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A Cock and Horses
‘Two Horses and Chickens in a Stable’ by Wouterus Verschuur (1812-1874).
‘Two Horses and Chickens in a Stable’ by Dutch artist Wouterus Verschuur (1812-1874). Sir Roger drew the moral that it is dangerous to keep company with people who are not our equals. Another might be, if the self-righteous cockerel didn’t like the stable, then instead of expecting the horses to tiptoe around him he was welcome to try the barn yard.
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‘Two Horses and Chickens in a Stable’ by Dutch artist Wouterus Verschuur (1812-1874). Sir Roger drew the moral that it is dangerous to keep company with people who are not our equals. Another might be, if the self-righteous cockerel didn’t like the stable, then instead of expecting the horses to tiptoe around him he was welcome to try the barn yard.
Introduction
The following Aesop-like fable comes from the trend-setting collection by Roger L’Estrange (1616-1704), who told it with such bracing energy it seems only right to let him tell it again. A cockerel calls for compromise, but it’s all on one side.
A COCK was got into a Stable, and there was he Nestling in the Straw among the Horses; and still as the Fit took ’em they’d be Stamping and Flinging, and laying about ’em with their Heels. So the Cock very gravely Admonish’d them; Pray, my Good Friends, let us have a Care, says he, that we don’t Tread upon One Another.*
For Sir Roger’s own lengthy Moral and Reflection, see ‘Fables, of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists, with Morals and Reflections’ (3rd edn, 1669), Fable CCCCXXXIX (439), p. 412.
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
A cockerel took up residence in a stable, but found to his discomfort that the horses went on behaving clumsily as horses do. Fearing for his safety, he asked them to be careful where they put their feet, and earnestly promised to do the same — though it was hardly a fair exchange. (52 / 60 words)
A cockerel took up residence in a stable, but found to his discomfort that the horses went on behaving clumsily as horses do. Fearing for his safety, he asked them to be careful where they put their feet, and earnestly promised to do the same — though it was hardly a fair exchange.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 45 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, besides, if, may, whereas, whether, who.
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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 Fling. Get. My.
2 Heel. Lay. Nestle.
3 He. Lie. Upon.
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.)
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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Grok : Ask Grok
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