EXAMPLE

The Past Simple Tense and the Past Perfect Tense.

Because in story telling, there is the "narrative" sequence of events, which means the events are not always told in chronological sequence.

EXAMPLE

The surprised Emperor freed Androcles and let the Lion go into the forest after Androcles and the Lion had been captured.
They had starved the Lion to eat Androcles.
They had led Androcles out into the middle of the arena.
The Lion had rushed roaring from his den towards his victim.
The Lion had immediately recognised his friend.
The Lion had begun licking his hands like a friendly dog.

WORDS TO REMEMBER

slave = (n.) a person owned by another person, working for nothing;
flee, fled = (v.) escape;
moan = (v.) make a long, low sound when in pain:
groan = (v.) make a deep sound when suffering a lot;
paw = (n.) an animal’s foot;
thorn = (n.) a small, sharp part growing on the stem of a plant;
heal= (v.) treat sbd’s illness/injury;
starve sbd = (v.) to make somebody hungry;
roar = (v.) shout loudly.

GRAMMAR LOG

Past Perfect Tense

The Past perfect tense is a narrative tense describing an earlier event of two or more past events. Its use makes clear what happened first.
Example:

Androcles found that a huge thorn had got into the Lion’s paw.

It is interesting to note that in ‘every day’ storytelling, we usually list the past events or speak about them in chronological order, and there is no need to use the Past Perfect. However, in literary storytelling (novels, short stories, anecdotes, etc.) the sequence of events is often changed to make the story more dramatic. There is the so-called the ‘narrative’ sequence of events, which means the events do not always follow each other in chronological order.
Example:

He met Ted and Jill the other day, who he had gone to primary school with.

There are two events, both happened in the past:

a. Nick went to primary school with Ted and Jill
b. Nick met Ted and Jill the other day.

The Past Perfect is used to show what happened first.

In a ‘non-narrative’ way, we would say:

He went to primary school with Ted and Jill. He met them the other day.

Form:
The affirmative: had + past participle
He did not pursue him, which is what Androcles had thought at first.

The negative: had+not (hadn’t) + past participle
I couldn’t read because I hadn’t brought my glasses.

The question:
had + subject + past participle
Had you read the book before you watched the film?

ACTIVITY IDEA

Now, you have gone through the narratives, the contents, and the morals.

Think of some Slovenian folk tales, fairy tales, or fables that you have read, you have been told, or have been read to you. Choose one and answer these questions:

What is the title?
What type of narrative is it?
Who are the characters?
What are they like?
Do they represent good or evil or both?
What makes them special?
Does it have a moral? What is it?

Then, compare it with the fable The Ant and the Dove. How do they differ and what do they have in common?

Present it to your partner and discuss.