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Cuthbert and the Otters

An inquisitive monk spied on a guest’s night-time walks.

AD 661

Anglo-Saxon Britain 410-1066

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© Tony Hisgett, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0.

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Cuthbert and the Otters

© Tony Hisgett, Wikimedia Commons. Licence: CC-BY-SA 2.0. Source
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An otter in the New Forest near Southampton, on England’s south coast. Cuthbert spent his life in the Kingdom of Northumbria up in the North East. After growing up near Melrose in the Scottish Borders, he entered a monastery in Ripon before moving back to Melrose and the Abbey there in about 655. Some ten years later he made the short trip east to become Abbot of the Monastery on the island of Lindisfarne, just off the mainland, and was elected Bishop of Lindisfarne in 684. Cuthbert remained closely bonded with nature all his life, especially the innumerable birds of his retreat on the smaller Inner Farne.

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Episode 1 of 29 in the Series Miracles of St Cuthbert

Introduction

Coldingham (today just across the Scottish border) was at one time home to a monastery for men and women. The Abbess was Ebbe, who as it happens was also a princess – a real historical fact. She invited Cuthbert to stay there for a few days.

IT was Cuthbert’s habit to walk alone down to the seashore after dark. Intrigued, one of the monks followed him at a discreet distance, hoping to see what it was that Cuthbert did at dead of night.

From his hiding place he watched Cuthbert wade out into the slate-black sea until the waters reached his neck, and then begin to sing psalms, a performance which he kept up until dawn.*

The monk was still watching when back on the sands, Cuthbert became absorbed in prayer again. Suddenly, two otters scampered over to him and chafed his feet, numb with North Sea cold, and dried them with their fur. Cuthbert gave them his affectionate blessing, and they made off back to their homes.

The monk-spy could barely collect sufficient wits to find his way back to the monastery. Next morning, after confessing the whole story to Cuthbert, he promised to tell no one until after Cuthbert’s death.

Next Cuthbert and the White Rider
Based on ‘The Life of St Cuthbert’, by St Bede of Jarrow (?672-735).

Down on the south coast, pagan communities regarded the sea as the realm of Wotan (Odin), god of death, and dared not even fish in it. See St Wilfrid and the Fishers of Men. Cuthbert’s night-time vigil would have appeared to them an act of reckless defiance, and the service of the otters supreme wizardry.

Précis

A young monk followed St Cuthbert to see what he did down on the beach at night. He watched the saint pray in the sea until dawn. Then, to the spy’s astonishment, two otters suddenly ran out to Cuthbert, warmed and dried his feet with their fur, and after receiving his blessing, scampered off again. (55 / 60 words)

A young monk followed St Cuthbert to see what he did down on the beach at night. He watched the saint pray in the sea until dawn. Then, to the spy’s astonishment, two otters suddenly ran out to Cuthbert, warmed and dried his feet with their fur, and after receiving his blessing, scampered off again.

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Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, because, besides, despite, not, otherwise, ought.

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Word Games

Sevens Based on this passage

Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.

Who first told the tale of what happened that night?

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.

Cuthbert made night-time visits to the beach. A monk was curious. He followed him down.

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 Fur. Hide. Water.

2 Again. Cold. Next.

3 Alone. Chafe. Promise.

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.)

Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak

Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.

sps (10+3)

See Words

espouse. saps. seeps. sips. soaps. soups. spas. spies. spouse. sups.

asps. espies. sops.

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