How the First Letter was Written
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Read the remaining part of the original story.
Answer: This is an instruction to read the rest of Rudyard Kipling’s “How the First Letter was Written” from the original source. Since it’s a directive, no written answer is required here unless specified by your teacher.
2. Make as many 5 to 8 letter words as you can within 5 minutes, from the name TESHUMAI TEWINDROW.
Answer:
- Five-letter words: theme, steam, wheat, tread, drawn
- Six-letter words: mother, winter, shadow, thread, rewind
- Seven-letter words: thunder, indrawn, shimmer, rewrite
- Eight-letter words: withdraw, windrows Note: These words use only the letters in “TESHUMAI TEWINDROW” (T, E, S, H, U, M, A, I, T, E, W, I, N, D, R, O, W), respecting the rule of not using a letter more times than it appears in the name.
3. How do the following characters in the story live up to their names? Provide points from the story.
(a) Tengumai Bopsulai:
- Meaning: “Man-who-does-not-put-his-foot-forward-in-a-hurry”
- Points: Tegumai is calm and patient. When his spear breaks, he doesn’t panic but sits down to mend it carefully, showing he doesn’t rush. He also ignores the Stranger-man, focusing on his work, which reflects his steady nature.
(b) Taffimai Metallumai:
- Meaning: “Small-person-without-any-manners-who-ought-to-be-spanked”
- Points: Taffy is cheeky and bold. She stamps her foot at the Stranger-man and pulls at his necklace without permission, showing her lack of manners. Yet, she’s not punished much, as the story says she’s “not spanked half as much as was good for her.”
(c) Teshumai Tewindrow:
- Meaning: “Lady-who-asks-a-very-many-questions”
- Points: Teshumai reacts strongly to the picture, asking no direct questions but assuming much, like how Tegumai was attacked. Her quick reaction and ordering the ladies to sit on the Stranger-man suggest she’s curious and decisive, fitting her name indirectly.
4. The story is written in an informal, colloquial style – the way it would be told orally. Find and write the expressions where the author addresses the audience directly in the story.
Answer:
- “but we, O Best Beloved, will call him Tegumai, for short”
- “Now attend and listen!”
- “He did this, Best Beloved, to show that his heart was as white as the birch-bark”
- “did you know he was a Tewara?” Note: These lines show the author speaking to the reader like a storyteller talking to a listener.
5. Write a character-sketch of the ‘Stranger-man’ using examples from the story to support the following attributes.
(a) Ignorant, innocent and polite:
- He doesn’t understand Tegumai’s language and misreads Taffy’s drawing, thinking it’s a battle call. Yet, he smiles politely at Taffy and gives her the shark’s tooth, showing innocence and courtesy.
(b) Calm and cool:
- Even when Taffy pulls at his necklace, he stays calm and hands it over without anger. He nods and smiles despite not understanding her.
(c) Jumps to wrong conclusions:
- He thinks Taffy’s drawing means Tegumai needs help in a battle, assuming the beavers are enemies and the spear in the picture shows danger, which is all wrong.
(d) Hasty and unwise at times:
- He races off like the wind to Teshumai without asking Taffy for directions, leading to a misunderstanding and getting attacked by the ladies.
6. Note the punctuation used in the story. Here, single inverted commas or quotation marks have been used to show conversation. Rewrite the following using double quotation marks:
(a) ‘Here’s a pretty kettle of fish!’ said Tengumai.
Answer: “Here’s a pretty kettle of fish!” said Tegumai.
(b) ‘It will take me half the day to mend this.’
Answer: “It will take me half the day to mend this.”
7. Underline the main clauses in the following sentences:
(a) And she was Tegumai Bopsulai’s Best Beloved and her own Mummy’s Best Beloved, and she was not spanked half as much as was good for her; and they were all three very happy.
Answer: And she was Tegumai Bopsulai’s Best Beloved and her own Mummy’s Best Beloved, and she was not spanked half as much as was good for her; and they were all three very happy.
(b) One day Tegumai Bopsulai went down through the beaver-swamp to the Wagai river to spear carp-fish for dinner, and Taffy went too.
Answer: One day Tegumai Bopsulai went down through the beaver-swamp to the Wagai river to spear carp-fish for dinner, and Taffy went too.
(c) They were miles and miles from home and Tegumai had forgotten to bring any extra spears.
Answer: They were miles and miles from home and Tegumai had forgotten to bring any extra spears.
(d) Just then a Stranger-man came along the river, but he belonged to a far tribe, the Tewaras, and he did not understand one word of Tegumai’s language.
Answer: Just then a Stranger-man came along the river, but he belonged to a far tribe, the Tewaras, and he did not understand one word of Tegumai’s language.
8. Imagine Taffy comes to you for help to write a letter of apology, in the modern script we use. She wants to express her regret to the stranger-man for her mother’s action. Write that letter of apology (informal) on her behalf.
Answer: Dear Stranger-man, Hi! It’s me, Taffy. I’m really sorry about what happened when you went to my Mummy with my drawing. I didn’t mean for her to scream and get all those ladies to sit on you-it must’ve been awful! I just wanted you to fetch Daddy’s spear, but my picture got all mixed up. I feel bad that you got scratched and pulled around because of me. Hope you’re okay now. Please don’t be mad! Thanks, Taffy
9. Imagine the Stranger-man narrates how the Neolithic ladies overpowered him. Write an account of the same making him the narrator.
Answer: I still can’t believe what happened! I ran all the way to that cave with the birch-bark, thinking I was helping a great Chief. When I got there, this lady-Taffy’s mother-took one look at the picture and started screaming like I’d done something terrible. Before I could even explain, a bunch of other ladies tackled me! They knocked me flat on the ground and sat on me-six of them in a row! I tried to be polite, but they wouldn’t listen. Taffy’s mother kept yelling about spears and her husband, pulling my hair while showing everyone that drawing. My legs were all scratched from running, and there I was, stuck under them, wondering what I’d done wrong! It was a mess, I tell you.
10. Making suitable groups, convert the entire episode into a short skit and write it down. Each group leader must discuss at first with the others and add a different end to the skit.
Answer: (Here’s a short skit with a Happy Ending as an example; other endings can be adapted similarly.)
- Characters: Tegumai, Taffy, Stranger-man, Teshumai, Neolithic Ladies
- Scene: By the river, Tegumai mends his spear, Taffy draws, Stranger-man watches.
- Taffy: (to Stranger-man) “Take this to my Mummy for Daddy’s spear!” (hands birch-bark)
- Stranger-man: (nods, runs off) “I must save the Chief!”
- Scene shifts: Teshumai at the cave with ladies.
- Stranger-man: (panting) “Here’s the picture!”
- Teshumai: (screams) “He’s hurt my Tegumai!” (Ladies jump on Stranger-man)
- Tegumai: (enters with Taffy) “What’s all this noise?”
- Taffy: “Oops, my drawing went wrong!
- Happy Ending:
- Teshumai: “Oh, you’re fine! Sorry, Stranger-man!”
- Stranger-man: (laughs) “No harm done! Let’s all have fish for dinner!”
- (Everyone laughs and shares a meal.)
Other endings:
- Sad: Stranger-man runs away, never returns.
- Surprise: Taffy’s drawing becomes a famous map.
- Humorous: Ladies keep sitting on Stranger-man as a game.
11. Write a short passage/essay on ‘Women Power’ in the Neolithic, Medieval and Present Times.
Answer: Women have shown strength in every era. In Neolithic times, like in the story, Teshumai took charge when she thought Tegumai was in danger, leading the ladies to overpower the Stranger-man, proving women could act fast and protect their families. In Medieval times, women like queens and warriors, such as Joan of Arc, led armies or ruled kingdoms, showing courage despite limited rights. Today, women’s power shines in leadership, science, and homes-think of leaders like Kamala Harris or scientists like Marie Curie’s legacy. From organizing caves to running nations, women’s strength has grown, breaking barriers while keeping their caring spirit alive.
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