HOW ANDARE ATE THE KING'S SUGAR (GK-47)

SPEECH AND READING

1. HOW ANDARE ATE THE KINGS SUGAR

     Long,  long ago when the Sinhalese kings were ruling Sri Lanka, there lived a famous court jester by the name of Andare. By his many tricks and witty jests, he amused the king and the queen at all times of the day. He was therefore allowed much liberty at the court. 

     One morning when he went to the palace, he saw some sugar spread on a mat put out to dry in an inner courtyard.  He pretended not to know what it was and ask the king, who happened to be there at the time, "What is this stuff, Your majesty, that is on the mat?" " It is a kind of white sand, Andare" replied the king.  "Do you like to eat it?" " Oh, no my lord; not so soon," said Andare, and immediately thought of a cunning plane to eat the sugar.  

      When he returned home that evening he told his wife and son of the sugar in the palace and his plan to eat it up. The following morning he gave some instructions to his son and set off to the palace. The king happened to be once again in the same courtyard. The sugar had been again put out to dry. They were soon in deep conversation when Andare's son appeared the seen with signs of great distress.

      "What's the matter, my son?" asked the jester.

     Oh, father dear, father dear, our mother dear has just died," sobbed the lad. "And she called out to you several times before she died. "Oh father, what shall we do?" Andare thereupon fell on his knees and, wringing his arms like a mad man, began to weep in a torrent, yelling out, "What is the use of my life now?

Let there be sand in my mouth! I too want to die!" With that, he rolled about on the mat gulping down handfuls of the "white, sand!" Little Andare too followed the father's example and soon the sugar on the mat was almost over.

     The king was both astonished and amused at the scene. He knew that Andare had once again played him a handsome trick. "Take home", he said to his jester, "What is left of the sand. Place a little of it in your dead wife's mouth and see what comes of it. Perhaps she may come back to life, Andare!"

      2. DIALOGUE

1.

Peter and Paul:

Peter: Hello, Paul! How are you?   Paul: Quite well, thank you, Peter.

Peter: Why didn't you come to school yesterday?  Paul: I was not well. I had a fever. Why, did you all miss me?

Peter: Of course, we did. We had to play the House Volley Ball match without you. Paul: How did it end?

Peter: Well, we lost it by one game. Paul: What a pity! You should have done better. Did you all get excited?

Peter: Yes, some of us. There was loud cheering on the other side and Herold and Velu hit the ball in all directions!

Paul: Who was your referee? Peter: Mr. Thomas. Paul: Was he very strict? Peter: Oh, yes, as usual!

Paul: I am sorry I was not there to help you. Better luck next time!