Introduction
Originally, this story was about a weasel, an animal which the ancient Greeks kept for pest control in the way we keep cats. Modern Greek versions of this story make it a story about a cat, as did Victorian storyteller Joseph Jacobs.
ONCE there was a cat who fell in love with a handsome young man, and was tormented by her love, for which she could find no relief. So she called upon the goddess Aphrodite, begging her to turn her into a woman.
Aphrodite felt sorry for the lovesick cat, and did indeed turn her into a very lovely young woman. Naturally, the young man immediately fell in love with her, and they were soon married.
Aphrodite, however, was curious to know just how deep the transformation went, so in the middle of the wedding breakfast the goddess let loose a mouse among the guests.
The lovely bride spied it, and quick as a flash dived after the mouse, pounced on it, and caught it. When the goddess saw that, she instantly turned the blushing bride back into a cat.
And the moral of that is, that however much you change your appearance, your character will reveal who you are.
Précis
A cat that had fallen in love with her owner was allowed by Aphrodite to take the form of a beautiful woman. But to satisfy her curiosity, the goddess let a mouse go at the wedding breakfast. When the bride chased after it, Aphrodite concluded she was right: it is our actions that reveal who we really are. (58 / 60 words)
A cat that had fallen in love with her owner was allowed by Aphrodite to take the form of a beautiful woman. But to satisfy her curiosity, the goddess let a mouse go at the wedding breakfast. When the bride chased after it, Aphrodite concluded she was right: it is our actions that reveal who we really are.
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: about, because, despite, if, may, must, or, 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 Bride. Could. Fall.
2 Back. No. She.
3 Catch. Felt. Know.
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.
gld (9+2)
gaoled. gild. glad. glade. glide. glued. gold. guild. ogled.
geld. gelid.
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