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.
Usto, pregledniku su dodane dvije kratke priča na engleskom jeziku. Iščitavajući tekstove na
engleskom jeziku, vi proširujete vlastiti rječnik i uspješno se prilagođavate jeziku koji danas otvara
sva vrata svijeta.
Jelena Vujčić, prof.
1
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
PRESENT SIMPLE:
Use:
1. to express a habit:
I get up at 8 o’clock.
Marta drinks coffee every morning.
2. a fact which is always true
Cows eat grass.
Snow falls in the winter.
Iz rečenica koje smo naveli kao primjer jasno je kako Present simple koristimo kako bi izrazili naše
navike, one radnje koje su dio nas i naše svakodnevnice. Tako imamo rečenicu, I get up at 8.00. (Ja
ustajem u 8 sati.) kojom izražavamo našu naviku o jutarnjem buđenju.
Usto, Present 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.
Jednako je i s rečenicom Snow falls in the winter, što je također uvijek istinito jer snijeg i pada samo
zimi.
Form:
1. positive sentences:
I drink coffee.
We drink coffee.
You drink coffee.
You drink coffee.
He/ She/ It drinks coffee.
They drink coffee.
So, it is obvious that the verb gets suffix –s or –es only in the third person.
Vidljivo je kako se u Present simpleu glagolu samo u trećem licu jednine dodaje nastavak –s ili –
es. Važno je napomenuti kako taj nastavka izaziva promjenu kod glasa y ukoliko se on nalazi iza
suglasnika, npr. He carries a new suitcase. Gdje je y prešao u i, (carry-carries). No, ukoliko se
glas y nalazi iza samoglasnika ne dolazi do promjene. She buys bus ticket every day. Dakle, y
ostaje nepromijenjen, (buybuys).
2. negative sentences:
-to make a negative sentence we use verb do or does + not, so we have do not or don’t and
does not or doesn’t.
Doesn’t is used only in the third person singular.
Mark doesn’t ride a bike. -- this is a negative sentence, but positive sentence is:
Mark rides a bike.
So, it means that we mustn’t use the verb rides with suffix –s in negative sentence, but we
have to use infinitive.
2
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Niječna 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,
Matt buys himself coffee every morning.
Matt doesn’t buy himself coffee every morning.
...doesn’t buy....correct/točno
...doesn’t buys...incorrect/ netočno
3. question
-we also use do or does. Does is used only in the third person singular.
Does Matt ride a bike every day?
Do you have this CD?
Dakle, u upitnim rečenicama imamo isto pravilo o korištenju glagola do/does. Does se koristi
samo u trećem licu jednine i to tako da zamijeni mjesto sa subjektom i dođe na prvo mjesto.
Sva druga lica koriste do, a pritom zamijeni mjesto sa subjektom.
PRESENT CONTINUOUS:
Use:
We use present continuous to express an activity happening now:
They are playing in the garden.
He is drinking coffee at the moment.
So, both sentences express and activity which is happening at the moment of speaking. In the
present continuous we often use adverbials, such as at the moment or now.
Pogledamo li dvije rečenice koje smo upotrijebili kao primjer jasno je kako te rečenice
izražavaju radnju koja se događa u trenutku govora. Npr. They are playing in the garden.
(Oni se igraju u vrtu.), jasno je da se radnja odvija u trenutku govora. Dok u drugoj rečenici
imamo i priložnu oznaku at the moment/ u ovom trenutku, koja nam pomaže da odredimo
vrijeme u kojem se radnja odvija. Usto, valja napomenuti kako je učestalo i korištenje priložne
oznake vremena now/sada.
3
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
1. positive sentences:
-
to make a positive sentence in the present continuous we use the present form of the
verb be + -ing.
e.g.
I am drinking coffee.
You are drinking coffee.
He/She/It is drinking coffee.
We are drinking coffee.
You are drinking coffee.
They are drinking coffee.
So, we use AM/ARE/IS (the present form of the verb be) and the full verb with –ing.
Thus, we only have to be careful when we are choosing the correct AM/ARE/IS
form.
Dakle, kada tvorimo jesnu rečenicu u present continuous, trebamo izabrati pravilan izraz prezenta
glagola BE, koji AM/ARE/IS, potom glavnom glagolu dodamo nastavak –ing. Važno je izabrati
pravilan oblik glagola BE, tako za prvo lice jednine koristimo AM, za treće lice jednine koristimo IS,
dok za drugo lice jednine i sva lica množine koristimo ARE.
2. negative sentence:
-
to make a negative sentence we use AM/ARE/IS + NOT + -ING
Thus we have:
I am not drinking coffee.
or
I’m not drinking....
You are not drinking coffee.
or
You aren’t drinking.....
He is not drinking coffee.
or
He isn’t drinking.....
Dakle, kada tvorimo niječne rečenice glagolima AM/ARE/ IS dodamo negativnu riječ NOT, s
tim da onda imamo i kratke oblike kao što su ‘m not, aren’t, isn’t.
3. question:
-
to make a question we only use inversion:
Are you drinking coffee?
Is she drinking coffee?
Are they drinking coffee?
Dakle, kako bi napravili upitnu rečenicu samo trebamo zamijenti mjesta pomoćnog
glagola BE i subjekta.
4
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
EXERCISES:
1. Use the present continuous or the present simple. /Nadopuni rečenice koristeći present
simple ili present continuous glagola u zagradama.
a)
A: Is Janet in, please?
B: Yes, but I think ( I/think) she’s busy at the moment. She is washing (she/wash) her hair.
A: 1-______________(I/think) of buying a new computer.
B: But computers 2- ____________(cost) so much money. What’s wrong with the one we’ve got?
A: 3-_______________(it/get) out of date now.
b)
A: Your new trousers 4-____________(look) nice.
B: Thank you, the trouble is 5-___________________(they/not/fit)
______________(I/not/know) why I bought them, really.
properly.
6-
2. Complete the sentences by putting in the verbs in present simple form. / Nadopuni
rečenice koristeći present simple glagola u zagradama.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
My friend is finding life in Paris a bit difficult. He___________(not/speak) French.
I’ve got four cats and two dogs. I _____________(love) animals.
No breakfast for Mark, thanks. He _____________(not/eat) breakfast.
What’s the matter? You____________(not/look) very happy.
Don’t try to ring the bell. It______________(not/work) properly.
Matthew is good at badminton. He______________(win) every game.
We always travel by bus. We ____________(not/own) a car.
ANSWERS:
1.
123456-
5
I am thinking
Cost
It is getting
Look
They don’t fit
I don’t know.
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
2.
1. doesn’t speak, 2. love, 3. doesn’t eat, 4. don’t look, 5. doesn’t work, 6. wins, 7. doesn’t
own.
PAST SIMPLE:
Use:
We use the past simple for something in the past which is finished.
Emma passed her exam last year.
tj. Ema je prošla ispit prošle godine.
Elvis died in 1977.
tj. Elvis je umro 1977. godine.
Jasno je iz gore priloženih rečenica kako past simple izražava radnju koja je počela i završila u
prošlosti. U određivanju vremena u kojem se radnja odvija svakako nam pomažu i priložne oznake
vremena kao što su gore u rečenicama podebljane last year(prošle godine) i in 1977 (1977. godine).
Form:
a) positive form:
-In English regular past form has –ed or –d suffix. Thus regular verbs in English have these
suffixes in the past form:
It happened very quickly. - > regular verb happen + ed = happened
The car crashed into the van. - > regular verb crash + ed = crashed
They arrived at 6 o’ clock. - > regular verb arrive + d = arrived
-
on the other hand, irregular past form is characteristic of the irregular verbs. Irregular verbs
have to be memorised because without past simple form of these verb you are not able to
make past simple sentences.
Vicky won the game. - > irregular verb win has past form won
I had breakfast at six. - > irregular verb have has past form had
Some important irregular verbs:
Base form
Be
Become
do
Eat
Feel
Have
Past simple
was/were
became
did
ate
felt
had
Thus:
6
I drove a car.
We drove a car.
You drove a car.
You drove a car.
He/ She /It drove a car.
They drove a car.
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Vidljivo je, dakle, kako se jesna rečenica (positive sentence) u past simpleu tvori na sljedeći način:
Subjektu se dodaje glagol u prošlom vremenu čija prošla forma zavisi o tome da li je glagol
pravilan ili nepravilan. Stoga pravilni glagoli dobivaju nastavak –ed ili –d, dok nepravilni glagoli
imaju uvijek isti izraz/formu koja mora biti naučena iz tablice nepravilnih glagola engleskoga
jezika. Tako je gore navedeno nekoliko glagola koji su među najčešćima u uporabi. Ispod tablice
nalazi se konjugacija nepravilnog glagola drive (drove), iz koje je vidljivo da glagol u rečenicama
koje su u past simpleu ne mijenja oblik kroz lica nego uvijek ostaje isti. Ovo pravilo vrijedi i za
sve pravilne glagole, npr. I arrived at 6 o’ clock. She arrived at 6 o’clock.
b) negative form and question:
-
in negatives and questions we use did
1. negative sentences:
Negative form is did not or didn’t:
The car didn’t stop at the crossing. – >this is a negative sentence, while positive one is:
The car stopped at the crossing.
Thus, it is obvious that in a negative sentence the full verb has to go back to the infinitive.
...didn’t + stop... is correct
...didn’t + stop... is incorrect
For example:
I posted the letter yesterday. // I didn’t post the letter yesterday.
I ate pizza last night. // I didn’t eat pizza last night.
Dakle, jasno je iz gore navedenog kako niječne rečenice (negative sentences) u engleskom
jeziku tvorimo uz pomoć glagola did koji u niječnim rečenicama poprima oblik did not ili
didn’t. Ovdje je važno napomenuti kako u niječnim rečenicama nakon upotrebe glagola
didn’t moramo glavni glagol vratiti natrag u infinitiv.
2. questions:
When forming questions we also use did, but now, in questions, subject and verb did are
changing places.
James unlocked the doors. ------- Did James unlock the doors?
Jenny wrote a letter yesterday. ------Did Jenny write a letter yesterday?
So, once again when we make a question and when we use did our full verb has to go
back to infinitive.
BUT: Marta rang me yesterday. ----- Who rang you yesterday?
When we have WHO question word than we do not use the verb did, and the full verb
stays in the past simple form.
7
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Valja zapamtiti da pri tvorbi upitnih rečenica u past simpleu koristimo glagol did koji
pritom zamijeni mjesto sa subjektom, tj. ide na prvo mjesto u rečenici. Nakon što smo
upotrijebili glagol did, glavni glagol u rečenici vraća se natrag u infinitiv. Iznimka je
pitanje koje počinje zamjenicom WHO kada ne upotrebljavamo glagol did nego samo
koristimo glavni glagol u past simpleu.
PAST CONTINUOUS
Use:
It was raining at three o’ clock.
This sentence means that at three o’ clock we were in the middle of a period of rain. The rain began
before three o’clock and stopped some time after three. So, we are stressing the length of time.
Soft music was playing.
This sentence means that we heard the music at that particular moment, but it was playing before we
heard it and it stopped some time after we heard it.
Prva rečenica It was raining at three o’ clock. (Kišilo je u tri sata), označava trenutak u prošlosti kada
smo mi svjedočili kiši, ali uporaba glagola was 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. Isto vrijedi i za drugu rečenicu gdje
smo mi u jednom trenutku čuli kako svira nježna glazba, ali glagoli was playing naglašavaju kako je
glazba svirala i prije nego smo je mi čuli i kako je svirala i nakon što smo je mi čuli.
Form:
The past continuous is formed of the past tense of be (was/were) and an –ing form.
1. positive sentences:
Mary was playing the piano.
Mary is the third person singular noun, so we use was form of the verb be, and verb play is
accompanied with the - ing form.
They were skiing in Switzerland.
They is the third person plural pronoun, so we use were form of the verb be, and the verb ski is
accompanied with the –ing form.
8
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
I was running.
We were running.
You were running.
You were running.
He/ She / It was running.
They were running.
To sum up, the first and the third person singular use the form was, while all the other use the form
were.
Dakle pri tvorbi jesnih rečenica u past continuousu koristimo was/were (tj. prošli oblik glagola be,
vidi tablicu 1.) i glavni glagol kojem se dodaje nastavak –ing. Jasno je iz prethodne konjugacije kako
u prvom i trećem licu jednine koristimo WAS, dok sva ostala lica koriste oblik WERE.
2. negative sentences:
- to form a negative sentence we use was/were + not
so we have: was not or wasn’t and were not or weren’t
Mary wasn’t playing the piano.
They weren’t skiing in Switzerland.
Jednostavno se da zaključiti kao pri tvorbi niječnih rečenica u past continuous pomoćnom glagolu
was/were dodajemo not dok sve ostalo ostaje isto. Ipak, važno je paziti na to u kojem se licu nalazi
subjekt kako bismo upotrijebili pravilan oblik pomoćnog glagola.
3. question:
- to form a question in the past continuous, our verb was/were changes place with the subject:
Was Mary playing the piano?
Dakle, u upitnoj rečenici kod past continuousa pomoćni glagol was/were i subjekt zamjene mjesta.
PAST SIMPLE OR PAST CONTINUOUS:
-
we often use the past simple and past continuous together when one (shorter) action comes in
the middle of another (longer) one.
He broke his leg when he was skiing.
In this sentence the shorter action (broke) is expressed in the past simple tense, while the longer
action (was skiing) is expressed in the past continuous tense. To conclude, the shorter action
interrupts the longer action. So, to express shorter actions we always use past simple, and to express
longer actions we use past continuous.
Dakle, iz rečenice He broke his leg when he was skiing jasno je da u engleskom jeziku možemo u
jednoj rečenici koristiti i past simple i past continuous. I to na sljedeći način, past simple izražava
radnju koja je kraće trajala te je prekinula dužu radnju koju izražavamo past contionuousom.
9
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Jednostavnije rečeno ako imamo situaciju u kojoj jedna radnja prekida trajanje druge radnje u
prošlosti, onda onu radnju koja prekida označavamo past simplom, a onu koja je prekinuta past
continuousom.
Na primjer, ako nam je zadatak ponudio sljedeću rečenicu:
When/he/carry/ a suitcase/ he /drop/it/ on his foot.
Prije nego pokušamo riješiti zadatak trebamo shvatiti tj. procijeniti koja je radnja trajala duže a koja
kraće. Dakle, on je nosio torbu te ju je ispustio na svoju nogu. Jasno je iz konteksta da je nošenje
torbe radnja koja je trajala duže, dok je ispuštanje torbe radnja koja je trajala kraće. Stoga ćemo
nošenje torbe izraziti past continuousom, a ispuštanje torbe past simplom.
Naposljetku, nakon što smo sve pravilno i logički razmotrili pišemo rečenicu ovako:
When he was carrying a suitcase, he dropped it on his foot.
EXERCISES:
1. Use past simple or past continuous of the verbs in brackets. / Nadopuni rečenice koristeći
past simple ili past continuous glagola u zagradama.
It (1)_____(be) a fine day when I(2)________ (start) out on the last part of my walk around the
coast of Britain. The sun (3)__________(shine), and a light wind(4)______(blow) from the
south- west. I was pleased that it(5)________ (not rain). I (6)______(know) by now that I did not
like the rain. In fact, I(7)_________(hate) it. I(8)________ (walk) along the cliff top and then
down into the lovely little fishing village of Welburn, past a cafe where people(9)_________
(have) morning coffee.
2. Use past simple of the verbs in brackets to complete the text./ Nadopuni rečenice koristeći
past simple glagola u zagradama.
Two people died (die) in a fire in Ellis Street, Oldport yesterday morning. They (1)________(be)
Herbert and Molly Paynter, a couple in their seventies. The fire (2)_________(start) at 3.20 a.m. A
neighbour, Mr. Aziz, (3)____________(see) the flames and (4)____________(call) the fire
brigade. He also (5)__________(try) to get into the house and rescue his neighbours, but the heat
(6) __________(be) too great. The fire brigade (7) ______________(arrive) in five minutes.
Twenty fire-fighters (8)________(fight) the fire and finally (9) ___________(bring) it under
control. Two fire fighters (10)____________ (enter) the burning building but (11) __________(find) the couple dead.
3. Make a sentence by using past simple and past continuous. /Načini rečenice koristeći past
simple/past continuous.
a) he/break/ his leg/when /he/ ski__________________________________________
b) she/ loose / her passport/ while/ she/ shop_________________________________
c) the phone/ ring/ when/I /leave / the house_________________________________
d) when/I /leave/they/play/ in the garden/____________________________________
10
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
e) his hair/ catch/ fire/ when/ he/ cook/chips________________________________
f) while/ we/ play/tennis/ it/ start/ to rain/__________________________________
g) when/I/ phone/ Simon/ he/have/ a shower________________________________
h) I/do/ my homework/ when/Jane/ arrived_________________________________
ANSWERS:
1. 1) was, 2) started, 3) was shining, 4) was blowing, 5) wasn’t raining, 6) knew, 7) hated, 8)
walked, 9) were having
2. 1. Were, 2. Started, 3. Saw, 4. Called, 5. Tried, 6. Was, 7. Arrived, 8. Fought, 9. Brought, 10.
Entered, 11. Found.
3. a) He broke his leg when he was skiing.
b)_ She lost her passport while she was shopping.
c) The phone rang when I was leaving the house.
d) When I left, they were playing in the garden.
e) His hair caught fire when he was cooking chips.
f) While we were playing tennis, it started to rain.
g) When I phoned Simon he was having a shower.
h) I was doing my homework when Jane arrived.
11
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
SHORT STORIES:
A Tale of Friendship
Written and Illustrated by Carol Moore
Author's Note:
Dear reader, while this story is absolutely untrue I make no apologies, for in the imagination
of the heart and at the heart of imagination everything is possible and anything could be. It
has been said that the world was created in six days and on the seventh day God rested
having created all manner of beast and then man. But one animal was not there in the
beginning. It was fashioned by the Creator many years later, and this is a story of how it
came to be.
Chapter One
Years ago, even before the Indian had set foot in America, there lived a colony of
beavers on the banks of a tributary of the Mattawamkeag River in upper Maine. Semimountainous, it was a beautiful place with willow, elm and pine trees and plants such
as fern and duckweed. The banks of the tributary were dotted with meadows of wild
grass created by the beavers in the cutting of trees to build their dam.
The beaver colony was neither large nor
small, having three families and ten
members, and like all beaver they worked
very hard to dam the small river. Although
the beavers took occasional breaks, usually
for not more than half an hour, one beaver
relished sitting at the water's edge deep in
thought. He worked harder and faster just
so he could sit still longer. If they kept busy
with the who and what of things, he found
value in the if and why of things -- for
hours at a time.
One day in early spring while he was sitting
on the bank deep in thought about why trees should shed their leaves in winter, he was
distracted by a loud "quack-wack-wack" and "rab-rab-rab". He looked up to see four
mallard ducks attacking a smaller one that limped, chasing her from the water onto the
12
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
bank near him. She struggled to get a foothold, suffering numerous pecks, and he saw
anguish in her eyes. It was too much for his sense of fairness. "Stop that," he blurted
out.
The ducks ceased their pecking and fell back astonished. They were accustomed to
being ignored by beavers so what was this? He glared at them but didn't say anything
more, so all but the small one that limped jumped back in the water. She caught her
breath before quacking, "Why did you do that?"
The beaver shrugged, "They're always picking on you. I got tired of it."
"Well," she said, "They didn't used to pick on me. But nobody else cares -- not ducks,
and certainly not beavers. It's... very curious."
"Curious?"
"Why, yes." The duck began preening her feathers, pretending indifference. "I notice
things. If I didn't I couldn't keep out of the way of those hooligans always chasing me.
I notice you sit here far more than other beavers do, and...that makes me curious."
The beaver sighed. "Oh, I like that word "curious...curiosity, curiously, curiousness."
He rolled the sounds over his tongue like the taste of a tender willow sprig. "I am
myself curious about many things. For instance, what is your name?"
"Miena."
The beaver lowered his voice as if they were co-conspirators. "Miena, my name is
Dooro. I have a question. I've often wondered about those objects that hang in the sky.
Not the clouds, but the round things, that very big bright one during the day, and the
dimmer one at night along with all the sparkles. Have you flown there? Can you touch
them?"
"Oh, no!" she said. "It doesn't matter how high I fly, they're always farther. I suspect I
could fly for ten summertimes and never reach them."
"Really."
Dooro was so impressed Miena flapped her wings momentarily. "Yes, when you fly
you do notice a lot of things. Like, did you know there are not just other rivers and
lakes like we have right here, but a lake so big it takes weeks, maybe months, to fly
across? I've never actually crossed it, but we ducks hear stories from other birds. It
tastes salty and strange animals swim in there, like a fish so big it could swallow this
pond in one gulp."
The beaver was enchanted. He'd never heard such a thing. He listened in rapt wonder
as the duck talked on about seals, dolphins, water spouts and hurricanes. She had an
endless supply of information, so their conversation continued for hours punctuated
only by the beaver's quick dips into the water. He apologized, explaining that he
needed to wet his paws or they developed cracks in the warm spring air. The more
Dooro listened the more Miena told until they had talked late into the afternoon and
the trees' shadows had became fingers long and thin, and a cool breeze had sprung up.
"I have to go now," said Dooro.
"Me, too," Miena echoed and reluctantly slipped back into the pond.
13
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Chapter Two
All that week Miena sought Dooro out whenever he rested on the bank. This was
partly because the other ducks left her alone when she was with him and partly
because he was so happy to see her. They would discuss whatever came to mind,
which could be about some difference between ducks and beavers, or the relative
threat of such enemies as bear and cougar, or even where they might end up if they
flew or swam in one direction forever.
Then one morning Dooro invited
Miena to accompany him while he
worked. She paddled beside him as
he swam gracefully and powerfully
closing his forepaws into fists and
carrying them close to his chest as he
propelled himself forward with
webbed hind feet, using his tail as a
rudder. When Miena dipped her
head underwater for a piece of
duckweed Dooro lowered his head
too. Instead of ordinary eyelids, his eyelids were transparent. When he closed them it
was like looking through windowpanes and he could see her with perfect clarity.
Miena felt exhilarated. She was at home in the water, her feathers providing perfect
insulation, and now that she didn't have to worry about other ducks chasing her she
could relax and enjoy the surroundings. She loved to paddle against the soft liquid
resistance and smell the crisp snap of spring air with its hints of floral bouquet. Even
better, by accompanying Dooro she felt she was participating in something important
and necessary. She swam alongside him, passing other ducks and beavers, until they
had reached the edge of the lake and turned into a narrow canal just wide enough for
the beaver's body. She followed him to the end, about 150 feet further, and they
climbed out, he shaking his fur and she fluffing her feathers.
Dooro began walking into the forest. Because his short powerful legs made him slow
and awkward, he was not graceful on land as he had been in the water, Miena, too, did
not glide along but walked with a gimpy waddle. Dooro passed half a dozen trees
hesitating momentarily before stopping at the seventh tree to sniff the bark and open
his mouth. But unexpectedly the duck sounded an alarm.
"What's wrong?" Dooro exclaimed.
Miena was emphatic. "Not that tree. There's a nest in it."
14
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
She lifted her head to point and Dooro saw that there was, indeed, a nest halfway up
the tree hidden in the branches. He watched Miena fly to it.
The duck recognized the nest because she had hatched in one just like it. Although
ground nests were more common, occasionally some were put in a tree. She found
eight olive-green eggs nestled between soft brown feathers and wondered where the
parents were. But the nest did feel warm to her feet so she realized the mother duck
had only recently left and would return shortly. She rejoined Dooro who had already
selected another tree.
Using his tail as a stool on which he could sit upright,
Dooro gripped the trunk in his forepaws and began
chewing the bark of the six-inch willow sapling,
dropping chips as he worked. It took only 15 minutes
before the tree began to sway on the verge of
toppling. Taking one last bite, Dooro slapped his tail
on the ground setting off distant thumps and pistollike pops as other beavers followed suit on ground
and water. Even Miena knew this was the beaver's version of "Timber!" an emergency
signal that reverberates throughout the beaver colony telling others to seek the safety
of water until they are sure no enemies have been attracted by the sounds of a falling
tree. Dooro too returned to the canal and waited ten minutes before he got out and
began dismembering the branches of the tree and chewing the trunk into pieces about
three feet long. Gripping a branch in his teeth he splashed back into the canal, with
Miena close behind.
The beaver was tireless and Miena accompanied him as he made 20 trips to the lake
and back. He ferried the branches and trunk sections to the dam and with dexterous
forefeet and strong jaws pushed, pulled and wove them into the tangled structure.
Occasionally another beaver helped him work a particularly large trunk section over
the top and rest it at an angle, further buttressing the back of the dam.
Because he was single-minded in his effort Door and Miena talked only occasionally.
The beaver had cut down, sectioned and transported two trees to the dam before
deciding it was time for a morning break. They sat on the bank watching other beavers
still hard at work.
"Were you born here?" asked Miena, nibbling at some watercress that had sprung up
at the water's edge.
"Yes," answered Dooro, "In the lodge at the center of the lake." He 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. "How about you, where were you
born?"
"A lake close by -- one night's flight from here. I left, though. I didn't feel safe there."
"Why not?"
Miena hesitated. "That's where a snapping turtle grabbed me by my foot when I was a
duckling. My parents beat at him with their wings until he let me go. If I'd been in
deeper water and not so shallow at the time. . ." She shuddered as her voice faded.
15
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
"I understand," said Dooro sympathetically. "Aiera the wolf gives us grief, too, but
one thing he cannot do is sneak up on us from underwater. That's why we are working
so hard right now to keep the water high. Kits are being born. My mother has two new
ones."
"Really, where are they? I haven't seen them," exclaimed Miena with interest.
"Oh, she will bring them out soon. They are not yet a week old, but already she is
teaching them how to swim. They learn at the edge of the eating shelf inside the
lodge."
"Eating shelf?"
"Oh, I forgot, you have never been inside a lodge, " said Dooro. "We have two levels.
The upper level is for sleeping and the lower level slopes to the water and is for eating
and a place to dry off. Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, I couldn't disturb your mother and her babies," said Miena.
"No. I will show you my lodge," said Dooro proudly. It's the smaller one near the dam.
The back entrance isn't that long."
"Back entrance?
"A tunnel I made from the bottom of the pond to my lodge, maybe 20 feet long. It's a
couple of feet wide. I'm sure you could make it."
"I don't know." Miena said. She didn't mind diving, but the image of a dark tunnel
unnerved her.
Dooro insisted. "Come on. I will be with you." He coaxed her into the water and over
to the area above his tunnel. Then they dove, Dooro leading the way.
As with all beavers, Dooro was endowed with an almost miraculous ability to stay
underwater. He had outer ears he could fold shut and flaps of skin in his nose he could
close to keep water out. His oversized lungs allowed him to submerge for as long as
fifteen minutes and to swim underwater half a mile. When he dove his heartbeat
slowed automatically and his body prepared to absorb what to other animals would be
poisonous amounts of carbon dioxide. But Miena was not so endowed. Certainly she
was able to dive for minutes at a time, but that was under conditions where she could
see her surroundings and had immediate access to the surface. Dooro realized there
was a problem well before he had reached the entrance to his lodge.
Almost halfway through the tunnel Miena panicked. Pushing against the walls with
her webbed toes, she sought to swim faster but only stirred up mud, twigs and debris
that clouded the passageway. And once she couldn't see she became disoriented,
thrashing about in terror. Sensing trouble, Dooro turned and swam back to her,
pushing and guiding her back out of the tunnel with his chest and forepaws until she
was into clear water. She stopped floundering and hesitated only a moment before
rushing to the surface to draw in deep breaths of air. She made her way to the bank
and lay exhausted.
It didn't help that Dooro caught a disapproving glance from his father who was
working on the dam. Dooro was overwhelmed with shame. "Miena," he exclaimed. "I
16
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
really thought you could do it."
"Ohhhh," she gasped. "I'll never do that again. Even if I was chased by 100 turtles I
could never, ever enter a tunnel again."
"I'm sorry." Dooro didn't know what else to say.
"I know you're sorry," Miena reassured him. "You just thought ducks are like beavers
-- and we're not. I'm not. Just don't ever mention that horrible place again."
Chapter Three
Miena didn't hold her unfortunate experience against Dooro. They continued to meet
and talk every day, at least for a while, as he was busier than ever. The snow pack was
melting and the waters of the tributary swelled, forcing the beaver colony to abandon
their lodges, if only temporarily. Dooro explained to Miena that this was actually a
good thing because the more water
the dam could hold back, the more
water there would be to fill new
canals and underwater plunge holes
so necessary to escape enemies. Now
that the trees closest to the lake were
gone they had to travel further afield,
and each additional canal lined with
underwater escape burrows might
mean life or death. Through Dooro,
Miena came to understand a beaver's
passion for dam building.
Along with the increased flow of
water and abundant greenery came an explosion of new family members. Besides the
coot and merganser ducks with their ducklings, three of the mallard couples were
showing off their new broods. Except for their more subdued coloring, Miena thought
all the ducklings were adorable miniatures of their parents. For the first time she knew
a new yearning and couldn't wait to discuss it with Dooro.
"Do you plan on having a family one day?" she asked the beaver as he lie sunning
himself lazily on his back. He flipped to his stomach.
"Yes. I do. A couple weeks ago, as a matter of fact, I was considering it."
Miena was surprised. "You didn't tell me."
"No, I didn't think to. I came across a fresh mound of mud an unfamiliar beaver had
put onto a fallen log. She had shaped it into a cone. It smelled... marvelous." He
stretched his chin out onto his forefeet and closed his eyes, savoring the memory.
17
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Miena didn't have a clue as to why mud would smell marvelous. "That's.... nice. I have
thought about it, too. Not mud, of course -- but having a family. But then..."
Dooro sensed Miena's depression. Knowing she was an outcast from her own kind and
unlikely to attract a mate, it occurred to him a distraction was in order. "Look, there's
my mother with my brothers."
Sure enough, the mother beaver was swimming across the lake in their direction with
her two kits straddling her tail. After passing by a pair of ducks also giving rides to
their ducklings, they came right up to Miena and Dooro. The beaver kits immediately
abandoned their mother and began leaping onto Dooro and then tumbling over one
another.
"Boys, behave yourselves," their mother admonished sternly. To Dooro she said,
"Your father and I are about to cut down a big spruce tree. Will you watch your baby
brothers?"
Dooro's eyes twinkled. He'd already seen Miena fluff her feathers in anticipation.
"That will be fine, mother. Maybe I will give them another lesson on dam building."
The mother beaver smiled her beaver smile and nodded serenely, fully trusting her
oldest son. She didn't object to Miena. She'd decided it was an odd friendship, but after
all, ducks are no threat to beavers. She returned to the water with a gentle slap of her
tail and Dooro, Miena, and the kits all followed her as far as the dam.
Once at the dam Dooro began explaining the fine art of dam building. He told them a
dam needs to be wider at the bottom than the top. That instead of one big tree being
used as a foundation, many saplings and limbs of older trees heavy with brush go into
the construction. Then branches are laid side by side in line with the direction of the
current and anchored into the mud by rocks and stones, so as not to wash away. With a
web of interlaced branches acting like a net, all manner of driftwood and debris are
entrapped. Dooro explained that once the foundation is laid, to be watertight 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 will wash away. And finally, the heaviest logs are
added to the dam on the downstream side and pushed against it at right angles for
more strength.
Being only three weeks old, Dooro's brothers were hardly attentive. They perked up,
however, at the mention of mud. "We want to plaster. Can we do that?" they begged.
It was what Dooro had in mind.
He took them to the bottom of the pond where he showed them how to scoop up
armfuls of mud, old leaves and pebbles. His forepaws with their five toes and strong
claws were particularly dexterous, and with the support of his paddle-like tail he could
walk on his hind legs underwater. Arms full, Dooro actually walked up the side of the
eight-foot dam to the surface where he began shoving mud into place with paws and
snout. In following his example, the beaver kits were barely successful. Because of
their size and underdeveloped coordination, mud melted from their grasp and they
quickly discovered stealing Dooro's was an easier way to plaster. He good-naturedly
allowed it, although a lot of mud seemed to be drifting back from where it came.
After one dive, Miena was content to stay on the surface and enjoy the young beavers
enjoying themselves. She was impressed that animals so young would be so
18
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
industrious, but eventually their playfulness got the better of them. It was after Dooro's
fifth dive that his baby brothers decided mud had a better use. First they began patting
it on Dooro, and then themselves, and finally Miena. But the mud war was selflimiting because by that time Dooro had no intentions of gathering more mud.
Then they turned to Miena. It occurred to the beaver kits they could pretend to be
ducklings and be ferried about. Over Dooro's strenuous objections Miena went along
with it, looking decidedly waterlogged, or rather, beaver-logged. She traveled beside
the dam towards the bank, figuring to get out once she grew too tired to carry her
passengers. They were having a wonderful time, drawing looks of amusement from
other ducks as well as beavers.
Suddenly close by there was a noise as loud as a pistol shot -- so loud it could be heard
half a mile away. Immediately other loud pops followed, some fainter, as distant
beavers sounded the alarm with their tails. Those in the pond reacted by diving or
flying, but Miena did neither. One of the kits dove instantly but the other kit seemed
confused and was swimming towards the bank. With bone-chilling fear Miena saw
Aiera, the dark-gray wolf, loping along the bank in their direction.
Without thinking, and on the pure instincts of a mother duck, she raised a hue and cry
as loud as her lungs would permit. "Quack-wack-wack. Quack-wack-wack." Half
flying, half pushing the water with her feet she rushed to put herself between the kit
and Aiera. The same instant the wolf saw the young beaver he heard and saw the duck.
It's automatic that predators attack the weakest and Miena knew instinctively to
become vulnerable. She began flapping one wing and bobbing spasmodically, all the
while keeping up her "Quack-wack-wack," as though she was in great pain.
The ruse worked. Aiera couldn't resist a wounded duck. He crashed into the pond,
water spraying everywhere. His muzzle was only inches away and when he opened
wide his mouth Miena saw his fangs. Out of the corner of her eye she also saw the
second beaver kit dive to safety. In front of Aiera's eyes she healed instantly, flying up
and away to a tree where she could safely watch his reaction.
The thwarted wolf leaped about in the water, sniffing and growling. All the beavers
had disappeared and the ducks were either in the trees or had paddled to a safe
distance. Aiera's tongue drooled from unanticipated loss and unable to accept defeat,
he actually began swimming towards the ducks at the center of the pond. With
exaggerated nonchalance they easily outdistanced him and he finally gave up.
Half an hour later the pond's residents were back to doing what they'd been doing
before the wolf appeared, except for Dooro, Miena and the kits who stayed close to the
family lodge at the center of the pond. While the kits swam and played, Dooro and
Miena talked, keeping a wary eye on the bank.
Dooro was in awe. "That was marvelous what you did."
Determined to remain modest, Miena dipped her head in the water several times.
Droplets of water rolled and splashed off her back and feathers. "My parents did that
for me. It's something we ducks do."
"Well, I still think it was marvelous," insisted Dooro.
19
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
"The place where I live in the wintertime has more than one wolf. They usually live in
packs, you know," said Miena changing the subject.
The thought both intrigued and terrified the beaver. "I have never heard of that."
"Well, I've seen it," she assured him.
Miena's worldly knowledge never failed to impress Dooro and after the events of that
day, he had even more respect for her. As for the duck, she basked in his respect.
Chapter Four
The newness of spring changed into the lazy days of summer. Except for an occasional
repair of the dam, the beavers were unmotivated to cut any trees. It was a time of
abundance for beaver and duck alike because they could now dine on a wide selection
of plants. Without leaving the water they feasted on duckweed, water lilies, and
watercress. Close by grew ferns, mushrooms, wild grasses, and berries. Miena enjoyed
an occasional bug or minnow. Dooro, too, welcomed the change in menu and only
occasionally ate willow or aspen, a staple during the winter months. The flourishing
plant life of the beaver pond attracted other animals. It was not uncommon to see deer,
raccoons, skunk and bear, although the beavers were always nervous when a bear was
around. Bears had been known to tear apart beaver lodges.
Meanwhile the ducklings and kits turned into young ducks and beavers. Nature was
preparing the ducklings for their winter flight. Early on they had lost their down and
begun growing flight feathers. And while the young beavers would not be independent
until two years old, by the end of summer at half their adult size, they were fully
capable of patching the dam or felling a tree.
Throughout the summer Miena and Dooro continued to have their special
conversations. Where Dooro was, there was Miena -- and vice versa. To Dooro, what
few beaver conversations he had had, became boring in comparison. As for Miena,
well, she had no one else to talk to and grew to prefer it that way.
All too soon the light of day began to shorten and by the end of September the beavers
were once again hard at work. With increased cloud cover and colder weather the
ducks appeared nervous, watching the sky and looking southward. Their quacking
became more frequent and if any one of them took flight, the others watched
mesmerized until it had landed. Some of the birds took flight and didn't return. The
distant honking of geese and their flying "V" patterns was a bugle call to those with
migratory instincts.
The beavers hurried to cut trees for storing in woodpiles underwater. With stones they
weighted down successive layers of wood at the bottom of the pond. Because the pond
was too deep to freeze all the way to the bottom, this would be their food through the
winter. As always Dooro worked extra hard and Miena followed him constantly. If he
hadn't enjoyed her company so much he might have realized, as did all the other
20
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
residents of the pond, that at this time of year this was odd behavior. Miena didn't
watch the sky or look southward like the other ducks.
It was only after most of the ducks had left the pond and
Dooro had begun fortifying his lodge with mud, that he
thought to question Miena about it. He was patting the
mud carefully onto the dome of his lodge, a master
plasterer striving to cover every bit of exposed surface.
"Miena, when are you going to leave with the others?" he
said, worry edging his voice.
Miena hesitated. "There's time." Momentarily she tucked her head under her wing, and
then shook her feathers.
Dooro persisted. "But almost all the other ducks have already left.
"That's not true. There are ducks left."
Dooro didn't want to argue. He preferred making a suggestion. "Well, at least I hope
you plan on leaving with them when they do leave."
Miena looked away and didn't respond. The subject wasn't mentioned again for a
while.
Chapter Five
In a week's time there were no more ducks at the pond, except a forlorn Miena. With
even beavers disappearing into their lodges for the winter, Dooro was truly alarmed
and determined to straighten it out one way or another.
"Miena, when are you leaving? The ducks are all gone and you know it's time."
The duck's quack was something between a plea and resignation. "I'm not going," she
said.
Dooro couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But, why not!"
"I just can't." And then more defiantly, "I don't want to and I won't."
To the pragmatic beaver this violated every instinctual rule. Ducks flew south for the
winter and there simply was no other option. Dooro was emphatic. "You can't leave?
Well, you can't stay. What would you eat? Where will you live? The pond will be
frozen soon."
Miena refused to answer. Instead she turned her back on him and flew off to a tree.
The worried beaver didn't know what to do. She was his friend, after all.
21
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Dooro kept an eye on her all the following week. With each progressive day the nowfreezing temperature began to have its effect. The mud the beavers had so carefully
applied to their lodges became hard as cement and the pond began to freeze over
starting at the shoreline. This was no problem for the beavers who could continue
working underwater even in a completely ice-covered pond. Dooro was accustomed to
memorizing every air pocket including the ones that always formed along the shore of
the pond or the one that formed at the dome of ice above the entrance to his lodge.
What he wasn't accustomed to doing was worrying about a duck who had no such
defenses against winter's harsh elements. Miena looked more miserable each day.
He thought and thought about how he could help her. He even suggested to Miena that
she dive into the pond before it was frozen over so she could seek shelter in his beaver
lodge. But this would have meant using the tunnel passageway and Dooro only needed
to see the terror in her eyes to know that answer.
Then one morning after it had snowed all night, the frantic quacking of a duck
awakened Dooro, comfortably asleep in his lodge. He arrived at the surface of the
pond to find Miena stuck in the ice. She had fallen asleep in one of the last clear
patches of water and during the night snow and ice had sealed it, trapping her feet. No
matter how hard she struggled she couldn't get free and was crying out pitifully.
Without hesitation Dooro began gnawing and clawing at the ice. In his presence
Miena ceased crying and lay quiet. It wasn't long before he had freed her.
While he worked, Dooro had resolved to save Miena. He didn't consider it brave or
foolish. He only knew that what he planned was against every beaver's deepest
instinct. Without acknowledging Miena who followed him, he walked to his lodge and
began chewing the outer wall with its mud cement casing. Even with his powerful
jaws and his two-inch bottom teeth honed to a knife-like edge, it wasn't easy. The
feeling of bitter cold stabbed at his gums until his teeth became numb, but Dooro was
single-minded in the determination to vandalize his own fortress. He bit and tore at it
for an hour until it was broken open. Then with his snout he nudged in the shaken
duck and began immediately making repairs. Even with repair, he realized the
protective wall of his lodge would take days to harden again. He finally joined Miena
inside.
"Oh, what did you do to your beautiful home?" she said sadly.
With his forepaws Dooro began readjusting the wood shavings. He made a pile for the
duck and a pile for himself. "It will be all right," he said. "I've already repaired it. How
are you feeling?"
"It's warmer in here," she quacked softly. "Thank you."
With his nose the beaver pushed an elm twig towards the duck. There were several
leaves still attached. "Want some?" He asked, trying to sound cheery.
"No thank you." Miena was overcome with gratitude and the last thing she had on her
mind was food. She was well aware of how dearly Dooro loved to learn of new things,
so she searched her mind for such an item and found it. "Did I ever tell you about the
enemy of all animals?" she asked.
Dooro's eyes got wide. "All animals. What do you mean?"
22
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Miena lowered her voice. "There's a legend among ducks of an animal whom even our
enemies fear. I've never seen it, and my parents never saw it, and no ducks they ever
talked to saw it, but nevertheless, there's an animal who uses the rocks of the ground
and the limbs of the trees to kill others. It doesn't even need its teeth and it's more
deadly than wolf packs or cougars or bears. It kills them all."
"Oh....." Dooro shuddered. "How awful."
"That's not all. Besides eating those it kills, it uses them for a second skin."
"What does this animal look like?"
"It walks on two legs like a bird, but it can't fly. It has arms instead of wings and no
tail."
They talked on and on about the strange animal. But while Miena began to relax and
enjoy herself, Dooro couldn't ignore a persistent feeling of doom. For good reason. At
that very moment Aiera was foraging in their area.
The wolf hadn't eaten in days and with the alluring scent of duck and beaver wafting
through the air he followed it eagerly, lifting his muzzle and sniffing often. Crossing
the now frozen pond, it didn't take him long to find Dooro's lodge.
Dooro and Miena smelled him before they heard him.
"Dive, Miena!" ordered Dooro.
But the duck, paralyzed with fear, shrank against the wall of the lodge. Dooro knew if
he left her she would be killed. Already he could hear Aiera's growling as the wolf
tore and scratched at the freshly packed mud and branches. It wasn't long before his
head and shoulders broke through.
Dooro, backing up, pushed Miena against the wall and lifted his head to show his
teeth. But the stronger and more agile Aiera wasn't the least intimidated. He wriggled
and crashed through the barrier leaping on the beaver and pulling him outside. So
powerful was Aiera that once he had a solid hold of the beaver's neck he shook him
savagely.
The violence of the scene and terrible growls of the wolf awakened Miena from her
daze. "Quack-wack-wack." She rushed from the lodge, flapping her wings, doing her
23
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
best once again to attract Aiera's attention. She finally succeeded, but at what cost.
Aiera released the beaver and grabbed Miena by her left wing, breaking it. Then he
tossed her into the air to get a deadlier grip.
It was all the chance Dooro needed. Aiera's left back leg came within reach and he bit
down as hard as he had ever chomped a willow tree. The bone cracked and Aiera,
howling in rage and pain, released Miena. Dooro's attack was totally unexpected and it
unnerved the wolf, who was really a coward at heart. He turned and fled, using an
uneven gait to favor his injured leg.
Unfortunately, for all their bravery both Miena and Dooro were mortally wounded.
Their red blood was splattered on the white snow. Dooro collapsed, shivering. "It's
cold," he gasped.
Miena, pushing with her webbed feet, struggled to him and laid her good wing over
his back like a blanket of feathers. "Is that better?" she asked.
He sighed and closed his eyes. "A little."
Chapter Six
The truth is that no matter how noble or terrible our intent, we must face the
consequences of our actions. But so strong and pure was Dooro and Miena's friendship
that it had not gone unnoticed by the Creator. Such devotion and self-sacrifice are rare
and in this case rewarded. Mysteriously, magically, wondrously, Miena and Dooro's
wounds were healed -- as surely and quietly as pure love warms a frozen heart. In the
twinkling of an eye they were transported halfway around the world to another
continent, a new land with new woods and waterways. While transported they were
transfigured. Miena lost her feathers, then her wings, which turned into arms, and a
thick down of fur enveloped her body. Dooro's nose stretched and spread until it
became a bill like Miena's and his body shrank, flattened and grew more compact. In
this new land they became a new animal, an animal not quite a bird and not quite a
mammal but a bit of both with a broad flat tail and fur softer than a beaver's, with a
bill like a duck and "oviparous," which is to say it lays eggs. The Creator looked on
his newest creation and saw that it was good.
For one long moment they stared into one another's eyes. Then he cried, "Miena."
She cried "Dooro."
24
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
They fell into one another's furry arms, caring not about the how or why, but
embracing and tumbling over and over with joy.
That, dear reader, is how the Platypus came to be.
SECOND THOUGHTS by Carol Moore
DAY ONE
Tuesday, June 15
At high noon a large spaceship floated
held its breath.
gently down out of a blue sky to land on the
front lawn of the White House. It rested
motionless for the next five hours while the
White House hummed with activity. The
President was evacuated and then the
military moved in with troops, tanks and
helicopters. Stealth fighters roared overhead.
Both Congress and the United Nations called
emergency sessions as a frightened world
At exactly 5:00 p.m. eastern time, a small door opened in the side of the
craft and a human-like creature stepped out.
As beings go, it wasn't that alarming. About three feet tall, it had a large
head atop a small body with two spindly legs. And there were feather-like
appendages growing from its head as well as from what could have been a
25
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
tail if it were a bird. But it moved like a human and wore a one-piece
uniform of a gold metallic material that sparkled in the sun. Walking to the
nearest soldier, it stopped short, its two unnaturally large eyes blinking
twice. Then in perfect English with a high-pitched voice, it said, "Take me to
your esteemed leader."
After much military and political consternation, the request was granted.
Standing before the President of the United States, who was seated at his
desk in the oval office surrounded by half a dozen secret agents, the little
being bowed. "President and Chief Commander, I humbly come to you as
ambassador facilitator for an ancient and distinguished race. Please realize
that you're dealing with beings of such power that their purpose must be
friendly or you'd have already been destroyed in my humble estimation."
It paused to scratch the base of a head feather. "I myself am Mooba. My
kind are respected throughout the universe as the finest of translators. I
must tell you that the Xxlepis ship has been moored at the edge of your
solar system for a year now while I've been studying your languages and
customs on their behalf. I know all there is to know about all of you, in my
humble opinion."
The President smiled halfheartedly, "Should I find that comforting?"
Mooba brightened, "Of course. Because I'm thorough I rarely make
mistakes." He shrugged. "I'll admit to a few, but none that wasn't rectified.
I'm sorry to inform you that yours is not the only species I considered for
contact on this planet. There are some others more appealing, but yours is
the most intelligent. And yours is also the only species believing themselves
in charge."
The President's eyebrows lifted at such a statement.
Mooba continued, "For purposes of decorum, tomorrow I will teach you
about the Xxlepis." His top feathers suddenly stiffened. "Be forewarned.
Although highly evolved intellectually, the Xxlepis are emotionally fragile
and quick to perceive imaginary insults if decorum isn't carefully followed.
They're quirky that way--easily offended. And if you offend them you will
not reap the benefits they can bestow."
"Fair enough" the President agreed, but his expression was one of
puzzlement.
The conversation was over.
DAY TWO
Wednesday, June 16
26
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
The next day two soldiers were sent to escort Mooba back to the White
House, but he wasn't on the spaceship. Instead, when the President with his
staff and secret agents arrived at the meeting room, Mooba was already
there. Without anyone noticing, he had left the spaceship, slipped through a
ring of military, a mob of reporters and White House staff to find the
secured meeting room no one had told him about the day before. It
unnerved the President and particularly his secret agents.
Standing at the back of the room Mooba waited for
everyone to get settled. Then he abruptly began, "The first
thing to do when introduced...is to bow. Some of your human
cultures already practice that formality. And the second thing
after bowing... is to do nothing." He paused for emphasis.
"It's best, Sir President, to allow me to do all the talking,
particularly in the beginning. The Xxlepis themselves rarely
speak because words to them are sacred. They believe that by
saying less, what is said increases in value. So speaking only
at the end of a conversation is a sign of respect. Of course, in
my humble opinion, that makes for very short
conversations." It was hard to tell if Mooba was joking so no
one laughed.
The alien continued. "The Xxlepis find it difficult dealing with other
cultures, so they take great care to insulate themselves. In addition to being
their translator I serve as a filter to shield their refined sensibilities--but still
I must be accurate and complete. Not an easy job, in my humble opinion.
The Xxlepis are emotional, you see. Despite all their sophistication, they just
want to be loved and they can't handle rejection. I think you humans can
appreciate that." He watched as one of the staff arose and walked to a table
at the side of the room pouring himself a cup of coffee.
"What's that?"
"The President smiled. "It's coffee, a common beverage. And there's also
donuts. Would you like some?"
Mooba's top feathers twitched excitedly. "Certainly." He stepped quickly
across the room and to everyone's surprise gulped down a whole carafe of
hot coffee. Then he grabbed several donuts. Returning to the front of the
room, he noisily smacked his lips. Powdered sugar from the donuts had
somehow ended up on his chin. It was a comical sight that everyone politely
ignored.
"That was tasty," he said, "in my humble opinion. Now, let me explain
more about the Xxlepis. Having mastered the mysteries of science and
technology, they have returned to the arts, particularly their poetry. They
27
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
are on a quest for new forms of expression. For example, the 20 ways an
elephant calls to its young or the 59 words the Eskimos use for snow.
Whether or not a language is written or spoken is of secondary importance.
The Xxlepis take pleasure in converting all manner of creature
communication into just the right word with a precise meaning and
contextual flavor to be used in their poetry. So they traverse the universe in
search of communication to define new words because, to them, only words
have true value. Personally, I think it's because words convey emotions."
"Speaking of value..." Mooba stopped mid-thought. "Ah... could I have
more coffee?"
"Sir, there's no more coffee," said one of the agents addressing the
President.
The President waved his hand. "Well then, please get another carafe. It'll
only take a minute."
The agent left the room. Through the door, which had not fully closed,
squeezed a short, rotund Basset Hound. It went immediately to the
President wagging its tail while casting side-glances at Mooba.
"Hi there, Sally," the President gently stroked the dog's back. "Mooba,
this is my dog. She just had puppies four weeks ago. What do you think of
her?"
Mooba was quite interested, particularly when Sally left the President to
approach him, her tail still wagging. He bent over so that his face was
almost level with the dog's and she licked the sugar off his chin. His head
feathers danced wildly. "I like her," he said and then made a noise
somewhere between a bark and a whine. It startled everyone in the room,
but Sally woofed in response.
Suddenly, the agent with the coffee appeared. "Here's the coffee, Sir."
At that point Sally was let out of the room. Mooba drank more coffee,
after which he continued instructing the President.
"As I was saying, concerning value it's things that have no price that are
worth the most to the Xxlepis. Things such as honor or knowledge or joy.
That's because emotions, or the intangible, offer infinite possibilities for
new words of shading and intensity. When a thing has a price, its value is
already set, defined and limited according to the Xxlepis. So instead of
price, value for them is in how many words a thing inspires."
28
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
"But as for emotions...the Xxlepis fell in love with the Drugans on the
planet Phizell because they're always laughing. They have 32 words for
'giggle'. The Xxlepis were so thrilled with this that they made fools of
themselves, showering them with half our gifts." He frowned. "I had an
awful time convincing them to leave that planet."
Rolling his eyes, the little alien continued.
"Unfortunately, your culture values things more than words. That's what
I learned from your television and radio signals. For example, when a
commercial says a car has a soul, where does that leave a man? In order to
add value to a thing, you've stolen a word meant only for living beings and
devalued it. And in devaluing that word you've devalued yourselves. The
Xxlepis would never understand and it's better that they not know about it.
In my humble opinion."
Mooba patted a tail feather. "On the other hand, your world's libraries
are filled with books and are an endless resource for poetry and great
writings. Human beings are capable of deep thought and intense emotions
and some have a desire to define them. It is these writings that will appeal
to the Xxlepis and they will reward you beyond imagination. As long as they
remain on this planet they will bestow gifts, so it's to your benefit to please
them. That's all I can say."
He bowed and the meeting was abruptly over.
DAY THREE
Thursday, June 17
The introduction of the Xxlepis was set for noon. Although it was an
unusually overcast day, that hadn't stopped a huge crowd from forming. At
two minutes to 12:00 the President and four secret agents walked slowly up
the red carpet and stopped 20 feet from the
craft.
With the opening of a large door, a
strange green mist emanated from the craft.
Then a long and gently sloped ramp slid out
upon which Mooba exited. The murmuring
crowd hushed as three figures emerged from
behind him. The figures were nearly seven
feet tall, rather thin, and covered entirely in
grey-green flowing robes and hoods. More
than anything they resembled Gregorian
monks, but it was how they moved that was
startling. Although there was not a breath of
29
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
wind, their robes rippled fluidly and they appeared to pour across the 20
feet coming to rest alongside Mooba and in front of the President and the
agents.
Mooba's high voice spoke into the multitude of microphones set up by
reporters and it sounded over the PA system. "Members of planet earth, I
am pleased to introduce you to the Xxlepis. And, they in turn are very
pleased to meet you." As he said this the three beings bowed deeply as did
the President and his agents.
Mooba continued, "Supreme Commander, President of the United States
and all citizens of earth, I am pleased to inform you on behalf of the Xxlepis
that today they would like you to accept this gift that they offer you without
reservation." Withdrawing something from a hidden pocket, Mooba handed
it to the President.
Accepting the object, which fit into the palm of his hand, the President
bowed again. "Thank you."
Seeing the three Xxlepis nodding from beneath their hoods, Mooba
added, "The Xxlepis thank you, too."
The crowd roared their approval and the first meeting was over.
DAYS FOUR - TWENTY
Friday-Sunday, June 18-July 4
When the gift was examined, scientists were astounded. The President
had been handed a container that turned out to hold bacteria from a distant
planet. Because these bacteria could manufacture any mineral, the Xxlepis
had cultivated and refined it for multiple purposes. Specifically in humans,
once ingested the bacteria became symbiotic with living cells and went
about curing deficiencies. The resulting good health was miraculous and the
closest thing to a fountain-of-youth elixir that humanity had ever
experienced. Furthermore, the bacteria were easily reproduced.
The President wished to reciprocate with a gift of equal value and at
Mooba's recommendation commissioned a compendium of sacred writings
to be compiled in their original languages. Mooba assured him that as a gift,
this would be a delightful surprise for the Xxlepis. It was an ambitious
project requiring scholars of every religion and the United Nations was
appointed to coordinate it. All nations agreed that no amount of money or
effort should be spared to have the gift ready for the next meeting with the
Xxlepis.
30
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Mooba hadn't anticipated the effect the Xxlepis would have on their
hosts. Mankind became like children at Christmas. While the Xxlepis's gift
of health was reproduced en mass, that was just the beginning.
Everything had to be Xxlepis-related. To accommodate the demand,
manufacturers broke all records (nearly those of physics) to get out a
plethora of products. Overnight Gregorian monk's garb became the fashion
craze, gray-green the most popular color until Monday when pastel-greens
were introduced followed closely by polka dots. People were dressing their
babies and pets in robes with cowls. Xxlepis gray-green began showing up
on toys, dish ware, buildings. If imitation is the highest form of flattery then
the Xxlepis should have been flattered indeed.
Commercials advertising Xxlepis products had but one theme, life was
better with Xxlepis whether you wore Xxlepis clothes or sat on Xxlepis
furniture. The inference was, so long as you had Xxlepis you were a
somebody with something. Unfortunately, the opposite inference was also
true, for without Xxlepis you were considered a nobody with nothing.
The irony was not lost on Mooba who watched commercialism turn the
Xxlepis, a race of beings who loved the nonmaterial, into the biggest name
brand of all time.
DAY TWENTY-ONE
Monday, July 5
When the President and his staff appeared at the spaceship on Monday
noon it was before a vastly different-looking crowd. Although a hot July day,
the majority was wearing hooded robes, waving signs and holding banners
that said, "Xxlepis rocks!"
This day, upon exiting the craft, the three Xxlepis did not immediately
bow. Although their faces couldn't be seen, it appeared that from beneath
the cowls they were turning their heads to examine the crowd. Watching
them, Mooba's head feathers stiffened noticeably and he frowned.
This time it was the President who came bearing a gift. The President
proudly offered the huge book heavy with gold leafing that one of the
Xxlepis gingerly accepted, grasping it with long fingers while the other two
Xxlepis stretched forward for a closer look. Their grey-green robes cast a
greenish hue over the book.
"Please accept this gift from mankind," said the President, his voice
trembling. "Over 300 of our finest scholars assembled it from our sacred
writings."
31
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
Translating, Mooba looked pleased.
Caught up in the moment and almost as an afterthought, the President
added, "Millions were spent. With its parchment and gold leafing, it's the
most expensive book ever created."
Mooba's head feathers quivered the moment the President said the most
expensive book ever created. He didn't look pleased. He stopped translating
and stared at the President. "Ah, Sir President, in my humble opinion..." he
interrupted, but his warning went unheeded.
"Go on. Tell them," the President urged and Mooba complied.
The reaction was immediate. Shoving the book back at the President,
which he almost dropped, the three Xxlepis, murmuring bubbling-clicking
noises, whipped about and swept back up into the spaceship faster than
anybody thought they could move. Mooba followed as closely behind as his
spindly legs allowed. Pausing at the ship's doorway he turned and shrugged
as though apologizing just before the metal door slammed shut with a thud.
The President and crowd, indeed the whole nation and all of earth were
stunned. They felt like children awakening Christmas morning to discover
that their presents had been stolen.
There was no further contact with the Xxlepis although vigorous
attempts were made using a PA system as well as radio and television waves
and banging on the spaceship doors. Now nobody anywhere talked about
anything except the Xxlepis and why they had so abruptly left the gathering.
Earth commiserated.
DAY TWENTY-TWO
Tuesday, July 6
Early Tuesday, without ado, the huge spacecraft gently lifted into the
morning air and disappeared.
It was then Mooba sought admittance to the White House, shocking
everyone because they thought he had left along with his alien employers.
Escorted to the President's oval office, Mooba's head feathers began to wave
as he moaned sorrowfully. "In my humble opinion, my job is just too
difficult."
The President agreed without knowing why as Mooba sat down on a
chair. A couple of agents approached to stand behind him. "It's my fault. I
thought I'd made you understand, but I was wrong. You meant only to
impress when you said the book cost millions to create. But as soon as you
32
PREGLED GRAMATIKE ENGLESKOG JEZIKA ZA 1. RAZRED
gave it a price, in the eyes of the Xxlepis you declared it useless. They were
insulted and horrified. They couldn't leave fast enough."
He hesitated and then glared at the President as if to suggest he did share
responsibility. Then Mooba sighed. "It's my humble opinion that they'd
never have understood your species anyway."
"Well then why are you here?" the President was incredulous.
Suddenly the little alien smiled. "Because unlike the Xxlepis, I don't care
about words or meaning or money. Except in the performance of my job, of
course. I'm due for a vacation and I'd like a little fun." Before agents could
stop him he had jumped up and moved to the President's desk grabbing
sour lemon candies from a dish. Popping them into his mouth he made
slurping sounds.
The statement was so ridiculous the President had to laugh. "You mean a
permanent vacation? Apparently they're never coming back."
Mooba grinned knowingly as his head feathers twitched. "On the
contrary. I've been with the Xxlepis 120 years and don't you think that if
anybody should know what they're doing and why they're doing it, it would
be I? That's my humble opinion. As for selecting your species, I've had
second thoughts. But don't worry, Sir President, the Xxlepis will be back.
Before their ship left I put a puppy on board."
He popped another sour lemon candy.
33