2
Teachers’ Guide and Analysis Keys
for
The Third “Ideal” KISS Grammar Book
Unit 13 – A Play: Aesop’s “The Hare and the Tortoise”
This unit contains Stevenson’s dramatic version plus two prose versions of the fable and Herford’s poetic version. At this point in the year, I suggest that the students at least read (and discuss?) all four versions. The extent to which the students do the grammatical analysis is, of course, up to the teachers. I’m curious about the writing assignment.
Unit 13 – A Play: Aesop’s “The Hare and the Tortoise” 1
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE 2
Ex. 1 - A KISS Grammar Passage for Analysis 2
Ex. 2 -- Part Two 3
Ex. 3 – Rhys’ “The Hare and the Tortoise” 3
Ex. 4 – Detmold’s “The Hare and The Tortoise” 5
Ex. 5 – Herford’s THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE 8
Ex. 6 - Writing Assignments for “The Hare and the Tortoise” 10
For more information about the KISS Grammar “Ideal” books, go to:
http://kissgrammar.org/Ideal_Sequence/index.html
© Ed Vavra 12/16/2016
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE
Have the students read aloud and/or perform “The Hare and the Tortoise” from Augusta Stevenson’s Children’s Classics in Dramatic Form. In the process, have the students analyze the text (in the exercise below). Most students may find that they can identify the function of almost all of the words.
Ex. 1 - A KISS Grammar Passage for Analysis
This is Stevenson’s dramatic version. It is broken into two parts so that you can assign just half—or all of it. (Do one part in class and the other as homework?) Remember to focus the students’ attention on how much of this play, taken word for word from the original book, they can already explain.
THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE
Part One
[The Hare walks in slowly, and sits {under a tree}. | The Birds are singing {above him}. |]
Hare. It is too warm (PA)! | *You* Sing me (DO) {to sleep}, birds [DirA]. | *You* Please sing me (DO) {to sleep}. |
Birds. Tweet, tweet! Tweet, tweet, tweet! Tweet, tweet!
[The Tortoise creeps in. |]
Hare. Where are you going, tortoise [DirA]? |
Tortoise. I am out {for a walk}, sir [DirA]. |
Hare. Why do you not go out {for a run}? |
Birds. Ha, ha, ha!
Hare. How would you like to race [#1] {with me}? |
Tortoise. I will race {with you}, sir [DirA]. |
Birds. Ha, ha, ha, ha!
Ex. 2 -- Part Two
Hare. We will race {to that field} {over there}. | *You* Come now. | Are you ready (PA)? |
Tortoise. I am. | *You* Please count {for us}, birdies [DirA]. |
Birds. One—two—three— Go!
[The Hare runs. | The Tortoise creeps. | The Hare soon reaches a tree (DO) and stops. |]
Hare. It is so warm (PA)! | I will take a little nap (DO) here. | I can easily get {to the field} first. |
[He sits, and is soon asleep. | Soon the Tortoise creeps {by him}. | The Tortoise creeps on and on. | The Birds follow quietly. | The Tortoise reaches the field (DO). |]
Tortoise. I am {at the field}! | I am at the field!
Birds. Tweet, tweet! Tweet, tweet, tweet!
[The Hare wakes and jumps up. |]
Tortoise. I have won the race (DO), friend [#2] hare [DirA]! |
Hare. Well—well—well!
Birds. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Notes
1. Technically, “to run” is a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct object of “like,” but at this level students may simply underline the whole thing as the verb phrase.
2. This “friend” can be processed either as an adjective to “hare,” or as a separate instance of Direct Address.
Ex. 3 – Rhys’ “The Hare and the Tortoise”
An interesting thing about this one is that the speaker tags are in parentheses—parenthetical expressions. This, I would suggest, supports the KISS view that such tags are interjections. In each case, the direct object of “says” is the entire sentence in which the tags are embedded. I’ve included the original and its analysis key.
The Hare and the Tortoise (AK of Adapted)
A Hare jeered {at a Tortoise} {for the slowness} {of his pace}. | But the Tortoise laughed and said [DO that he would run {against her} and beat her (DO) any day [NuA] ]. | “*You* Come on,” (said the Hare), | “you shall soon see [DO what [#1] my feet are made (P) of].” | They agreed to start [#2] {at once}. | The Tortoise jogged along, {without a moment’s stopping}, {at his usual steady pace}. | The Hare treated the whole matter (DO) very lightly. | She would first take a little nap (DO) (she said), | and she should soon overtake the Tortoise (DO). | Meanwhile the Tortoise plodded on, | but the Hare overslept and arrived {at the goal} late. | The Tortoise had got in {before her}. |
Slow and steady wins the race (DO). |
Notes
1. This “what” functions both as a subordinating conjunction and as the object of the preposition “of.” Tell the students that they are expected to be confused by it—they haven’t studied it yet.
2. From first graders, I’d accept “agreed to start” as the verb phrase. Technically, “to start” is a verbal (infinitive) that functions as the direct object of “agreed.”
The Hare and the Tortoise (Original)
A Hare jeered at a Tortoise for the slowness of his pace. But he laughed and said, that he would run against her and beat her any day she would name. “Come on,” said the Hare, “you shall soon see what my feet are made of.” So it was agreed that they should start at once. The Tortoise went off jogging along, without a moment’s stopping, at his usual steady pace. The Hare, treating the whole matter very lightly, said she would first take a little nap, and that she should soon overtake the Tortoise. Meanwhile the Tortoise plodded on, and the Hare oversleeping herself, arrived at the goal, only to see that the Tortoise had got in before her.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Rhys, Ernest. Ed. (AK of the original)
A Hare jeered {at a Tortoise} {for the slowness} {of his pace}. | But he [#1] laughed and said, [DO that he would run {against her} and beat her (DO) any day [NuA] [Adj. to “day” she would name]]. | “*You* Come on,” [ [#2] said the Hare] , | “you shall soon see [DO what [#3] my feet are made (P) of.]” | So it was agreed (P) [ [#4] that they should start {at once}]. | The Tortoise went off jogging [#5] along, {without a moment’s stopping}, {at his usual steady pace}. | The Hare, treating the whole matter [#6] very lightly, said [DO she would first take a little nap (DO)], and [DO that she should soon overtake the Tortoise (DO)]. | Meanwhile the Tortoise plodded on, | and the Hare oversleeping herself [#7], arrived {at the goal}, only to see [#8] [DO that the Tortoise had got in {before her}]. |
Slow and steady wins the race (DO). |
Notes
1. Note how easy it is to interpret this “he” as the Hare and not the Tortoise.
2. KISS considers this “said” clause as an interjection. See Exercise 3 in KISS Level 3.2.3.
3. This “what” functions both as a subordinating conjunction and as the object of the preposition “of.”
4. This “that” clause functions as a Delayed Sentence—“That they should start at once was agreed.” See KISS Level 5.6 - Delayed Subjects and Sentences.
5. “Jogging” can be explained both as a gerundive that modifies “Tortoise” and/or as a gerund the functions as a Noun Used as an Adverb.
6. “Matter” is the direct object of the gerundive “treating.” “Treating” modifies “Hare.”
7. “Herself” is the direct object of the gerundive “oversleeping.” The gerundive phrase modifies “Hare.”
8. “To see” is an infinitive that functions as an adverb (of result) to “arrived.”
Ex. 4 – Detmold’s “The Hare and The Tortoise”
I have included the original and its analysis key so you can see how it was adapted. You may want to read the original to your students.
(Adapted for first grade) AK
WHAT a Dull Heavy Creature (says a Hare) is this same Tortoise (PN) [#1] ! | And yet (says the Tortoise) I’ll run {with you} {for a wager}. | The Hare agreed, | and the Fox, {by consent}, was the Judge (PN). | They started together, | and the Tortoise kept jogging, [Adv. to “kept jogging” until he came {to the end} {of the course}]. | The Hare lay down about midway [NuA], and took a nap (DO). | I can (says he) catch up {with the Tortoise} [Adv. to “can catch up” when I please]. | He over-slept. | He awoke and scudded away as fast [Adv. to the previous “as” as he could]. | But the Tortoise got {to the post} {before him}, and won the wager (DO). |
The Moral
Up and be Doing is a good idea (PN). | Action is the business (PN) {of life}. | We will never come {to the end} {of our journey} {in time}, [Adv. (condition) to “never” if we sleep {by the way}]. |
Note
1. Optionally, “Creature” could be considered the predicate noun, and “Tortoise,” the subject.
Detmold, Edward. “The Hare and the Tortoise” (original)
From Edward Detmold’s The Fables of Aesop. London; New York: Hodder & Stoughton, 1909.
WHAT a Dull Heavy Creature (says a Hare) is This same Tortoise! And yet (says the Tortoise) I'll run with you for a Wager. ’Twas Done and Done, and the Fox, by Consent, was to be the Judg. They started together, and the Tortoise kept Jogging on still, ’till he came to the End of the Course. The Hare lay’d himself down about Midway, and took a Nap; for, says he, I can fetch up the Tortoise when I please: But he Over-slept himself it seems, for when he came to wake, though he scudded away as fast as ’twas possible, the Tortoise got to the Post before him, and Won the Wager.
The Moral
Up and be Doing, is an Edifying Text; for Action is the Business of Life, and there’s no Thought of ever coming to the End of our Journey in time, if we sleep by the Way.
Detmold, Edward. The Hare and the Tortoise (Original—AK)
WHAT a Dull Heavy Creature (says a Hare) is This same Tortoise (PN) [#1] ! | And yet (says the Tortoise) I'll run {with you} {for a Wager}. | ’Twas Done (PA) and Done (PA) [#2], | and the Fox, {by Consent}, was *going* to be [#3] the Judg (PN). | They started together, | and the Tortoise kept Jogging on still, [Adv. (time) to “kept Jogging” ’till he came {to the End} {of the Course}]. | The Hare lay’d himself (DO) down about Midway [NuA], and took a Nap (DO) ; | for [#4] , says he, I can fetch up the Tortoise (DO) [Adv. to “can fetch up” when I please]: | But he Over-slept himself (DO) [ [#5] it seems], [[#4] for [Adv. (time) to “got” when he came to wake], [Adv. (concession) to “got” though he scudded away as fast [Adv. (degree) to the previous “as” as ’twas possible (PA) ]], the Tortoise got {to the Post} {before him}, and Won the Wager (DO) ]. |
The Moral
Up and be Doing, is an Edifying Text (PN); | for Action is the Business (PN) {of Life}, | and there’s no Thought (PN) {of ever coming} {to the End} {of our Journey} {in time}, [Adv. (condition) to “no” if we sleep {by the Way}]. |
Notes
1. Optionally, “Creature” could be considered the predicate noun, and “Tortoise,” the subject.
2. “Done” is a gerundive that can be viewed here as functioning as a predicate adjective. Alternatively, “done” can be seen as part of a passive finite verb phrase. See Exercise # 2 in KISS Level 5.7.
3. For more on this, see Exercise # 8 in KISS Level 5.7.
4. For more on this, see KISS Level 3.2.2 - "So" and "For" as Conjunctions.
5. As with the speaker tags, KISS views this “it seems” as an interjection. See Exercise 2 in KISS Level 3.2.3.
Ex. 5 – Herford’s THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE
I’ve included this in the First Grade book for students to read and discuss (as a poem) in relation to the other versions of “The Hare and the Tortoise” that they will be reading. The analysis key is FYI.
A HARE one day [NuA] a Tortoise (DO) chaffed
{On her slow gait}. | The Tortoise laughed. |
“’Tis true (PA) [ [#1] I’m slowest (PA) {of the slow} [#2] ]
And [ [#1] you’re the fastest thing (PN) [Adj. to “thing” I know]]; |
Yet {notwithstanding your swift pace} [#3],”
[ [#4] Said she,] “I’ll beat you (DO) {in a race}.” |
The Hare consented, half [NuA] {in jest},
To put the matter [#5] {to the test}, |
And off they started. | {Like a flash},
Half [NuA] {round the course} {in one swift dash},
Bounded the Hare; [#6] then, feeling sure [#7]
[DO That victory was now secure],
Sat down to rest [#8] — and fell asleep. |
Meanwhile his Rival, creep [NuA], creep [NuA], creep [NuA],
Came slowly on, caught up, and passed. |
Creep-creep [NuA], creep-creep [NuA], [ [#9] until {at last}
The Hare awaking [#10], rubbed his eyes (DO)
And saw, {to his intense surprise},
[DO (of “saw”) The Tortoise, faithful [#11] {to her boast},
Was waiting {at the winning-post}]]. |
Notes
1. These two clauses function as Delayed Subjects to the “It” in “’Tis.” See KISS Level 5.6 - Delayed Subjects and Sentences.
2. As these notes will suggest, the syntax of poetry raises many questions. In this case, I’ve marked “slowest” as a predicate adjective (which makes “of the slow” an adverb). Given the metrical constraints of poetry, however, we could assume an ellipsed “the.” A “the” before an adjective often makes the adjective a noun. From that perspective, “of the slow” would function as an adjective.
3. I’ve never seen “notwithstanding” on a list of prepositions, but my guess is that by the time they get to analyzing this poem, most students will clearly see that it functions as a preposition.
4. KISS explains this clause as an interjection. See KISS Level 3.2.3 - Interjection? Or Direct Object?