Porcupine and the Sky MirrorsPorcupine and the Sky Mirrorsby Katherine Davisonby Katherine Davison

The Fly The Fly by Mai Vo-Dinhby Mai Vo-Dinh

ReviewReview

1.1. What happens when the What happens when the Earth King visits the Sky Earth King visits the Sky King one day? What gift is King one day? What gift is given?given?

The Earth King The Earth King sees the two huge sees the two huge mirrors that reflect mirrors that reflect the light.the light.

He asks for them He asks for them and receives them and receives them as a gift.as a gift.

2. What does Porcupine 2. What does Porcupine accomplish accomplish when he later visits the when he later visits the Earth Earth King? How does he do it? King? How does he do it? He gets back the sky He gets back the sky

mirrors. mirrors. He asks for impossible He asks for impossible

things; tricks the Earth things; tricks the Earth King into promising King into promising him anything; and him anything; and then asks for what’s in then asks for what’s in an old trunk, knowing an old trunk, knowing the mirrors are there.the mirrors are there.

3. Why does the rich man 3. Why does the rich man want want to know where the boy’s to know where the boy’s parents are in “The Fly”? parents are in “The Fly”?

He wants either to He wants either to get back the get back the money he’s loaned money he’s loaned them or to them or to confiscate their confiscate their belongings.belongings.

4. What does the rich man 4. What does the rich man promise the boy? Who is promise the boy? Who is the the witness? witness? The rich man The rich man

promises to forget promises to forget the debt if the boy the debt if the boy will tell him where will tell him where his parents are.his parents are.

The witness is a fly.The witness is a fly.

5. Is the Sky King 5. Is the Sky King comfortable comfortable about the gift he gives his about the gift he gives his

brother? Why or why not? brother? Why or why not? The Sky King is The Sky King is unhappy about unhappy about giving the sky giving the sky mirrors because mirrors because they are his they are his favorite favorite possessions.possessions.

6. Why is it important for the 6. Why is it important for the animals in the forest that animals in the forest that Porcupine accomplish his Porcupine accomplish his goal at goal at the Earth King’s house? the Earth King’s house? Explain.Explain. The sky mirrors are the The sky mirrors are the

sun and the moon, and sun and the moon, and all the plants are dying all the plants are dying as a result of their not as a result of their not being in the sky. The being in the sky. The animals, too, will die and animals, too, will die and are counting on are counting on Porcupine to get the sky Porcupine to get the sky mirrors back.mirrors back.

7. Why does the boy tell a 7. Why does the boy tell a riddle riddle rather than explaining rather than explaining where where his parents are? his parents are? The story does not The story does not

tell us why, but we tell us why, but we can infer that he is can infer that he is giving himself time giving himself time to think or that he to think or that he is planning to trick is planning to trick the usurer.the usurer.

8. How does the mandarin 8. How does the mandarin learn learn the truth about the rich the truth about the rich man’s promise? man’s promise? The boy tells his story The boy tells his story

accurately, except for accurately, except for one detail: when he one detail: when he says that the witness, says that the witness, the fly, was on the rich the fly, was on the rich man’s nose, the rich man’s nose, the rich man forgets himself man forgets himself and shouts that it was and shouts that it was on the housepole. This on the housepole. This tells everyone that he tells everyone that he did, indeed, talk with did, indeed, talk with the boy.the boy.

9. What is the conflict in 9. What is the conflict in “Porcupine “Porcupine and the Sky Mirrors”? and the Sky Mirrors”? Earth King takes Sky King’s mirrors, robbing Earth King takes Sky King’s mirrors, robbing

the Earth of sunlight and moonlight.the Earth of sunlight and moonlight.

10. How is the conflict 10. How is the conflict resolved?resolved? Porcupine tricks Earth King into giving him Porcupine tricks Earth King into giving him

the mirrors, which he returns to Sky King.the mirrors, which he returns to Sky King.

11. What is the conflict in 11. What is the conflict in “The “The Fly”? Fly”?

When the usurer When the usurer demands payment demands payment of a loan, the boy of a loan, the boy tricks him into tricks him into excusing the loan.excusing the loan.

12. How is the conflict 12. How is the conflict resolved?resolved? The boy tricks the The boy tricks the

usurer to admit in usurer to admit in court that he court that he excused the loan, excused the loan, and that a fly was and that a fly was the witness.the witness.

13. What lesson is learned in 13. What lesson is learned in “Porcupine and the Sky “Porcupine and the Sky Mirrors”? Mirrors”?

Good manners are Good manners are important, but important, but good judgment is good judgment is more important.more important.

It is unjust to take It is unjust to take advantage of advantage of another.another.

14. What lesson is learned 14. What lesson is learned in in “The Fly”? “The Fly”? The greedy are The greedy are

punished.punished. The just will receive The just will receive

their reward.their reward. Cleverness is more Cleverness is more

powerful than powerful than wealth.wealth.

15. What is a folktale?15. What is a folktale? An anonymous, An anonymous,

traditional story traditional story passed down orally passed down orally long before being long before being written down.written down.

Folktales include Folktales include animal stories, animal stories, trickster tales, fairy trickster tales, fairy tales, myths, tales, myths, legends, and tall legends, and tall tales. tales.

16. Describe the conflict of 16. Describe the conflict of folktales. folktales. The conflict often The conflict often

surrounds an event surrounds an event that is unjust or unfair.that is unjust or unfair.

The conflict is resolved The conflict is resolved by righting the wrong.by righting the wrong.

A feeling of harmony is A feeling of harmony is restored.restored.

Sometimes good Sometimes good characters are characters are rewarded, and bad rewarded, and bad characters are characters are punished.punished.

17. embrace17. embrace

to hugto hug

18. envious18. envious

jealous jealous

19. confiscate19. confiscate

to take away from a person or persons as to take away from a person or persons as a result of greater power or authoritya result of greater power or authority

20. exasperated20. exasperated

angered or greatly angered or greatly annoyed; irritatedannoyed; irritated

21. alight21. alight

to come down after flight; landto come down after flight; land

22. ensue22. ensue

to come afterward or as a resultto come afterward or as a result

23. insistence23. insistence

the act of taking a stand and sticking the act of taking a stand and sticking strongly to it; determinationstrongly to it; determination

24. insolent24. insolent

boldly disrespectfulboldly disrespectful

25. majestic25. majestic

impressive; grandimpressive; grand