Chapter 2 : The boy in the tree
Patrick sat desperately trying to remember the details of his dream. There had been so much food on the large table. He had not eaten for three days. He thought about food all the time. Earlier, he had eaten roots and weeds which he dug with his bare hands.
A week ago, Patrick and his friend, Donnal had found a dead dog in the village. It had worms in it. It smelled terrible. The boys ate it because they haven't eaten meat for over a year. Later, they were sick for three days and nights. Donnal died but Patrick survived. It was a bad experience.
Patrick job on tree was to look out for Mr. Graystone and his men. As soon as he saw them, he must warn the villagers. Patrick chewed some leavefs to stop his hunger. They tasted horriblebut he swallowed them.
Patrick's village was on land owned by Lord Francis Egham. Lord Egham lived in London and had only been to Ireland once. Mr. Graystone was his manager. He collected rents, looked after the fields and organised everything. He ruled the estate like a king with an army of slaves under him. He was cruel and hard.
The people in the village of Skullgoraph had not paid their rent for two years. Lord Egham could not wait any longer. The people had to leave and the land be used to rear sheep. Sheep were cheap and gave both wool and meat. The people were not given any compensation.
Patrick heard a small sound. He saw a small nest a few feet away from his head. Inside were three little chicks with wide open mouths. A blackbird was feeding them with a big, fat, juicy worm. Patrick's mouth began to water and his stomach rumbled. He reached out his bony fingers towards the tiny nest.
The blackbird was startled by Patrick and flew away. Suddenly, Patrick heard another sound. He looked up and saw a large group of men coming around the hillside towards the village. They were British soldiers !
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Potato People - C1 : Paradise
Chapter 1 : Paradise
An old twisted oak tree stood at the side of a small hill outside Skullgoraph. Patrick Flynne had been searching for food the whole day but found nothing. He was tired and hungry when he climbed up the tree. He fell asleep asd was soon dreaming.
Patrick dreamt he was inside Lord Egham's fine white house. Beautiful coloured Italian tapestries were hanging on the wall. Thick carpets from India covers the floors. Patrick moved quitely through the rooms filled with magnificent things.
Finally, Patrick entered the dining room which had an enormous table. The table was overflowing with luxurious food. There were chickens, ham, beef, lamb, fresh vegetables, hot crusty bread, cheeses, apple pies, juicy red strawberries, exotic fruits, delicious cakes and jugs of milk and cream. Patrick ran up and down the table trying everthing. After each mouthful, he licked his fingers and lips.
Suddenly, Mr. Oswald Graystone appeared in the doorway. He was very angry and he pointed a long riding whip at Patrick. The two gigantic Irish wolfhounds started to bark angrily and ran straight towards Patrick.
Patrick ran to the large window which reached from the floor to the ceiling at the end of the room. One of the monstrous wolfhounds jumped at him and bit the back of his leg. Mr. Graystone was shouting and cracking his whip in the air. Patrick leapt at the window.
Patrick crashed to the glass. As he flew, he could hear the wolfhounds snarling and barking behind him. He laughed for he had escaped. Suddenly he looked down and saw himself falling on hard ground about a hundred feet below. It was then that he woke up. He realised he was dreaming and grabbed hold of a branch to stop himself from falling.
An old twisted oak tree stood at the side of a small hill outside Skullgoraph. Patrick Flynne had been searching for food the whole day but found nothing. He was tired and hungry when he climbed up the tree. He fell asleep asd was soon dreaming.
Patrick dreamt he was inside Lord Egham's fine white house. Beautiful coloured Italian tapestries were hanging on the wall. Thick carpets from India covers the floors. Patrick moved quitely through the rooms filled with magnificent things.
Finally, Patrick entered the dining room which had an enormous table. The table was overflowing with luxurious food. There were chickens, ham, beef, lamb, fresh vegetables, hot crusty bread, cheeses, apple pies, juicy red strawberries, exotic fruits, delicious cakes and jugs of milk and cream. Patrick ran up and down the table trying everthing. After each mouthful, he licked his fingers and lips.
Suddenly, Mr. Oswald Graystone appeared in the doorway. He was very angry and he pointed a long riding whip at Patrick. The two gigantic Irish wolfhounds started to bark angrily and ran straight towards Patrick.
Patrick ran to the large window which reached from the floor to the ceiling at the end of the room. One of the monstrous wolfhounds jumped at him and bit the back of his leg. Mr. Graystone was shouting and cracking his whip in the air. Patrick leapt at the window.
Patrick crashed to the glass. As he flew, he could hear the wolfhounds snarling and barking behind him. He laughed for he had escaped. Suddenly he looked down and saw himself falling on hard ground about a hundred feet below. It was then that he woke up. He realised he was dreaming and grabbed hold of a branch to stop himself from falling.
Potato People
Introduction
In the early 1840's a plant disease, known as tthe "potato blight", destroyed the entire Irish potato harvest. The disease was caused by the fungus Phytophora and brought from America. There was mass starvation as the farmers only depended on one crop which they had grown the last 200 years.
There was terrible epidemics like chronic dysentry, cholera and typhoid. Ireland was a poor and mast backward country in Europe. England ruled over Ireland but the British Government did not send help in time. About three million Irish men, women and childrean starved to death as the potatoes rotted in the field.
This terrible period in Irish history is known as "The Great Hunger". Thousands of people tried to flee to America. Some succeeded in building a new life tin the new world. Others remain poor and hardly managed to survive.
Today, the results of the great famine can still be seen. Large parts of the Irish countryside are under populated. The ruins of empty and abandoned villages can still be found. The setting of the "Potato People" is during this terrible famine in Irish history.
In the early 1840's a plant disease, known as tthe "potato blight", destroyed the entire Irish potato harvest. The disease was caused by the fungus Phytophora and brought from America. There was mass starvation as the farmers only depended on one crop which they had grown the last 200 years.
There was terrible epidemics like chronic dysentry, cholera and typhoid. Ireland was a poor and mast backward country in Europe. England ruled over Ireland but the British Government did not send help in time. About three million Irish men, women and childrean starved to death as the potatoes rotted in the field.
This terrible period in Irish history is known as "The Great Hunger". Thousands of people tried to flee to America. Some succeeded in building a new life tin the new world. Others remain poor and hardly managed to survive.
Today, the results of the great famine can still be seen. Large parts of the Irish countryside are under populated. The ruins of empty and abandoned villages can still be found. The setting of the "Potato People" is during this terrible famine in Irish history.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)