Punch (94.1888)

46 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. January 28, lat8.

MR. PUNCH'S EXAMINATION PAPERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

conviction has teen borne in
upon Mr. Punch of late that—
whether from the engrossing
nature of modern girls' and
boys' occupations, or their pre-
ference for contemporary and
realistic fiction—the study of
Fairy Tale and nursery lore,
is fast falling into neglect—if
not (as is only too much to be
feared) into positive contempt!

The disadvantages to a child
in after-life of having been
allowed to grow up in complete,
or even partial ignorance of so
essential a branch of a liberal
education are too obvious to be
enumerated, and Mr. Punch is
, anxious to do all in his power
;-v iVa^-j \&L. u—1 to avert what he cannot but

consider a national calamity.
In these days there is but one means of stimulating or reviving a flagging
department of knowledge—we make it the subject of compulsory or competitive
examination, and so Mr. Punch, reluctant as he is to incur the resentment of
his young friends by proposing any addition to their doubtless numerous tasks,
feels it a duty, nevertheless, to suggest to parents that no child should be allowed
on any pretext in future to leave the Nursery for School, until it has passed
creditably some such examination as is indicated below. It would not be
necessary, of course, to require candidates to take up the whole of the works in
question, which would perhaps impose too arduous study upon the younger
generation. The best plan is to select such portions from each as will give the
young students a fair general idea of ^the style and subject-matter of our
greatest nursery classics.

Mr. Punch hopes that no parent will think it necessary to send his children
to a "Nursery-Crammer" to be prepared for this examination, and that the use
of an abstract, or " memoria-technica" will be discouraged as far as possible.
It should be added that the candidate is expected to do these papers without any
books whatever at his elbow, and that appeals to elder persons for their assistance
should be met with stern and unflinching refusal.

The following questions, though searching, will not, Mr. Punch considers,
prove too severe for students of any industry and intelligence.
(A) Set Subjects :—

"Jack the Giant-Killer " {first two chapters).
|| Puss in Boots " {selected portions).

AUddin " {from commencement —to the Vanishing of the Magic Palace).
" Bluebeard " \the whole).

!!?"?dj?a£ tlle sailor " {Second Voyage only).
Alt Baba and " The Babes in the Wood " {selected portions).

1. Mention and criticise the oonduct of Morgiana after discovering the Forty
Thieves in the Oil-jars.

2. Should you be inclined to call Puss in Soots a strictly truthful animal?

3. What were the circumstances that led Cassim Saba to the conclusion that
Ali had suddenly become rich ? What use did he make of his disoovery ?

4. Describe, as fully as you are able :—

(a) Bluebeard's Chamber.

?> The halls and terrace where the Wonderful Lamp was found.
e) I he chief physical and geographical features of the country at the
top of the Beanstalk.
5. At about what time of the year did the Babes in the Wood perish ? How
do you fix this from internal evidence ? Is it stated that they had eaten any-
thing previously which was at all likely to disagree with them't

6. Sketch concisely the main incidents_ in the life of
Aladdin, from the time he found the Magic Lamp to the
disappearance of the Palace.

7. State all you know of Cogia Baba, Haroun Alras-
chid, Alice, the Mother of Jack and the Beanstalk, the
Marquis of Carabas, Sister Anne, Beauty's Father, Red
Riding Hood's Grandmother.

(B) Critical and General.

1. What is your opinion of the intelligence of 'Giants
as a race ? Of what substance were they in the habit of
making their bread? Would you draw any and what
distinction between {a) Giants and Giantesses, {b) Ogres
and Ogresses, (c) a Mamma Ogress and her daughters ?

2. What is a Roc ? What do Rocs feed on ? If you
were on the edge of steep cliffs surrounding an inacces-
sible valley, strewn with diamonds and visited by Rocs,
—how would you proceed in order to obtain some of
those diamonds? Give the reply of the Slave of the
Lamp to Aladdin's request that a roc's egg should be
hung up in his dome.

3. Mention instances when {a) a Wolf, {b) a Bear,
(c) a Cat, {d) a Harp, are recorded to have spoken, and
give the substance of their remaiks, when possible, in
each case.

4. Write down the name of any hero you can remember
who suffered inconvenience from (a) the imprudence,
(b) the disobedience, of his wife.

5. How would you act if you were invited to go to a
party on the opposite side of the way, and had nothing
to go in but a pair of Seven-Leagued Boots ? Compare
the drawbacks and advantages of going to a State Ball
in glass slippers.

6. State which family you would rather belong to:
One in which there was (i.) a Wicked Uncle, (ii.) an
Envious Sister, (Hi.) a Jealous Brother, or (iv.) a Cruel
Stepmother ? Give your reasons, and illustrate them by
examples. How many Wicked Uncles do you remember
to have read of ? Are Wicked Uncles ever sorry, and, if
so, when ?

7. Give any instances that occur to you where it is
stated that the chief personages of the story "all lived
happily ever afterwards." Are there any exceptions to
this rule ?

(C) Pantomime Paper. (Optional, and for those Students

only who may decide to "take up" this branch of
the subject.)

1. Did the manners, language, and general deport-
ment of the various Kings and Uueens you have seen in
Pantomimes correspond at all with what you had expected
them to be from the books ?

2. Mention any fairy tale in which (1) long ballets,
(2) allusions to subjects in last year's papers, ^3) jokes
about "drinks" and "pawn-tickets," (4) comic duets
which you didn't quite understand, and (o) men dressed
up in women's clothes, occur. Mention (if you can) any
Pantomime in which they do not.

3. Were you surprised to hear at Drury Lane that the
King who befriended the Marquis of Carabas was origin-
ally a Potman? Do you remember this in the original
text ?

4. Why do you suppose that the Wicked Brothers in
this year's Pantomime were frightened by green snakes,
pink lizards, and enormous frogs ? Did their own ex-
planation that thev had "the jumps" convey much to
your mind ? Did this scene make you laugh ?

5. Give as clear and intelligible an account as you are
able of the story of any one Pantomime you have been
to, mentioning where—if at all—it departed from the
version you have studied, and whether or not you con-
sidered such departures (if any) to be improvements.

6. Investigate the principal peculiarities of Pantomime
Animals. How do they chiefly differ from other animals ?
Describe the effect of kindness upon a Pantomime
Donkey, and account for it.

JV.B.—Not more than four questions need be attempted
in each of the above Papers. Candidates are advised not
to leave any question unattempted from a mere inability
to answer every part of such question.

_ At the Vaudeville.—Heart of Hearts offered but
little attraction to the public, so Mr. Thorne is trying
upon them the Fascination of Miss Jay and Mr.
Buchanan. What will be the Manager's next step?
Pas de Fascination f