The Pearl Diver

(extract) by Julia Johnson

Already he could swim like a fish, and he had been secretly practising holding his breath and slowly blowing out a stream of bubbles under the water. He wanted his father to be proud of him! It was said that Abdullah was one of the best divers. Saeed had heard the stories of how long his father could stay under the water, of how many oysters he could harvest, and of how deep he could dive. Only one man in twenty, it was said, could go deeper than sixteen fathoms. Saeed knew that the Nakhuda was happy to have his father on board because it increased his chances of finding a really special pearl. Those found in deeper water were supposed to have a finer lustre. The crew, too, would rejoice in a valuable catch, for they would receive a share of the profits. “But aren’t you ever afraid, Father?” Saeed had asked. “You must learn the ways of the sea, my son, and know its secrets, “Abdullah had replied. Saeed had wondered what he meant. “And I have Ahmed to look out for me,” he added, “he is a good hauler and I trust him as if he were my brother.”

Every diver had a hauler, and Saeed knew that the relationship between them was a very close one. The diver depended on his hauler to pull him from the sea as fast as possible when he tugged on the rope to let him know that he was ready to surface.

Saeed turned now to see the men raising the huge white sails. The wind filled them, and the sambuk gathered speed. All around him other boats flew over the sea. Saeed thought they looked like a great flock of big white birds. And in their wake dolphins leapt and dived. This was a sign of good fortune. Saeed felt happy.

Week 1

Features to improve narrative text:

powerful verbs

vivid adjectives

adverbs

similes

metaphors

different length sentences

specific vocabulary

Week 1

The Rat and the Ship’s Captain:

A dialogue poem from Bahrain, Arabian Gulf

by Atiyya bin Ali

translated and adapted by Clive Holes

Captain:‘ Listen here, and gather round, I want to have chat;

I’ve got a big complaint to make about a bloomin’ rat.

I’d like to hear your views as well, go on, don’t mince your words!

This rat, he thinks he owns my boat – half, or p’raps two-thirds!

He’s been a pain, oh yes he has, to me all summer long,

Can’t someone in this town of ours please put to rights his wrong?”

‘Just look at how he leaps about, a Labrador in size!’

(‘Good day, my man!’ the fat Rat said. The Captain nearly cried!)

‘How many sailor’s logs and books have your teeth ripped to bits?

You’re heading for a nasty end, you’ve only half your wits!

This sailing boat belongs to me, not you, you lump of dirt!

Your ugly mug’s not welcome here, you nasty little squirt!

My sailors hate the things you do, you only bring them grief,

Why, half their food is gobbled up by your great big front teeth!’

Rat:‘ I left a ruined house one day and seawards made my way,

I saw your boat parked on the shore, right near the ocean’s spray.

So in that boat I made my home, though no one came to chat,

I spent the winter on my own, I never chewed the fat!’

‘Then sailors came, disturbed the peace, and made my poor head spin,

I hardly had a minute’s peace from all their hammers’ din’.

‘Silent, scared, and hard of heart, the Captain chanced on me,

His men – had they no shame at all? – just chattered on carefree!’.

‘I ran and hid, and while I did, some oil they brought and tipped,

‘Then, singing, pulled her down the beach till in the sea she slipped.’

Week 1

‘With all this chasing to and fro, they drove me up the wall!

The crew it was that started it – I did no harm at all!

They brought the rigging, brought the ropes, the decks they charged about,

They fixed the anchor, masts and stuff, with many a scary shout!’

‘To make me feel more comfortable, they put food in the store,’

‘And when they turned their backs I ate, till I could eat no more!’

‘But now they want to throw me out – what crime did I commit?

They say I’ve got to leave the boat, they say ‘Get out of it!’

Through winter nights I stayed on watch, till my poor eyes grew dim,

While I stood guard for them, my friends, that lazy lot slept in!’

Captain: ‘What’s brought you here, you big fat rat? Just pack your bags and quit!

My store was filled right up with rice, now every bag you’ve split!

My clothes have all got teeth marks in, my jacket’s gnawed right through,

Get off my boat, go on, buzz off, find something else to chew!’

‘Look, why not stroll along the beach? You’re bound to find canoes,

If pleasing me is what you want, well test a few, then choose!’

Rat: ‘Why leave a comfy place like this? My belly I can fill,

Drink water cold, eat food in t’hold– and pick best bits at will!

Sometimes rice, sometimes tea, sometimes sugar sweet,

Perhaps a bit of pudding too, a really tasty treat!

Were I to leave the Captain’s boat – jump ship upon a whim—

Why, all the town would know for sure that I was pretty dim!

And goodness me, they’d not be wrong, if they thought I’d gone nuts,

I’d be a laughing-stock to them, there’d be no ifs or buts!

You’re forcing me, against my will, to leave my cosy nest,

Two-up, two-down’s just not my thing, armchairs and all the rest!

I want for nothing, don’t you see? I’m happy in my house –

No use to shake palm-fronds at me – I’m Rat! D’you think I’m Mouse?

Week 1

And now I’m off to hide myself – if you’ve got eyes to see,

Just try and track me down, you lot: I bet you can’t catch me!

But if you do, I won’t resist: pour oil upon my head,

I don’t want care from human kind – just burn me till I’m dead!’

Narrator: And with these words, Rat bounded off, and leapt back in the store,

He sank his teeth into the sacks, and rice spilled on the floor!

Captain Ahmad called for help; his kids, he asked them too,

He really fired them up, he did, but none had got a clue!

Captain: ‘Right, lads! Take out these sacks of rice, till sacks there are no more,

And when you’ve done that, sink the ship, right near the village shore!’

‘I wonder what’s up Ratty’s sleeve, what clever tricks he’ll play,

I’ll show that Rat who’s boss round here, I’ll make that trickster pay!’

Narrator: Rat found no food, although he searched as only he knew how,

He scoured that boat from bow to stern, the blunt end to the prow.

Then down she went, and in the hold, the waves submerged poor Rat,

No epilogues – Rat popped his clogs: he drowned, and that was that!

Week 1

a bolt from the blue

a doubting Thomas

a leopard can’t change his spots

all singing-all dancing

all skin and bone

apple of my eye

as the crow flies

bad taste in your mouth

baker’s dozen

break a leg

Brownie points

barking up the wrong tree

back to square one

by heart

can’t do it for toffee

card/trick up your sleeve

cat among the pigeons

chew the fat

chip on his shoulder

come out of your shell

crocodile tears

cry wolf

curiosity killed the cat

dig your heels in

dog’s dinner

don’t cry over spilt milk

eagle eyed

eleventh hour

face the music

fair-weather friend

find your feet

fly on the wall

get on your nerves

go the extra mile

hear a pin drop

heart of gold

hit the nail on the head

Week 1

Idioms

Match the idiom with its meaning

Ants in your pants

Bird in the hand is worth

two in the bush

Skate on thin ice

Get up on the wrong

side of the bed

Too many cooks

spoil the broth

Out of the frying pan

into the fire

Upset the applecart

Strike while the

iron is hot

Week 1

Idioms

Have your heart in your mouth

Meaning: to be extremely frightened about something

Origin: Homer used this expression in his famous poem the Iliad. When you are frightened your heat beats violently & there’s a choking feeling in your throat.

Cry wolf

Meaning:

Origin:

Foam at the mouth

Meaning:

Origin:

Hit the roof

Meaning:

Origin:

Long in the tooth

Meaning:

Origin:

Take off your hat to someone

Meaning:

Origin:

Week 1

Medieval Sayings and Expressions

Don’t put the cart before the horse.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.

Cut your coat according to your cloth.

Don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs.

Make hay while the sun shines.

You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

Week 1

Three Stars and a Wish!

Children work in pairs

Each child reads out their retold story to their partner in turn

The partner finds three good examples of the features – 3 STARS!!

The partner thenhas 1 WISH for another feature to be used!

Week 1

Scheherazade and the 1001 Nights

Screen 1

The Sultan Shahriyar has a beautiful wife whom he loves.
The Sultan goes off to war. When he returns, he finds his wife has gone off with another man.

Screen 2

He is so upset and angry that he decides to punish all women. He marries a woman and then, immediately after the wedding night, he has her beheaded.
He continues to do this again and again, always having his wives beheaded after the wedding night.

Screen 3

The Grand Vizier to the Sultan has a beautiful daughter, Scheherazade. She says what the Sultan is doing is dreadful and it cannot continue. Her father tells her not to get involved.

Screen 4

Scheherazade insists upon marrying the Sultan. On the first night she tells him the start of a really good story. She promises to finish it on the second night.
The Sultan allows her to live to the second night so she can finish the story.
Scheherazade finishes the story, but she intertwines a new story which has just begun. She says she will finish this on the next night.
Again the Sultan allows her to live so he can hear the end of the story.

Screen 5

Things continue like this for 1001 nights, with Scheherazade keeping the Sultan entertained with her wonderful stories.
In the end, the Sultan falls in love with Scheherazade and allows her to live on as his wife. They live happily ever after.

Week 2

Words from Other Cultures

Another word for a robber is bandit (Italian)

Another word for a forest is jungle (Indian, Hindi)

The chief robber pretended to be an oil merchant (French).

He might also have sold alcohol (Arabic)

Merchants sold things in the bazaar (Persian)

A precious stone or jewel (Persian/Arabic) might be an emerald (Persian/Arabic)

Week 2

Words from Other Cultures (pupil)

loofah

hurricane

tornado

bog

algebra

bandanna

bangle

giraffe

clobber

juggernaut

shampoo

admiral

tomato

potato

banana

orange

tea

coffee

bungalow

spaghetti

boutique

Week 2

Words from Other Cultures (teacher)

loofah (Arabic)

hurricane (American Indian)

tornado (Spanish)

bog (Irish)

algebra (Arabic)

bandanna (Indian, Hindi)

bangle (Indian, Hindi)

giraffe (Arabic)

clobber (Yiddish)

juggernaut (Indian, Hindi)

shampoo (Indian, Hindi)

admiral (Arabic)

tomato (Mexican)

potato (Spanish/Haitian)

banana (Spanish)

orange (Indian into Arabic)

tea (Chinese)

coffee (Arabic)

bungalow (Indian, Hindi)

spaghetti (Italian)

boutique (French)

Week 2

Ali Baba: Comparing different versions

Version One / Version Two
Where is this version from?
How is Ali Baba different/the same?
How is the opening different/the same
Did the events happen in the same order? Give details
Did the versions end in the same way? Give details
Which version did you prefer and why?

Week 2

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

(text from Animated Tale)

Ali Baba and Cassim were two brothers.

Cassim was rich and lived in wealth and plenty.

Ali Baba was a woodcutter, struggling to make a living.

He and his wife and children were very poor.

Ali Baba was in the forest and he saw a troop of robbers.

They were riding past carrying bags of silver and gold.

Being very frightened he hid behind some rocks on the mountainside.

He saw the robbers ride round the mountain towards a sheer cliff face.

Then the leader of the robbers – a tall cunning man - paused the company and shouted at the mountainside: ‘Open Sesame!’

To Ali Baba’s astonishment the cliff swung open and the entire troop rode into the huge cavern.

The mountain shut behind them.

Ali Baba was too scared to move. He stayed hidden behind the rocks.

Finally he saw the troops reappear from the mountain.

The robbers scattered and galloped off through the forest.

Ali Baba waited, then he approached the cliff face.

‘Open Sesame!’ he cried, and stood amazed as the mountainside opened.

Very cautiously, Ali Baba crept inside the mountain.

He looked around and saw a grand cavern lit from fissures in the rock.

There were great heaps of silver and gold and baskets of glittering jewels.

Ali Baba could not believe his eyes. He emptied the woodchips from his sacks and filled them with gold, silver and jewels.

Finally, he stood before the rock face. ‘Open Sesame!’ he cried again.

The mountain sprang open. Ali Baba dragged his heavy sacks outside.

He loaded his treasure on his donkey, waiting patiently by the trees.

When he got home, he showed his wife the treasure.

Ali Baba’s family moved into a comfortable house and bought food and drink.

He swore his wife to secrecy, telling her not to boast of their good luck.

But Ali Baba’s wife could not help boasting to her sister-in-law.

She told her that Ali Baba was richer than Cassim.

Cassim came to his brother and threatened him:

“I will tell everyone you have stolen some treasure if you do not show me where you found it!”

Ali Baba, more out of kindness than fear, told him of the cave.

He explained how the magic words opened the mountainside.

Cassim set out with a donkey packed around with great panniers.

When he got to the mountainside, he stared up: ‘Open Sesame!’

Once again, the mountain opened to reveal the cavern inside.

Cassim rushed in, dragging his donkey with him.

Week 2

He stared at the treasure.

He loaded the donkey with all the gold, silver and jewels it could carry.

Then he turned to open the doors to get out.

Oh no! Shock, horror! Cassim had forgotten the magic words!

He tried all the words he could think of, but nothing worked.

When the robbers returned to the cavern, they discovered Cassim.

They killed him and cut his body into four pieces.

Ali Baba was worried about Cassim. Why had he not come home?

He decided to revisit the cavern to find out.

He was very shocked to find his brother’s body hacked into pieces.

He collected more treasure and carried his brother’s body tenderly home.

Ali Baba gave Cassim a great funeral.

His family moved into a large house with his brother’s widow and children.

The robbers returned to their cavern. They were furious!

They discovered the body gone, and yet more treasure missing.

The chief robber decided to track down the person responsible!

He heard all about Cassim’s funeral and Ali Baba’s new house.

He sent one of his robbers to find where Ali Baba lived.

In the dark of the night, he was to draw a chalk mark on the door.

Ali Baba had a very clever and beautiful serving girl.

Her name was Morgiana, and she loved Ali Baba and his family.

In the morning, Morgiana saw the chalk mark on their door.

She guessed immediately what it meant.

Morgiana drew chalk marks on many other houses in the street.

No one could tell which was the house the robber had marked!

When the chief robber found how his plan had been foiled, he was mad!

He determined to kill Ali Baba.

He waited and listened and found out where Ali Baba lived.

Then he came to visit disguised as an oil merchant.

The chief robber showed Ali Baba his forty jars of oil.