Vocabulary for
The Story of the Nutcracker
with Sniffy the Hamster, resident wordsmith

fortress(3)

Sniffy Says: "Fortress. Hmmmmm. Definitely a noun. Fort, fortification, fortified—are all related to fortress. Think big. A fortress is bigger than a fort and much bigger than my foot. Most things are bigger than my foot. A fortress is a safe place, a fortified place—that means it is protected in some way either by an army, high walls, cannons or my great-great-great-grandfather Milbertrimble who built a fortress to protect his collection of hamster hammocks—I think he was asleep when the rats stole everything."

Yuletide(18)

Sniffy Says: "Merry Christmas!! Oh, it's not Christmas? Well, I wish it was because then we could throw the yule log on the fire. They used to call the "yule log" the "yule clog." Know what that is? It's a log, not a dog, you burn on Christmas eve—it's supposed to be a special log—kind of like how a birthday cake is a special cake. I like all cakes special or not. Yuletide is the Christmas season. It's Christmastime and Christmastide. It's when everything is Christmassy with Christmas lights and Christmas holly, Christmas trees and Christmas pies. I like to hide in Christmas stockings way down at the bottom and on Christmas morning I give a little nip, nip to anyone who reaches in. You should see them jumpity, jump, jump! Merry Yuletide!"

sceptre(French spelling / 40)

Sniffy Says: "I wish you could see me. I just built myself a throne out of a tiny cardboard box and right now I'm sitting on my throne holding a long toothpick. I stuck a green olive on the top of the toothpick—don't worry, I don't like green olives so I won't eat it—and this toothpick is now my scepter and I need a scepter because it shows that I am now the king of my domain, the royal and imperial authority of my cage. I am the sovereign—basically—I'm in charge. When people or cockroaches or flies or fleas see this scepter they will know that I demand respect in my kingdom and they'll obey me. Ouchy wow-wow!!! I think a flea just bit me! Ouch!! Another one! Ouch, ouch! Hmmmm. Maybe I need a crown too."

©2005-2012 Glen Draeger (all rights reserved)
Millstone Education: World Literature / http://www.millstoneeducation.com/worldLit