Pregled gramatike engleskog jezika za 1. razred..doc

8/19/2019 Pregled gramatike engleskog jezika za 1. razred..doc

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PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED

Dragi učenici,

ovaj kratki pregled gramatike engleskoga jezika trebao bi vam pomoći da uspješno savladate sadržaj

prvoga polugodišta kako bi se što lakše prilagodili nadolazećem gradivu. Ovaj kratki preglednik sadrži

definicije na engleskom i hrvatskom jeziku kako bi što bolje shvatili srž i bit jezika kojim se bavimo.

sto, pregledniku su dodane dvije kratke priča na engleskom jeziku. !ščitavajući tekstove na

engleskom jeziku, vi proširujete vlastiti rječnik i uspješno se prilago"avate jeziku koji danas otvara

sva vrata svijeta.

#elena $ujčić, prof.

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PRESENT SIMPLE:

Use:

%. to e&press a habit'! get up at ( o)clock.*arta drinks coffee ever+ morning.

. a fact -hich is al-a+s true

o-s eat grass./no- falls in the -inter.

!z rečenica koje smo naveli kao primjer jasno je kako 0resent simple koristimo kako bi izrazili naše

navike, one radnje koje su dio nas i naše svakodnevnice. 1ako imamo rečenicu, I get up at 8.00. (Ja

ustajem u 8 sati.) kojom izražavamo našu naviku o jutarnjem bu"enju.

sto, 0resent simple koristimo kako bi izrazili činjenice koje su uvijek točne pa tako imamo primjer

Cows eat grass (Krave jedu travu), što je opća istina o kravama pa je i izražena present simpleom.

#ednako je i s rečenicom Snow falls in the winter, što je tako"er uvijek istinito jer snijeg i pada samo

zimi.

Form:

1. positie senten!es:

! drink coffee. 2e drink coffee.

3ou drink coffee. 3ou drink coffee.

4e5 /he5 !t drinks coffee. 1he+ drink coffee.

/o, it is obvious that the verb gets suffi& "s or "es onl+ in the third person.

$idljivo je kako se u 0resent simpleu glagolu samo u trećem licu jednine dodaje nastavak "s ili "

es. $ažno je napomenuti kako taj nastavka izaziva promjenu kod glasa + ukoliko se on nalazi iza

suglasnika, npr. e carries a new suit!ase. 6dje je # prešao u i$ 7carr+8carries9. :o, ukoliko se

glas + nalazi iza samoglasnika ne dolazi do promjene. She buys "us ti!#et ever$ da$. Dakle, +

ostaje nepromijenjen, 7bu+ bu+s9.

%. negatie senten!es:

&to make a negative sentence -e use verb do or does ' not$ so -e have do not or don(t and

does not or doesn(t.

)oesn(t is used onl+ in the third person singular.

*ark doesn(t ride a bike. 88 this is a negative sentence, but positive sentence is'

*ark rides a bike.

/o, it means that -e mustn)t use the verb rides -ith suffi& "s in negative sentence, but -e

have to use infinitive.

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:iječna rečenica u present simpleu se tvori tako da upotrijebimo don(t i glavni glagol u

infinitive u svim licima množine te u prvom i drugom licu jednine. Dok doesn(t i glavni

glagol koristimo samo u trećem licu jednine. Dakle, valja još jednom napomenuti kako nam se

glavni glagol u niječnoj rečenici mora vratiti natrag u infinitiv i ne smije imati nastavak "s ili

"es u niječnom izrazu.

Dakle,

*att bu+s himself coffee ever+ morning.

*att doesn(t *u# himself coffee ever+ morning.

...doesn(t *u#....correct5točno

...doesn(t *u#s...incorrect5 netočno

+. ,uestion

8-e also use do or does. )oes is used onl+ in the third person singular.

)oes *att ride a bike ever+ da+;

)o +ou -ae this D;

Dakle, u upitnim rečenicama imamo isto pravilo o korištenju glagola dodoes. )oes se koristi

samo u trećem licu jednine i to tako da zamijeni mjesto sa subjektom i do"e na prvo mjesto.

/va druga lica koriste do$ a pritom zamijeni mjesto sa subjektom.

PRESENT /0NTINU0US:

Use:

2e use present continuous to e&press an activit+ happening no-'

1he+ are pla#ing in the garden.4e is drinking coffee at the moment.

/o, both sentences e&press and activit+ -hich is happening at the moment of speaking. !n the

present continuous -e often use adverbials, such as at t-e moment or no.

0ogledamo li dvije rečenice koje smo upotrijebili kao primjer jasno je kako te rečenice

izražavaju radnju koja se doga"a u trenutku govora. :pr. 1he+ are pla#ing in the garden.

7Oni se igraju u vrtu.9, jasno je da se radnja odvija u trenutku govora. Dok u drugoj rečenici

imamo i priložnu oznaku at t-e moment u oom trenutku$ koja nam pomaže da odredimo

vrijeme u kojem se radnja odvija. sto, valja napomenuti kako je učestalo i korištenje priložne

oznake vremena nosada.

1. positie senten!es:

8 to make a positive sentence in the present continuous -e use the present form of the

verb *e ' &ing.

e.g.

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! am drinking coffee. 2e are drinking coffee.3ou are drinking coffee. 3ou are drinking coffee.4e5/he5!t is drinking coffee. 1he+ are drinking coffee.

/o, -e use 2M2REIS 7the present form of the verb be9 and the full verb -ith "ing.1hus, -e onl+ have to be careful -hen -e are choosing the correct 2M2REISform.

Dakle, kada tvorimo jesnu rečenicu u present continuous, trebamo izabrati pravilan izraz prezenta

glagola 3E$ koji 2M2REIS$ potom glavnom glagolu dodamo nastavak "ing. $ažno je izabrati

pravilan oblik glagola 3E$ tako za prvo lice jednine koristimo 2M$ za treće lice jednine koristimo IS$

dok za drugo lice jednine i sva lica množine koristimo 2RE.

%. negatie senten!e:

8 to make a negative sentence -e use 2M2REIS ' N0T ' &IN4

1hus -e have'

! am not drinking coffee. or !(m not drinking....

3ou are not drinking coffee. or 3ou aren(t drinking.....

4e is not drinking coffee. or 4e isn(t drinking.....

Dakle, kada tvorimo niječne rečenice glagolima 2M2RE IS dodamo negativnu riječ N0T$ s

tim da onda imamo i kratke oblike kao što su 5m not$ aren(t$ isn(t.

+. ,uestion:

8 to make a


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1. Use t-e present !ontinuous or t-e present simple. Nadopuni re7eni!e koriste8i present

simple ili present !ontinuous glagola u 9agradama.a

=' !s #anet in, please;

>' 3es, but I thin# 7 !5think9 she)s bus+ at the moment. She is washing 7she5-ash9 her hair.

=' %8??????????????7!5think9 of bu+ing a ne- computer.

>' >ut computers 8 ????????????7cost9 so much mone+. 2hat)s -rong -ith the one -e)ve got;

=' @8???????????????7it5get9 out of date no-.

*

=' 3our ne- trousers A8????????????7look9 nice.

>' 1hank +ou, the trouble is B8???????????????????7the+5not5fit9 properl+. C8

??????????????7!5not5kno-9 -h+ ! bought them, reall+.

%. /omplete t-e senten!es *# putting in t-e er*s in present simple form. Nadopuni

re7eni!e koriste8i present simple glagola u 9agradama.

%. *+ friend is finding life in 0aris a bit difficult. 4e???????????7not5speak9 rench.

. !)ve got four cats and t-o dogs. ! ?????????????7love9 animals.

@. :o breakfast for *ark, thanks. 4e ?????????????7not5eat9 breakfast.

A. 2hat)s the matter; 3ou????????????7not5look9 ver+ happ+.B. Don)t tr+ to ring the bell. !t??????????????7not5-ork9 properl+.

C. *atthe- is good at badminton. 4e??????????????7-in9 ever+ game.

E. 2e al-a+s travel b+ bus. 2e ????????????7not5o-n9 a car.

2NS;ERS:

1.%8 ! am thinking

8 ost

@8 !t is getting

A8 Fook

B8 1he+ don)t fitC8 ! don)t kno-.

%. %. doesn)t speak, . love, @. doesn)t eat, A. don)t look, B. doesn)t -ork, C. -ins, E. doesn)t

o-n.

P2ST SIMPLE:

Use:

2e use the past simple for something in the past -hich is finished.

Gmma passed her e&am last #ear. tj. Gma je prošla ispit prošle godine.

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Glvis died in 1


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koje su u past simpleu ne mijenja oblik kroz lica nego uvijek ostaje isti. Ovo pravilo vrijedi i za

sve pravilne glagole, npr. ! arried at C o) clock. /he arried at C o)clock.

* negatie form and ,uestion:

8 in negatives and


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1his sentence means that at three o) clock -e -ere in the middle of a period of rain. 1he rain began

before three o)clock and stopped some time after three. /o, -e are stressing the length of time.

/oft music as pla#ing.

1his sentence means that -e heard the music at that particular moment, but it -as pla+ing before -e

heard it and it stopped some time after -e heard it.

0rva rečenica It was raining at three o* !lo!#. (Ki%ilo je u tri sata), označava trenutak u prošlosti kada

smo mi svjedočili kiši, ali uporaba glagola as raining označava da je počelo kišiti prije nego smo

mi vidjeli da kiši i da je ta kiša prestala u nekom trenutku nakon što smo mi vidjeli da kiši. Dakle,

uporabom past continuous naglašavamo trajanje radnje u prošlosti. !sto vrijedi i za drugu rečenicu gdje

smo mi u jednom trenutku čuli kako svira nježna glazba, ali glagoli as pla#ing naglašavaju kako je

glazba svirala i prije nego smo je mi čuli i kako je svirala i nakon što smo je mi čuli.

Form:

1he past continuous is formed of the past tense of *e @asere and an L ing form.

%. positive sentences'

*ar+ as pla#ing the piano.

+ar$ is the third person singular noun, so -e use as form of the verb *e$ and verb pla# is

accompanied -ith the 8 ing form.

1he+ ere skiing in /-itzerland.

he$ is the third person plural pronoun, so -e use ere form of the verb *e$ and the verb ski is

accompanied -ith the L ing form.

! as running. 2e ere running.

3ou ere running. 3ou ere running.

4e5 /he 5 !t as running. 1he+ ere running.

1o sum up, the first and the third person singular use the form as$ -hile all the other use the form

ere.

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Dakle pri tvorbi jesnih rečenica u past continuousu koristimo asere 7tj. prošli oblik glagola *e$

vidi tablicu %. i glavni glagol kojem se dodaje nastavak "ing. #asno je iz prethodne konjugacije kako

u prvom i trećem licu jednine koristimo ;2S$ dok sva ostala lica koriste oblik ;ERE.

. negative sentences'

8 to form a negative sentence -e use asere J notso -e have' as not or asn(t and ere not or eren(t

*ar+ asn(t pla#ing the piano.

1he+ eren(t skiing in /-itzerland.

#ednostavno se da zaključiti kao pri tvorbi niječnih rečenica u past continuous pomoćnom glagolu

asere dodajemo not dok sve ostalo ostaje isto. !pak, važno je paziti na to u kojem se licu nalazi

subjekt kako bismo upotrijebili pravilan oblik pomoćnog glagola.

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2hen he as !arr#ing a suitcase, he dropped it on his foot.

E6ER/ISES:

1. Use past simple or past !ontinuous of t-e er*s in *ra!kets. Nadopuni re7eni!e koriste8ipast simple ili past !ontinuous glagola u 9agradama.

!t 7%9?????7be9 a fine da+ -hen !79???????? 7start9 out on the last part of m+ -alk around the

coast of >ritain. 1he sun 7@9??????????7shine9, and a light -ind7A9??????7blo-9 from the

south8 -est. ! -as pleased that it7B9???????? 7not rain9. ! 7C9??????7kno-9 b+ no- that ! did not

like the rain. !n fact, !7E9?????????7hate9 it. !7(9???????? 7-alk9 along the cliff top and then

do-n into the lovel+ little fishing village of 2elburn, past a cafe -here people7H9?????????

7have9 morning coffee.

%. Use past simple of t-e er*s in *ra!kets to !omplete t-e te>t. Nadopuni re7eni!e koriste8i

past simple glagola u 9agradama.

1-o people died 7die9 in a fire in Gllis /treet, Oldport +esterda+ morning. 1he+ 7%9????????7be9

4erbert and *oll+ 0a+nter, a couple in their seventies. 1he fire 79?????????7start9 at @.M a.m. =

neighbour, *r. =ziz, 7@9????????????7see9 the flames and 7A9????????????7call9 the fire

brigade. 4e also 7B9??????????7tr+9 to get into the house and rescue his neighbours, but the heat

7C9 ??????????7be9 too great. 1he fire brigade 7E9 ??????????????7arrive9 in five minutes.

1-ent+ fire8fighters 7(9????????7fight9 the fire and finall+ 7H9 ???????????7bring9 it under

control. 1-o fire fighters 7%M9???????????? 7enter9 the burning building but 7%%9 8

??????????7find9 the couple dead.

+. Make a senten!e *# using past simple and past !ontinuous. Na7ini re7eni!e koriste8i past

simplepast !ontinuous.

a9 he5break5 his leg5-hen 5he5 ski??????????????????????????????????????????

b9 she5 loose 5 her passport5 -hile5 she5 shop?????????????????????????????????

c9 the phone5 ring5 -hen5! 5leave 5 the house?????????????????????????????????

d9 -hen5! 5leave5the+5pla+5 in the garden5????????????????????????????????????

e9 his hair5 catch5 fire5 -hen5 he5 cook5chips????????????????????????????????

f9 -hile5 -e5 pla+5tennis5 it5 start5 to rain5??????????????????????????????????

g9 -hen5!5 phone5 /imon5 he5have5 a sho-er????????????????????????????????

h9 !5do5 m+ home-ork5 -hen5#ane5 arrived?????????????????????????????????

2NS;ERS:

1. %9 -as, 9 started, @9 -as shining, A9 -as blo-ing, B9 -asn)t raining, C9 kne-, E9 hated, (9

-alked, H9 -ere having

2. %. 2ere, . /tarted, @. /a-, A. alled, B. 1ried, C. 2as, E. =rrived, (. ought, H. >rought, %M.

Gntered, %%. ound.

+. a9 4e broke his leg -hen he -as skiing.

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b9? /he lost her passport -hile she -as shopping.

c9 1he phone rang -hen ! -as leaving the house.

d9 2hen ! left, the+ -ere pla+ing in the garden.

e9 4is hair caught fire -hen he -as cooking chips.

f9 2hile -e -ere pla+ing tennis, it started to rain.

g9 2hen ! phoned /imon he -as having a sho-er.

h9 ! -as doing m+ home-ork -hen #ane arrived.

SA0RT ST0RIES:

2 Tale of Friends-ip

Written and Illustrated by Carol Moore

Author's Note:

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-ear reader, while this stor$ is a"solutel$ untrue I ma#e no apologies, for in the imagination

of the heart and at the heart of imagination ever$thing is possi"le and an$thing !ould "e. It

has "een said that the world was !reated in si da$s and on the seventh da$ /od rested

having !reated all manner of "east and then man. ut one animal was not there in the

"eginning. It was fashioned "$ the Creator man$ $ears later, and this is a stor$ of how it !ame

to "e.

/-apter 0ne

3ears ago, even before the !ndian had set foot in =merica, there lived a colon+ of

beavers on the banks of a tributar+ of the *atta-amkeag Niver in upper *aine. /emi8

mountainous, it -as a beautiful place -ith -illo-, elm and pine trees and plants such

as fern and duck-eed. 1he banks of the tributar+ -ere dotted -ith meado-s of -ild

grass created b+ the beavers in the cutting of trees to build their dam.

1he beaver colon+ -as neither large nor small, having three families and ten

members, and like all beaver the+ -orked

ver+ hard to dam the small river. =lthough

the beavers took occasional breaks, usuall+

for not more than half an hour, one beaver

relished sitting at the -aters edge deep in

thought. 4e -orked harder and faster just

so he could sit still longer. !f the+ kept bus+

-ith the -ho and -hat of things, he found

value in the if and -h+ of things 88 for

hours at a time.

One da+ in earl+ spring -hile he -as sitting

on the bank deep in thought about -h+ trees should shed their leaves in -inter, he -as

distracted b+ a loud P


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1he beaver sighed. POh, ! like that -ord Pcurious...curiosit+, curiousl+, curiousness.P

4e rolled the sounds over his tongue like the taste of a tender -illo- sprig. P! am

m+self curious about man+ things. or instance, -hat is +our name;P

P*iena.P

1he beaver lo-ered his voice as if the+ -ere co8conspirators. P*iena, m+ name isDooro. ! have a


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=ll that -eek *iena sought Dooro out -henever he rested on the bank. 1his -as

partl+ because the other ducks left her alone -hen she -as -ith him and partl+

because he -as so happ+ to see her. 1he+ -ould discuss -hatever came to mind,

-hich could be about some difference bet-een ducks and beavers, or the relative

threat of such enemies as bear and cougar, or even -here the+ might end up if the+

fle- or s-am in one direction forever.

1hen one morning Dooro invited

*iena to accompan+ him -hile he

-orked. /he paddled beside him as

he s-am gracefull+ and po-erfull+

closing his forepa-s into fists and

carr+ing them close to his chest as he

propelled himself for-ard -ith

-ebbed hind feet, using his tail as a

rudder. 2hen *iena dipped her headunder-ater for a piece of duck-eed

Dooro lo-ered his head too. !nstead

of ordinar+ e+elids, his e+elids -ere

transparent. 2hen he closed them it -as like looking through -indo-panes and he

could see her -ith perfect clarit+.

*iena felt e&hilarated. /he -as at home in the -ater, her feathers providing perfect

insulation, and no- that she didnt have to -orr+ about other ducks chasing her she

could rela& and enjo+ the surroundings. /he loved to paddle against the soft liut une&pectedl+ the duck sounded an alarm.

P2hats -rong;P Dooro e&claimed.

*iena -as emphatic. P:ot that tree. 1heres a nest in it.P

/he lifted her head to point and Dooro sa- that there -as, indeed, a nest half-a+ up

the tree hidden in the branches. 4e -atched *iena fl+ to it.

1he duck recognized the nest because she had hatched in one just like it. =lthough

ground nests -ere more common, occasionall+ some -ere put in a tree. /he found

eight olive8green eggs nestled bet-een soft bro-n feathers and -ondered -here the

parents -ere. >ut the nest did feel -arm to her feet so she realized the mother duck

had onl+ recentl+ left and -ould return shortl+. /he rejoined Dooro -ho had alread+

selected another tree.

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sing his tail as a stool on -hich he could sit upright,

Dooro gripped the trunk in his forepa-s and began

che-ing the bark of the si&8inch -illo- sapling,

dropping chips as he -orked. !t took onl+ %B minutes

before the tree began to s-a+ on the verge of

toppling. 1aking one last bite, Dooro slapped his tail

on the ground setting off distant thumps and pistol8

like pops as other beavers follo-ed suit on ground

and -ater. Gven *iena kne- this -as the beavers version of P1imberQP an emergenc+

signal that reverberates throughout the beaver colon+ telling others to seek the safet+

of -ater until the+ are sure no enemies have been attracted b+ the sounds of a falling

tree. Dooro too returned to the canal and -aited ten minutes before he got out and

began dismembering the branches of the tree and che-ing the trunk into pieces about

three feet long. 6ripping a branch in his teeth he splashed back into the canal, -ith

*iena close behind. 1he beaver -as tireless and *iena accompanied him as he made M trips to the lake

and back. 4e ferried the branches and trunk sections to the dam and -ith de&terous

forefeet and strong ja-s pushed, pulled and -ove them into the tangled structure.

Occasionall+ another beaver helped him -ork a particularl+ large trunk section over

the top and rest it at an angle, further buttressing the back of the dam.

>ecause he -as single8minded in his effort Door and *iena talked onl+ occasionall+.

1he beaver had cut do-n, sectioned and transported t-o trees to the dam before

deciding it -as time for a morning break. 1he+ sat on the bank -atching other beavers

still hard at -ork.

P2ere +ou born here;P asked *iena, nibbling at some -atercress that had sprung up at

the -aters edge.

P3es,P ans-ered Dooro, P!n the lodge at the center of the lake.P 4e began rubbing oil

on his coat from the scent glands near his tail and using the split toenails of his back

feet to comb through his thick mat of underfur. P4o- about +ou, -here -ere +ou

born;P

P= lake close b+ 88 one nights flight from here. ! left, though. ! didnt feel safe there.P

P2h+ not;P

*iena hesitated. P1hats -here a snapping turtle grabbed me b+ m+ foot -hen ! -as a

duckling. *+ parents beat at him -ith their -ings until he let me go. !f !d been in

deeper -ater and not so shallo- at the time. . .P /he shuddered as her voice faded.

P! understand,P said Dooro s+mpatheticall+. P=iera the -olf gives us grief, too, but one

thing he cannot do is sneak up on us from under-ater. 1hats -h+ -e are -orking so

hard right no- to keep the -ater high. Rits are being born. *+ mother has t-o ne-

ones.P

PNeall+, -here are the+; ! havent seen them,P e&claimed *iena -ith interest.

POh, she -ill bring them out soon. 1he+ are not +et a -eek old, but alread+ she isteaching them ho- to s-im. 1he+ learn at the edge of the eating shelf inside the

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lodge.P

PGating shelf;P

POh, ! forgot, +ou have never been inside a lodge, P said Dooro. P2e have t-o levels.

1he upper level is for sleeping and the lo-er level slopes to the -ater and is for eating

and a place to dr+ off. 2ould +ou like to see it;P

POh, ! couldnt disturb +our mother and her babies,P said *iena.

P:o. ! -ill sho- +ou m+ lodge,P said Dooro proudl+. !ts the smaller one near the dam.

1he back entrance isnt that long.P

P>ack entrance;

P= tunnel ! made from the bottom of the pond to m+ lodge, ma+be M feet long. !ts a

couple of feet -ide. !m sure +ou could make it.P

P! dont kno-.P *iena said. /he didnt mind diving, but the image of a dark tunnel

unnerved her.

Dooro insisted. Pome on. ! -ill be -ith +ou.P 4e coa&ed her into the -ater and over

to the area above his tunnel. 1hen the+ dove, Dooro leading the -a+.

=s -ith all beavers, Dooro -as endo-ed -ith an almost miraculous abilit+ to sta+

under-ater. 4e had outer ears he could fold shut and flaps of skin in his nose he could

close to keep -ater out. 4is oversized lungs allo-ed him to submerge for as long as

fifteen minutes and to s-im under-ater half a mile. 2hen he dove his heartbeat

slo-ed automaticall+ and his bod+ prepared to absorb -hat to other animals -ould be

poisonous amounts of carbon dio&ide. >ut *iena -as not so endo-ed. ertainl+ she

-as able to dive for minutes at a time, but that -as under conditions -here she couldsee her surroundings and had immediate access to the surface. Dooro realized there

-as a problem -ell before he had reached the entrance to his lodge.

=lmost half-a+ through the tunnel *iena panicked. 0ushing against the -alls -ith

her -ebbed toes, she sought to s-im faster but onl+ stirred up mud, t-igs and debris

that clouded the passage-a+. =nd once she couldnt see she became disoriented,

thrashing about in terror. /ensing trouble, Dooro turned and s-am back to her,

pushing and guiding her back out of the tunnel -ith his chest and forepa-s until she

-as into clear -ater. /he stopped floundering and hesitated onl+ a moment before

rushing to the surface to dra- in deep breaths of air. /he made her -a+ to the bank and

la+ e&hausted. !t didnt help that Dooro caught a disapproving glance from his father -ho -as

-orking on the dam. Dooro -as over-helmed -ith shame. P*iena,P he e&claimed. P!

reall+ thought +ou could do it.P

POhhhh,P she gasped. P!ll never do that again. Gven if ! -as chased b+ %MM turtles !

could never, ever enter a tunnel again.P

P!m sorr+.P Dooro didnt kno- -hat else to sa+.

P! kno- +oure sorr+,P *iena reassured him. P3ou just thought ducks are like beavers

88 and -ere not. !m not. #ust dont ever mention that horrible place again.P

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/-apter T-ree

*iena didnt hold her unfortunate e&perience against Dooro. 1he+ continued to meet

and talk ever+ da+, at least for a -hile, as he -as busier than ever. 1he sno- pack -as

melting and the -aters of the tributar+ s-elled, forcing the beaver colon+ to abandon

their lodges, if onl+ temporaril+. Dooro e&plained to *iena that this -as actuall+ a

good thing because the more -ater

the dam could hold back, the more

-ater there -ould be to fill ne-

canals and under-ater plunge holesso necessar+ to escape enemies. :o-

that the trees closest to the lake -ere

gone the+ had to travel further afield,

and each additional canal lined -ith

under-ater escape burro-s might

mean life or death. 1hrough Dooro,

*iena came to understand a beavers

passion for dam building.

=long -ith the increased flo- of

-ater and abundant greener+ came an e&plosion of ne- famil+ members. >esides the

coot and merganser ducks -ith their ducklings, three of the mallard couples -ere

sho-ing off their ne- broods. G&cept for their more subdued coloring, *iena thought

all the ducklings -ere adorable miniatures of their parents. or the first time she kne-

a ne- +earning and couldnt -ait to discuss it -ith Dooro.

PDo +ou plan on having a famil+ one da+;P she asked the beaver as he lie sunning

himself lazil+ on his back. 4e flipped to his stomach.

P3es. ! do. = couple -eeks ago, as a matter of fact, ! -as considering it.P

*iena -as surprised. P3ou didnt tell me.P

P:o, ! didnt think to. ! came across a fresh mound of mud an unfamiliar beaver had put onto a fallen log. /he had shaped it into a cone. !t smelled... marvelous.P 4e

stretched his chin out onto his forefeet and closed his e+es, savoring the memor+.

*iena didnt have a clue as to -h+ mud -ould smell marvelous. P1hats.... nice. ! have

thought about it, too. :ot mud, of course 88 but having a famil+. >ut then...P

Dooro sensed *ienas depression. Rno-ing she -as an outcast from her o-n kind and

unlikel+ to attract a mate, it occurred to him a distraction -as in order. PFook, theres

m+ mother -ith m+ brothers.P

/ure enough, the mother beaver -as s-imming across the lake in their direction -ith

her t-o kits straddling her tail. =fter passing b+ a pair of ducks also giving rides to

their ducklings, the+ came right up to *iena and Dooro. 1he beaver kits immediatel+

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abandoned their mother and began leaping onto Dooro and then tumbling over one

another.

P>o+s, behave +ourselves,P their mother admonished sternl+. 1o Dooro she said, P3our

father and ! are about to cut do-n a big spruce tree. 2ill +ou -atch +our bab+

brothers;P

Dooros e+es t-inkled. 4ed alread+ seen *iena fluff her feathers in anticipation.

P1hat -ill be fine, mother. *a+be ! -ill give them another lesson on dam building.P

1he mother beaver smiled her beaver smile and nodded serenel+, full+ trusting her

oldest son. /he didnt object to *iena. /hed decided it -as an odd friendship, but after

all, ducks are no threat to beavers. /he returned to the -ater -ith a gentle slap of her

tail and Dooro, *iena, and the kits all follo-ed her as far as the dam.

Once at the dam Dooro began e&plaining the fine art of dam building. 4e told them a

dam needs to be -ider at the bottom than the top. 1hat instead of one big tree being

used as a foundation, man+ saplings and limbs of older trees heav+ -ith brush go intothe construction. 1hen branches are laid side b+ side in line -ith the direction of the

current and anchored into the mud b+ rocks and stones, so as not to -ash a-a+. 2ith a

-eb of interlaced branches acting like a net, all manner of drift-ood and debris are

entrapped. Dooro e&plained that once the foundation is laid, to be -atertight the dam

needs a plaster of mud, pebbles, and grasses and that this plastering of mud must be

done on the upstream side first or it -ill -ash a-a+. =nd finall+, the heaviest logs are

added to the dam on the do-nstream side and pushed against it at right angles for

more strength.

>eing onl+ three -eeks old, Dooros brothers -ere hardl+ attentive. 1he+ perked up,

ho-ever, at the mention of mud. P2e -ant to plaster. an -e do that;P the+ begged.

!t -as -hat Dooro had in mind.

4e took them to the bottom of the pond -here he sho-ed them ho- to scoop up

armfuls of mud, old leaves and pebbles. 4is forepa-s -ith their five toes and strong

cla-s -ere particularl+ de&terous, and -ith the support of his paddle8like tail he could

-alk on his hind legs under-ater. =rms full, Dooro actuall+ -alked up the side of the

eight8foot dam to the surface -here he began shoving mud into place -ith pa-s and

snout. !n follo-ing his e&ample, the beaver kits -ere barel+ successful. >ecause of

their size and underdeveloped coordination, mud melted from their grasp and the+

ut the mud -ar -as self8

limiting because b+ that time Dooro had no intentions of gathering more mud.

1hen the+ turned to *iena. !t occurred to the beaver kits the+ could pretend to be

ducklings and be ferried about. Over Dooros strenuous objections *iena -ent along

-ith it, looking decidedl+ -aterlogged, or rather, beaver8logged. /he traveled beside

the dam to-ards the bank, figuring to get out once she gre- too tired to carr+ her

passengers. 1he+ -ere having a -onderful time, dra-ing looks of amusement from

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other ducks as -ell as beavers.

/uddenl+ close b+ there -as a noise as loud as a pistol shot 88 so loud it could be heard

half a mile a-a+. !mmediatel+ other loud pops follo-ed, some fainter, as distant

beavers sounded the alarm -ith their tails. 1hose in the pond reacted b+ diving or

fl+ing, but *iena did neither. One of the kits dove instantl+ but the other kit seemed

confused and -as s-imming to-ards the bank. 2ith bone8chilling fear *iena sa-

=iera, the dark8gra+ -olf, loping along the bank in their direction.

2ithout thinking, and on the pure instincts of a mother duck, she raised a hue and cr+

as loud as her lungs -ould permit. PSuack8-ack8-ack. Suack8-ack8-ack.P 4alf

fl+ing, half pushing the -ater -ith her feet she rushed to put herself bet-een the kit

and =iera. 1he same instant the -olf sa- the +oung beaver he heard and sa- the duck.

!ts automatic that predators attack the -eakest and *iena kne- instinctivel+ to

become vulnerable. /he began flapping one -ing and bobbing spasmodicall+, all the

-hile keeping up her PSuack8-ack8-ack,P as though she -as in great pain.

1he ruse -orked. =iera couldnt resist a -ounded duck. 4e crashed into the pond,-ater spra+ing ever+-here. 4is muzzle -as onl+ inches a-a+ and -hen he opened

-ide his mouth *iena sa- his fangs. Out of the corner of her e+e she also sa- the

second beaver kit dive to safet+. !n front of =ieras e+es she healed instantl+, fl+ing up

and a-a+ to a tree -here she could safel+ -atch his reaction.

1he th-arted -olf leaped about in the -ater, sniffing and gro-ling. =ll the beavers

had disappeared and the ducks -ere either in the trees or had paddled to a safe

distance. =ieras tongue drooled from unanticipated loss and unable to accept defeat,

he actuall+ began s-imming to-ards the ducks at the center of the pond. 2ith

e&aggerated nonchalance the+ easil+ outdistanced him and he finall+ gave up.

4alf an hour later the ponds residents -ere back to doing -hat the+d been doing

before the -olf appeared, e&cept for Dooro, *iena and the kits -ho sta+ed close to the

famil+ lodge at the center of the pond. 2hile the kits s-am and pla+ed, Dooro and

*iena talked, keeping a -ar+ e+e on the bank.

Dooro -as in a-e. P1hat -as marvelous -hat +ou did.P

Determined to remain modest, *iena dipped her head in the -ater several times.

Droplets of -ater rolled and splashed off her back and feathers. P*+ parents did that

for me. !ts something -e ducks do.P

P2ell, ! still think it -as marvelous,P insisted Dooro. P1he place -here ! live in the -intertime has more than one -olf. 1he+ usuall+ live in

packs, +ou kno-,P said *iena changing the subject.

1he thought both intrigued and terrified the beaver. P! have never heard of that.P

P2ell, !ve seen it,P she assured him.

*ienas -orldl+ kno-ledge never failed to impress Dooro and after the events of that

da+, he had even more respect for her. =s for the duck, she basked in his respect.

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/-apter Four

1he ne-ness of spring changed into the laz+ da+s of summer. G&cept for an occasional

repair of the dam, the beavers -ere unmotivated to cut an+ trees. !t -as a time of

abundance for beaver and duck alike because the+ could no- dine on a -ide selection

of plants. 2ithout leaving the -ater the+ feasted on duck-eed, -ater lilies, and

-atercress. lose b+ gre- ferns, mushrooms, -ild grasses, and berries. *iena enjo+ed

an occasional bug or minno-. Dooro, too, -elcomed the change in menu and onl+

occasionall+ ate -illo- or aspen, a staple during the -inter months. 1he flourishing

plant life of the beaver pond attracted other animals. !t -as not uncommon to see deer,raccoons, skunk and bear, although the beavers -ere al-a+s nervous -hen a bear -as

around. >ears had been kno-n to tear apart beaver lodges.

*ean-hile the ducklings and kits turned into +oung ducks and beavers. :ature -as

preparing the ducklings for their -inter flight. Garl+ on the+ had lost their do-n and

begun gro-ing flight feathers. =nd -hile the +oung beavers -ould not be independent

until t-o +ears old, b+ the end of summer at half their adult size, the+ -ere full+

capable of patching the dam or felling a tree.

1hroughout the summer *iena and Dooro continued to have their special

conversations. 2here Dooro -as, there -as *iena 88 and vice versa. 1o Dooro, -hat

fe- beaver conversations he had had, became boring in comparison. =s for *iena,-ell, she had no one else to talk to and gre- to prefer it that -a+.

=ll too soon the light of da+ began to shorten and b+ the end of /eptember the beavers

-ere once again hard at -ork. 2ith increased cloud cover and colder -eather the

ducks appeared nervous, -atching the sk+ and looking south-ard. 1heir


21/33


plasterer striving to cover ever+ bit of e&posed surface.

P*iena, -hen are +ou going to leave -ith the others;P he said, -orr+ edging his

voice.

*iena hesitated. P1heres time.P *omentaril+ she tucked her head under her -ing, and

then shook her feathers.

Dooro persisted. P>ut almost all the other ducks have alread+ left.

P1hats not true. 1here are ducks left.P

Dooro didnt -ant to argue. 4e preferred making a suggestion. P2ell, at least ! hope

+ou plan on leaving -ith them -hen the+ do leave.P

*iena looked a-a+ and didnt respond. 1he subject -asnt mentioned again for a

-hile.

/-apter Fie

!n a -eeks time there -ere no more ducks at the pond, e&cept a forlorn *iena. 2ith

even beavers disappearing into their lodges for the -inter, Dooro -as trul+ alarmed

and determined to straighten it out one -a+ or another.

P*iena, -hen are +ou leaving; 1he ducks are all gone and +ou kno- its time.P

1he ducks ut, -h+ notQP

P! just cant.P =nd then more defiantl+, P! dont -ant to and ! -ont.P

1o the pragmatic beaver this violated ever+ instinctual rule. Ducks fle- south for the

-inter and there simpl+ -as no other option. Dooro -as emphatic. P3ou cant leave;

2ell, +ou cant sta+. 2hat -ould +ou eat; 2here -ill +ou live; 1he pond -ill be

frozen soon.P

*iena refused to ans-er. !nstead she turned her back on him and fle- off to a tree.

1he -orried beaver didnt kno- -hat to do. /he -as his friend, after all.

Dooro kept an e+e on her all the follo-ing -eek. 2ith each progressive da+ the no-8

freezing temperature began to have its effect. 1he mud the beavers had so carefull+

applied to their lodges became hard as cement and the pond began to freeze over

starting at the shoreline. 1his -as no problem for the beavers -ho could continue

-orking under-ater even in a completel+ ice8covered pond. Dooro -as accustomed to

memorizing ever+ air pocket including the ones that al-a+s formed along the shore of

the pond or the one that formed at the dome of ice above the entrance to his lodge.

2hat he -asnt accustomed to doing -as -orr+ing about a duck -ho had no such

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defenses against -inters harsh elements. *iena looked more miserable each da+.

4e thought and thought about ho- he could help her. 4e even suggested to *iena that

she dive into the pond before it -as frozen over so she could seek shelter in his beaver

lodge. >ut this -ould have meant using the tunnel passage-a+ and Dooro onl+ needed

to see the terror in her e+es to kno- that ans-er.

1hen one morning after it had sno-ed all night, the frantic


23/33


P2hat does this animal look like;P

P!t -alks on t-o legs like a bird, but it cant fl+. !t has arms instead of -ings and no

tail.P

1he+ talked on and on about the strange animal. >ut -hile *iena began to rela& and

enjo+ herself, Dooro couldnt ignore a persistent feeling of doom. or good reason. =tthat ver+ moment =iera -as foraging in their area.

1he -olf hadnt eaten in da+s and -ith the alluring scent of duck and beaver -afting

through the air he follo-ed it eagerl+, lifting his muzzle and sniffing often. rossing

the no- frozen pond, it didnt take him long to find Dooros lodge.

Dooro and *iena smelled him before the+ heard him.

PDive, *ienaQP ordered Dooro.

>ut the duck, paral+zed -ith fear, shrank against the -all of the lodge. Dooro kne- if

he left her she -ould be killed. =lread+ he could hear =ieras gro-ling as the -olf tore

and scratched at the freshl+ packed mud and branches. !t -asnt long before his head

and shoulders broke through.

Dooro, backing up, pushed *iena against the -all and lifted his head to sho- his

teeth. >ut the stronger and more agile =iera -asnt the least intimidated. 4e -riggled

and crashed through the barrier leaping on the beaver and pulling him outside. /o

po-erful -as =iera that once he had a solid hold of the beavers neck he shook him

savagel+.

1he violence of the scene and terrible gro-ls of the -olf a-akened *iena from her

daze. PSuack8-ack8-ack.P /he rushed from the lodge, flapping her -ings, doing her

best once again to attract =ieras attention. /he finall+ succeeded, but at -hat cost.

=iera released the beaver and grabbed *iena b+ her left -ing, breaking it. 1hen he

tossed her into the air to get a deadlier grip.

!t -as all the chance Dooro needed. =ieras left back leg came -ithin reach and he bit

do-n as hard as he had ever chomped a -illo- tree. 1he bone cracked and =iera,

ho-ling in rage and pain, released *iena. Dooros attack -as totall+ une&pected and it

unnerved the -olf, -ho -as reall+ a co-ard at heart. 4e turned and fled, using anuneven gait to favor his injured leg.

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nfortunatel+, for all their braver+ both *iena and Dooro -ere mortall+ -ounded.

1heir red blood -as splattered on the -hite sno-. Dooro collapsed, shivering. P!ts

cold,P he gasped.

*iena, pushing -ith her -ebbed feet, struggled to him and laid her good -ing over

his back like a blanket of feathers. P!s that better;P she asked.

4e sighed and closed his e+es. P= little.P

/-apter Si>

1he truth is that no matter ho- noble or terrible our intent, -e must face theconseut so strong and pure -as Dooro and *ienas friendship

that it had not gone unnoticed b+ the reator. /uch devotion and self8sacrifice are rare

and in this case re-arded. *+steriousl+, magicall+, -ondrousl+, *iena and Dooros

-ounds -ere healed 88 as surel+ and


25/33


SE/0N) TA0U4ATS *# /arol Moore

DAY ONE

Tuesday, June 15

A t high noon a large spaceship floatedgently down out of a blue sky to land on thefront lawn of the White House. It restedotionless for the ne!t fi"e hours while the

White House hued with acti"ity. The#resident was e"acuated and then theilitary o"ed in with troops, tanks andhelicopters. $tealth fighters roared o"erhead.%oth &ongress and the 'nited (ations called

eergency sessions as a frightened worldheld its breath.

At e!actly 5)** p.. eastern tie, a sall door opened in the side of thecraft and a huan+like creature stepped out.

As beings go, it wasnt that alaring. About three feet tall, it had a largehead atop a sall body with two spindly legs. And there were feather+likeappendages growing fro its head as well as fro what could ha"e been atail if it were a bird. %ut it o"ed like a huan and wore a one+piece

unifor of a gold etallic aterial that sparkled in the sun. Walking to thenearest soldier, it stopped short, its two unnaturally large eyes blinkingtwice. Then in perfect -nglish with a high+pitched "oice, it said, Take e to

your esteeed leader.

After uch ilitary and political consternation, the re/uest was granted.$tanding before the #resident of the 'nited $tates, who was seated at hisdesk in the o"al office surrounded by half a do0en secret agents, the little

being bowed. #resident and &hief &oander, I hubly coe to you asabassador facilitator for an ancient and distinguished race. #lease reali0e

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that youre dealing with beings of such power that their purpose ust befriendly or youd ha"e already been destroyed in y huble estiation.

It paused to scratch the base of a head feather. I yself a ooba. ykind are respected throughout the uni"erse as the finest of translators. Iust tell you that the 2!lepis ship has been oored at the edge of yoursolar syste for a year now while I"e been studying your languages andcustos on their behalf. I know all there is to know about all of you, in yhuble opinion.

The #resident siled halfheartedly, $hould I find that coforting3

ooba brightened, 4f course. %ecause I thorough I rarely akeistakes. He shrugged. Ill adit to a few, but none that wasnt rectified.I sorry to infor you that yours is not the only species I considered forcontact on this planet. There are soe others ore appealing, but yours isthe ost intelligent. And yours is also the only species belie"ing thesel"esin charge.

The #residents eyebrows lifted at such a stateent.

ooba continued, or purposes of decoru, toorrow I will teach youabout the 2!lepis. His top feathers suddenly stiffened. %e forewarned.

Although highly e"ol"ed intellectually, the 2!lepis are eotionally fragile

and /uick to percei"e iaginary insults if decoru isnt carefully followed.Theyre /uirky that way++easily offended. And if you offend the you willnot reap the benefits they can bestow.

air enough the #resident agreed, but his e!pression was one ofpu00leent.

The con"ersation was o"er.

DAY TWO

Wednesday, June 16

The ne!t day two soldiers were sent to escort ooba back to the WhiteHouse, but he wasnt on the spaceship. Instead, when the #resident with hisstaff and secret agents arri"ed at the eeting roo, ooba was alreadythere. Without anyone noticing, he had left the spaceship, slipped through aring of ilitary, a ob of reporters and White House staff to find thesecured eeting roo no one had told hi about the day before. Itunner"ed the #resident and particularly his secret agents.

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$tanding at the back of the roo ooba waited fore"eryone to get settled. Then he abruptly began, The firstthing to do when introduced...is to bow. $oe of your huancultures already practice that forality. And the second thingafter bowing... is to do nothing. He paused for ephasis.Its best, $ir #resident, to allow e to do all the talking,particularly in the beginning. The 2!lepis thesel"es rarely speak because words to the are sacred. They belie"e that by saying less, what is said increases in "alue. $o speaking only at the end of a con"ersation is a sign of respect. 4f course, iny huble opinion, that akes for "ery shortcon"ersations. It was hard to tell if ooba was 7oking so noone laughed.

The alien continued. The 2!lepis find it difficult dealing with othercultures, so they take great care to insulate thesel"es. In addition to beingtheir translator I ser"e as a filter to shield their refined sensibilities++but stillI ust be accurate and coplete. (ot an easy 7ob, in y huble opinion.The 2!lepis are eotional, you see. 8espite all their sophistication, they 7ust

want to be lo"ed and they cant handle re7ection. I think you huans canappreciate that. He watched as one of the staff arose and walked to a tableat the side of the roo pouring hiself a cup of coffee.

Whats that3

The #resident siled. Its coffee, a coon be"erage. And theres alsodonuts. Would you like soe3

oobas top feathers twitched e!citedly. &ertainly. He stepped /uicklyacross the roo and to e"eryones surprise gulped down a whole carafe ofhot coffee. Then he grabbed se"eral donuts. 9eturning to the front of theroo, he noisily sacked his lips. #owdered sugar fro the donuts hadsoehow ended up on his chin. It was a coical sight that e"eryone politelyignored.

That was tasty, he said, in y huble opinion. (ow, let e e!plainore about the 2!lepis. Ha"ing astered the ysteries of science andtechnology, they ha"e returned to the arts, particularly their poetry. Theyare on a /uest for new fors of e!pression. or e!aple, the :* ways anelephant calls to its young or the 5; words the -skios use for snow.

Whether or not a language is written or spoken is of secondary iportance.The 2!lepis take pleasure in con"erting all anner of creaturecounication into 7ust the right word with a precise eaning andconte!tual fla"or to be used in their poetry. $o they tra"erse the uni"erse in

search of counication to define new words because, to the, only wordsha"e true "alue. #ersonally, I think its because words con"ey eotions.

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$peaking of "alue... ooba stopped id+thought. Ah... could I ha"eore coffee3

$ir, theres no ore coffee, said one of the agents addressing the#resident.

The #resident wa"ed his hand. Well then, please get another carafe. Itllonly take a inute.

The agent left the roo. Through the door, which had not fully closed,s/uee0ed a short, rotund %asset Hound. It went iediately to the#resident wagging its tail while casting side+glances at ooba.

Hi there, $ally, the #resident gently stroked the dogs back. ooba,this is y dog. $he 7ust had puppies four weeks ago. What do you think ofher3

ooba was /uite interested, particularly when $ally left the #resident toapproach hi, her tail still wagging. He bent o"er so that his face wasalost le"el with the dogs and she licked the sugar off his chin. His headfeathers danced wildly. I like her, he said and then ade a noisesoewhere between a bark and a whine. It startled e"eryone in the roo,

but $ally woofed in response.

$uddenly, the agent with the coffee appeared. Heres the coffee, $ir.

At that point $ally was let out of the roo. ooba drank ore coffee,after which he continued instructing the #resident.

As I was saying, concerning "alue its things that ha"e no price that are worth the ost to the 2!lepis. Things such as honor or knowledge or 7oy.Thats because eotions, or the intangible, offer infinite possibilities fornew words of shading and intensity. When a thing has a price, its "alue isalready set, defined and liited according to the 2!lepis. $o instead of

price, "alue for the is in how any words a thing inspires.

%ut as for eotions...the 2!lepis fell in lo"e with the 8rugans on theplanet #hi0ell because theyre always laughing. They ha"e


29/33


coercial says a car has a soul, where does that lea"e a an3 In order toadd "alue to a thing, you"e stolen a word eant only for li"ing beings andde"alued it. And in de"aluing that word you"e de"alued yoursel"es. The2!lepis would ne"er understand and its better that they not know about it.In y huble opinion.

ooba patted a tail feather. 4n the other hand, your worlds librariesare filled with books and are an endless resource for poetry and great

writings. Huan beings are capable of deep thought and intense eotionsand soe ha"e a desire to define the. It is these writings that will appealto the 2!lepis and they will reward you beyond iagination. As long as theyreain on this planet they will bestow gifts, so its to your benefit to pleasethe. Thats all I can say.

He bowed and the eeting was abruptly o"er.

DAY THREE

Thursday, June 1=

The introduction of the 2!lepis was set for noon. Although it was anunusually o"ercast day, that hadnt stopped a huge crowd fro foring. Attwo inutes to 1:)** the #resident and four secret agents walked slowly upthe red carpet and stopped :* feet fro the craft.

With the opening of a large door, a strangegreen ist eanated fro the craft. Then along and gently sloped rap slid out upon

which ooba e!ited. The ururing crowdhushed as three figures eerged fro

behind hi. The figures were nearly se"enfeet tall, rather thin, and co"ered entirely ingrey+green flowing robes and hoods. orethan anything they resebled >regorianonks, but it was how they o"ed that was

startling. Although there was not a breath of wind, their robes rippled fluidly and theyappeared to pour across the :* feet coingto rest alongside ooba and in front of the#resident and the agents.

oobas high "oice spoke into the ultitude of icrophones set up byreporters and it sounded o"er the #A syste. ebers of planet earth, Ia pleased to introduce you to the 2!lepis. And, they in turn are "erypleased to eet you. As he said this the three beings bowed deeply as did

the #resident and his agents.

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ooba continued, $upree &oander, #resident of the 'nited $tatesand all citi0ens of earth, I a pleased to infor you on behalf of the 2!lepisthat today they would like you to accept this gift that they offer you withoutreser"ation. Withdrawing soething fro a hidden pocket, ooba handedit to the #resident.

Accepting the ob7ect, which fit into the pal of his hand, the #resident bowed again. Thank you.

$eeing the three 2!lepis nodding fro beneath their hoods, oobaadded, The 2!lepis thank you, too.

The crowd roared their appro"al and the first eeting was o"er.

DAYS FOUR - TWENTY

riday+$unday, June 1?+July @

When the gift was e!ained, scientists were astounded. The #residenthad been handed a container that turned out to hold bacteria fro a distantplanet. %ecause these bacteria could anufacture any ineral, the 2!lepishad culti"ated and refined it for ultiple purposes. $pecifically in huans,once ingested the bacteria becae sybiotic with li"ing cells and wentabout curing deficiencies. The resulting good health was iraculous and theclosest thing to a fountain+of+youth eli!ir that huanity had e"er

e!perienced. urtherore, the bacteria were easily reproduced.

The #resident wished to reciprocate with a gift of e/ual "alue and atoobas recoendation coissioned a copendiu of sacred writingsto be copiled in their original languages. ooba assured hi that as a gift,this would be a delightful surprise for the 2!lepis. It was an abitiouspro7ect re/uiring scholars of e"ery religion and the 'nited (ations wasappointed to coordinate it. All nations agreed that no aount of oney oreffort should be spared to ha"e the gift ready for the ne!t eeting with the2!lepis.

ooba hadnt anticipated the effect the 2!lepis would ha"e on theirhosts. ankind becae like children at &hristas. While the 2!lepiss giftof health was reproduced en ass, that was 7ust the beginning.

-"erything had to be 2!lepis+related. To accoodate the deand,anufacturers broke all records nearly those of physicsB to get out aplethora of products. 4"ernight >regorian onks garb becae the fashioncra0e, gray+green the ost popular color until onday when pastel+greens

were introduced followed closely by polka dots. #eople were dressing their

babies and pets in robes with cowls. 2!lepis gray+green began showing up

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on toys, dish ware, buildings. If iitation is the highest for of flattery thenthe 2!lepis should ha"e been flattered indeed.

&oercials ad"ertising 2!lepis products had but one thee, life was better with 2!lepis whether you wore 2!lepis clothes or sat on 2!lepisfurniture. The inference was, so long as you had 2!lepis you were asoebody with soething. 'nfortunately, the opposite inference was alsotrue, for without 2!lepis you were considered a nobody with nothing.

The irony was not lost on ooba who watched coercialis turn the2!lepis, a race of beings who lo"ed the nonaterial, into the biggest nae

brand of all tie.

DAY TWENTY-ONE

onday, July 5

When the #resident and his staff appeared at the spaceship on ondaynoon it was before a "astly different+looking crowd. Although a hot July day,the a7ority was wearing hooded robes, wa"ing signs and holding bannersthat said, 2!lepis rocksC

This day, upon e!iting the craft, the three 2!lepis did not iediately bow. Although their faces couldnt be seen, it appeared that fro beneaththe cowls they were turning their heads to e!aine the crowd. Watching

the, oobas head feathers stiffened noticeably and he frowned.

This tie it was the #resident who cae bearing a gift. The #residentproudly offered the huge book hea"y with gold leafing that one of the2!lepis gingerly accepted, grasping it with long fingers while the other two2!lepis stretched forward for a closer look. Their grey+green robes cast agreenish hue o"er the book.

#lease accept this gift fro ankind, said the #resident, his "oicetrebling. 4"er


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>o on. Tell the, the #resident urged and ooba coplied.

The reaction was iediate. $ho"ing the book back at the #resident, which he alost dropped, the three 2!lepis, ururing bubbling+clickingnoises, whipped about and swept back up into the spaceship faster thananybody thought they could o"e. ooba followed as closely behind as hisspindly legs allowed. #ausing at the ships doorway he turned and shruggedas though apologi0ing 7ust before the etal door slaed shut with a thud.

The #resident and crowd, indeed the whole nation and all of earth werestunned. They felt like children awakening &hristas orning to disco"erthat their presents had been stolen.

There was no further contact with the 2!lepis although "igorousattepts were ade using a #A syste as well as radio and tele"ision wa"esand banging on the spaceship doors. (ow nobody anywhere talked aboutanything e!cept the 2!lepis and why they had so abruptly left the gathering.-arth coiserated.

DAY TWENTY-TWO

Tuesday, July 6

-arly Tuesday, without ado, the huge spacecraft gently lifted into theorning air and disappeared.

It was then ooba sought adittance to the White House, shockinge"eryone because they thought he had left along with his alien eployers.-scorted to the #residents o"al office, oobas head feathers began to wa"eas he oaned sorrowfully. In y huble opinion, y 7ob is 7ust toodifficult.

The #resident agreed without knowing why as ooba sat down on achair. A couple of agents approached to stand behind hi. Its y fault. Ithought Id ade you understand, but I was wrong. Dou eant only to

ipress when you said the book cost illions to create. %ut as soon as youga"e it a price, in the eyes of the 2!lepis you declared it useless. They wereinsulted and horrified. They couldnt lea"e fast enough.

He hesitated and then glared at the #resident as if to suggest he did shareresponsibility. Then ooba sighed. Its y huble opinion that theydne"er ha"e understood your species anyway.

Well then why are you here3 the #resident was incredulous.

$uddenly the little alien siled. %ecause unlike the 2!lepis, I dont careabout words or eaning or oney. -!cept in the perforance of y 7ob, of

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course. I due for a "acation and Id like a little fun. %efore agents couldstop hi he had 7uped up and o"ed to the #residents desk grabbingsour leon candies fro a dish. #opping the into his outh he adeslurping sounds.

The stateent was so ridiculous the #resident had to laugh. Dou ean aperanent "acation3 Apparently theyre ne"er coing back.

ooba grinned knowingly as his head feathers twitched. 4n thecontrary. I"e been with the 2!lepis 1:* years and dont you think that ifanybody should know what theyre doing and why theyre doing it, it would

be I3 Thats y huble opinion. As for selecting your species, I"e hadsecond thoughts. %ut dont worry, $ir #resident, the 2!lepis will be back.%efore their ship left I put a puppy on board.

He popped another sour leon candy.

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