KS3 Units

Unit 10:
A Twist in the Tale
Published with English Allsorts

© English and Media Centre, 2007

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 A Twist in the Tale
Teacher's Notes

10 A Twist in the Tale

Unit Summary (2 - 3 Weeks) Underway

This series of activities involves listening to, reading
and discussing two stories each with a macabre Stage One
twist to the ending. The activities explore what the Tell the class in your own words what the sequence
reader brings to a text, the structure of narrative and is going to be about and what they are going to be
the particular features of this genre of story. Several doing during the lessons. It may be appropriate to
fiction and non-fiction writing activities are offered discuss stories shared previously in class or favourite
during the unit including pupils writing their own stories from wider reading. Read the short story
story or playscript with a twist to the ending. ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ by Roald Dahl aloud to the
class. It is suggested that pupils should not have the
In Stage One, pupils should listen to the short story text in front of them, so emphasize that they should
‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ by Roald Dahl and in their concentrate on listening to, understanding and
groups discuss and rank a list of statements relating following the story. Allow the class to respond to
to the story. any points of interest and discuss any questions
about the narrative. Issues such as whether the
In Stage Two, the story ‘Hey You Down There!’ by ending was a surprise and what clues were given
Harold Rolseth is to be read in groups. This activity might be explored; for example - the story is taken
is broken down into four parts and pupils will be from the collection entitled Completely Unexpected
asked to focus on the structure of the story, on the Tales - is the ending completely unexpected? Now
way clues are given to the reader and the way settle the class into groups of four and give out a
language is used. They should be encouraged to copy of Pupil Sheet 1 to each pupil. The activity is
speculate and make predictions about what might first to discuss a list of statements about the story
happen next. The writing activity is a letter in the and then, after discussion, to rank the statements in
style of one of the characters. order of the strength of their agreement. Each group
should fill in the grid on Pupil Sheet 2 and these
In Stage Three, pupils are asked to choose a con- could then be pinned on to a board. A brief whole
tinuous writing activity, chosen from a list of alterna- class discussion should compare the groups’ ranks
tives. and reasons for decisions should be discussed.
Assessment Opportunities/
In Stage Four, pupils will be invited to look back National Curriculum References
over the two stories and make contrasts and com- Speaking & Listening: 1a, 1c
parisons. Reading: 1b

Differentiation Stage Two

This sequence of work is intended for all pupils. The In their groups pupils should read Part One of the
activities around the texts involve pupils in listening, short story ‘Hey You Down There!’ by Harold
prediction, group reading and short written tasks Rolseth. Pupil Sheet 3 contains some questions
which are designed to support their exploration of designed to promote discussion about the passage.
this genre of narrative. These are not intended to be comprehension ques-

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 A Twist in the Tale
Teacher's Notes

tions, but a means of giving pupils opportunities to National Curriculum References

predict and speculate on the development of the Speaking & Listening: 2b
narrative, and to allow them to make explicit what Reading: 2b
they already know about the conventions of the Writing: 1b, 1c, 2b
short story. Pupils should now be given Part Two of
‘Hey You Down There!’ and then be invited to Stage Three
discuss the questions in Pupil Sheet 4. These deal Working individually and using Pupil Sheet 5, Your
with the emerging structure of the story, whether Turn to Write, pupils should now be given time to
their early thoughts were confirmed or not and to choose one writing activity from the list given. These
raise questions about why this might be. Pupils are are all intended to be sustained pieces. Time should
also invited to make tentative predictions about the be given for pupils to share their initial attempts and
outcome of the story and then, individually, to write then to redraft them in the light of comments.
Dora’s letter to Glar. It will help if some of the issues Assessment Opportunities/
are explored in a whole class discussion and if time National Curriculum References
allows hear some of the letters read out loud. Talk Writing: 2b
pupils through the writing assignment on Pupil
Sheet 4. Give them time to attempt a first draft and, Stage Four
if time allows, hear a few read out in class. The last In their groups pupils should now work on the
part of the story (Part Three) should now be read activity in Pupil Sheet 6, Comparing the Stories.
out loud to the class - at this stage it is suggested that This invites a comparison of the two stories and asks
this is purely a listening exercise. Initiate a brief pupils to make decisions about statements relating
discussion and share any initial reactions. Try to to the two stories. Pupils will probably need to refer
emphasize that pupils’ own predictions of the to copies of ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ and ‘Hey You
ending are not proved right or wrong by hearing the Down There!’
original, but that what is important is that they Assessment Opportunities/
picked up on clues and continued the tone and National Curriculum References
threads of the narrative. Reading: 2b, 3b
Assessment Opportunities/

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 A Twist in the Tale
Teacher Text 1a Lamb to the Slaughter

Lamb to the Slaughter

by Roald Dahl company after the long hours alone in the
The room was warm and clean, the curtains house. She loved to luxuriate in the presence of
drawn, the two table lamps alight - hers and this man, and to feel - almost as a sunbather
the one by the empty chair opposite. On the feels the sun - that warm male glow that came
sideboard behind her, two tall glasses, soda out of him to her when they were alone
water, whisky. Fresh ice cubes in the Thermos together. She loved him for the way he sat
bucket. loosely in a chair, for the way he came in a
door, or moved slowly across the room with
Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to long strides. She loved the intent, far look in his
come home from work. eyes when they rested on her, the funny shape
Now and again she would glance up at the of the mouth, and especially the way he
clock, but without anxiety, merely to please remained silent about his tiredness, sitting still
herself with the thought that each minute gone with himself until the whisky had taken some
by made it nearer the time when he would of it away.
come. There was a slow smiling air about her, ‘Tired, darling?’
and about everything she did. The drop of the ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I’m tired.’ And as he spoke, he
head as she bent over her sewing was curiously did an unusual thing. He lifted his glass and
tranquil. Her skin - for this was her sixth month drained it in one swallow although there was
with child - had acquired a wonderful still half of it, at least half of it, left. She wasn’t
translucent quality, the mouth was soft and the really watching him but she knew what he had
eyes, with their new placid look, seemed done because she heard the ice cubes falling
larger, darker than before. back against the bottom of the empty glass
when he lowered his arm. He paused a
When the clock said ten minutes to five, she moment, leaning forward in the chair, then he
began to listen and a few moments later, got up and went slowly over to fetch himself
punctually as always she heard the tyres on the another.
gravel outside, and the car door slamming, the ‘I’ll get it!’ she cried, jumping up.
footsteps passing the window, the key turning ‘Sit down,’ he said.
in the lock. She laid aside her sewing, stood
up, and went forward to kiss him as he came When he came back, she noticed that the new
in. drink was dark amber with the quantity of
‘Hullo, darling,’ she said. whisky in it.
‘Hullo,’ he answered. ‘Darling, shall I get your slippers?’
She took his coat and hung it in the closet. ‘No.’
Then she walked over and made the drinks, a She watched him as he began to sip the dark
strongish one for him, a weak one for herself; yellow drink, and she could see little oily swirls
and soon she was back again in her chair with in the liquid because it was so strong.
the sewing, and he in the other, opposite, ‘I think it’s a shame,’ she said, ‘that when a
holding the tall glass with both his hands, policeman gets to be as senior as you, they
rocking it so the ice cubes tinkled against the keep him walking about on his feet all day
side. long.’
He didn’t answer, so she bent her head again
For her, this was always a blissful time of day. and went on with her sewing; but each time he
She knew he didn’t want to speak much until lifted the drink to his lips, she heard the ice
the first drink was finished, and she, on her cubes clinking against the side of the glass.
side, was content to sit quietly, enjoying his ‘Darling,’ she said. ‘Would you like me to get

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 A Twist in the Tale
Teacher Text 1b Lamb to the Slaughter

you some cheese? I haven’t made any supper ‘So there it is,’ he added. ‘And I know it’s kind
because it’s Thursday.’ of a bad time to be telling you, but there simply
‘No,’ he said. wasn’t any other way. Of course I’ll give you
‘If you’re too tired to eat out,’ she went on, ‘it’s money and see you’re looked after. But there
still not too late. There’s plenty of meat and needn’t really be any fuss. I hope not anyway.
stuff in the freezer, and you can have it right It wouldn’t be very good for my job.’
here and not even move out of the chair.’ Her
eyes waited on him for an answer, a smile, a Her first instinct was not to believe any of it, to
little nod, but he made no sign. reject it all. It occurred to her that perhaps he
‘Anyway,’ she went on, ‘I’ll get you some hadn’t even spoken, that she herself had
cheese and crackers first.’ imagined the whole thing. Maybe, if she went
‘I don’t want it,’ he said. about her business and acted as though she
hadn’t been listening, then later, when she sort
She moved uneasily in her chair, the large eyes of woke up again, she might find none of it had
still watching his face. ‘But you must have ever happened.
supper. I can easily do it here. I’d like to do it. ‘I’ll get the supper,’ she managed to whisper,
We can have lamb chops. Or pork. Anything and this time he didn’t stop her. When she
you want. Everything’s in the freezer.’ walked across the room she couldn’t feel her
‘Forget it,’ he said. feet touching the floor. She couldn’t feel
‘But, darling, you must eat! I’ll fix it anyway, anything at all - except a slight nausea and a
and then you can have it or not, as you like.’ desire to vomit. Everything was automatic now
She stood up and placed her sewing on the - down the stairs to the cellar, the light switch,
table by the lamp. the deep freeze, the hand inside the cabinet
‘Sit down,’ he said. ‘Just for a minute, sit taking hold of the first object it met. She lifted it
down.’ It wasn’t till then that she began to get out, and looked at it. It was wrapped in paper,
frightened. so she took off the paper and looked at it again.
‘Go on,’ he said. ‘Sit down.’ She lowered A leg of lamb.
herself back slowly into the chair. watching
him all the time with those large, bewildered All right then, they would have lamb for
eyes. He had finished the second drink and supper. She carried it upstairs, holding the thin
was staring down into the glass, frowning. bone-end of it with both her hands, and as she
‘Listen,’ he said, ‘I’ve got something to tell went through the living-room, she saw him
you.’ standing over by the window with his back to
‘What is it, darling? What’s the matter?’ her, and she stopped.
‘For God’s sake,’ he said, hearing her, but not
He had become absolutely motionless, and he turning round. ‘Don’t make supper for me. I’m
kept his head down so that the light from the going out.’
lamp beside him fell across the upper part of
his face leaving the chin and mouth in shadow. At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up
She noticed there was a little muscle moving behind him and without any pause she swung
near the corner of his left eye. the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and
‘This is going to be a bit of a shock to you, I’m brought it down as hard as she could on the
afraid,’ he said. ‘But I’ve thought about it a back of his head. She might just as well have
good deal and I’ve decided the only thing to do hit him with a steel club. She stepped back a
is tell you right away. I hope you won’t blame pace, waiting, and the funny thing was that he
me too much.’ And he told her. It didn’t take remained standing there for at least four or five
long, four or five minutes at most, and she sat seconds, gently swaying. Then he crashed to
very still through it all, watching him with a the carpet.
kind of dazed horror as he went further and
further away from her with each word. The violence of the crash. The noise, the small
table overturning, helped bring her out of the

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 A Twist in the Tale
Teacher Text 1c Lamb to the Slaughter

shock. She came out slowly, feeling cold and lamb, from the freezer.’
surprised, and she stood for a while blinking at ‘Oh.’
the body, still holding the ridiculous piece of ‘I don’t much like cooking it frozen, Sam, but
meat tight with both hands. I’m taking a chance on it this time. You think
it’ll be all right?’
All right, she told herself. So I’ve killed him. ‘Personally,’ the grocer said, ‘I don’t believe it
It was extraordinary, now, how clear her mind makes any difference. You want these Idaho
became all of a sudden. She began thinking potatoes?’
very fast. As the wife of a detective, she knew ‘Oh yes, that’ll be fine. Two of those.’
quite well what the penalty would be. That was ‘Anything else?’ The grocer cocked his head on
fine. It made no difference to her. In fact, it one side, looking at her pleasantly. ‘How about
would be a relief. On the other hand, what afterwards? What you going to give him for
about the child? What were the laws about afterwards?’
murderers with unborn children? Did they kill ‘Well - what would you suggest, Sam?’ The
them both - mother and child? Or did they wait man glanced around his shop. ‘How about a
until the tenth month? What did they do? nice big slice of cheesecake? I know he likes
that.’
Mary Maloney didn’t know. And she certainly ‘Perfect,’ she said. ‘He loves it.’
wasn’t prepared to take a chance. And when it was all wrapped and she had
She carried the meat into the kitchen, placed it paid, she put on her brightest smile and
in a pan, turned the oven on high, and shoved said, ‘Thank you, Sam. Good night.’
it inside. Then she washed her hands and ran ‘Good night, Mrs Maloney. And thank you.’
upstairs to the bedroom. She sat down before
the mirror, tidied her face, touched up her lips And now, she told herself as she hurried back,
and face. She tried a smile. It came out rather all she was doing now, she was returning home
peculiar. She tried again. to her husband and he was waiting for his
‘Hullo, Sam,’ she said brightly, aloud. The supper; and she must cook it good, and make it
voice sounded peculiar too. as tasty as possible because the poor man was
‘I want some potatoes please, Sam. Yes, and I tired; and if, when she entered the house, she
think a can of peas.’ That was better. Both the happened to find anything unusual, or tragic,
smile and the voice were coming out better or terrible, then naturally it would be a shock
now. She rehearsed it several times more. Then and she’d become frantic with grief and horror.
she ran downstairs, took her coat, went out the Mind you, she wasn’t expecting to find
back door, down the garden, into the street. anything. She was just going home with the
vegetables. Mrs Patrick Maloney going home
It wasn’t six o’clock yet and the lights were still with the vegetables on Thursday evening to
on in the grocery shop. cook supper for her husband.
‘Hullo Sam,’ she said brightly, smiling at the That’s the way, she told herself. Do everything
man behind the counter. right and natural. Keep things absolutely
‘Why, good evening, Mrs Maloney. How’re you natural and there’ll be no need for any acting at
?’ all.
‘I want some potatoes please, Sam. Yes, and I
think a can of peas.’ Therefore, when she entered the kitchen by the
The man turned and reached up behind him on back door, she was humming a little tune to
the shelf for the peas. herself and smiling.
‘Patrick’s decided he’s tired and doesn’t want ‘Patrick!’ she called. ‘How are you, darling?’
to eat out tonight,’ she told him. ‘We usually go She put the parcel down on the table and went
out Thursdays, you know, and now he’s caught through into the living-room; and when she
me without any vegetables in the house.’ saw him lying there on the floor with his legs
‘Then how about meat, Mrs Maloney?’ doubled up and one arm twisted back
‘No, I’ve got meat, thanks. I got a nice leg of underneath his body, it really was rather a

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 A Twist in the Tale
Teacher Text 1d Lamb to the Slaughter

shock. All the old love and longing for him find him lying on the floor.
welled up inside her, and she ran over to him, ‘Which grocer?’ one of the detectives asked.
knelt down beside him, and began to cry her She told him, and he turned and whispered
heart out. It was easy. No acting was necessary. something to the other detective who
immediately went outside into the street.
A few minutes later she got up and went to the In fifteen minutes he was back with a page of
phone. She knew the number of the police notes and there was more whispering, and
station, and when the man at the other end through her sobbing she heard a few of the
answered, she cried to him, ‘Quick! Come whispered phrases - ‘... acted quite normal...
quick! Patrick’s dead!’ very cheerful... wanted to give him a good
‘Who’s speaking?’ supper... peas... cheesecake ... impossible that
‘Mrs Maloney. Mrs Patrick Maloney.’ she...’
‘You mean Patrick Maloney’s dead?’
‘I think so,’ she sobbed. ‘He’s lying on the floor After a while, the photographer and the doctor
and I think he’s dead.’ departed and two other men came in and took
‘Be right over,’ the man said. the corpse away on a stretcher. Then the
fingerprint man went away. The two detectives
The car came very quickly, and when she remained, and so did the two policemen. They
opened the front door, two policemen walked were exceptionally nice to her, and Jack
in. She knew them both - she knew nearly all Noonan asked if she wouldn’t rather go -
the men at that precinct - and she fell right into somewhere else, to her sister’s house perhaps,
Jack Noonan’s arms, weeping hysterically. He or to his own wife who would take care of her
put her gently into a chair, then went over to and put her up for the night.
join the other one, who was called O’Malley, No, she said. She didn’t feel she could move
kneeling by the body. even a yard at the moment. Would they mind
‘Is he dead?’ she cried. awfully if she stayed just where she was until
‘I’m afraid he is. What happened?’ she felt better? She didn’t feel too good at the
moment, she really didn’t.
Briefly, she told her story about going out to the Then hadn’t she better lie down on the bed?
grocer and coming back to find him on the Jack Noonan asked.
floor. While she was talking, crying and No, she said, she’d like to stay right where she
talking, Noonan discovered a small patch of was, in this chair. A little later perhaps, when
congealed blood on the dead man’s head. He she felt better, she would move.
showed it to O’Malley who got up at once and
hurried to the phone. So they left her there while they went about
their business, searching the house.
Soon, other men began to come into the house. Occasionally one of the detectives asked her
First a doctor, then two detectives, one of another question. Sometimes Jack Noonan
whom she knew by name. Later, a police spoke to her gently as he passed by. Her
photographer arrived and took pictures, and a husband, he told her, had been killed by a
man who knew about fingerprints. There was a blow on the back of the head administered
great deal of whispering and muttering beside with a heavy blunt instrument, almost certainly
the corpse, and the detectives kept asking her a a large piece of metal. They were looking for
lot of questions. But they always treated her the weapon. The murderer may have taken it
kindly. She told her story again, this time right with him, but on the other hand he may’ve
from the beginning, when Patrick had come in, thrown it away or hidden it somewhere on the
and she was sewing, and he was tired, so tired premises.
he hadn’t wanted to go out for supper. She told ‘It’s the old story,’ he said. ‘Get the weapon,
how she’d put the meat in the oven - ‘it’s there and you’ve got the man.’
now, cooking’ - and how she’d slipped out to
the grocer for vegetables, and come back to Later, one of the detectives came up and sat

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 A Twist in the Tale
Teacher Text 1e Lamb to the Slaughter

beside her. Did she know, he asked, of anything these others?’

in the house that could’ve been used as the ‘We can try, Mrs Maloney.’
weapon? Would she mind having a look ‘Well,’ she said. ‘Here you all are, and good
around to see if anything was missing - a very friends of dear Patrick’s too, and helping to
big spanner, for example, or a heavy metal catch the man who killed him. You must be
vase. They didn’t have any heavy metal vases, terribly hungry by now because it’s long past
she said. your suppertime, and I know Patrick would
‘Or a big spanner?’ never forgive me, God bless his soul, if I
She didn’t think they had a big spanner. But allowed you to remain in his house without
there might be some things like that in the offering you decent hospitality. Why don’t you
garage. eat up that lamb that’s in the oven? It’ll be
cooked just right by now.’
The search went on. She knew that there were ‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ Sergeant Noonan said.
other policemen in the garden all around the ‘Please,’ she begged. ‘Please eat it. Personally I
house. She could hear their footsteps on the couldn’t touch a thing, certainly not what’s
gravel outside, and sometimes she saw the flash been in the house when he was here. But it’s
of a torch through a chink in the curtains. It all right for you. It’d be a favour to me if you’d
began to get late, nearly nine she noticed by eat it up. Then you can go on with your work
the clock on the mantel. The four men again afterwards.’
searching the rooms seemed to be growing
weary, a trifle exasperated. There was a good deal of hesitating among the
four policemen, but they were clearly hungry,
‘Jack,’ she said, the next time Sergeant Noonan and in the end they were persuaded to go into
went by. ‘Would you mind giving me a drink?’ the kitchen and help themselves. The woman
‘Sure I’ll give you a drink. You mean this stayed where she was, listening to them
whisky?’ through the open door, and she could hear
‘Yes, please. But just a small one. It might make them speaking among themselves, their voices
me feel better.’ He handed her the glass. thick and sloppy because their mouths were
‘Why don’t you have one yourself,’ she said. full of meat.
‘You must be awfully tired. Please do. You’ve ‘Have some more, Charlie?’
been very good to me.’ ‘No. Better not finish it.’
‘Well,’ he answered. ‘It’s not strictly allowed, ‘She wants us to finish it. She said so. Be doing
but I might take just a drop to keep me going.’ her a favour.’
‘Okay then. Give me some more.’
One by one the others came in and were ‘That’s the hell of a big club the guy must’ve
persuaded to take a little nip of whisky. They used to hit poor Patrick,’ one of them was
stood around rather awkwardly with the drinks saying. ‘The doc says his skull was smashed all
in their hands, uncomfortable in her presence, to pieces just like from a sledgehammer.’
trying to say consoling things to her. Sergeant ‘That’s why it ought to be easy to find.’
Noonan wandered into the kitchen, came out ‘Exactly what I say.’
quickly and said, ‘Look, Mrs Maloney. You ‘Whoever done it, they’re not going to be
know that oven of yours is still on, and the carrying a thing like that around with them
meat still inside.’ longer than they need.’
‘Oh dear me!’ she cried. ‘So it is!’ One of them belched.
‘I better turn it off for you, hadn’t l?’ ‘Personally, I think it’s right here on the
‘Will you do that, Jack. Thank you so much.’ premises.’
When the sergeant returned the second time, ‘Probably right under our very noses. What you
she looked at him with her large, dark, tearful think, Jack?’
eyes. ‘Jack Noonan,’ she said. And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to
‘Yes?’ giggle.
‘Would you do me a small favour - you and

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 1 Lamb to the Slaughter

Group discussion on Lamb to the Slaughter

• You have listened to the story ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ and discussed
whether the ending really was a surprise.

• You are now asked to talk about the statements below in your groups
and then try to decide which ones you agree with most and least.

• You won’t all necessarily agree with each other. Try to discuss your ideas
with those in your group who disagree with you and listen in turn to
their points of view.

• When you have come to a general agreement, fill in the chart. Write the
statement with which you agree most strongly in the top space and list
the others in order, down to the ones you agree with least.

• On the right hand side of the sheet, you should make brief notes on the
reason for your decision.

• Use large writing, so that it can be read easily when put on the board.
Talk about it

Mary didn’t regret what she had done.

It is likely that Mary would get away with her crime.

Mary suspected that her husband was deceiving her.

Mary had all along planned to kill her husband with a leg of lamb.

Mary lied to the police because she was pregnant.

Patrick Maloney deserved what happened to him.

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 2 Lamb to the Slaughter

Reasons
Statements

5.
4.
3.
2.
1.

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 3a Hey You Down There! Part 1

Hey You Down There! Part One

by Harold Rolseth

Calvin Spender drained his coffee cup and disagreeable chore was becoming more unpleas-
wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He ant because of neighbour Nord’s hints that
burped loudly and then proceeded to fill a some kind of payment for the water would only
corncob pipe with coarsely shredded tobacco. be fair.
He scratched a match across the top of the table
and holding it to his pipe, he sucked noisily Several feet back from the edge of the hole,
until billows of acrid smoke poured from his Calvin had driven a heavy iron stake into the
mouth. ground, and to this was attached a crude rope
ladder. The rope ladder had become necessary
Dora Spender sat across the table from her when the hole had reached a depth well beyond
husband, her breakfast scarcely touched. She the length of any wooden ladder Calvin owned.
coughed lightly, and then, as no frown appeared
on Calvin’s brow, she said, ‘Are you going to Calvin hoped desperately that he would not
dig in the well this morning, Calvin?’ Calvin have to go much further. He estimated that he
fixed his small red-rimmed eyes upon her, and, was now down fifty or sixty feet, a common
as if she had not spoken, said, ‘Git going at the depth for many wells in the area. His greatest
chores right away. You’re going to be hauling fear was that he would hit a layer of rock which
up dirt.’ would call for the services of a well-drilling
‘Yes, Calvin,’ Dora whispered. Calvin cleared outfit. Both his funds and his credit-rating were
his throat, and the action caused his Adam ‘s far too low for such a team.
apple to move rapidly under the loose red skin
on his neck. He rose from the table and went Calvin picked up a bucket to which was
out of the kitchen door, kicking viciously at the attached a long rope and lowered it into the
tawny cat which had been lying on the door- hole. It was Dora’s backbreaking task to pull the
step. bucket hand over hand after Calvin had filled it
from the bottom of the hole. With a mumbled
Dora gazed at him and wondered for the curse, Calvin emptied his pipe and started
thousandth time what it was that Calvin re- down the rope ladder. By the time he got to the
minded her of. It was not some other person. It bottom of the hole and had filled the bucket,
was something else. Sometimes it seemed as Dora should be there to haul it up. If she
though the answer was about to spring to her weren’t, she would hear about it.
mind, as just now when Calvin had cleared his
throat. But always it stopped just short of her From the house, Dora saw Calvin prepare to
consciousness. It was disturbing to know with enter the well and she worked with desperate
such certainty that Calvin looked like some- haste to complete her chores. She reached the
thing other than himself and yet not know what hole just as a muffled shout from below indi-
that something was. Some day though, Dora cated that the bucket was full.
knew, the answer would come to her. She rose
hurriedly from the table and set about her Summoning all her strength, Dora hauled the
chores. bucket up. She emptied it and then lowered it
into the hole again. While she waited for the
Halfway between the house and the barn, a second bucketload, she examined the contents
doughnut-shaped mound of earth surrounded a of the first. She was disappointed to find it had
hole. Calvin went to the edge of the hole and only the normal moistness of underground
stared down into it distastefully. Only necessity earth. No water seeped from it.
could have forced him to tackle this task, but it
was either this digging or the hauling of barrels In her own way, Dora was deeply religious
and barrels of water each day from Nord Fish- and at each tenth bucket she pulled up she
er’s farm half a mile down the road. murmured an urgent prayer that it would
contain more water in it than earth. She had
Calvin’s herd of scrub cattle was small, but the settled at praying at every tenth bucketload
amount of water it drank was astonishing. For because she did not believe it in good taste to
two weeks now, ever since his well had gone pester God with every bucket. Also, she varied
dry, Calvin had been hauling water, and the the wording of each prayer, feeling that God

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 3b Hey You Down There! Part 1

Hey You Down There! Part One

Although you have only read the opening paragraphs of this story you
already know a great deal about the story. These questions are intended to
draw out in discussion some of the expectations and knowledge you already
have. In your groups discuss the following points and make notes on the
reasons for your responses.

• Can you speculate about what sort of story you think this might turn
out to be?

• Where and when do you think the story might be set?

Talk about it

• What do you already know about Calvin?

• How would you describe the relationship between Dora and Calvin?

• Can you make any guesses about what might happen next?

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Pupil Sheet 4a A Twist in the Tale
Hey You Down There! Part 2

Hey You Down There! Part Two

must become bored with the same plea repeated Dora hurried off. When she returned, Calvin
over and over. had a large ball of binder twine he had brought
from the tool shed.
On this particular morning as she lowered the
bucket for its tenth loading, she prayed, ‘Please He tied the flashlight securely to the end of the
God, let something happen this time... Let line, switched it on and lowered it into the hole.
something really and truly happen so I won’t He paid out the line for about a hundred feet
have to haul up any more dirt.’ and then stopped. The light was only a feeble
glimmer down below and revealed nothing.
Something happened almost immediately. As Calvin lowered the light another hundred feet
the rope slackened in her hands indicating that and this time it was only a twinkling speck as it
the bucket had reached the bottom, a scream of swung at the end of the line. Calvin released
sheer terror came up from the hole, and the rope another long length of twine and another and
ladder jerked violently. Whimpering sounds of another and now the light was no longer visible,
mortal fear sounded faintly, and the ladder and the large ball of twine had shrunk to a small
grew taut with heavy strain. Dora fell to her tangle.
knees and peered down into the darkness. ‘Almost a full thousand feet,’ he whispered in
‘Calvin,’ she called, ‘are you all right? What is awe. ‘And no bottom yet. Might as well pull it
it?’ up.’ But the line did not come up with Calvin’s
pull. It stretched and grew taut, but it did not
Then with startling suddenness, Calvin yield to his tugging.
appeared. At first Dora was not sure it was ‘Must be caught on something,’ Calvin
Calvin. The usual redness of his face was gone; muttered, and gave the line a sharp jerk. In
now it was a yellowish green reply there was a downward jerk that almost
He was trembling violently and had trouble tore the line from his hands.
breathing. ‘Hey!’ yelled Calvin. ‘The line...it jerked!’
‘It must have been a heart attack,’ Dora thought, ‘But, Calvin,’ Dora protested.
and tried hard to control the surge of joy that ‘Don’t Calvin me. I tell you there’s something
came over her. on the end of this line.’

Calvin lay upon the ground, panting. Finally he He gave another tug, and again the line was
gained control of himself. Under ordinary almost pulled from his hands. He tied the line to
circumstances, Calvin did not converse with the stake and sat down to ponder the matter.
Dora but now he seemed eager to talk. ‘You ‘It don’t make sense,’ he said, more to himself
know what happened down there?’ he said in a than to Dora. ‘What could be down
shaky voice. underground a good thousand feet?’ Tentatively
‘You know what happened? The complete he reached and pulled lightly on the line. This
bottom dropped right out of the hole. All of a time there was no response, and rapidly he
sudden it went, and there I was, standing on began hauling it up. When the end of the line
nothing but air. If I hadn’t grabbed a hold of the came into view, there was a small white pouch
last rung of the ladder... Why, that hole must be of a leatherlike substance.
a thousand feet the way the bottom dropped
out of it!’ Calvin opened the pouch with trembling fingers
and shook into his palm a bar of yellow metal
Calvin babbled on, but Dora didn’t listen. She and a folded piece of parchment. The bar of
was amazed at the remarkable way in which her metal was not large but it seemed heavy for its
prayer had been answered. If the hole had no size. Calvin got out his jack-knife and scratched
more bottom, there would be no more dirt to the point of the blade across the metal. The
haul up. knife blade bit into it easily.
When Calvin had regained his strength, he crept ‘Gold,’ said Calvin, his voice shaky. ‘Must be a
to the edge of the hole and peered down. whole pound of it... and just for a measly
‘What are you going to do, Calvin?’ Dora asked flashlight. They must be crazy down there.’
timidly. He thrust the gold bar into his pocket and
‘Do? I’m going to find out how far down that opened the small piece of parchment. One side
hole goes. Get the flashlight from the kitchen.’ was closely covered with a fine writing. Calvin

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 A Twist in the Tale
Hey You Down There! Part 2

turned it this way and that and then tossed it on The warm sunlight felt good on her back and it
the ground. was pleasant to sit and do nothing. She had no
‘Foreigners,’ he said. ‘No wonder they ain’t got fear that Calvin would return soon. She knew
any sense. But it’s plain they need flashlights.’ that nothing on earth - or under it - could keep
‘But, Calvin,’ said Dora. ‘How could they get Calvin from visiting a number of bars once he
down there? There ain’t any mines in this part was in town, and that with each tavern visited,
of the country.’ time would become more and more
‘Ain’t you ever heard of them secret meaningless to him. She doubted that he would
government projects?’ asked Calvin scornfully. return before morning.
‘This must be one of them. Now I’m going to
town to get me a load of flashlights. They must After half an hour Dora gave the line a
need them bad. Now, mind you watch that hole questioning tug, but it did not yield. She did not
good. Don’t let no one go near it.’ Calvin strode mind. It was seldom that she had time to idle
to the battered truck which was standing near away. Usually when Calvin went to town, he
the barn and a minute later was rattling down burdened her with chores that were to be done
the highway towards Harmony Junction. during his absence, coupling each order with a
threat of what awaited her should his
Dora picked up the bit of parchment which instructions not be carried out.
Calvin had thrown away. She could make
nothing of the writing on it. It was all very Dora waited another half hour before tugging at
strange. If it were some secret government the line again. This time there was a sharp
undertaking, why would foreigners be taking answering jerk, and Dora began hauling the
part? And why would they need flashlights so bucket upward. It seemed much heavier now,
urgently as to pay a fortune for one? Suddenly and twice she had to pause for a rest. When the
it occurred to her that possibly the people down bucket reached the surface, she saw why it was
below didn’t know there were English speaking heavier.
people up above. She hurried into the house ‘My goodness,’ she murmured as she viewed
and rummaged through Calvin’s rickety desk the dozen or so yellow metal bars in the bucket.
for paper and pencil. In her search she found a ‘They must be real hungry down there!’ A sheet
small, ragged dictionary, and she took this with of the strange parchment was also in the bucket,
her to the kitchen table. Spelling didn’t come and Dora picked it out expecting to see the
easily to Dora. strange writing of the first note.
‘Well, I declare,’ she said when she saw that the
Her note was a series of questions. Why were note was in English. It was in the same print as
they down there? Who were they? Why did the dictionary, and each letter had been made
they pay so much for an old flashlight? As she with meticulous care. She read the note slowly,
started for the well it occurred to her that shaping each word with her lips as she read.
possibly the people down there might be
hungry. She went back to the kitchen and
wrapped a loaf of bread and a fair-sized piece of
ham in a clean dish-towel. She added a PS to
her note apologizing for the fact that she had
nothing better to offer them. Then the thought
came to her that since the people down below
were obviously foreigners and possibly not too
well versed in English, the small dictionary
might be of help to them in answering her note.
She wrapped the dictionary with the food in the
towel.

It took Dora a long time to lower the bucket, but

finally the twine grew slack in her hands and
she knew the bucket had reached the bottom.
She waited for a few moments and then tugged
the line gently. The line held firm below, and
Dora seated herself on the mound of earth to
wait.

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 4c Hey You Down There! Part 2

Your language is barbaric, but the crude code book you sent down
made it easy for our scholars to decipher it. We, too, wonder about
you. How have you overcome the problem of living in the deadly
light? Our Legends tell of a race dwelling on the surface but
intelligent reasoning has made us ridicule these old tales until
now. We would still doubt that you are surface-dwellers except for
the fact that our instruments show without question that the
opening above us leads to the deadly light. The clumsy death ray
which you sent us indicates that your scientific development is
very low. Other than as an object from another race it has no value
to us. We sent gold as a courtesy payment only. The food you call
bread is not acceptable to our digestive systems, but the ham is
beyond price. It is obviously the flesh of some creature, and we
will exchange a double weight of gold for all that you can send us.
Send more immediately. Also send a concise history of your race
and arrange for your best scientists, such as they are, to
communicate with us.
Glar , THE MASTER

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 4d Your Turn to Write

Hey You Down There!

Talk about it Part Two

Now you know a little more about the story. This sheet is intended to
help you discuss the way the story is put together and the way that
readers of a story bring their own expectations and experience to the
reading.

• First of all, were any of your earlier guesses borne out?

• Have you changed your mind about the setting of the story or the type
of story?

• Is Calvin better or worse than you first predicted?

• Is Dora really as helpless as she first seemed?

Now look at the way the story is told.

• Is this story merely a string of events one after another, or can you see a
structure beginning to emerge? Are you as the reader given any clues
about what might happen next?

• Can you see how the reader becomes involved in the story? What, for
example, do we know that Calvin doesn’t know when he goes off to
buy some more flashlights?

When you have discussed these points there will be a chance to share
your ideas in a class discussion.

Your turn to write

• The next activity is to write the letter that Dora lowered down the
' hole. Read the text carefully. You are given many clues about what she
wrote and the way she would have written it.

Land sakes,’ said Dora. ‘Real bossy they are. I’ve a good mind not to send them
anything. I don’t dare send them more ham. Calvin would notice if any more is

'
gone.

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 5a Hey You Down There! Part 3

Hey You Down There! Part Three

Dora took the gold bars to her petunia bed beside was a mottled red. The loose folds of skin on his
the house and buried them in the loose black neck hung lower than usual and more than ever
soil. She paid no heed to the sound of a car he reminded Dora of something that she
coming down the highway at high speed until it couldn’t quite put a name to. Calvin stepped
passed the house and a wild squawking down from the truck and Dora cringed, but he
sounded above the roar of the motor. She hur- seemed too tired and preoccupied to bother
ried around to the front of the house, knowing with her. He surveyed the hole glumly, then got
already what had happened. She stared in into the truck and backed it to the edge of the
dismay at the four chickens which lay dead in mound of earth. On the back of the truck was a
the road. She knew that Calvin would blame winch with a large drum of steel cable.
her and beat her into unconsciousness. ‘Fix me something to eat,’ he ordered Dora.

Fear sharpened her wits. Perhaps if she could Dora hurried into the house and began prepar-
dispose of the bodies, Calvin would think foxes ing ham and eggs. Each moment she expected
had got them . Hastily she gathered up the dead Calvin to come in and demand to know, with a
chickens and feathers which lay scattered about. few blows, what was holding up his meal. But
When she was finished, there was no evidence Calvin seemed very busy in the vicinity of the
of the disaster. She carried the chickens to the hole. When Dora went out to call him to eat, she
back of the house wondering how she could found he had done a surprising amount of
best dispose of them. Suddenly, as she glanced work. He had attached an oil drum to the steel
towards the hole, the answer came to her. cable. This hung over a heavy steel rod which
rested across the hole. Stakes driven into the
An hour later the four chickens were dressed ground on each side of the hole held the rod in
and neatly cut up. Ignoring the other instruc- place.
tions in the note, she sent the bulky parcel of ‘Your breakfast is ready, Calvin,’ said Dora.
chicken down into the hole. ‘Shut up,’ Calvin answered.
She sat down again to enjoy the luxury of doing The winch was driven by an electric motor, and
nothing. When, an hour later, she picked up the Calvin ran a cable from the motor to an electric
line, there was an immediate response from outlet on the yard light post. From the cab he
below. The bucket was exceedingly heavy this took a number of boxes and placed them in the
time, and she was fearful that the line might oil drum.
break. She was dizzy with fatigue when she ‘A whole hundred of them,’ he chuckled, more
finally hauled the bucket over to the edge of the to himself than to Dora. ‘Fifty-nine cents apiece.
hole. This time there were several dozen bars of Peanuts... one bar of gold will buy thousands.’
gold in it and a brief note in the same precise Calvin threw the switch which controlled the
lettering as before. winch, and with sickening force Dora realized
the terrible thing that would soon happen. The
creatures down below had no use or regard for
Our scientists are of the opinion that the flesh you
flashlights.
sent down is that of a creature you call chicken. This
is the supreme food. Never have we eaten Downanything
went the oil drum, the cable screeching
so delicious. To show our appreciation we as
shrilly areit passed over the rod above the hole.
sending you a bonus payment. Your code book
Calvin got an oil can from the truck and applied
indicates that there is a larger creature similar
oil generously to rod and cable. In a very
to the
chicken called turkey. Send us turkeyshort immediately.
while the cableI went slack and Calvin
repeat, send us turkey immediately. stopped the winch.
‘I’ll give them an hour to load up the gold,’ he
Glar, THE MASTER said and went to the kitchen for his delayed
breakfast.

Dora was almost numb with fear. What would

‘Land sakes,’ gasped Dora. ‘They must have happen when the flashlights came back up, with
eaten that chicken raw. Now where in tarnation an insulting note in English, was too horrible to
would I get a turkey?’ She buried the gold bars contemplate. Calvin would learn about the gold
in another part of her petunia bed. she had received and very likely kill her.
Calvin ate his breakfast leisurely. Dora busied
Calvin returned about ten o’clock the next herself with household tasks, trying with all her
morning. His eyes were bloodshot and his face might to cast out of her mind the terrible thing

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 5b Hey You Down There! Part 3

Hey You Down There!

which was soon to happen. Finally Calvin you mess things up, I’ll fix you too! I’ll really
glanced at the wall clock, yawned widely, and and truly fix you.’ Dora nodded dumbly.
tapped out his pipe. Ignoring Dora, he went out
to the hole. In spite of her terrible fear, Dora Calvin put his gun in the oil drum and pushed
could not resist following him. It was as if some it to the centre of the hole. Then, hanging on to
power outside herself forced her to go. the cable, he carefully lowered himself into the
drum.
The winch was already reeling the cable when ‘Give me just one hour to run those dirty rats
she got to the hole. It seemed only seconds down, then bring me back up,’ he said. Dora
before the oil drum was up. The grin on threw the switch and the oil drum went down.
Calvin’s face was broad as he reached out over When the cable slackened, she stopped the
the hole and dragged the drum to the edge. A winch. She spent most of the next hour praying
look of utter disbelief replaced the grin as he that Calvin would not find the people down
looked into it. His Adam’s apple seemed to there and become a murderer.
vibrate under his red-skinned throat, and once
again part of Dora’s mind tried to recall what it Exactly an hour later, Dora started the oil drum
was that Calvin reminded her of. Calvin was upward. The motor laboured mightily as
making flat, bawling sounds like a lost calf. He though under a tremendous strain, and the
hauled the drum out of the hole and dumped its cable seemed stretched almost to breaking
contents on the ground. The flashlights, many point.
of them dented and with lenses broken, made a
sizeable pile. Dora gasped when the oil drum came into view.
Calvin was not in it! She shut off the motor and
With a tremendous kick Calvin sent flashlights hastened to the drum, half expecting to find
flying in all directions. One, with a note at- Calvin crouching down inside. But Calvin was
tached, landed at Dora’s feet. Either Calvin was not there. Instead there were scores of gold bars
so blinded by rage that he didn’t see it, or he and on top of them a sheet of the familiar white
assumed it was written in the same unreadable parchment.
script as the first note.
‘You down there! ‘ he screamed into the hole. ‘Land sakes,’ Dora said, as she took in a full
‘You filthy swine! I’ll fix you. I’ll make you view of the drum’s contents. She had no idea of
sorry you ever double-crossed me. I’ll... I’ll...’ the value of the treasure upon which she gazed.
He dashed for the house and Dora hastily She only knew it must be immense. Carefully,
snatched up the note. she reached down and picked out the note,
which she read in her slow, precise way.

You are even more stupid than we thought.

Not
Your clumsy death rays are useless to even
us. We the exquisite flavour of the chicken
compares
informed you of this. We want turkey. Send usto the incomparable goodness of
turkey immediately. the live turkey you sent down to us. We
must confess that we thought turkey would
Glar, THE MASTER be rather different from this, but this
does not matter.

So delicious was the turkey that we are again

She crumpled the note swiftly as Calvin came sending you a bonus payment. We beg you to
from the house with his double-barrelled shot- send us more turkey immediately.
gun. For a moment, Dora thought that he knew
everything and was about to kill her. Glar, THE MASTER
‘Please, Calvin,’ she said.
‘Shut up,’ said Calvin 'You saw me work the
winch. Can you do it?’ Dora read the note a second time to make sure
‘Why, yes, but what...?’ she understood it fully.
‘Listen to me. I’m going down there to fix those
dirty foreigners. You send me down and bring ‘Well, I declare,’ she said in considerable won-
me up.’ He seized Dora by the shoulder. ‘And if der. ‘I do declare.’

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 6 Comparing the Stories

Comparing the stories

You will have realised some of the similarities between the two stories you have studied.

In your groups talk about the following statements for each story. Then decide if what
happens in each story is exactly the same, nearly the same or different and put a tick in
the right column.

In both stories. Exactly Nearly Different

the same the same

The marriage is happy.

The woman gains by her

husband’s death.

The woman is meek and dutiful.

The story is realistic.

The ending is predictable.

The husband is killed by the wife.

The woman doesn’t regret her

husband’s death.

The man is rude and aggressive.

The plot is set in modern times.

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 A Twist in the Tale
Pupil Sheet 5c Writing

A Twist in the Tale?

Now you know how the story finished, were you surprised by the
ending?
Your turn to write

You are now asked to choose one of the following writing activities.

• Write your own review of the story.

You will have plenty of notes from your discussions at various stages of
the story. Think about the way the story is put together, the clues that
the reader is given, the pattern that emerges. Try to say where the
enjoyment of the story comes from.

• Write your own story with a twist in the tale.

You could write a story entitled ‘Revenge is Sweet’, or make up your
own title.

Plan your story before you start. Think about involving the reader and
giving clues (but not too obvious ones!). Make sure you know how the
story is going to end before you start. Think carefully about the setting,
time and place of your story.

• Imagine that you are Glar or one of his followers.

Write the story from Glar’s point of view.

• Write a continuation of the story of Dora one year on.

How does Dora explain Calvin’s disappearance? What does she do with
her wealth? Is this the last time she ever contacts Glar?

• Write a play script of a meeting set in the underground world of Glar.

Imagine that some of the dwellers want to explore the world of light
and some don’t. What would be some of the arguments for and against?

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