School and Fairy Tales

So, the Hopkins family have finally decided to take grammar this year... Hurrah! From me down to Tirzah. .. so that would be four of us.  So today we were going about it, and our assignment was to write five different sentences and point out the different nouns, verbs, helping & linking verbs, etc.  Duncan exaggerated his a little more than the rest of us... He spent most of the after noon turning his grammar sentences into a fairy tale.  School can be fun - it just takes a little imagination.  When he was finished writing it, he came to read it to me.  I will insert all his facial expressions, which may be recognized in this style.

St. Duncan and the Dragon

Once upon a time, in a large Empire called Zeiphrose, there lived a knight named Sir Duncan the Valiant.  He was a stout-hearted fellow, very strong and brave, but kind and gentle. large sarcastic grin One day, as Duncan was riding on his jet-black horse, he came to an unknown part of the forest. It was very dark, dead, silent, and cold.  There was no road now, just a narrow path.  Duncan dismounted his horse and walked for a little while.  He soon came to a clearing and saw, about 500 paces in front of him, a large hill, or small mountain, with a very enormous doorway with iron doors.  Duncan mounted his horse, preparing for a quick retreat in case of danger, and slowly inched forward.  Then, he heard a roar of some sort from within the mountain.  Duncan and his horse, both startled, fled for what they thought to be their lives.  

One week after the even had happened, the Emperor's daughter Lady Àndrèa, disappeared. large grin A large number of loyal men and knights went seeking for her, never to return to their lovely homes, beautiful wives, and loving children.  

One day, Sir Duncan mounted his horse, armed with a great sword, spear, and dagger.  He rode to the place he had been that previous week.  When he arrived, he immediately dismounted his horse and let it free.  But it only stood at a safe distance and waited.  The iron doors were wide opened, and Sir Duncan entered.  Once inside, the doors shut, and bolted of themselves. There was a huge hallway lined with diamonds and rubies, but the temptation was not of great deal to him, for something else caught his eye.  laughs knowingly The hallway was 30 paces long, where it ended in a huge room full of treasure.  He ran to the end of the hall, and on top of the mountain of treasure, tied up, was the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. nods and grins Duncan ran to her, but halfway up he was interrupted by the most hideous monster he had ever seen.  He had a body of a bear, four legs and two arms like a human, the talons of a hawk, the tail of a cobra, and one head like a tiger's, with seven hideous eyes, and another like a wolf's, with eighteen eyes. Duncan threw the spear and pierced it in one of the legs, and a screeching roar came from it, and he rolled down the mound of treasure, not killed, but wounded.  He cut the bonds that held the Lady Àndrèa, and they began to run, but the monster had recovered and it picked up Duncan and threw him against the wall, leaving him unconscious.  The Emperor's daughter, who was still running, stopped and went to Duncan's side and drew his sword, and slew the hideous beast in one blow. bursts out laughing Sir Duncan soon woke, and returned Àndrèa to the Emperor.  For a reward, the Emperor allowed Sir Duncan wed his daughter beloved daughter, lady Àndrèa, and they had lots of children and lived happily ever after. biggest grin ever

THE END.

Posted by Ruby and Duncan