SATCHKIN PATCHKIN

SATCHKIN PATCHKIN

After Helen Morgan

PART 1

Once upon a time there was a little green magic man. His name was Satchkin Patchkin and he lived, like a leaf, in an apple tree.

The apple tree was in a long, untidy garden, and in the long, untidy garden there was a little, untidy house.

A poor woman called Mother Farthing lived in the house, but it was not her house. It was the farmer’s house. The farmer lived in another house on the hill. He was a lean man, a mean man, a man without a smile.

One spring night Mother Farthing was coming back to her house after a day in a town. She was not happy as she didn’t have her cow with her. She had some money but very little. She was very unlucky as she slowly walked home alone.

“I no longer have a cow,” she said. “And the money is to pay my rent to the farmer.” Mother Farthing looked up at the dark sky and saw the beautiful white moon. She put her hand on the latch of her cottage door and watched the moon. “Oh, the moon looks like milk tonight,” she said.

The little green magic man in the apple tree heard her. He came out from under a new green leaf and watched the moon too.

“Milk, “ he thought and looked at the white moon again. “When did I last drink milk? I don’t remember what it tastes like.”

The more he thought about it the more he wanted some milk. He said, “I must have milk or I won’t sleep.” And the little green magic man went to the farmer’s house which stood high on the hill. The farmer was a lean man, a mean man, a man without a smile, but he had a lot of cows and a lot of milk. The farmer’s fine house was dark and the farmer himself was sleeping in his warm bed.

 He was dreaming about money as usual, when suddenly he heard this noise – “Bump! Bump! Bump!” The farmer opened his eyes and sat up. “What’s that loud noise down in the yard?” he thought, getting out of his warm bed. He wanted to find out who was at the door, but couldn’t see anyone. “Who’s there? And what do you want at this time of the night?” he cried.  Back came the answer, thin and clear as the sound of a silver bell:

“Satchkin Patchkin!

Who will lift the latchkin?

Satchkin Patchkin!

Who will lift the latch?”

The farmer looked out his window but could see no one at the door. “What do you want?” cried the farmer. He was cold and angry in the dark night. “Only a little milk, that’s all,” said the clear, thin voice from below. “Milk!” roared the farmer. “Milk! At this time of the night? Go away, whoever you are, and let me go back to my bed!” The farmer closed the window and returned to his warm bed.

Read the sentences aloud and tell which of them are true (T) and which are false (F). Find the places in the text and correct the wrong sentences.

1)    Once upon a time there was a big magic man.

2)   Satchkin Patchkin lived in a big house.

3)   A poor woman lived in a little, untidy house.

4)   The farmer lived in the same house.

5)   The farmer was very kind.

6)   After a day in town the woman was not happy because she didn’t have her cow with her.

7)   The woman had a lot of money.

8)   The little green magic man didn’t want to drink any milk.

9)   The farmer gave some milk to the little green magic man.

Answer the questions?

1)    Who is Satchkin Patchkin?

2)   Where did Mother Farthing live? Was it her house?

3)   Why did the little green magic man go to the farmer’s house?

4)   Did the farmer like the visit of Satchkin Patchkin? Why?

Have you noticed that there is no ending of this story? Use your imagination and think of your own ending. Write down your ideas.