"The Old Man and His Grandson"

Passage from "Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm"

There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at table he could hardly hold the spoon, and spilt the broth upon the table-cloth or let it run out of his mouth. His son and his son's wife were disgusted at this, so the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind the stove, and they gave him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not even enough of it. And he used to look towards the table with his eyes full of tears. Once, too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl, and it fell to the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he said nothing and only sighed. Then they brought him a wooden bowl for a few half-pence, out of which he had to eat.

They were once sitting thus when the little grandson of four years old began to gather together some bits of wood upon the ground. "What are you doing there?" asked the father. "I am making a little trough," answered the child, "for father and mother to eat out of when I am big."

The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began to cry. Then they took the old grandfather to the table, and henceforth always let him eat with them, and likewise said nothing if he did spill a little of anything.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1) Which of the following gives the moral of the above passage?

a. nothing is more valuable than good table manners

b. children should be seen and not heard

c. a job worth doing is worth doing well

d. it's important to treat everyone with respect

2) The final paragraph says, "The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began to cry." Which of the following is the emotion that is making them cry?

a. delight

b. shame

c. fear

d. anger

3) In the above passage, the parents see the boy making a "trough." Which of the following best defines this term?

a. an animal's food bowl

b. a fancy dining table

c. a wine glass

d. a king's silverware

4) The actions of the boy in the above passage show how important it is for parents to do which of the following?

a. discipline their children

b. lead by a good example

c. keep a tidy household

d. feed their children healthy foods

5) The first sentence of the above passage is very descriptive and was written to show which of the following?

a. the poor condition of the elderly grandfather

b. the innocence of the young boy

c. the evil intentions of the parents

d. the seating arrangements around the table

6) In the above passage, which of the following takes place after the parents speak to the boy?

a. the parents continue to be mean to the grandfather

b. the grandfather begins standing up to the parents

c. the parents start treating the grandfather better

d. the boy starts treating the parents poorly

Answer Key

1) Which of the following gives the moral of the above passage?

a. nothing is more valuable than good table manners

b. children should be seen and not heard

c. a job worth doing is worth doing well

d. it's important to treat everyone with respect

2) The final paragraph says, "The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently began to cry." Which of the following is the emotion that is making them cry?

a. delight

b. shame

c. fear

d. anger

3) In the above passage, the parents see the boy making a "trough." Which of the following best defines this term?

a. an animal's food bowl

b. a fancy dining table

c. a wine glass

d. a king's silverware

4) The actions of the boy in the above passage show how important it is for parents to do which of the following?

a. discipline their children

b. lead by a good example

c. keep a tidy household

d. feed their children healthy foods

5) The first sentence of the above passage is very descriptive and was written to show which of the following?

a. the poor condition of the elderly grandfather

b. the innocence of the young boy

c. the evil intentions of the parents

d. the seating arrangements around the table

6) In the above passage, which of the following takes place after the parents speak to the boy?

a. the parents continue to be mean to the grandfather

b. the grandfather begins standing up to the parents

c. the parents start treating the grandfather better

d. the boy starts treating the parents poorly