STAGE A Morbid Taste 4 for Bones Ellis Peters Introduction This ungraded summary is for the teacher’s use only and should not be given to students. The story The story takes place in twelfth century England. Brother Cadfael is a monk in Shrewsbury Abbey, where he is in charge of the abbey’s herb garden. One of the monks falls ill, and another monk has a dream in which he is told that water from the holy well of Saint Winifred will make the monk better. It and replace them with the body of Colombanus, and does, and the Prior of Shrewsbury Abbey, Prior Robert, arrange for the monks to believe that Colombanus decides that this is a sign that Winifred’s bones must has been miraculously taken straight up into heaven. be brought to Shrewsbury. Unknowingly, the monks return to Shrewsbury with St Winifred is buried in the village of Gwytherin the wrong relics. in Wales, and a group of monks, led by Prior Robert, And, after the departure of the monks, Engelard leaves the abbey with a coffi n in search of the bones. and Sioned are free to marry. Cadfael goes with them because he is Welsh, and speaks Welsh, and can interpret for the other monks. Background to the story They travel fi rst to Bangor, to get the Welsh king’s At the time when this story is set, England was not agreement, and then on to Gwytherin. only a very strongly (Catholic) Christian country, but The villagers of Gwytherin, however, do not want also most people held beliefs that today we would their saint’s bones taken away. Then, one day, one regard as mere superstitions. of the villagers’ leaders, Rhisiart, is found dead – To the monks of Shrewsbury Abbey, the bones (or murdered – and Cadfael fi nds himself acting as a any relics) of a saint would have enormous value. They detective. would be able to heal the sick, and as such would bring The fi rst suspect is Engelard, an Englishman who great numbers of people to the abbey and increase worked for Rhisiart. Rhisiart’s daughter, Sioned, and its importance. Other events, like the miraculous he are in love, but Rhisiart didn’t want them to marry. disappearance of Colombanus, unbelievable to us, His arrow is in Rhisiart’s body when it is found. But seem quite understandable to the monks. Cadfael, although they disagreed on the marriage, he and perhaps because he has travelled and seen the Rhisiart were good friends, and Cadfael suspects that world, appears less superstitious than the others. Engelard may not be the murderer. We therefore see the story through his, rather more Another suspect is Peredur, the man who wanted modern, eyes. to marry Sioned – and who Rhisiart wanted to marry his daughter. But it’s hard to see what advantage he Before reading would get from Rhisiart’s death. Here are some ways to help your students approach Now, with Rhisiart’s death, there is no more the story: opposition from the villagers. The monks dig up Saint 1 Give students the title of the book and show them Winifred’s bones and place them in the coffi n, ready the picture on the cover. Ask them to try and guess for them to be taken back to Shrewsbury. what kind of story it is. Cadfael discovers that the murderer was one of the 2 Give students a copy of the text on the back other monks, Colombanus. However, he has no proof, cover of the book, and of the story introduction and as Colombanus tries to escape he is stopped by on the fi rst page. When they have read the texts, Engelard, who accidentally kills him. ask them a few questions about the story, or use To protect Engelard, Cadfael and the villagers the Before Reading Activities in the back of each secretly remove Saint Winifred’s bones from the coffi n Bookworm. 87 © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS OBW4 Activity Worksheets MB.indd 87 20/2/08 12:54:10 STAGE A Morbid Taste for Bones 4 Pre-reading activity What’s going to happen? This story happens in England eight hundred years ago. Which of these things do you think you will read about in the story? YES NO WHY / WHY NOT America had not been 1 A ship sailing to America discovered 2 A group of monks living in an abbey 3 The king and queen of England 4 A man who steals horses 5 A saint 6 A man who disappears 7 Plants that can help people who are ill 8 Plants that can kill people 9 A man and a woman who are not allowed to marry 10 A murderer 11 A woman who can fl y 12 A dead man who comes back to life 13 A monk who falls in love 14 A war between England and Wales 15 A blacksmith and a ploughman 16 Miracles 17 A long journey by boat down a river To the teacher Aim: To pre-teach some of the vocabulary and to help diffi cult words in their dictionaries. Ask the students students begin to understand the context of the story to mark whether they think these things will happen Time: 20 minutes in the story and, if possible, to give a brief explanation. Organization: Tell the students the title of the story When everyone has fi nished, discuss the answers and explain that it happens in England eight hundred with the class. Give no indication as to whether the years ago. Give one copy of the worksheet to each students have guessed correctly or not. student or each group of students. Check through the Key: Yes; 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16. No; 1, 3, 4, 8, 11, sentences and check any unknown meanings with the 12, 14, 17. class. Alternatively, the students could look up any PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 88 OBW4 Activity Worksheets MB.indd 88 20/2/08 12:54:10 STAGE A Morbid Taste for Bones 4 While reading activity Who’s the murderer? A number of different people could have killed Rhisiart. Make a list of reasons why they might or might not have killed him. REASONS FOR REASONS AGAINST Peredur afraid Sioned was going Rhisiart wanted him to marry Engelard to marry Sioned wanted people to think Engelard was the murderer Perhaps Prior Robert bribed him REASONS FOR REASONS AGAINST Engelard REASONS FOR REASONS AGAINST Prior Robert Colombanus REASONS FOR REASONS AGAINST and Jerome To the teacher Where: At the end of Chapter 4 Sioned, his arrow was in the body, he has no alibi; Aim: To check that students understand who the against – he was friendly with Rhisiart, he loves possible murderers are Sioned and knows that she loves her father, the arrow Time: 20–30 minutes was pushed in afterwards Organization: Give each student, or group of students Prior Robert: for – Rhisiart wanted to keep the bones a copy of the worksheet. Look at the fi rst, completed, in Gwytherin, he knew that Rhisiart would be walking example for Peredur together, and then ask the there at that time; against – he has a very good alibi. students to fi ll in similar reasons for and against for the Colombanus and Jerome: for – Rhisiart wanted to keep other characters. Point out that they can add another the bones in Gwytherin, perhaps Prior Robert ordered character if they want. them to; against – monks unlikely to kill someone, Key: Possible answers include: they must both agree to kill him. Engelard: for – Rhisiart didn’t want him to marry 89 © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTOCOPIABLE OBW4 Activity Worksheets MB.indd 89 20/2/08 12:54:10 STAGE A Morbid Taste for Bones 4 After reading activity Who, what, where and when? Fill in the spaces. WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN Brother Cadfael put the body into the coffi n before the monks returned to Shrewsbury. Peredur into the body tried to bribe Rhisiart came to visit Cadfael in Shrewsbury learnt to be a blacksmith Annest did many miracles in Gwytherin killed Rhisiart Brother Jerome in the chapel. killed Colombanus Abbot Heribert went to sleep To the teacher Aim: To consolidate comprehension of the story Organization: Give each student, or group of students, Time: 15–20 minutes a copy of the worksheet. Ask them to add as much information as possible in the blank spaces. PHOTOCOPIABLE © OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 90 OBW4 Activity Worksheets MB.indd 90 20/2/08 12:54:10.