AFTER hearing the evidence and weighing learned counsel’s arguments, the Rajah inclined, he said, to blame the cat for being too great a temptation to the dog.* But the Brahmin respectfully disagreed, for the fly and the honey had started it all.
“Eh? What fly? What honey?” asked the Rajah, surprised. So the Brahmin told the court all that he had seen. “Enough!” exclaimed the Rajah presently. “Our eyes are opened. The cat and the dog did only what nature dictated. But the flour-dealer and the quarrelsome old man, they should have known better. We cannot order cats and dogs not to fight; but we can order you not to fight like cats and dogs!” And he gave the flour-dealer and the quarrelsome old fellow a spell in jail to think about it.
The Rajah did not, of course, forget to summon the source of all the trouble, the one who called himself a Mischief-Maker, to explain himself. But it seemed nobody could find him.
The rulers of Shorapur were traditionally Hindus.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 If. Man. Refuse.
2 Drop. Incline. Seize.
3 Glide. Little. Order.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Old. 2 Heavenly. 3 Bare. 4 Orderly. 5 Faithless. 6 Whole. 7 Fat. 8 Powerful. 9 Enough.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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