses took a bowl of Greek wine and
jokingly dared the Cyclops to drink.
“Cyclops,” he said, “take a bowl of wine from your guest; it may
help to digest the man’s flesh that you have eaten, and show what
drink our ship held before it went down. All I ask in return, if you
find it good, is that we are allowed to leave safely. You must have
few visitors if you follow this custom of eating your guests.”
The brute took the bowl, drank and enjoyed the wine. He asked for
more and asked Ulysses to tell him his name, so that he could
present a gift to the man who had given him such fine liquor.
Ulysses cunningly replied, “My name is Noman; my relatives and
friends in my own country called me Noman.”
“Then,” said the Cyclops, “this is the kindness I will show you,
Noman; I will eat you last of all your friends.” He had only just said
this when the fumes of the strong wine overcame him and he
stumbled down onto the floor and sank into a deep sleep.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
Ulysses watched his time while the monster lay senseless. The four
men put the sharp end of the stake in the fire until it was heated
red-hot and then drove it right into the eye of the drunken cannibal.
Ulysses helped them with all his might.
When Polyphemus woke up, he roared with pain so loudly that the
whole cave was filled with the sound of thunder. The men fled into
corners and the giant cried out with a mighty voice for the other
Cyclops who lived in the caves beyond the hills. They came from all
parts to ask what the trouble was, and what had caused him to make
such horrid noise in the night, which woke them from their sleep.
He answered from inside the cave that Noman had hurt him,
Noman had killed him, Noman was in the cave.
They replied, “If no man has hurt you, and no man is with you,
then you are alone, and the evil that causes you pain is from the
hand of heaven, from which none can defend or help you.” So they
left him and went on their way, thinking that some disease troubled
him. He, blind and ready to burst with the anguish of the pain, went
groaning up and down in the dark to find the doorway. When he
found it, he removed the stone and, sitting at the entrance, felt the
sheep as they went out to see if he could catch any man trying to
escape. But Ulysses was not so stupid as to be caught that way. He
made knots of the twigs of the osier tree on which the Cyclops slept
and tied the fattest rams together, three in a row. Under the belly of
the middle ram, he tied a man, himself last of all.
Now the sheep began to go out very
fast, the males first, the females
waiting to be milked. As the rams
passed, Polyphemus felt their
backs, never dreaming they
carried his enemies under
them; and they passed on till
the last ram came, loaded
with Ulysses. The Cyclops
stopped that ram and felt
him, and once had his
hand in the hair of Ulysses,
but he let him go.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
When Ulysses felt himself free, he let go his hold and helped to free
his friends. The rams they carried off to the ships where their
companions, with tears in their eyes, greeted them as men who had
escaped from death.
They set up their oars and set their sails. When they were as far from
the shore as a voice would still carry, Ulysses cried out to the
Cyclops, “Cyclops, you should not have misused your monstrous
strength to eat your guests. Through me, Jove has rewarded you for
your savage cruelty.”
The Cyclops heard Ulysses. In his anger, he grasped a rock and
hurled it with blind fury into the ocean, narrowly missing the ship
in which Ulysses sat. It caused such a huge wave that the ship was
nearly carried back to the shore.
“Cyclops,” said Ulysses, “if anybody asks you who blinded you, say it
was Ulysses, son of Laertes, king of Ithaca.”
Then they set sail and went out to sea with a forward breeze.
Activities
A. Know the facts
Ulysses was the son of ___________ who was king of ________.
The name of the monster Cyclops whom Ulysses encounters
in the cave is _________________. Ulysses tells the Cyclops that
his own name is ____________.
B. Understanding the folktale
Exposition: Mention two important facts from paragraph 1
which form part of the exposition.
Setting: Why do you think the folktale is set in such an
isolated place?
Plot: Do you think Ulysses was clever or stupid to tell the
giant a different name for himself? Explain your opinion.
Conflict: What is the main cause of conflict in this story?
Character: Write down two words from the story that
describe Ulysses’ character.
Dénouement/resolution: Do you think this folktale ends
satisfactorily? Speak about this with your partner.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
The Frightening Black Bird
retold by
Dianne Stewart, adapted by Gillian Leggat
This folktale links to the theme, “The forever friend”, in the Learner’s
Book.
Pre-reading activities
1. What does the title tell you about the character of the crow?
2. How do you think the writer creates suspense? Scan the story,
and write down words and sentences that create a tense
atmosphere. Compare them with your partner’s words.
A number of birds lived in a cave on a rocky hillside. Down below,
lush, green sugar cane and maize swept across the lands and
sprawling pumpkin vines trailed close to the ground.
Early one morning, when the sun was pouring out its light as it
climbed into the sky, a strong shadow fell across the floor of the
cave. It was an ominous presence and the young birds in the semi-lit
cave were petrified, as their parents were out foraging for food. They
began to twitter loudly and anxiously, voicing their fear as they
watched the large, black shadow move closer towards them from the
entrance of the cave.
They nervously
watched the
shadow come to
life in the form of
a large, black
shiny bird.
“Kaah!” he
shrieked.
“Kaah!”
As the bird’s
strong, black
legs and feet
marched
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
toward them, fear grew in the young nestlings in the cave. They
huddled together and feared for their very lives. The very smallest
bird cowered behind all the others; as she shivered and shook, she
tried to make herself even smaller than she already was.
But, unfortunately for her, that didn’t stop the large black shiny bird
from noticing her. He strutted around and around the bundle and,
seeing how terrified the smallest bird was, he marched over to her
and took particular delight in towering over her as she shivered and
shook at his feet.
“You,” he said, placing his beak just over the tiny body of the
smallest bird, “shouldn’t be here. You should find another place to
live – if you have enough strength to fly away,” the menacing black
bird said really sarcastically. “You’re so pathetically little and you
don’t belong in this lovely, roomy cave. This cave is mine, mine. It
belongs to me, and I will take it by force if I have to, so you’d better
watch out!”
The smallest bird looked more terrified than ever, but there was no
movement at all in the cave. All the birds remained very, very still.
This made the big, black crow very, very cross indeed.
“Get out, tiny birds!” screeched the African black crow as he
stomped around the cave. “Get out of here!”
But the black crow wasn’t the only bird in the cave that was angry.
Now that he was a bit further away from them, the birds began to
pluck up their courage. Although they were still afraid, they started
to complain and protest. “Why should we?” they said. They did not
want to give up their home. “This is our house,” they said. “It
belongs to all of us.”
Then suddenly one of the most courageous young birds flew at the
large crow and tried to chase him out. The crow was furious.“What
do you think you’re doing?” he said. “How dare you chase me away
from my cave? I’ll teach you a lesson you will never forget ...” And
the crow pecked the brave bird in the neck. The young birds
watched in horror as one of their own fell to the floor of the cave
with blood flowing from his neck. In no time, the bird was dead.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
The African black crow walked further into the cave, approaching
the nests of the nestlings that clung together for protection. When
some tried to escape, there was chaos in the cave. He wouldn’t let
them get away. He picked on them aggressively, pecking at them and
even breaking their wings. The smallest bird, who was hiding behind
some of the others, had a lucky escape.
The young birds were stunned into silence as they watched
helplessly while their friends were bullied. It seemed a very long time
before the nasty black crow had had enough of bullying. At last, he
decided to leave. The birds were greatly relieved when the black crow
eventually flew off in the direction of the sun that was journeying to
the hills in the west.
When the adult birds returned to their rocky cave after a successful
foraging expedition, they were surprised to find that their young,
who were stunned into silence, did not greet them loudly. There was
no rustling of their wings in eager anticipation of seeing their
parents and there was no chorus of voices.
“Something must have happened,” said the first adult bird to arrive
back at the cave. When the adults found one of their own lying dead
on the ledge and others injured, they were filled with grief.
“We thought we were safe in this cave, away from predators,” said
one of the birds.
“Who has done this terrible thing?” asked another.
“A large, terrible bird with shiny, black feathers and a strong beak!”
cried one of the youngsters.
Just then, the strong, dark shadow of the bird fell once again across
the entrance to the cave. It moved confidently, closer and closer
towards the birds.
A group of adult female birds was angry and flew at the African black
crow, but he was too clever and too fast for them; he remained just
beyond their reach. He marched out of their cave and flew on strong
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
wings towards the dry skeleton of a tree, circling it first before
coming to rest on one of its branches.
The next morning, as the last traces of night disappeared, the adult
birds watched in dismay as the African black crow foraged for food
at the foot of the hill that housed the cave. He aggressively ate
whatever he could find: grasshoppers, berries and fruit, which were
their food.
“We will have to leave the cave and find a safer place to live,”
suggested one of the birds. “We cannot let this continue.”
“Why can’t we just hide behind some of the rocks in our cave when
the black bird comes?” suggested another.
“He’ll just find us. You’ve seen what he can do!”
“Yes, he’s much, much stronger than us. We won’t be able to stay in
this cave any more. We’ll have to find another place to live.”
Suddenly, a little bird flew into the cave and, as if overhearing the
conversation of the adults, he singled out the smallest bird and said,
“You will be the one to kill the large black bird who is frightening all
of you.”
“Why don’t you do it?” asked the smallest bird weakly.
The smallest bird’s mother protested, “No one is strong enough to
take on the bird with the large feet and strong beak. He has terrorised
us all.”
“Don’t worry, I have a brilliant idea. I know exactly what you should
do,” the visitor replied. “Fly straight at his head and peck out his
eyes!”
The next morning, when the sun threw light onto the fields of sugar
cane and the pumpkin vines inched their way along the rich soil,
the large, black shadow appeared at the entrance to the cave.
“Kaah!” the crow screeched with authority. “I thought that the cave
would be empty by now. It belongs to me!”
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
“No, it does not,” said one of the adult birds. “We will not move
from here.”
The smallest bird took courage and, with all her might, she flew at
the head of the African black crow and pecked at his eyes.
Then a horde of adult birds flew at him as well and it wasn’t long
before the large, black bird keeled over onto the stony floor of the
cave.
“You have done a great thing, smallest bird,” said one of the adults.
“You have got rid of our enemy. Now we will be able to live in our
cave in peace and our young will no longer be in danger.”
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
Activities
A. Know the facts
1. Explain briefly why the birds are terrified of the crow.
2. Why do the birds not want to leave their cave?
B. Understanding the folktale
Climax: What do you think the climax of this folktale is?
Falling action: After the climax, the action slows down.
Explain how the falling action coincides (goes with) the
dénouement.
Themes: What have you learnt from this folktale? Write down
three themes that are dealt with in this story.
Rising action: The story becomes more and more tense as the
crow bullies the birds. Write down the following events in the
correct order:
1. The crow pecked the small bird in the neck and he died.
2. The crow noticed the smallest bird.
3. The crow became furious when the most courageous birds
tried to chase him out.
4. The crow came nearer and nearer.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
The Cat, the Dog and the Little Red
Hen by Eilis Dillon
This folktale links to the theme, “Round the campfire”, in the
Learner’s Book.
Pre-reading activities
1. Skim the story and look at the pictures. Do these animals
share the work of the house? If not, who does most of the
work? How do you know this?
2. What do you think the message of the story is? Explain how
you decided this and share your ideas with your partner.
Once a cat, a dog and a little red hen set up house together. They
agreed to share the work, but when the time came to sow the wheat
field, the cat stretched herself out in front of the fire and said she felt
ill, thinking to herself, “No one can tell how I feel and by the time I
get up from this warm spot, the wheat will have been sown.”
The dog said he would come to the wheat field soon and then he lay
in the sun, went to sleep and forgot all about it, except when he
turned over once and said to himself, “I wonder how they’re getting
on in the wheat field. It ought to be almost finished by now.”
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
The little red hen went out to the wheat field carrying the bag of
seed. She waited and waited for a long time, until the sun was high
in the sky.
“What could have happened to the cat and what could have
happened to the dog? Well, well, well, there’s only one thing to do:
I’ll do it myself,” said the little red hen.
So she planted the wheat field and went home in the evening, tired
out.
There the cat and the dog were waiting for their supper. The little red
hen was dead tired, but she cooked their supper and they all lay
down to sleep.
Time went on and the wheat grew big and tall. The grain ripened on
top of it and was cut and stacked, ready to be ground into flour. The
little red hen got out the quern-stone and placed it on the kitchen
floor and said, “Tomorrow we must grind the wheat to make flour.”
In the morning, the cat was nowhere to be found. She had gone out
early to hunt mice and birds, saying to herself, “No one will be able
to find me. I climb so high and run so fast. By the time I get home
in the evening, the wheat will all have been ground.”
The dog said that he had promised the farmer, who had cut the
wheat for them, that he would help in rounding up his sheep for
market. He went out early and ran along under the hedge until he
found a quiet place for a sleep. There he lay down, saying to himself,
“I’ll just take a little rest before helping with the quern. After all, the
stone can only be turned by one person at a time.”
Then he forgot all about it, except when he turned over once and
said to himself, “I wonder if they have done much grinding by now.
I needn’t go until it’s two-thirds done.”
The little red hen began to grind the wheat, turning the quern-stone
round and round by its handle, and she found it very tiring indeed.
When she had finished one third of the wheat, she waited for a
while to see if the cat would come to help her. When she did not,
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Folklore
the little red hen worked on until it was two-thirds done. Then she
waited for a while to see if the dog would come.
“What could have happened to them? Why haven’t they come to
help me grind the wheat? Well, well, well, there’s only one thing to
do: I’ll do it myself,” said the little red hen.
And she turned and turned the quern-stone until all the wheat was
ground into flour. Just as she finished, the cat and the dog appeared
and said, “Oh, you good little red hen! You have finished the
grinding just in time to get us our supper.”
The little red hen said nothing, but cooked supper for all of them
and they all lay down to sleep.
The next day, the little red hen heated up the oven and said, “Today
we must make lots of bread out of our new flour. We’ll make dozens
and dozens of wheat cakes that can be stored away for the winter.”
While her back was turned, the cat slipped out of the house and
went down to the river to look for a fish for her breakfast, thinking
to herself, “The hen is afraid of the water and the dog is too stupid
to know where to look for me. By the time I get back, all the baking
will have been done.”
The dog said he would go out and look for the cat, who must be
taught to do her share of the work like everyone else. He went off to
a wood five miles away where he knew the cat sometimes went
hunting. When he got there, he found that the run had tired him
and he lay down to rest, saying, “I’ll get back in time to stoke the
fire. After all, I’m not a good baker and that fire was good for a few
hours at least.”
Then he forgot all about it, except when he turned over once and
said to himself, “I must run back to the house soon and see how
things are going there, because it’s very important to have lots of
wheat cakes stored for the winter.”
The little red hen made wheat cakes and baked them in the oven
one by one, until she was exhausted.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
The sun had
gone up one
side of the sky
and down the
other and, in
the middle of
the afternoon
when the baking
was half done,
she stopped for
a short time to
rest, standing at
the door to see
if the dog or the
cat were coming.
“That’s very strange. I wonder why they haven’t come to help me
bake the bread? Well, well, well, it’s hard, hot work, but there’s only
one thing to be done: I’ll do it myself,” said the little red hen.
And she turned back wearily to the fire and went on with the
baking, until she had made a great pile of wheat cakes, enough to
last the whole winter through. When she had finished, she locked
the door, cooked her supper and went to sit quietly by the fire.
Soon afterwards, the dog and the cat came home and they were
astonished when they found the door shut against them.
“Open up, open up, you good little hen!” they called out. “Let us in
and cook us some supper!”
Without stirring from the fire, the little red hen asked, “And why
would I do that?”
“Because we agreed to share and share alike, because you always
cook our supper, and because you are such a good, generous, kindhearted, hardworking little hen.”
“That may be true, but I’m tired now; I’ve had my supper and I’m
not opening the door to anyone. First, I sowed the wheat and then I
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
ground it, and today I’ve spent the whole day making it into wheat
cakes for the winter. Neither of you came to help me do all that
work.”
“But the wheat cakes!” the cat and the dog cried out together. “You
have so many! What will you do with all of them?”
“I’ll eat them myself,” said the little red hen.
So the dog and the cat had to find another lodging.
Activities
A. Know the facts
1. Mention three tasks that the little red hen has to do all by
herself.
2. Name two excuses the dog makes to get himself out of
work.
3. Briefly describe the resolution of the story and say whether
you like the way the story ends. Give a reason for this.
B. Understanding the folktale
Ironic twist: The little red hen repeats four words throughout
the story that end up being changed slightly so that they have
an ironic twist. Quote these four words, show how they
change and explain the irony.
C. Speaking
When you do group work, do you sometimes find someone
who does absolutely nothing, but who wants to share in the
group’s final product? Discuss this in your group. How do
you get people to share the load? Are there any situations
where you think it is acceptable for a person to have a lighter
load? Why or why not?
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
Jabulani and the Lion
by Jennifer Gardner and
Gillian Leggat
This folktale links to the theme, “Targeted”, in the Learner’s Book.
Pre-reading activities
1. a) What does the title suggest might happen in the story?
b) What does it suggest about Jabulani’s character?
Share your ideas with your partner.
2. In the beginning of the story, we learn that Jabulani is a
brilliant stick-fighter. Do you think this skill is going to help
him? Why/why not?
Jabulani was in a very good mood. His cousin, Sipho, was visiting
him from the city and he was teaching him all about country ways.
That very morning, he had been showing him the skills of stickfighting. He had explained that to be a good stick-fighter, you have
to be incredibly agile: you have to practically dance on your feet,
jump aside to avoid blows and lunge forward with your stick poised
delicately between your fingers.
It wasn’t easy to be a good stick-fighter. It wasn’t easy at all. And
Jabulani was very good at this skill and proud of it. Some boys in the
village thought that he was the best stick-fighter around. They
thought he was better than the stick-fighters in any of the
neighbouring villages. He won plenty of stick-fighting competitions.
On this particular morning, however, Jabulani wasn’t going stickfighting. He decided, instead, to take his cousin for a very long walk.
He took his stick with him, though. He always did that. Sometimes
there were wild animals in the veld.
Jabulani walked over the veld towards the kraal. The sun was shining
and he was very happy. He whistled as he walked through the long
grass. Sipho, however, was not happy. He was puffing and panting.
He was not used to walking for a long time in the veld and he could
not keep up with Jabulani.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
“Where are we going?” he asked.
“I’m just showing you the countryside,” Jabulani replied.
“Can’t we go back now? My legs are sore and tired.”
“Shh,” said Jabulani. “Listen!” Suddenly he stopped and listened
himself. “Stay still! Don’t move!” he commanded Sipho.
Sipho couldn’t move. He was terrified.
Jabulani could hear a strange noise. He listened for a while. It
sounded like an animal. But which animal?
Quietly, he raised his stick and walked slowly towards the noise. The
noise was coming from a lion, which was caught in one of his
uncle’s lion traps. When Sipho saw the lion, he could suddenly move
again. He climbed the nearest tree as fast as his legs could carry him.
He stayed there for a very long time.
Jabulani crept closer to the trap to get a better look at the animal. He
heard a deep voice say, “Please set me free.”
Jabulani looked around him. “Who said that?” he asked.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
“I said that,” said the same deep voice. It was the lion!
Jabulani took two steps back and shook his head. “Oh no!” he said.
“I’m not letting you out of the trap. If I set you free, you will eat me!”
“Please,” begged the lion. “Set me free. I promise I will not eat you.”
“Are you sure you won’t eat me?” asked Jabulani.
“I promise!” said the lion.
So Jabulani lifted the heavy gate and the lion quickly jumped out.
The lion stretched and yawned. Jabulani saw his sharp, yellow teeth.
“Thank you,” he said. “And now, I am going to eat you.”
“Eat me? Eat me?” said Jabulani. “But you promised! You promised!”
“Ah, yes,” said the lion. “I did promise. But my hunger is bigger than
my promise. And I am very hungry.”
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
“No, lion!” Jabulani said bravely. “I think you must keep your
promise.”
“I don’t care what you think,” growled the lion.
Just then, a jackal came past. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“This lion was in a trap,” said Jabulani. “He said if I set him free, he
would not eat me. He promised. Now he wants to eat me. He says
that his hunger is bigger than his promise. I say a promise must be
kept. What do you think?”
“Well,” said the jackal, “that is difficult for me to say because I don’t
really understand what happened. Can you show me what
happened?”
Jabulani and the two animals walked back to the trap.
In the meanwhile, Sipho clung to a branch of the tree. He stayed as
quiet as a mouse. He was even careful to breathe softly. The lion and
the jackal must not see him.
“This is the trap,” Jabulani said. He pointed to the trap. “This is
where I freed the lion.”
The jackal said, “I’m not sure that I really understand. Lion, were
you inside the trap?”
“Yes,” said the lion crossly. “I was inside the trap.”
“Hmmm,” said the jackal. “Inside? But where? Can you show me?”
The lion was very angry now. “Jackal must be the stupidest animal I
have ever met!” he muttered. He climbed into the trap and stood
there with his tail angrily flicking from side to side.
“I still don’t really understand what happened,” said the jackal.
“What don’t you understand?” shouted the lion.
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WIP5005 • SOLUTIONS FOR ALL • ENGLISH HL GRADE SEVEN READER • TWELFTH POSITIVE PROOF • 15 MAY 2013
Folklore
“I don’t understand,” said the jackal slowly, “why you couldn’t get
out by yourself.”
“You fool!” roared the lion. “I couldn’t get out because the gate was
closed!”
“Closed?” said the jackal. “How? Can you show me?”
Jabulani quickly slammed the gate shut. “It was closed like this,” he
said.
“I see now how it happened,” said the jackal. He was smiling.
“Now let me out!” roared the lion.
Suddenly, Sipho found his voice. He called from the top of his tree.
“No, lion, you can stay in that trap forever!”
He climbed down from the tree. “Jabulani,” he said excitedly.
“You are very, very brave. You are my hero!”
Jabulani gave Sipho a big smile. “It’s thanks to the clever jackal that
we are both safe.”
Activities
A. Know the facts
1. Briefly describe the place where Jabulani lives and explain
why the place is important for the story.
2. Who is Jabulani’s cousin? Think of one word to describe
his character.
3. Who do you think is the cleverest person or animal in the
story? Explain why.
B. Understanding the folktale
Character: Who do you think is the hero in this story?
Explain why you think this.
Foreshadowing: Sometimes an author gives the reader some
clues that hint at what is going to happen. This is called
foreshadowing. Find two examples of foreshadowing in this
story and write them down.
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