## Exercises for The Rat King's Son

Back to the story

A. How much did you understand?

Who said these sentences?

1. “And I'm the most wonderful king in the world.”
2. “And my son must marry the best girl in the world.”
3. “There is one person who is greater than us.”
4. “You’re right. Our Creator is even greater than us.”
5. “Is your prince really the most wonderful animal in the world? Then he’s too good for my daughter.”
6. “The fog is greater than me. He comes into the sky and covers me.”
7. “The wind is greater than me. He blows me away.”
8. “The mountain is greater than me. I push against him and blow on him, but he never moves.”
9. “The bushrat is greater than me. He makes holes inside me and I can’t stop him."
10. “And the bushrat is my cousin. His daughter will be a very good wife for my son.”

B. Speech marks

Did you notice how the speech marks (" ") are used? They show the reader that the words are spoken by someone. For example, "I like this story," Meseret said to her brother.

Put speech marks in the right places in these sentences.

1. We must find a wife for my son, the Rat King said to his elders.
2. Our Creator is greater than us, one of the elders said.
3. Sir, said the elders. Our prince is the greatest animal in the world.
4. Stop! said the fog. He’s too good for my daughter.
5. Great wind, said the elders. We come from the Rat King.

C. Ending sentences.

Make up your own endings to these sentences. There are no right answers! Talk about your ideas with your friends.

1. Water is greater than stone because…
2. A knife is greater than meat, because…
3. Scissors are greater than paper, because…

D. Now turn the story into a play, and act it with your friends. Try to move like the characters and speak like them.

Check the answers