Lesson one

We walked home. The pleasure and pride which we had felt earlier in the evening had left us. In their place we had regret and sorrow. But we did not blame anyone. Our main concern was how to get well and fit by the following morning, for the boys and girls at school were bound to ask questions. What answers would we give? What would the teachers do? Perhaps they would stand us before the school and beat us. Perhaps they would flog us on top of it all for going honey-hunting when we should be doing our home-work. We were sad indeed.

While we were still thinking of this my sister came out of the bush at the back of our house and saw our appearance. She was shocked, and dashed in to tell mother. We feared the worst.

When mother came out, I was standing alone shivering with fever and fear. My father was not in and in this I was lucky for he, a severe man, would not mind whipping me there and then. Just then we heard an alarm coming from Nana’s house. I heard ‘ Help! Help! Nana has fainted.’ I wondered. If only I could faint too, I would have my father’s sympathy. But I did not faint.

I was laid on the mat and covered with many clothes. The village doctor was sent for but he did not come at once as he was busy treating Nana. When he came, he gave me some medicine to lick. It was sweet. It was mixed with honey. Every part of my body was rubbed with the same kind of medicine and I felt sticky. In about ten minutes I was sick all over the place. A little time after this I fell asleep and woke up in the morning completely recovered. All the swellings on my face and body had disappeared in my sleep. I looked into the mirror and I was my old self again.

As I got ready for school, I wondered what had happened to the others. Just then Dara came in looking happy. We both moved on to Nana’s house. A part from the bandage on his feet you wouldn’t know it was the same boy who had been very ill and had fainted the night before. We were now satisfied that nobody would hear of our adventure at school.

But the news of the adventure had gone before us to the school. We did not know it. We walked into the school as usual as if nothing had happened. Then the boys and girls burst into laughter and a song. ‘Tell us boys how sweet is the honey, how hard the bees sting? ‘They clapped their hands around us. All we could hear was bend our heads in shame.

Questions:

a). What had the boys gone out to do that afternoon?

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b). How can you tell whether or not the attempt had been successful?

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c). What had happened, and why were they so anxious to be completely well before the next morning?

d). Name one of the boys who had gone on the adventure with the story teller.

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e). How can you tell from the passage that the story – teller had had more than one companion on the adventure?

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f). What did the village doctor do for him?

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g). Did the boys expect to be laughed at school? Explain

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1.3 SECTION B

Define the term legend.

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What is a riddle?

Give answers to the following riddles.

a). Where does today come before yesterday?

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b). A man who was outside in the rain without an umbrella or hat didn’t get a single hair on his head wet. Why?

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Define the term simile

Identify any two similes that you know .

(i)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(ii)…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1.4 SECTION C

Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow.

A freedom song – Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye

Atieno washes dishes,

Atieno plucks the chicken,

Atieno gets up early,

beds her sacks down in the kitchen,

Atieno eight years old

Atieno yo.

Since she is my sister’s child

Atieno needs no pay

While she works my wife can sit

Sewing every sunny day,

With her earnings I support

Atieno yo.

Atieno’s sly and jealous

Bad example to the kids

Since she minds them, like a school girl

Wants their dresses, shoes and beads

Atieno ten years old,

Atieno yo.

Now my wife has gone to study

Atieno is less free,

Don’t I feed her, school my own ones?

Pay the party, Union fee

All for progress? Aren’t you grateful?

Atieno yo?

Visitors need much attention,

Especially when I work nights.

That gal stays too long at market

Who will teach her what is right?

Atieno rising fourteen,

Atieno yo.

Atieno’s had a baby

So we know that she is bad

Fifty – fifty it may live

To repeat the life she had,

ending in post-partum bleeding

Atieno yo.

Atieno’s soon replaced

Meat and sugar more than all

She ate in such a narrow life

Were lavished on her funeral

Atieno’s gone to glory

Atieno yo.

Questions.

(i). Who is speaking in the poem? How do you know?

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(ii). How many stanzas does the poem have?

(iii). Identify a simile in the poem giving the stanza and line.

(iv). What is the poem about?

(a) …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

(b)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

End

S.2 LITERATURE

1.1 REVISION

1.2 SECTION A:

1.3 SECTION B

1.4 SECTION C