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Published: November 3rd 2007
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Debbie at Lunch Hour Rehearsal
What the heck, I didn't need dessert anyway! She came to my classroom for half an hour every lunch, and ten minutes after school For some reason, “Winona” is a commonly- chosen English name for Chinese women. I have two colleagues named Winona—the name means “firstborn daughter” in Sioux (I looked it up)—how can I digress AND do a run-on sentence in my introduction? And I’m an English teacher, for Pete’s sake!
Anyway, one of the Winonas asked me to coach her student for a speech contest, held today. The topic is “One Beautiful Morning”. Debbie worked like a mule to get ready—stressing her consonants, articulating clearly, memorizing, and all that. The teacher is allowed to write the presentation, so here is what Debbie said today. It is a paraphrase of Stompin Tom Connors “A Little Horse Named Farmer.”
“One Beautiful Morning.
“On the shores of Entry Island, in the far-off Magdalenes,
It was morning on the old Atlantic shore.”
These are the first lines of a well-known and well-loved Canadian song, a song about a brave little horse named Farmer. I would like to tell it to you.
It was a spring morning. After the long and cruel Canadian winter, the flowers were beginning to grow again. It was still cold in the night, but the children were toasty under their heavy covers in the farmhouse.
“Wake up, you children!” said the farmer loudly, making as much noise as possible to awaken everyone--even though it was only 5 a.m. “Come to the barn with me. You will want to see this!”
The children threw their clothes on and raced to the barn, because they knew what they were about to see.
The mother horse eyed the children suspiciously, yet somehow proudly. Standing beside her, wobbling on his legs that seemed away too long for his young body, was a baby horse! The mare and the newborn colt looked wonderful together!
He was a beautiful dark brown, but on his forehead was a white patch in the shape of a letter “F”. Immediately, the children named him “Farmer”.
Life is happy and slow on the Magdalene Islands. As the days grew longer and warmer and summer came, the children and the young horse played happily together.
The Magdalene Islands are in a part of Canada that is so cold that the ocean freezes over. It is possible to drive from one island to the next, across the ice. Can you imagine driving a car from Green Island to Orchid Island?
Winter came, and one night the farmer hitched the little horse to a wagon, and drove across the ice to far-away Grosse Ile. Many people speak French in the Magdalene Islands, and “Grosse Ile” just means “Big Island”.
The farmer went to a card game, but he had no luck. At the end of the evening, all his money was gone. Even poor little Farmer had to be sold to pay the gambling debt!
Farmer was not happy in his new home. The barn was cold and drafty. There was never enough food. The new owner was cruel, and hit Farmer with a whip. If horses could cry, Farmer would have been crying for his lost happy home and his lost happy playmates.
One day, Farmer was out in the pasture, and he noticed that the gate was shabby and old. He turned around, and kicked out with both his hind legs. BOOT!!! The gate fell to pieces, and Farmer ran away.
But where to? Where could he run? He galloped along the shore, and all of a sudden he smiled to himself. He sniffed the ocean breeze, and smelled his home on Entry Island!
He waded into the water. He started swimming as the water got deeper. He went straight for his home. He swam. And swam. And swam.
All his strength was beginning to leave him, and his head began to slip under the icy water. It was dark, and there was no moon.
Slowly, the sun came up. It was going to be a beautiful morning, but maybe it would also be Farmer’s last one!
All of a sudden, the brave little horse could feel stones under his feet! He was home!
An hour or so later, the children were sitting down to breakfast.
“Farmer! Farmer! Farmer!” a little girl shouted happily as she looked out the kitchen window. “Farmer has come home to us!”
“Hey you kids, get back here and finish your breakfast!” ordered the farmer’s wife sternly. Then she laughed. Running as fast they could, the children went straight for Farmer. Galloping as fast as he could, Farmer ran straight for them.
It was a joyous reunion on a beautiful Canadian morning.”
Debbie was up against city kids, who go to private English lessons. Even though she didn’t win, I was very proud of her hard work and how well she did.
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Jill Dashwood
non-member comment
A lovely story
Hi Doug, Really enjoyed your story. Such a sense of adventure. I am sure your student enjoyed learning a little bit about Canada and practising her speech with you. Take Care, Jill Dashwood