The Mother Tongue, Book I: Lessons in Speaking, Reading and Writing English · Secs. 66–70 · Part 1: Part First

23. The Lion and the Mouse, and a note to borrow a book

Goal: Your child retells a fable and writes a short, polite note asking for something.

⏱ About 30 minutes · 6 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗ 🖨 Copywork sheet

You'll need

  • The book, open to this lesson
  • Paper and pencil (a notebook kept just for this book works well)

What's in the book

Section 66 is the fable of the Lion and the Mouse, to read and tell. Section 67 asks for a description of the ostrich from the Gemila story; Section 68 is a study of the picture of the Arab chief (page 40). Sections 69 and 70 ask for two short notes: one explaining an absence, one asking to borrow a book.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Read and tell the fable

    Read "The Lion and the Mouse" together. Then your child tells it without the book.

    There was once a time when you saved my life.

    The book says: question one another about the story. Take turns asking each other a question.

  2. The picture (Section 68)

    Turn to the picture on page 40. Your child tells what they see: the horse, the rider, what is around them, and what the picture shows about how the Arab chief dressed and lived.

  3. Plan a note (Section 70)

    The book's task: write to a friend asking to borrow a certain book; promise to take good care of it and return it next Monday.

    Talk it through aloud: Which book? Why do you want it? What will you promise?

  4. Write the note

    Your child writes the note, 3 to 5 sentences, with a date, a salutation, an ending and a signature (from the lesson on the parts of a letter).

  5. Check it gently

    Ask: Would your friend know exactly which book, and when it will come back? Is it polite? Fix one thing.

  6. What a good result looks like

    Example (written for this guide, not from the book):

    March 3.

    Dear Leo,

    May I borrow your copy of "Black Beauty"? I have heard it is a wonderful story. I will keep it clean and dry, and I will give it back to you next Monday.

    Your friend,

    Nora.

Afterwards

Section 67: your child writes a short description of the ostrich from memory of the Gemila story, then checks it against pages 41 and 42.

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