the same rock-as they go down the pirate realizes his ship wrecked on the same rock-
wishes he had left the bell alone.
13. Rich nobleman gives a grand feast-many guests-his steward tells him a fisherman has
brought a fine fish-nobleman tells him to pay him his price-steward says his price is a
hundred lashes--nobleman thinks this a merry jest-sends for fisherman-fisherman
confirms steward's report – nobleman agrees – fisherman quietly receives fifty lashes -
then
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stops-says, he has;i partner to whom he promised half the price-“Who is he ?”-
nobleman's porter-“Why ?”-porter refused to let him in if he did not agree-porter brought
in and given the other fifty lashes- guests enjoy joke-nobleman rewards fisherman.
14. Ali, a barber in Baghdad-Hassan, a wood-seller-Hassan brings AH load of wood on a
donkey-they bargain about the price-at last Ali offers so much for “all the wood on the
donkey's back”-Hassan agrees- unloads the wood-Ali claims donkey's wooden saddles-
Hassan protests-quarrel-Ali seizes saddle and drives Hassan away with blows- Hassan
appeals to Khalif-Khalif gives him advice-some days later Hassan goes to Ali's shop-asks
Ali to shave him and a friend for so much-Ali agrees-shaves Has san first-"Where is your
friend?"-"Outside"-Hassan fetches in his donkey-Ali refuses to shave donkey- drives
Hassan away-Hassan reports to Khalif-Khalif sends for Ali- forces him to fulfill his
bargain-Ali has to shave Hassan's friend, the donkey, before all the courtiers-great
laughter, and shame for Ali.
CHAPTER 35
REPRODUCTION OF A STORY-POEM
What you have to do in these exercises,, is to tell in your own words the story which is
told in a poem. The first thing, then, is to read the poem as a story, so that you know what
the story is; and the next is, to tell the same story over again in your own words and your
own way.
HINTS
1. Read the whole poem through, slowly and carefully. If after the first reading, the story
is not quite clear, read the poem again, and yet again, until you feel you understand it
thoroughly.
2. Write down briefly the chief facts of the story, in order to guide you in your narration.
Do not leave out any important point.
3. Now try to write out the story in simple, straightforward English, telling the incidents
of the story in their natural order.
4. Do not copy the language of the poem. You must use your own words in telling the
story. But do not try to use the fine language; be simple and choose plain words.
5. When you have finished the exercise, read it through to see whether you have left out
any important fact, or have stated any wrongly.
6. Finally, examine your composition for mistakes in spelling, grammar and punctuation.
And see that your sentences are properly constructed, and that the whole composition
reads well.
SPECIMENS
1. Tell concisely in the form and style appropriate to a prose-narrative the story of the
following poem:-
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THE GLOVE AND THE LIONS
King Francis was a hearty king, and loved a royal sport;
And one day, as his lions strove, sat looking on the court;
The nobles filled the benches round, the ladies by their side,
And 'mongst them Count de Lorge, with one he hoped to make his bride.
And truly 'twas a gallant thing, to see the crowning show.
Valour and love, and a king above, and the royal beasts below.
Ramped and roared the lions, with horrid laughing jaws;
They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, and went with their paws;
With wallowing might and stifled roar they rolled one on another,
Till all the pit, with sand and mane was in a thund'rous smother;
The bloody foam above the bars came whizzing through the air;
Said Francis then, “Good gentlemen, we're better here than there!”
De Lorge's love overheard the king, a beauteous lively dame,
With smiling lips, and sharp bright eyes, which always seemed the same;
She thought, “The Count, my lover, is as brave as brave can be;
“He surely would do desperate things to show his love of me !
“King, ladies, lovers all look on; the chance is wondrous fine;
"I'll drop my glove to prove his love; great glory will be mine !"
She dropped her glove to prove his love; then looked on him and smiled;
He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild;
The leap was quick; return was quick; he soon regained his place-
Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady's face !
"Well done!" cried Francis, "bravely done!" and he rose from where he sat:
"No love,” quoth he, "but vanity, sets love a task like that !"
REPRODUCTION THE GLOVE AND THE LIONS
King Francis was a great lover of all kinds of sport; and one day he and his courtiers,
noblemen and ladies, sat watching wild savage lions fighting each other in the enclosure
below. Amongst the courtiers sat Count de Lorge beside a beautiful and lively lady of
noble birth whom he loved and hoped to marry. The lions roared, and bit and tore each
other with savage fury, until the king said to his courtiers, "Gentlemen, we are better up
here than down there !"
The lady, hearing him, thought she would show the king and his court how devoted her
lover was to her : so she dropped her glove down among the fighting lions, and then
looked at Count de Lorge and smiled at him. He bowed to her, and leaped down among
the savage lions without hesitation, recovered the glove, and climbed back to his place in
a few moments. Then he threw the glove right in the lady's face.
King Francis cried out. "Well and bravely done ! But it was not love that made you lady
set you such a dangerous thing to do. but her vanity !'"
2. Tell the story of Leigh Hunt's "Plate of Gold" in five short paragraphs:-
THE PLATE OF GOLD
One day there fell in great Benares' temple-court
A wondrous plate of gold, whereon these words were writ;
“To him who loveth best, a gift from Heaven.”
There at
The priests made proclamation : “At the midday hour, Each day, let those assemble who
for virtue deem Their right to heaven's gift the best; and we will hear The deeds of mercy
done, and so adjudge.”
The news
Ran swift as light, and soon from every quarter came
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Nobles and munshis, hermits, scholars, holy men, And all renowned for gracious or for
splendid deeds. Meanwhile the priests in solemn council sat and heard What each had
done to merit best the gift of Heaven. So for a year the claimants came and went.
At last,
After a patient weighing of the worth of all, The priests bestowed the plate of gold on one
who seemed The largest lover of the race-whose whole estate. Within the year, had been
parted among the poor. This man. all trembling with his joy. advanced to take The golden
plate-when lo! at his first finger touch It changed to basest lead ! All stood aghast: but
when The hapless claimant dropt it clanging on the floor, Heaven's guerdon was again
transformed to shining gold. So for another twelve month sat the priests and judged,
Thrice they awarded-thrice did Heaven refuse the gift. Meanwhile a host of poor, maimed
beggars in the street Lay all about the temple gate, in hope to move That love whereby
each claimant hoped to win the gift. And well for them it was (if gold be charity), For
every pilgrim to the temple gate praised God. That love might thus approve itself before
the test. And so the coins rained freely in the outstretched hands; But none of those who
gave, so much as turned to look Into the poor sad eyes of them that begged.
And now
The second year had almost passed, but still the plate Of gold, by whomsoever touched,
was turned to lead. At length there came a simple peasant-not aware Of that strange
contest for the gift of God-to pay A vow within the temple. As he passed along The line
of shrivelled beggars, all his soul was moved Within him to sweet pity, and the tears
welled up And trembled in his eyes.
Now by the temple gate
There lay a poor, sore creature, blind, and shunned by all; But when the peasant came,
and saw the sightless face And trembling, maimed hands, he could not pass, but knelt,
And took both palms in his, and softly said; "O thou, My brother ! bear the trouble
bravely. God is good." Then he arose and walked straightway across the court, And
entered where they wrangled of their deeds of love Before the priests.
A while he listened sadly; then
Had turned away; but something moved the priest who held The plate of gold to beckon
to the peasant. So He came, not understanding, and obeyed, and stretched His hand and
took the sacred vessel. Lo ! it shone With thrice its former lustre, and amazed them all !
"Son", cried the priest, "rejoice. The gift of God is thine. Thou lovest best !" And all
made answer, "It is well." And, one by one, departed. But the peasant knelt And prayed,
bowing his head above the golden plate; While o'er his soul like morning streamed the
love of God.
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REPRODUCTION
THE PLATE OF GOLD
One day a wonderful plate made of gold fell from Heaven into the court of a temple at
Benares; and on the plate these words were inscribed; "A gift from Heaven to him who
loves best." The priests at once made a proclamation that every day at twelve o'clock, all
who would like to claim the plate should assemble at the temple, to have their kind deeds
judged.
Every day for a whole year all kinds of holy men, hermits, scholars and nobles came, and
related to the priests their deeds of charity, and the priests in solemn council heard their
claims. At last they decided that the one who seemed to be the greatest lover of mankind
was a rich man who had that very year given all his wealth to the poor. So they gave him
the plate of gold, but when he took it in his hand, it turned to worthless, lead; though,
when he dropped it in his amazement on to the floor, it became gold again.
For another year claimants came; and the priests awarded the prize three times. But the
same thing happened, showing that Heaven did not consider these men worthy of the gift.
Meanwhile a large number of beggars came and lay about the temple gate, hoping that
the claimants who came would give them alms to prove they were worthy of the golden
plate. It was a good time for the beggars, because the pilgrims gave them plenty of
money; but they gave them no sympathy, nor even a look of pity.
At last a simple peasant, who had heard nothing about the plate of gold, came; and he
was so touched by the sight of the miserable beggars, that he wept; and when, he saw a
poor blind and maimed wretch at the temple gate, he knelt at his side and took his
maimed hands in his and comforted him with kind words. When this peasant came to the
temple, he was shocked to find it full of men boasting of their kind deeds and quarrelling
with the priest. One priest, who held the golden plate in his hand, seeing the peasant
standing there, beckoned to him; and the peasant came, and knowing nothing about the
plate, took it in his hands. At once it shone out with three times its former splendour, and
the priests said : "Son, the gift is yours : for you love best."
Exercise 134
1. Tell in your own words the story of Leigh Hunt's "Abou Ben Adherri," What is the
moral of the legend? [Wren's "Lotus Book of English Verse", No. 128. Wren's "Story
Poems", No. 20.].
2. Imagine yourself to be King Bruce, and tell the story of "King'Bruceand the Spider"
["Lotus", No. 5. "Story Poems", No. 10]
3. Tell the story of "Bishop Hatto" in a letter to friend ["Lotus", No. 59. "Story Poems",
No. 37]
4. Tell at length the story told in Campbell's "Adelgitha," supplying details left out by the
poet. ["Story Poems" No. 62]
5. Tell in your own words the story of "The Blind Men and the Elephant" as told by J.G.
Saxe. ["Lotus", No. 16. "Story Poems", No. 1.]
6. Tell the story of Southey's "Inchcape Rock" in your own words. ["Lotus". No. 60
"Story Poems", No. 9]
7. Tell the story of "Androcles and the Lion", as related by Androcles. ["Story Poems",
No. 14.]
8. Tell the story of Browning's "Incident of the French Camp" in your own words.
["Lotus". No. 108. "Story Poems", No. 21.]
9. Relate in a few plain sentences the bare facts narrated in W. R. Spencer's "Beth
Gelert". ["Lotus". No. 51. "Story Poems", No. 36.]
10. Rewrite the story of "The Fisherman and the Porter", as told by the fisherman. ["Story
Poems", No. 39.]
11. Tell the story of Leigh Hunt's "Mahmoud", using the dialogue form for the
conversational parts. ["Lotus", No. 61. "Story Poems", No. 41]
12. Put yourself in the place of Ibrahim, and tell the story told in Lowell's “Yussouf”
from his point of view [“Lotus”, No. 62 “Story Poems”,No. 42]
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13. Tell the story narrated in Trench's "Harmosan," as told by a member of the Caliph's
retinue. ['"Lotus", Nr 53. "'Story Poems", No. 43.]
14. Read the poem "John Maynard". _nd then describe in your own words the heroism of
John Maynard. ["Story Poems", No. 55]
15. Imagine yourself to be the country mouse; then tell the story of "The Town and the
Country Mouse". ["Story Poems," No. 57]
16. The two poems, Campbell's "Earl March" and Scott's "Maid of Neidpath", are two
versions of the same incident. Read both these poems and then tell in simple language the
one story which both relate. ["Story Poems', No. 94 and 95.]
17. Tell in your own words the story of Thackeray's "Canute and the Tide". ["Lotus", No.
18. "Story Poems". No. 64.1
18. Tell in your own words the beautiful legend related in W. Bruce's poem "The
Stranger". ["Story Poems", No. 81.]
19. Relate in your own words, the Talmudic legend about Solomon and the Bees as
narrated in verse by J.G. Saxe. ("Lotus", No. 64, "Story Poems", No. 89.]
20. Relate in simple language and in the form of a dialogue the incidenttold in J.
Merrick's "Chameleon". ["Lotus", No. 17. "Story Poems". No. 77.]
21. Tell the story of Hay's "Enchanted Shirt" in your words. ["Lotus", No. 8. "Story
Poems", No. 65.]
22. Tell in your own words the story of the jester who, condemned to death, saved, his
life by his wits. |"Story Poems" No. 72.]
23. Read Lowell's "Dara" : then relate in four paragraphs (a) the early life and rise of
Dara : (b) the jealousy which his rise excited; (c) the incident of the chest and id) trie
clearing of the suspicion about his integrity. ["Lotus", No. 66. Story Poems". No. 66.
CHAPTER 36
LETTER-WRITING
Every educated person should know how to write a clear and readable letter. Everyone
has sometimes to write bussiness letters of some sort, and may have to face the problem
of writing an important letter that will vitally affect his interests in life. The art of letter-
writing is, therefore, no mere ornamental accomplishment, but something that every
educated person must acquire for practical reasons.
I. THE FORM OF LETTERS
Letters are messages, and certain letter-forms have been established by experience and
custom as the most useful forms learned and used by every letter-writer, for neglect of
them is a sign of ignorance and carelessness.
There are several different kinds of letters (such as friendly letters, business letters, etc.)
each of which has its own particular form; but there are certain matters of form which
apply to all, and these may be explained first.
In all kinds of letters there are six points of form to be attended to, namely:-
1. The Heading consisting of (a) the writer's address and (b) the date.
2. The courteous Greeting or Salutation.
3. The Communication or Message-The body of the letter.
4. The subscription, or couteous Leave – talking, or conclusion.
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5. The Signature.
6. The Superscription en the envelope.
1. The HEADING:- This informs the reader where you wrote the letter, and when. The
where, (which should be the writer's full postal address) gives the address to which the
reader may reply; and the when is for reference, as it gives him the date on which you
wrote.
The position of the heading is the top right-hand corner of the first page-the address
above and the date just below it. The heading and the date may alternatively go on the
left.
24 Poorvi Marg
New Delhi 110 057
10 October 2001
The date may be written in any of the following ways:
4 June 2001
4th June 2001
June 4, 2001
4-6-2001 -- To a British person this means the fourth of
4.6.2001 -- June; to an American it is the sixth of April.
4/6/2001 -- (Americans put the month before the day.)
2. SALUTATION or Greeting. The form of Greeting will depend upon the relation in
which you stand to the person to whom you are writing.
To members of your family, for example, it will be-
Dear Father, My dear Mother, Dear Uncle, Dear Hari, etc.
To friends, it will be-
Dear Shri Desai, or Dear Desai, or Dear Ramchandra, etc.
To business people, it will be-
Dear Sir, Dear Sirs, etc.
[Full examples will be given for each kind of letter later.]
Note:- The use of the term Dear is purely formal, and is a mere polite expression, not
necessarily implying any special affection.
The position of the Salutation is at the left-hand of the first page, at a lower level than the
Heading.
3. The COMMUNICATION or Body of the letter:- This is, of course, the letter itself, and
the style in which it is written will depend upon the kind of letter you wish to write. The
style of a letter to anintimate friend will be very different from that of a purely business
letter or an official communication. But a few hints that apply to all letters are given
below.
(a) Divide your letter (unless it is very short) into paragraphs, to mark changes of
Subject-matter, etc.
(b) Use simple and direct language and short sentences. Do not try to be eloquent, and
drag in long words, just because they are long words. Be clear about what you want to
say, and say it as directly as possible.
(c) Try to be complete. It is a sign of slovenly thinking when you have to add postscripts
at the end of a letter. Think out what you want to say before you begin to write; and put
down your points in some: logical order.
(d) Write neatly. Remember that your correspondent has to read what you write, and do
not give him unnecessary trouble with bad penmenship and slovenly writing.
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(e) Mind your punctuation, and put in commas and semicolons and full stops in their
proper places. Incorrect punctuation may alter the whole meaning of a sentence.
4. The SUBSCRIPTION or courteous Leave-taking:- A letter must not end abruptly,
simply with the writer's name. This would look rude. So certain forms of polite leave-
taking are prescribed. Such as:-
Yours sincerely, Your sincere friend, Yours faithfully, etc.
[Different leave-taking forms are used in different kinds of letters, and these will be given
under their proper heads.]
The subscription, or Leave-taking phrase, must be written below the last words of the
letter, and to the right side of the page. This is the traditional method. Note that today
there is a growing tendency to place the subscription on the left side.
Note:- The first word of the Subscription must begin with a capital letter; e.g.,
Sincerely yours
5. The SIGNATURE or name of the writer:- This must come below the Subscription.
Thus :
Yours sincerely,
K.R. Deshpande
In letters to strangers, the signature should be clearly written, so that the reader may
know whom to address in reply.
A woman should prefix to the name Miss or Mrs (or: Kumari or Smt) in brackets. Ms can
be used by a woman who does not wish to be called Miss or Mrs.
Yours faithfully,
(Mrs.) J.L. Desai
6. The address on the envelope (or postcard): The address on the envelope or postcard
should be written clearly, like this:
Postage Stamp
MrB.N.Joshi
96 Hill Road
Bandra
Mumbai 400050
To sum up:-
In writing a letter, first write your address and under it the date in the top right-hand
corner of the first page. You may alternatively write them on the left.
Then write the Salutation {e.g., Dear Shri Desai,) lower down at the left side of the page,
beginning with a capital and putting a comma after it.
Next begin your letter (with a capital letter) on the next lower line, to the right of the
salutation.
At the end of the letter write the Subscription, or words of leave-taking (e.g., Yours
sincerely), at the right/left side of the page, with your signature below it.
For Example:-
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16 North Usman Road
Chennai 600 017
4 October 2001
Dear Sir,
I shall be much obliged if you send me as soon as possible the books which I ordered a
week ago.
Yours faithfully,
Abdul Ghani |
II. CLASSIFICATION OF LETTERS
Letters may be classified according to their different purposes. Thus :
(1) Social Letters, including Friendly Letters and Notes of Invitations.
(2) Business Letters; including Letters of Application, Letters to government officers and
Letters to Newspapers.
These have different characteristics which must be considered.
I. Social Letters
1. FRIENDLY LETTERS
Letters to relations and intimate friends should be written in an easy, conversational style.
They are really of the nature of friendly chat; and, being as a rule unpremeditated and
spontaneous compositions, they are informal and free-and-easy as compared with essays.
Just as in friendly talk, so in friendly letters, we can touch on many subjects and in any
order we like; and we can use colloquial expressions which would in formal essays be
quite out of place. But this does not mean that we can be careless and slovenly in dashing
off our letters, for it is insulting to ask a friend to decipher a badly-written, ill-composed
and confused scrawl; so we must take some care and preserve some order in expressing
our thoughts. Above all, it must be remembered that, however free-and- easy may be our
style, we are just as much bound by the rules of spelling, punctuation, grammar and
idiom in writing a letter as we are in writing the most formal essay. Such ungrammatical
expressions as “an advice” “those sort of things” and "he met my brother and I," are no
more permissible in a friendly letter than in a literary article. Mistakes in spelling,
punctuation and grammar at once stamp a letter-writer as uneducated.
Forms of address:- In friendly letters to relations and intimate friends, the proper form of
address is the name (without title) of the person to whom you are writing, prefixed by
such qualifying terms as Dear, My dear, Dearest, etc. For example:-
Dear Father or Mother, Dear Brother, Dearest Sister, Dear Edward, My dear Abdul, etc.
But if you are writing to an ordinary friend who is much older than you are, or of superior
rank, it is respectful to use a prefix like Mr. Mrs. Shri. etc. e.g. Dear Mr Krishna Rao.
(N.B.-Students writing)
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friendly letters to their teachers or professors, should always address them thus).
The forms of subscription are varied. The following can be used in letters to relatives and
near friends:- Yours affectionately, Your affectionate (or loving) son, or brother or friend,
Yours very sincerely (to friends); or you can use some such form as this:-
With love and best wishes,
From your affectionate friend,
Ahmad Hassan |
In concluding letters to friends or acquaintances whom you address as "Shri or Mr " (e.g.,
My Dear Shri Durga Prasad) you should use the word sincerely or very sincerely, in the
subscription; and this may be preceded by With kind (or very kind or kindest) regards.
Thus:-
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Chaman Lal
(N.B:- Sincerely should not be used in letters beginning with the formal Dear Sir, after
which the proper word of subscription is faithfully or truly.)
[To your uncle on his 70th birthday]
18 Patel Road
Mumbai 400014
24 Sept. 2001
My dear Uncle,
I have just remembered that it is your birthday on Saturday and so I must send you a
birthday letter at once And I begin with the old greeting, Many happy returns of the day !
I hope the day itself will be peaceful and happy for you and. that you will be spared in
happiness and health to us all for years yet. You have always been a kind and generous
uncle to me, and I take this opportunity of thanking you from the bottom of my heart for
all you have done for me. And I know all your nieces and other nephews feel the same.
I was so glad to hear from father that you are still hale and hearty, and can take your four-
mile walk every day, and still play a good set of tennis.
I am sending you a book which I think you will like. You were always a great reader, and
I am glad that your eyesight remains as good as ever-so father says.
I am getting on well in my business and hope to enlarge it considerably before the end of
the year.
With love and best wishes,
Your loving nephew,
Sohrab
[From a boy in a boarding-school to his mother, telling her that he dislikes the
life of a boarder.]
St. Dominic's
Pune 411 002
24th October 2001
Dearest Mother,
I was so glad to get your letter yesterday. Thank you so much! I read it just after morning
school; but it made me feel very homesick. It seems years since I left home thought it is
really only about a month. It seems a month. It seems ages to the Christmas holidays,
when
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I shall be able to come home. It was much nicer when I was at the day-school, and came
home every afternoon.
I do hate being a boarder. I am in a big dormitory, with about twenty other boys. Some of
them are all right; but the bigger boys are always playing nasty jokes on us smaller ones;
and we daren't say anything, or we should get a most awful licking. The master comes
round to see all lights out, but all the larking goes on after he has gone; so he knows
nothing about it. And I don't like the masters. They simply make you work all day, and
cane you for every fault. Most of the boys are horrid; but 1 like two or three.
Please ask Dad to put me into a day-school again. I should be much happier there.
With Love,
From your loving
Tommy
[The mother's reply]
Hill-top House
Matheran
26th October, 2001
My dear Tommy,
Thank you for your letter. But I am sorry you are so unhappy at St. Dominic's. I don't
wonder you feel rather homesick, for it is the first time you have been away from home;
and I, too, often want you home again, my child. But you know, we can't always have
what we want in life. If I were selfish, I would keep you always at home, for I don't like
any of my children to be away; but then how would you ever get your education and
grow up to be a man able to manage your own life ? Your father thinks that a few years at
a boarding-school is necessary for all boys, to make men of them; and he knows best.
So my dear boy, you must be brave and stick to your school. I am sure you will soon get
to like it, as other boys do. Don't mind the jokes boys play on you, and if you do, don't
letthem know you do. When they see you don't mind, they will soon get tired of teasing
you. So cheer up ! and be a brave laddie.
With much love,
From your loving
Mother
Exercise 135
Write a short letter:-
1. To your cousin, requesting the loan of a camera during your holidays.
2. From a boy in a boarding-school to his mother who is keeping poor health.
