FOCUS QUESTION
What was Jamaica's Road to independence?
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE
Listen in order to draw inferences from different forms of oral language : storytelling,
CONTENT SUMMARY
THE GOLDEN TABLE
Legend says that River Mumma inhabits the rivers of Jamaica, and all the fish are River Mumma’s children. Sometimes, people say, River Mumma rises out of the river to sit on the rocks and comb her long, black hair. But, like they say, don’t touch River Mumma. Don’t even look at her. There’s no telling what she will do if you try. Some say if you so much as see her, you’ll fall into a trance and she’ll grab you by the heels and drag you under the river. If you try to catch her, the fish will disappear; the river will run dry. It’s best, they say, not to make trouble with River Mumma.
River Mumma lives in deep rivers, way down in those places where the water is tranquil, still and achingly blue, in spots beneath the shade of cotton trees, rimmed with plumes and spears of palms and overhung with ferns and ropes and vines of plants. It is there, they say, in those still places, way down at the bottom of the river, that the Golden Table lies hidden. The Spaniards left this table, made of solid gold, during their quest for gold many centuries ago. River Mumma guards that table.
But often at noon, on the hottest of blazing-hot days, the Golden Table will rise slowly to the surface and hover there. When the greedy see that table, they long to steal it. Many have tried. One time, in the deepest blue river on the land of a great sugar estate, the foreman saw that table rise, so he chained a team of oxen to it. “Pull!” he cried, and he snapped his whip across his oxen’s backs. “Pull!”
They pulled, and they pulled — 12 muscular, broad-backed oxen — but that Golden Table simply pulled every single animal and all the yokes and chains into the river, all the way to the bottom.
That, they say, is what happens to anyone who tries to steal the Golden Table.
One day Bastian and his sister, Lora, were walking home at high noon, and as they passed the river, they saw sitting on some rocks the River Mumma. “Run away,” Lora cried, but it was too late. Bastian saw it right before his eyes — that magnificent Golden Table rising up out of the river, hovering there, gleaming bright.
“Let’s get that table,” Bastian gasped. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He’d heard the tales, of course. Everyone had. But he had never imagined something so hypnotizing.
Lora grabbed his arm. “Never, never, brother,” she said, and she pulled him on, trying to get him on the path back home. “You know what happens to greedy people, Bastian.”
“Greedy?” Bastian said. He was bigger and stronger than his sister, and he could resist her pull, no matter how hard she tried. “I’m not greedy, and you know that.”
“I do,” Lora agreed. “That’s why we’re leaving. Only greedy people take what’s not theirs.”
“And what about Papa’s boss?” Bastian asked. “He’s greedy.” Their father worked in the sugar cane fields, and for the last few weeks, his boss had stopped paying him. When Papa asked why, he said, “I need to make more money.”
“Never mind,” Lora said. “Remember what Mama says: People who are covetous end up creating big problems for themselves, that you know.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Bastian said. “But what about Mama’s boss? She gives Mama a basket as payment for carrying water — that’s the raw deal she gives.” That was true; their Mama worked as a housekeeper, and her boss said, “I can’t pay you more; I need more money for my baby.”
Lora shrugged. “Every day’s a fishing day, but not every day’s for catching fish,” she said. “Things change, Bastian.”
They continued to argue this way, on and on until the sun began to set, and that Golden Table drifted back under the water. Soon it was night, and they were back home, arguing still.
When their Papa’s boss heard their argument, he asked Bastian, “Where is this Golden Table? I think I should have it for myself.”
“Why’s that?” Bastian asked.
“The rich deserve the riches,” the boss said. So the next day he insisted Bastian lead him to the spot, and right there before their very eyes arose the Golden Table.
“But don’t try it,” Bastian said, for he had come to his senses. “You know the stories.”
“Myths!” the boss laughed. “Go on home, Bastian. I’ll handle this.”
Bastian did go home that day, and he told his Mama and Papa the tale of the Golden Table.
The next day the planter and four of his men, the strongest slaves and four strong bulls went down to the river. They waited and watched until noon came. Suddenly, the water in the centre of the river became a whirling pool and then the Golden Table appeared.
The slaves quickly jumped into the river and securely fastened the chains to table. The bulls then pulled with all their might but could not move the table. Soon the slaves grabbed the chains and started pulling. Then the planter shouted loudly, "We must do all we can to get that table." He wanted the table so much that he himself jumped into the river and tried to help the slaves and the bulls.
Papa’s boss never came home, and nobody knows where he went, but people talk. Lora said his greed drowned him, and the boss’s son? He changed his ways and paid his workers a fair wage. As for Bastian? A chip, as they say, off the old block. In other words, Bastian turned out much like his father. He was a hard worker, a good and fair man. His Mama and Papa taught him well.
ENGAGE
Students I want you to read the following and try to figure out the answers.
Well, how did you figure out the answers?
What helped you ?
Were any of the answers explicitly stated?
Well basically what you were doing was inferring.
Students, what do you think the word INFER means? Ok let us look at the definition in the content summary.
EXPLOREWe are going to watch this video clip to learn more about inference. We will pause and discuss as we go.
Video clip: What does it mean to infer?
Now I want us to listen to the story in the Content Summary - The Golden Table
I want you to first examine this picture and try to figure out what the story will be about.
We will take turn in reading the story. As we read, pay attention to the characters and try to figure out the following questions.
What aspects of Jamaica's history are highlighted?
Which sentences did you use to help you infer this?
EXPLAIN
What does it mean to infer?
EXTEND/ELABORATE
Answer the following.
EVALUATION
1. Read the story again by yourself, then tick on the chart below, the quality/qualities that matches/match each character.
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QUALITIES
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Bastian
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Lora
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Mama
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Papa
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Papa’s Boss
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Sensible
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Greedy
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Selfish
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Hardworking
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Impulsive
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Covetous
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Unjust
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Honest
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2. What can you infer from the story about the character of Papa's boss?
3. The story refers to certain aspects of Jamaica's history. From the text clues, draw inferences about aspects of Jamaica's history.
