Introduction
A shieling is a temporary stone hut, built for the summer months when sheep or cattle are taken to higher ground. Bede tells us that a near-contemporary, the seventh-century saint Cuthbert, once had a remarkable experience in one of these huts, as he was journeying across the empty moorland of Northumbria.
AT ten o’clock one morning, Cuthbert stopped off in a village, hoping to find something for his horse to eat; as it was a Friday and Cuthbert liked to fast until three, he declined all offers of food himself, though he had no idea when he might eat again.
He returned to the road until night fell around four (it was the beginning of winter). A derelict shieling out on the moors provided some shelter,* and his horse at once started tugging away at the remaining thatch. Cuthbert contented himself with psalms.
Presently, he noticed something tumble down with the straw: a little cloth bundle. Inside, he found half a loaf of bread, still hot, and some slices of meat. Cuthbert gave half the bread to his horse, and ate the rest himself.
It put him in mind, he later told Ingwald at the monastery in Monkwearmouth, of Elijah, who was fed by ravens;* and Ingwald told Bede, who recorded it all for posterity.
A shieling (see picture) is a traditional hut in remote parts of Scotland and northern England, built by shepherds and cowherds for the summer months and then abandoned. The word may also be used for the pasture land where the sheep or cattle live.
See 1 Kings 17:2-6. At the time when the miracle took place, Cuthbert had decided to become a monk but had not actually joined a monastery.
Précis
Bede heard this miracle-story from the person to whom Cuthbert himself told it. On a journey through Northumbria, Cuthbert maintained his regular Friday fast when he could reasonably have broken it. That night, sheltering in a derelict hut in the middle of nowhere, he saw half a loaf, hot as if straight from the oven, fall from the roof. (59 / 60 words)
Bede heard this miracle-story from the person to whom Cuthbert himself told it. On a journey through Northumbria, Cuthbert maintained his regular Friday fast when he could reasonably have broken it. That night, sheltering in a derelict hut in the middle of nowhere, he saw half a loaf, hot as if straight from the oven, fall from the roof.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, besides, despite, or, ought, since, whether.
Archive
Word Games
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 Content. Idea. Return.
2 Night. Notice. Winter.
3 Fast. Psalm. Remain.
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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