The Little Pear Girl

1. The Little Pear Girl Lesson: Objective 2 (5.12) (I) recognize and analyze story plot, setting and problem resolution Grade: 5

2. Introduction • Two unusual and delightful stories, full of enchantment and make believe are today’s fare. • The lesson will teach you to recognize and analyze story plot, setting, and problem resolution. 2

3. The Little Pear Girl • Once upon a time, in Spain, there lived a poor peasant who worked hard to make a living from his land. Every year his pear tree produced four basketfuls of fruit. These had to be given to the greedy king; this was a rule that nobody dared to break. In this way, the king grew rich at the expense of the poor. • One year, the pear harvest went bad and the peasant was able to • pick only three and a half baskets of fruit. The poor man was beside • himself with fear, for the king refused to take anything less than • four basketfuls, and the peasant would be cruelly punished. He sat • and wondered what to do. • All he could do was put his youngest daughter into one of the • baskets and cover her with a layer of pears, so that the basket • looked full. The king's servants took away the four baskets without • even checking or noticing the trick, and the little girl found herself • all alone in the pantry, under the pears. 3

4. The Little Pear Girl • She remained there till the cook went into the pantry and discovered her. Nobody could understand where on earth she had come from. Not knowing what to do with her, it was decided she should become a maid in the palace. • The people in the palace. called her Violetta, for her eyes reminded them of the color of violets. Violetta was a pretty girl, sweet and generous. One day, as she was watering the flowers in the royal gardens, she met the king's son, a youth of her own age, and the two became friends. • The other maids were jealous of Violetta's beauty and of the affection and goodwill many people in the palace felt for the girl. They also did not like the friendship she shared with many. They did everything they could to get her into trouble, by spreading nasty rumors about her. The king got to hear such rumors and became very angry for he believed them. Also, his greed got the better of him. 4

5. The Little Pear Girl • One day, the king sent for her and said severely: "I'm told you boast of being able to steal the witch’s treasure trove. Is that true?” • Poor Violetta was shocked beyond her wits and could only stammer, “No, that is not true.” • The king refused to believe her and drove her out of his kingdom. • “You may return only when you have laid hands on the treasure," he • said. Violetta was dismayed and her fondest friends, including the • prince, were sorry to hear of the king's decision. But nobody could do anything to stop her going. It was the king’s orders. • 9. The girl wandered through the forest and, when she came to a pear • tree, she climbed into its branches and fell asleep. She was • awakened at dawn by an old woman calling her: "What are you • doing up there, all by yourself?" Violetta told the old woman her • tale. She offered to help the little girl, gave her some round loaves, • a little oil and some good advice. Violetta wondered how these would help, thanked her and set off again. 5

6. The Little Pear Girl 10. She reached a clearing and there stood the witch's castle. All of a sudden, two huge hungry mastiffs blocked her path. Violetta threw them the loaves. Satisfied, the dogs ate them and let her pass. Then she came to the bank of a river in flood. Remembering the old woman's advice, she sang: “Clear sparkling river, Let me cross over.” 11. The minute her song wafted into the air, the water stopped flowing. Violetta thus crossed the river and at last reached the witch’s enchanted castle. The door was unlocked, but Violetta could not push it open for the hinges were rusted. So she rubbed on a little oil and the door swung open. The little girl walked through the empty halls till she came to a splendid room in which lay a magnificent coffer full of jewels. 12. Holding the coffer under her arm, Violetta made for the door, but the coffer, being enchanted, cried out: “Door! Don't let her out!" 6

7. The Little Pear Girl 13. However, the door did open, for Violetta had oiled the door hinges. She went out, and crossed the river and made her way back to the palace. The prince was happy to see her. 14. The greedy king was also happy to get the treasures. Violetta married the prince and brought her family to the king’s palace. They all began a new and happy life. 7

8. Check Your Understanding • What was the problem the poor peasant faced one year? • a. he had four daughters to bring up and marry off • b. he had three and a half basketfuls of fruit • c. the king’s soldiers trampled all over his land and took away all his • farm produce • d. there was no crop at all 8

9. Check Your Understanding • How did the farmer try to solve his problem? • a. he stole some fruit from his neighbor’s farm • b. he tried to borrow some money to buy extra fruit • c. he told his wife to stuff up the fourth basket with leaves to make it • look full • d. he put his youngest daughter in the basket, and covered her with • fruit to make it look full 9

10. Check Your Understanding • The three and a half basketfuls of fruit became a big problem for the poor peasant because: ……………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………. ………. • (a) the quality of the fruit was bad and the king would complain / (b) the quantity of the fruit was less and the peasant was scared to break the rule. 10

11. Check Your Understanding • 4. When Violetta was first discovered in the pantry, how was she dealt with? • a. she was assigned work as a maid • b. she was told to work as a cook • c. she had to do all the gardening • d. she had to do four baskets of laundry, mending, and darning daily 11

12. Check Your Understanding • Violetta faced problems in the king’s palace, because she: • (choose more than one) • a. was very pretty and the prince liked her • b. was sweet and generous • c. was an extremely good singer • d. generated a lot of affection and goodwill 12

13. Check Your Understanding • How did the other jealous maids create a problem for Violetta? • a. they burned or spoiled the food served, so she was blamed • b. they spread nasty rumors about her, which made the king angry • c. they stole the king’s jewels and the king accused her • d. they broke all the flowers in the king’s garden and made it look • like her fault 13

14. Check Your Understanding • On her way to the witch’s castle, Violetta met with some problems. • The problems are all mixed up below. Put them in their order as they appeared. • a. the door would not open • b. the river was in flood • c. there were two mastiffs blocking her path 14

15. Check Your Understanding • Match the correct solutions to Violetta’s problems. • A B • problems solutions • a. two huge mastiffs blocked i. she threw oil in their faces • her path ii. she threw them the loaves • b. the river was in flood i. she sang a song to the river • ii. she waded across the river • c. the hinges of the door i. she rubbed the hinges with • were rusted the soft loaves of bread • ii. she rubbed the hinges with • oil 15

16. Check Your Understanding • 9. Where does the story start and where does it end? • A B • story starts in: story ends in: • a. the king’s pantry i. the witch’s castle • b. a poor peasant’s house ii. clearing near the river • c. the king’s garden iii. the king’s palace • d. a forest iv. an old woman’s garden • full of pear trees 16

17. Feature # 2 – Animals go to School • One fine day, the animals were lazing around a waterhole when they heard a loud “ding, ding, ding” sound. It was coming from a village school near their jungle. • “Wouldn’t it be nice if we went to school too?” asked the hippopotamus lazily. All the animals suddenly looked very excited. • “Why not?” cried Mother Lioness. “I’ve heard education is a good thing. Human mothers are always saying so to their young ones.” • 3. The animals made an orderly line and went off to school. First in line was the mighty lion. He was followed by the wily fox, the big brown bear, and Jumbo the elephant.  Then came the monkeys, the wise owl and the alligator. The spotted deer, the long necked giraffe and the black and white striped zebras also joined them. What a sight that was! In a neat straight line, each followed the other till they reached the school. 17

18. Feature # 2 – Animals go to School • The lion wanted to ask the permission of the headmaster to enter the premises. He thought that it was a polite thing to do. But what came out was a mighty roar that frightened all the students and the teachers. They quickly ran away leaving the poor headmaster alone to teach the animals their lessons. • Shaking with fright, he stood in one corner of the classroom, as the lion entered majestically and sat on the chair in front of him. The bear also wanted to take a seat but alas it broke under his weight and so he had to sit on the floor. The alligator occupied the whole front area right under the blackboard. • The monkeys swung from the fans and tube lights. The wise owl flew in from the window. He perched on a stack of books on the desk and quickly fell asleep. It was day time you see, and he had spent the entire night hunting for mice and rats. Elephant got stuck at the door and had to be happy with just his trunk attending the class. 18

19. Feature # 2 – Animals go to School • The poor giraffe tried to enter but could not get in. His neck was too long. So he stood out with his neck in. Atleast he could see and hear the lessons that way! Meanwhile in the classroom, the headmaster opened a book. The monkeys felt that ABCs were boring so they decided to have fun instead. They pelted each other with chalks, books and ink pots and the whole class was a mess. • The alligator also lost interest and eyed the headmaster hungrily. “Is it lunch time, already?” He wondered. He yawned broadly and when the headmaster saw its sharp, pointy teeth, he jumped into a cupboard and quickly closed the door. The alligator chomped down the book but did not find it tasty. • Alas! With no furniture, books or headmaster to instruct the pupils, the school was over and the animals went back to the jungle without learning their ABCs. They thought it was infinitely better to laze around their cool waterhole under the golden sun. Who wants to stay in a class the whole day? 19

20. Check Your Understanding 10. Whose idea was it to go to school? a. Mother Lioness b. the lazy hippopotamus c. the brown bear d. the wise old owl 20

21. Check Your Understanding 11. Though the animals made a neat, straight, and orderly line, and the lion tried to politely ask for permission to enter the classroom, it created a problem. Discuss what the problem was. 21

22. Check Your Understanding 12. Given below are some of the problems certain animals faced. Can you say which animal had the problem? a. this one promptly went to sleep on a pile of books b. this one could not fit through the doorway c. they were bored so they started throwing things all around d. he thought it was lunchtime, so he ate up the book 22

23. Check Your Understanding 13. Certain animals had problems. Match the problems with their solutions. A B animal problems solutions a. the chair broke under the i. so he had to stand with bear’s weight his body in and neck out b. the alligator lost all ii. so he stood half in and interest and yawned half out c. the elephant could not fit iii. so he exposed all his through the doorway long pointy teeth d. giraffe’s neck was too long iv. so he sat on the floor 23

24. Check Your Understanding 14. Majority of the animals faced problems in the school because of their: a. cheeky behavior b. size, and / or weight c. eating habits d. lazy habits 24

25. Check Your Understanding 15. How did the school end for the animals? a. the animals enjoyed the classroom experience b. the animals were thrilled to learn their alphabets c. there was no furniture, books or headmaster to instruct the pupils and the classroom was a mess d. the animals became very friendly with the other students 25

26. Summary • You must have enjoyed reading the two short stories today. • By answering the questions at the end, you have learned to recognize and analyze story plot, setting, and problem resolution. 26

27. Great job today!