"Old Sultan"

Passage from "Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm"

A shepherd had a faithful dog, called Sultan, who had grown very old and lost all his teeth. One day, when the shepherd and his wife were standing together before the house, the shepherd said, "I will shoot old Sultan tomorrow morning, for he is of no use now."

But his wife said, "Let the poor faithful creature live; he has served us well a great many years, and we ought to give him a livelihood for the rest of his days."

"But what can we do with him?" said the shepherd, "he has not a tooth in his head, and the thieves don't care for him at all; to be sure he has served us, but then he did it to earn his livelihood; tomorrow shall be his last day, depend upon it."

Poor Sultan, who was lying close by them, heard all that the shepherd and his wife said to one another, and was very much frightened to think tomorrow would be his last day. In the evening he went to his good friend the wolf, who lived in the wood, and told him all his sorrows, and how his master meant to kill him in the morning.

"Make yourself easy," said the wolf, "I will give you some good advice. Your master, you know, goes out every morning very early with his wife into the field; and they take their little child with them, and lay it down behind the hedge in the shade while they are at work. Now do you lie down close by the child, and pretend to be watching it, and I will come out of the wood and run away with it; you must run after me as fast as you can, and I will let it drop; then you may carry it back, and they will think you have saved their child, and will be so thankful to you that they will take care of you as long as you live."

The dog liked this plan very well; and it was managed. The wolf ran with the child a little way; the shepherd and his wife screamed out; but Sultan soon overtook him, and carried the poor little thing back to his master and mistress. Then the shepherd patted him on the head, and said, "Old Sultan has saved our child from the wolf, and therefore he shall live and be well taken care of, and have plenty to eat. Wife, go home, and give him a good dinner, and let him have my old cushion to sleep on as long as he lives." So from this time forward Sultan had all that he could wish for.

Soon afterwards the wolf came and wished him joy, and said, "Now, my good fellow, you must tell no tales, but turn your head the other way when I want to taste one of the old shepherd's fine fat sheep."

"No," said the Sultan; "I will be true to my master."

However, the wolf thought he was in joke, and came one night to get a dainty morsel. But Sultan had told his master what the wolf meant to do; so he laid wait for him behind the barn door, and when the wolf was busy looking out for a good fat sheep, he had a stout cudgel laid about his back, that combed his locks for him finely.

Then the wolf was very angry, and called Sultan "an old rogue," and swore he would have his revenge...

Reading Comprehension Questions

1) What is the most likely setting for the above passage?

a. a modern city

b. a rural pasture

c. a large metropolis

d. an urban district

2) In the above passage, the shepherd decides to kill Old Sultan, but his wife begs, "Let the poor faithful live." What does he do as a result of her request?

a. he decides to let the old dog live

b. he stands by his decision to kill the dog

c. he gives the old dog a challenge to complete

d. he makes his wife take care of the old dog

3) Based on the events of the above passage, it is clear that the wolf helped Old Sultan for which of the following reasons?

a. to gain something in return

b. to show his loyalty to Old Sultan

c. to get revenge on the shepherd

d. to protect the young child

4) The above passage is the start of a story. Based on the events, which of the following most likely happens next?

a. Old Sultan agrees to help the wolf

b. the shepherd decides to kill Old Sultan

c. the wolf and Old Sultan become friends again

d. the wolf comes up with a plan to hurt Old Sultan

5) After the wolf helps Old Sultan, the dog decides not to help the wolf. Why does he refuse to help him?

a. he wants to bring harm to the wolf

b. he is worried the wolf will be hurt

c. he is too loyal to the shepherd

d. he does not think the plan can work

6) Near the end of the above passage, the wolf was looking for "a good fat sheep" when he had a "stout cudgel laid about his back." Which of the following explains what happens in this scene?

a. the wolf is startled by a noise behind him

b. the wolf is hit in the back by a heavy stick

c. the wolf attacks the shepherd from behind

d. the wolf strikes Old Sultan in the back

Answer Key

1) What is the most likely setting for the above passage?

a. a modern city

b. a rural pasture

c. a large metropolis

d. an urban district

2) In the above passage, the shepherd decides to kill Old Sultan, but his wife begs, "Let the poor faithful live." What does he do as a result of her request?

a. he decides to let the old dog live

b. he stands by his decision to kill the dog

c. he gives the old dog a challenge to complete

d. he makes his wife take care of the old dog

3) Based on the events of the above passage, it is clear that the wolf helped Old Sultan for which of the following reasons?

a. to gain something in return

b. to show his loyalty to Old Sultan

c. to get revenge on the shepherd

d. to protect the young child

4) The above passage is the start of a story. Based on the events, which of the following most likely happens next?

a. Old Sultan agrees to help the wolf

b. the shepherd decides to kill Old Sultan

c. the wolf and Old Sultan become friends again

d. the wolf comes up with a plan to hurt Old Sultan

5) After the wolf helps Old Sultan, the dog decides not to help the wolf. Why does he refuse to help him?

a. he wants to bring harm to the wolf

b. he is worried the wolf will be hurt

c. he is too loyal to the shepherd

d. he does not think the plan can work

6) Near the end of the above passage, the wolf was looking for "a good fat sheep" when he had a "stout cudgel laid about his back." Which of the following explains what happens in this scene?

a. the wolf is startled by a noise behind him

b. the wolf is hit in the back by a heavy stick

c. the wolf attacks the shepherd from behind

d. the wolf strikes Old Sultan in the back