Introduction
“It’s all these ‘gatherers’ and ‘sharers’, I reckon” Hob Hayward told Merry Brandybuck at the end of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Return of the King, when Merry asked why the Shire seemed to be short of food. “They do more gathering than sharing.” Not all collections of Aesop’s Fables include this little tale, but Hob Hayward would have appreciated it.
THE Wolves once selected one of their number to be their ruler. The Wolf that was chosen was a plausible, smooth-spoken rascal, and on a very early day he addressed an assembly of the Wolves as follows:
“One thing,” he said, “is of such vital importance, and will tend so much to our general welfare, that I cannot impress it too strongly upon your attention. Nothing cherishes true brotherly feeling and promotes the general good so much as the suppression of all selfishness. Let each one of you, then, share with any hungry brother who may be near whatever in hunting may fall to your lot.”
“Hear, hear!” cried an Ass, who listened to the speech; “and of course you yourself will begin with the fat Sheep that you hid yesterday in a corner of your lair.”*
* In the edition of de Furia (1809) the following moral is offered: ‘The myth shows that those who take it on themselves to pass laws, do not observe the laws that they pass or judge.’
Précis
A wolf becomes leader of his pack, and at once declares that as Selfishness is their common enemy, henceforth each wolf must share the spoils of the hunt with his neighbours. Suddenly the bray of a donkey is heard, inquiring whether the wolf will be sharing the large sheep he surreptitiously dragged into his lair only the day before. (59 / 60 words)
A wolf becomes leader of his pack, and at once declares that as Selfishness is their common enemy, henceforth each wolf must share the spoils of the hunt with his neighbours. Suddenly the bray of a donkey is heard, inquiring whether the wolf will be sharing the large sheep he surreptitiously dragged into his lair only the day before.
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, just, or, ought, unless.
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Word Games
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence. 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 Day. Hunt. Let.
2 Ass. Feeling. Numb.
3 Corner. Very. Welfare.
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.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Hide. 2. Let. 3. General. 4. Address. 5. May.
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.
btng (6)
abating. baiting. beating. biting. boating. booting.
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