Introduction
In about 658, Abbot Eata sent Cuthbert from Melrose Abbey away south to Ripon, to be the guest-master in a new monastery there. It was while he was at Ripon that Cuthbert had a remarkable experience which left him trembling with excitement and fear.
EARLY one snowy morning, Cuthbert found a footsore and travel-stained visitor resting in the monastery guesthouse. The monk treated his raw hands and feet, and invited him to breakfast. The wanderer said his home was a long way off, and he must go; but waving aside his protestations Cuthbert dashed to the kitchens and soon returned with freshly-baked bread, only to find the guesthouse empty.
That puzzled him mightily. Snow had fallen overnight and the only footprints were his own. He shrugged the mystery off, however, and was just leaving the little guesthouse when he noticed a delicious aroma, with a hint of honey. It proved to be rising from three loaves of hot, white bread, set by the door.
His first thought was that if he could make bread like that, he would call himself a baker. His second, with a thrill, was that only the guest who made no footprints could have left them — and that he had been entertaining an angel unawares.*
See Hebrews 13:3 - ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’
Précis
Sometime around 658, Cuthbert was guest-master at a monastery in Ripon when a traveller called. Cuthbert pressed breakfast on him, but while he out of the room his guest vanished without trace, despite fresh snow on the ground. Cuthbert later discovered three loaves of incomparably fine, tasty bread in the refectory, and concluded that his visitor had been an angel. (60 / 60 words)
Sometime around 658, Cuthbert was guest-master at a monastery in Ripon when a traveller called. Cuthbert pressed breakfast on him, but while he out of the room his guest vanished without trace, despite fresh snow on the ground. Cuthbert later discovered three loaves of incomparably fine, tasty bread in the refectory, and concluded that his visitor had been an angel.
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, although, besides, just, may, not, until, whereas.
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 Angel. Hot. If.
2 Mystery. Soon. Unawares.
3 Baker. Foot. Rise.
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.
cld (8)
clad. clod. cloud. clued. coiled. cold. cooled. could.
You are welcome to share your creativity with me, or ask for help with any of the exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
See more at Email Support.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
