This term we have been studying The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. This is a very famous adventure story. At the end of Week 3 you will be expected to write your own adventure story.
To help you with this, we have set you all a challenge based on this story to help you recognise where the grammar, linguistic devices and vocabulary you have been learning this year can be used.
1) Can you find an example of commas used for:
– a list
– subordinate clause
– coordinating clause
– fronted adverbials
– parenthesis
2) Can you find an example of all 3 types of figurative language (simile, metaphor and personification?
3) How many synonyms for said have been used in this story? Can you find 5 amazing examples?
4) Can you find 3 examples of expanded noun phrases? (adj, adj noun … preposition adj, adj, noun)
5) Can you find 3 amazing adverbs?
6) Can you find any examples of alliteration?
In order to complete the challenge you must answer in full sentences and use evidence (direct quotes from the text in inverted commas).
An Unexpected Adventure
A long time ago in a far off land, a land which was full of magical creatures, lay a beautiful, sleepy village. Throughout the hill, you could find stunning cottages built with white, clean walls and black, wooden beams. Right at the top of The Hill (as it was known to locals) stood the most prestigious, grandest cottage known as Pixie Place. People came from all over to admire the wonderful gardens, full of colourful, exotic flowers with sweet, unusual scents. The garden, which had an air of mystery, has winding twisting, paths lined with green, luscious shrubs shaped into birds, fairies and rabbits.
On this particular morning, which started quite normally, Fifi was sitting in her favourite garden chair reading a book. Books were her favourite thing in the world, she loved the way they could take her into unknown lands and adventures without having to leave her garden. In the village she had an unblemished reputation, known for being reliable and kind. Her home was always open to visitors, her pantry was full of cake and tea ready for who ever knocked at the door. However, this morning’s visitor was different to the others. He had something to offer her.
“Good morning” said a deep, dark voice.
“Good morning to you too sir” Fifi brightly replied. She looked up from her book, there appeared a young, handsome man in a long, black wizard’s robe and pointed hat. He was tall, much taller than her with bright red hair and a freckle spotted face. He carried with him a long, brown staff which stood as tall as he was.
“I see you are reading a book about adventures. Have you ever been on one?” the wizard queried.
“No sir, adventures are for those who are brave. I am not, I am respectable and have my garden to tend to.”
“I am off on an adventure of my own, there is a mountain far away guarded by a dragon. The dragon has stolen gold off the dwarf king, and the king has offered me half of it should I help him get it back with my magic. I could do with an assistant, someone small like you?” The wizard leaned over the fence and smiled at Fifi.
“What would I have to do?” asked Fifi.
“Sneak into the dragon’s cave and lure him out. I will deal with the rest!” he said, beaming confidently.
Something awoke in Fifi, all the stories she had read inspired her to move. She stood up, knowing that this was her chance to live out the stories in her book. “Ok! Let’s go… Hang on, I don’t even know your name?”
“I’m Merlin the magnificent, pleased to meet you Fifi” he declared extending his hand.
“Nice to meet you too, Merlin.” She said, suddenly realising she hadn’t told the wizard her name. “He must be a wizard” she thought to herself. She ran into the house, packed some clothes and food into a backpack and followed the wizard off down the hill. Her adventure had started.
They travelled east along the Celtic River, which flowed fast and strong, looking for a bridge to cross. When they found an old, creaky bridge that crossed the rapid, blue water they bravely took their chance and headed north towards the Forgotten Forest.
The dark, damp Forgotten Forest sat at the bottom of a steep, rocky valley. The trees were twisted and gnarled, they whispered stories of the terrors that lay within. Fifi’s heart pounded in her chest. Wolves howled. Shadows danced between the trees. Wind wailed and shook the canopy above. All this served as a warning not to enter. Merlin stepped forward, his face giving nothing away of his feelings. Fifi’s lip trembled. “Is there no other way around this?” she asked shakily.
“No we must go through! Come on, I have my magic staff, it will all be fine!” Merlin beamed.
“Famous last words…” thought Fifi, but she was too scared to say anymore. Through the forest they silently walked, the darkness growing all around them. All of a sudden, three hideous trolls jumped out and threw them in a sack. They carried them to their camp fire, joyously boasting about how they were going to eat them.
“I want to roast them.” growled the first.
“I want to boil them.” snarled the second.
“I want to fry them.” bellowed the third.
Merlin, spotting the trolls were rather stupid, added to the argument, hoping to keep them distracted. “Of course if you roast us, you can add lots of herbs and we will taste better.”
“See I told you,” said the first “that’s what we shall do.”
The second and third troll did not agree. Their argument continued, every so often Merlin would add his opinion to make sure the argument continued. At first, Fifi thought he was mad, “He must want us to die!” she assumed. But as the sky began to brighten she saw his plan and joined in. “Boiled! Don’t be silly, frying is quick, that is the best way” she added. Before she knew it the trolls were hitting each other and rolling around on the floor. They sky turned into a bright shade of blue and the first sun beams appeared over the top of the trees.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhrrrggghhh” cried all of the trolls at once. For as everyone knows, the sun turns trolls to stone. Frozen as stone they loomed over Fifi and Merlin. “At last, now we can get out of here.” Merlin easily pulled himself free out of his bag.
“If you could do that all along why didn’t you?” she angrily asked.
“Because they would have just bashed us on the head with their sticks. This way we got to stay alive, now come along.” He untied her bag and pulled her to her feet. Despite her shaking legs, they continued to the end of the forest quickly.
Once at the end of the Forgotten Forest, our travellers went west over pretty meadows towards the Cannibal Caves. The suffocating, cramped Cannibal Caves lay under a huge, terrifying mountain. The mountain, which was covered in snow, was unpassable leaving the caves as the only way forward. They would have to go underneath the mountain.
Once inside, darkness engulfed them. Both Fifi and Merlin had to carry fire torches to light their way. In the darkness they could hear drums. Drumming which grew closer and closer. They ran as fast as they could, when suddenly Fifi fell down the cliffside into the darkness. She hit the floor, her torch next to her luckily still alight. She picked up her torch and held it up, something gold sparkled on the floor. She leaned over to find a small, gold ring, lying in a pool of clear, cold water. She picked it up and put it in her pocket.
Gradually, she realised she was being watched, she could hear breathing in the dark. As she stepped towards the sound she could make out a small figure in the dark. First, she saw the eyes red and glowing like fire. Then she saw the grey, slimy skin hanging on the small, gross creature. It slinked towards her, ooze sliding off its skin like a snail. It reached out a snake like hand towards her as if gesturing for her to come closer. Fifi held her breath, the stench of the monster filled the air, it smelt of rotten fish and month-old milk. “Come to me” the monster gurgled through its misshaped mouth. It sounded more like a cough than speech, rattling through the cave. Without realising, she put her hand in her pocket and slipped the ring on her hand. “Where have you gone?” cried the monster in the dark, his voice full of fury and anger. She looked at her hands, they appeared see through, and thought “I’m invisible”. She ran for her life, away from the monster. She could hear his warbling cries behind her. Faster she ran until she found light, a small space in the rocks that she was able to climb through. She slipped the ring off her finger to keep it safe.
“You’re alive, thank goodness!” exclaimed a familiar voice. Merlin’s hand pulled her to her feet as she was crawling through to the other side. He hugged her tightly and smiled. “I was so worried, I kept running, it wasn’t until I was in the light I noticed you weren’t behind me. I have been trying to find you since.”
“I found something that might help us.” She showed him the ring and explained what it did. “Let’s go, I think I will be able to survive the dragon with this!”
Beyond the cave they continued north towards the Lonely Mountain. Upwards they continued, the air grew thin and cold.
Mist gathered all around them, the cold pushing its way through their clothes. Fifi and Merlin shivered, but the path beckoned them on. Up ahead a glow appeared through the fog. The shape of a door appeared in the side of the mountain. “This is it, this is the door to the chamber of Drogon the Dragon.” Merlin said with a quiver in his voice.
“What happens now?” Fifi asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
“We need to kill the dragon,” said Merlin “all you need to do is wake him up and get him out there. I can take care of the rest. There are large gates on the other side of the chamber, if you run towards that and get the Dragon to follow you then I will wait on the other side.”.
Quietly, Fifi crept through the door. Smoke billowed out the vast chamber. The dim glow grew brighter. Stones crunched under her feet. Gently, she stepped forward, trying not to make a sound… When she got to the chamber she was astounded. Piles of gold for as far as the eye could see. Coins, necklaces, rings, bracelets, chalices and all manner of jewels lay in piles. Above it all, she stood in awe. “Thhhhrrrr….” A rumble came from under the gold. Coins started to fall from the tallest pile. One by one they slid down. The rumble came again. This time like the groan of a slowly waking giant. A flash of red came out. Then more… and more… and more. Fifi gasped! The dragon had stirred, exposing a part of its seemingly huge body. His ruby scales shone in the light.
“Look for the gates first” she thought. She climbed up to the top of a pillar to get a better view. All the while the sound of the snoring of the dragon following her through the chamber. A rumble below her again. She did not look. Only focusing on the climb to the top. She was nearly there. She hurriedly grabbed the top and pulled herself up. Catching sight of the gates ahead she breathed a sigh of relief. Relief, until she felt the uneasy feeling of being watched. She looked down. A black, glassy eye stared up at her from a giant, horrendous red face. Fear froze her to the spot. Time slowed down. The piles of gold shifted quickly like a screaming avalanche. Sound filled the air like thunder. The dragon rose up, keeping it’s obsidian eye on her.
“You are not a dwarf,” boomed the dragon, “What are you?” Smoke poured out his nostril as he spoke, filling her with terror.
“Nothing, I am nothing. I just came to admire you, Dragon the Great”.
“Rubbish. You are here to cruelly take away MY gold. The dwarf king sent you. In return I shall send your bones back to him.” With that, the dragon roared mightily, fire spilt out of his great mouth. He moved towards her. “The ring! Of Course!” the thought came to her, she slipped it on her finger and jumped down. Along the side of the wall a small path lay, heading straight towards the gate. She took the path, picking up stones and throwing them across the room to confuse the dragon. The dragon, now slowing down, slithered past the pillars using his enormous nose to sniff her out. “I will find you, and when I do it will be your end.” threatened the dragon.
Forward she quickly continued. Each step carefully considered as it could be her last. Tiptoeing over coins and cups. Gently leaping over jewels and plates. The dragon drew closer to her, but the gates were ahead. When she finally reached them she pushed them. They swung open and just as he had promised Merlin was waiting. He held his staff high to the sky. “Thunder and lightning rain down”. He brought his staff down with a powerful thud. As it struck the ground, a bolt of lightning appeared from the air and hit the dragon right in the heart. He fell to the ground. His black eyes closing forever.
In the light of the morning, Fifi and Merlin stood looking at the body of the dragon. “We did it!” exclaimed Fifi.
“Was there any doubt?” Merlin asked, not really expecting an answer. “Lets get you home, thank you for your help.”
They set of south towards The Hill. “Are you planning any more adventures?” queried Fifi.
“Well, the elves are missing a princess, they say she has been captured by a giant ape called Kong.”
“Need an assistant?” She smiled up at Merlin, and he replied with an equally beaming smile. Merlin had found an assistant, but more than anything they had both found a friend. The continued with adventures for the rest of their days, occasionally returning to The Hill to check on the garden.