“And you are to use an before any word that begins with a vowel, a, e, i, o, or u, or an h mute, are you?” asked the Judge.
“Yes, my lord,” said Article, “I told you so before.”
“Give us some examples of words beginning with each of these,” said the Judge, “and show us how you use an before them.”
Article held up one hand, with the thumb and four fingers stretched out, and pointing to each one in turn, beginning with the thumb, he answered: “An apple, an eagle, an idol, an ox, and an ugly, uncomfortable, unkind old Judge, to keep me here so long answering questions.” Saying which, little ragged Article turned and scampered off as fast as his legs could carry him.
Serjeant Parsing then said that as Article had behaved so badly, he hoped the Judge would give him a severe punishment, by allowing the children of Schoolroom-shire to use his words as often as they liked in their new lists.
“Certainly,” said Judge Grammar. “I request that each of you will write six new nouns, and will use an article before every one of them.”
The court then rose, after Serjeant Parsing had handed the Schoolroom-shire children the following verse, begging them to find out all the nouns and articles in it:—
Once there was a little boy,
With curly hair and pleasant eye;
A boy who always spoke the truth,