Introduction
Marko the Rich and his daughter Anastasia enter into other Russian folk-tales, in which he is not necessarily as amiable as he is in this one. On this occasion, he goes to extreme lengths to sidle out of a negligible debt.
ONCE upon a time, a peasant gave a penny to a beggar in the street. Marko the Rich decided he would do the same, but borrowed his penny from the peasant on the plea that he had no small change. ‘Come to my house tomorrow,’ he said, ‘and I will repay you’.
The peasant called round several times, but Marko never had a penny to spare. At last, Marko whispered to his wife, ‘Tell him I’m dead’, and stretched himself out under a white sheet.
The peasant was most sympathetic. He said a prayer for Marko’s soul, and it was no trouble to him to cleanse the ‘corpse’ in scalding hot water, according to custom, while tactfully ignoring its stifled cries and writhing limbs. Then he helped the grieving widow pick out a coffin, and settled himself comfortably in the local church to keep vigil beside it.
Précis
A wealthy man named Marko cadged a penny from a peasant to give alms to a beggar, promising to repay the loan next day. To avoid his debt, he and his wife pretended he was dead, but the sly peasant insisted on cleansing Marko’s body painfully in hot water, and staying beside the coffin all night. (56 / 60 words)
A wealthy man named Marko cadged a penny from a peasant to give alms to a beggar, promising to repay the loan next day. To avoid his debt, he and his wife pretended he was dead, but the sly peasant insisted on cleansing Marko’s body painfully in hot water, and staying beside the coffin all night.
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, if, may, otherwise, ought, since, unless, until.
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.
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