Nathaniel Hawthorne's story of four old friends and a glass of magic water.
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Ten words open the story. Do the four short activities. Say your answer out loud before you reveal it.
Three words: youth · guest · glass. Say the right word for each meaning, then reveal.
Read each part. Then answer the quick questions from memory, and talk about the discussion question.
Old Dr. Heidegger invited four old friends to his study — a dark room full of books and strange things. The four guests were sad people. When they were young, they made big mistakes. Mr. Medbourne was a rich businessman, but he lost all his money. Colonel Killigrew loved parties and drink too much, and destroyed his health. Mr. Gascoigne was a politician, but people stopped trusting him. And the Widow Wycherly was once the most beautiful woman in town — but that was long, long ago. One more thing: when they were young, all three men loved her.
"My friends," said the doctor, "I need your help with an experiment." On the table stood a beautiful glass vase full of water, and four empty glasses. The doctor opened a big old book and took out a rose — an old, dry, brown rose. "This rose is fifty-five years old," he said. "A woman gave it to me. She died before our wedding. Do you think this old flower can be beautiful again?"
"Impossible!" said the widow. "Watch," said the doctor. He put the rose into the water. Slowly, the dry leaves moved. They became green. The flower became red and fresh. The rose was young again! "That is a nice trick," said the guests. "But how?" The doctor smiled. "This water," he said, "comes from the Fountain of Youth."
1. Who were the four guests? What happened to them when they were young?
2. What happened to the rose?
1. Four old, sad people: a businessman who lost his money, a colonel who destroyed his health with parties, a politician people stopped trusting, and a woman who was once very beautiful. The three men all loved her when they were young.
2. The doctor put the old, dry rose into the magic water — and it became fresh, red and young again.
The doctor filled the four glasses with the sparkling water. "Wait," he said. "Before you drink — you are old now, and you have a lifetime of experience. Make some rules for yourselves, so you don't repeat the mistakes of your youth!" The four guests laughed. Repeat their mistakes? Impossible! They knew better now.
They drank. And something wonderful happened. Their eyes became clear. Their hair became dark. They felt strong and happy — they were young again! "More!" they cried. "Give us more!" The doctor smiled and filled the glasses again. They drank more, and now they were in the best years of their youth.
And what did they do with their new youth? Exactly what they did the first time. Mr. Gascoigne started making political speeches — to nobody. Colonel Killigrew sang drinking songs and looked at the widow. Mr. Medbourne invented a crazy new business plan. And the widow? She stood in front of the mirror, smiling and turning, in love with her own young face. "Another glass, please, dear doctor!" she said. And they all drank a third time.
1. What did the doctor ask the guests to do before drinking? Did they do it?
2. What did each guest do when they were young again?
1. He asked them to make rules for themselves, so they wouldn't repeat their old mistakes. They only laughed — they were sure they knew better now.
2. Exactly their old mistakes: the politician made speeches, the colonel sang and drank, the businessman invented a crazy plan, and the widow fell in love with her own face in the mirror.
The three young men all wanted to dance with the beautiful young widow. "She promised to dance with me!" "No, with me!" They took her hands, they shouted, they fought. And in the fight, they hit the table. The beautiful vase fell to the floor and broke into a thousand pieces. The magic water ran across the floor and was gone. A dying old butterfly landed in the water — and flew up, young and strong again.
The guests stood still. Slowly, something changed. They felt cold. They felt tired. They looked at each other — and saw old faces, grey hair, old hands. The magic was finished. They were old again. The widow covered her face with her hands. "Yes, my friends," said the doctor quietly. "You are old again. And look — the Water of Youth is all gone. But I am not sad about it. Even if the fountain was in my own garden, I would not drink one drop. This is the lesson you have taught me."
But the four guests had learned no lesson at all. That same evening, they made a plan: to travel to Florida, find the Fountain of Youth, and drink from it — morning, afternoon and night.
1. How was the magic water lost?
2. What did the doctor learn? What did the guests learn?
1. The three men fought about the widow, hit the table, and the vase broke. All the water ran onto the floor.
2. The doctor learned that he would never want to drink the water — youth without wisdom just repeats its mistakes. The guests learned nothing: they decided to travel to Florida to find the fountain and drink from it every day.
This story is about the past: who these people were, how life was long ago. The past of am/is/are is was/were.
Write was or were.
1. Long ago, the widow the most beautiful woman in town.
2. The three men all in love with her.
3. Mr. Medbourne a rich businessman before he lost his money.
1. was 2. were 3. was
Write wasn't, weren't, Was or Were.
1. The guests young any more — they were old and tired.
2. " the rose really fifty-five years old?" — "Yes, it was."
3. The doctor surprised by the ending — he expected it.
1. weren't 2. Was 3. wasn't
Write was or were in each gap. Then read the paragraph aloud.
The study dark and full of books. On the table there four empty glasses. The water in the vase bright and magical. For one afternoon, the four old friends young again — and then it all over.
was · were · was · were · was
Keep was/were ready — in the Speak tab you'll describe the past: the story's, and your own.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of America's first great writers. He wrote this story in 1837. Many countries have a legend about magic water that makes people young — Hawthorne uses the legend to ask a serious question.
This is the heart of the lesson — do all of it out loud. Use the timer, and fill the time with detail.
Tell the story of Dr. Heidegger's Experiment in your own words: the four sad guests → the old rose becomes young → the magic water → young again, same mistakes → the broken vase → old again → the trip to Florida.
Use was/were at least four times (she was beautiful, they were old…) and at least four key words (experiment, mistake, rose, youth, guest, glass, argue, magic).
Talk about these questions: Would you drink the magic water? What would you do on your one day of youth? Do you think the guests will find the fountain in Florida?
The guests remembered their youth. Now talk about the past — with was and were.
Need an idea? Choose one: