Talking about the past

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Talking about the past

Published by: Nuru

Published date: 18 Jan 2022

Talking about the past in Grade 9 English, reference notes

Talking about the past:

The Trick of the Fox 

Once upon a time, there was a tall peepal tree on the outskirts of a small village. On this tree, a couple of dove had been living for years. At the bottom of the tree, there also lived a big black snake in a deep hole. Every time the female dove laid eggs, the snake crept up the tree and ate the eggs or the young ones. As a result, the doves were never able to raise their chicks. This made them very sad. They didn’t know how to get rid of the snake. After thinking about the problem seriously, they decided to meet their intimate friend, a clever fox. Then, they went to meet their friend. When the fox saw them, she greeted and welcomed them to her house. The doves were very sad. So, she inquired, “Hello dear friends! You two seem to be very sad. What’s the matter?”

The root cause of our problem is a black snake. He is after us. He eats up our eggs and the young ones. Please help us get rid of this snake,” said the female dove to the fox. The fox too was shocked to hear this sad story. She promised to help the doves. She thought for a few minutes and then laid out a plan before the doves. “Listen carefully”, said the fox, “you know where Rajita the richest lady of this town lives. You’ve also seen her taking a swim in her private swimming pool. You know, while swimming, she always removes all her ornaments and keeps them on a tray by the side of the pool.

While she is busy taking her bath, you two swoop down upon the tray and pick up a diamond necklace from it. Drop it into the serpent’s hole. The security guards of the woman will come chasing you. After finding the ornament in the serpent’s hole, they will first chase the serpent away to save themselves being bitten and then will take the necklace out of the hole. Thus, the serpent will be chased away and you, too, will be saved from it.” It was a very good idea. The doves liked it. They flew to Rajita’s home where they saw her taking a swim in a swimming pool. As told by the fox, she had removed her ornaments and kept them in a tray. The doves swooped down upon the tray, picked up an expensive diamond necklace from it and flew towards the snake’s hole. The guards ran after the doves brandishing their sticks. 

They chased the doves and soon reached that big peepal tree, where the big black snake lived. They found the diamond necklace, lying inside the serpent’s hole. Afraid of the snake, they first chased the snake away from the hole. Then, they took out the ornaments and returned home. The snake never returned there. The doves thanked the fox for her help and lived happily in the peepal tree thereafter.

Moral of the story: Intelligence always leads to the solution of problems