Types of Prose Narratives: A Text-Book for the Story WriterFansler, Harriott Ely
General
Types of Prose Narratives: A Text-Book for the Story Writer
Fansler, Harriott Ely
English prose literature; Storytelling
All that Gertrude's children knew, they knew so thoroughly that they
were able to teach it to the younger ones; and this they often begged
permission to do. On this day, while the visitors were present, Jones
sat with each arm around the neck of a smaller child, and made the
little ones pronounce the syllables of the A-B-C book after him; while
Lizzie placed herself with her wheel between two of the others, and
while all three spun, taught them the words of a hymn with the utmost
patience.
When the guests took their departure, they told Gertrude they would
come again on the morrow. "Why?" she returned. "You will only see the
same thing over again." But Glulphi said: "That is the best praise you
could possibly give yourself." Gertrude blushed at this compliment, and
stood confused when the gentlemen kindly pressed her hand in taking
leave.
The three could not sufficiently admire what they had seen at the
mason's house, and Glulphi was so overcome by the powerful impression
made upon him, that he longed to be alone and seek counsel of his own
thoughts. He hastened to his room, and as he crossed the threshold,
the words broke from his lips: "I must be schoolmaster in Bonnal!" All
night visions of Gertrude's schoolroom floated through his mind, and he
only fell asleep toward morning. Before his eyes were fairly open, he
murmured: "I will be schoolmaster!"--and hastened to Arner to acquaint
him with his resolution.
--Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi.
"Leonard and Gertrude" (D. C. Heath & Co.).
=Lawin-Lawinan=
In the beautiful town of Santa Maria, children were very fond of
playing many curious games. Not a single day or moonlight evening could
pass without one's seeing some children playing along the wide streets.
One bright evening in the month of July, after the angelus bell rang,
Mapacla, in company with some playmates, went to Zandoval Street, where
many children were romping. When they reached the place, they agreed
to play _Lawin-lawinan_. Mapacla was chosen by all to be the _sisiw_
(chicken), and a playmate, Malacas by name, to be the _lawin_ (hawk).
The chicken and the hawk were the principal characters of the game. The
rest of the children formed a circle: each one with outstretched arms
held the hand of the one next him till the circle was formed. The space
between each two children was called the door, the owners of which
were the children by whom it was formed. The chicken stood inside the
circle, and the hawk stood outside.
The game was then begun. The hawk went to the first door, asking, "What
door is this?"
"To your honorable stomach," answered the owner of the door.
"And this?" asked the hawk, after approaching another door.
"To your long throat," answered the owner.
The hawk repeated the same question, as he went around from door to
door, till he reached the last one.
"Have you anything to sell me?" asked the hawk of the door owner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account