8543RB Reading for Me Level 6 Part A

Imaginative
enry
King Henry III’s Pale,
White Bear
From King Henry III
Tower of London
Great Britain
To: King Haakon IV
Norway
My dear friend
I wish to thank you most kindly for your extraordinary gift of the pale, white bear
that you presented to my court. I can only imagine that your expansion into Iceland
and Greenland has led you to such marvels and I am delighted you have chosen to
send one to me for my modest menagerie.
I have instructed my sheriffs to make sure that the bear is able to fend for itself; it
must not become reliant on human hands to feed it. They are to make a stout muzzle
attached to a chain so that the handler you sent with the bear can control it as he leads
it to the River Thames. Once there, he will attach a long rope to the animal so he can
control it as it swims, washes and fishes for itself.
In recognition of such a difficult job, I have provided the handler with warm clothing
so that the bear will never miss a day when it can swim, fish and roam free.
I must commend you on your choice of handler. It seems that the beast and he have
an excellent understanding. The bear duly submits when the handler puts its muzzle
on. To date, there have been only minor injuries.
Once again, I thank you warmly and ask that when you are next on your travels,
you kindly pay a visit so that you may join the spectators and see your bear.
Yours
72 Reading for Me Level 6 (Part A) 978-1-922843-65-4 R.I.C. Publications ® Prim-Ed Publishing