Short Stories
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth was born nearly 500 years ago, in 1533. Her father, King
Henry VIII, had six wives. When Elizabeth was two, her father ordered
her mother’s execution. ‘Off with her head!’
Elizabeth was very clever, but she had a difficult childhood with her
bad-tempered father and so do many stepmothers. She was put in
prison in the Tower of London for two months when she was twenty. Elizabeth became queen in 1558.
‘Your sister is dead. You are the new queen.’
The English people liked Elizabeth and called her ‘Good Queen Bess’. But Elizabeth was often bad-tempered and bossy.‘I said give me my wig!’
Elizabeth sent explorers sailing around the world. In 1577, Sir Francis Drake set sail in his ship, the Pelican.
‘Goodbye, Francis. Discover some new countries and bring me back some Spanish treasure!’
In 1588, the Spanish king sent a huge fleet of ships to attack England. It was called ‘the Spanish Armada’. Elizabeth gave a famous speech to inspire her army.
‘My loving people! I know I have the body of a weak woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king. I will live or die amongst you all, but I know we shall have a famous victory!’ Spain lost the battle.
Elizabeth’s cousin, Mary, was Queen of Scotland. Mary had to run away from Scotland and she asked Elizabeth to protect her.‘Please protect me, Elizabeth!’
Elizabeth was afraid that Mary wanted to become Queen of England. She locked Mary up. Nineteen years later she ordered Mary’s execution.
‘Off with her head!’ Elizabeth was queen for 45 years. It was a golden age for England. She died in 1603, aged 70, and James I, Mary’s son, became king.
‘Queen Elizabeth is dead. Long live King James!’
Source: www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglishkids
Short Stories
GFA to hold maiden U-15 Girls Inter-Regional Challenge Cup at Prampram
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) will hold the maiden edition of the U15 Girls Inter-Regional Challenge Cup at its technical centre in Prampram – the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence.
The Association earlier this month announced that it will be establishing four new age group national teams each for boys and girls to complement the existing ones.
These new national teams will be for developmental purposes to serve as feeder teams for the competitive national teams.
President of the GFA who doubles as Chairman of the National Juvenile Committee, Mr. Kurt. E.S. Okraku, announced that the U15 Girls Inter-Regional Challenge Cup will be held in June, 2024 at Prampram.
The competition will provide a platform for the national team coaches to identify top talents for further development and progression into the appropriate age group national teams.
The Football Association already has the KGL U17 Regional Championship for boys and the U15 Regional Challenge Cup for girls will be the first of its kind in the country.
The new national teams will have U-16, U-18, U-19 and U-21 for Boys and U-16, U-18, U-19, U-21, and U23 for Girls.
The Association is keen on transforming women’s football and making it competitive across all levels, which will have a positive impact on the National teams.
Players from each of the age groups will progress to the relevant next level year after year as they will camp, train and play games locally and Internationally as part of their development.
Short Stories
Fisherman and wife(Final Part)
The man trembled with fear at every joint. Outside there was a terrible storm. Trees and mountains were shaking. The heaven was completely black, and there was thunder and lightning. In the sea he could see black waves as high as mountains, and they were capped with white crowns of foam. He said:
Mandje! Mandje! Timpe Te!
Flounder, flounder, in the sea!
My wife, my wife Ilsebill,
Wants not, wants not, what I will.
“What does she want then,” said the flounder.
“Oh,” he said, “she wants to become like God.”
“Go home. She is sitting in her piss pot again.”
And they are sitting there even today.
