THE QUEEN BEE![This story teaches the PQs for higher and lower Exception sounds. The PQ hint button next to each paragraph will tell you which kinds of PQs are being taught in that paragraph. Remember, raised letters always say their higher Exception sounds. Dropped letters always say lower Exception sounds.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
A Grimm Brothers Fairy Tale
Two King’s Sons once left their comfortable home to search out a life of big adventures. They were wild and irresponsible, and they spent most of their time playing and partying. They never came home again.
![In the word ‘decided’, the letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound. In the word ‘success’, the second letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound.
Remember, Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
A third brother, the youngest son, was named Saul. One day, he decided to leave home to look for his older brothers. When he finally found them, they laughed at him for thinking that he could be a success in the world. They called him “Simpleton.”
![In the word ‘they’, the letter ‘E’ is dropped to say its lower ‘A’ sound. In the word ‘could’, the letter ‘U’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
You see, they didn’t think that Saul was very smart. They thought that they were both very clever, themselves. And even THEY were having a hard time making a decent living. So how could Saul do well in the world, if he wasn’t as smart as they were?
![In the words ‘through’ and 'cruel', the letter ‘U’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound. In the word ‘eggs’, the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
But after making fun of Saul, they decided to let him join them, anyway. They traveled together through the countryside, and at first, they came to an anthill. The two older brothers wanted to destroy it. They were very cruel, and they wanted to make the little ants scared of them. They hoped to see the ants having to carry their eggs away, out of fear for their lives.
![In the word ‘these’, the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound. In the word ‘peace’, the letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
But Saul cried out, “Leave these little creatures in peace. They have done you no wrong. I’m not going to let you hurt them!”
![In the word ‘moved’, the letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound. In the word ‘blue’, the letter ‘U’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
The brothers moved on, and traveled further, and they finally came to a pretty blue lake. There were many ducks swimming there. The two older brothers wanted to catch some of them and roast them!
![In the word ‘do’, the letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
But Saul wouldn’t let them do it. He said, “Leave these harmless creatures in peace. They’ve never harmed you in any way. I will not let you kill them.”
![In the word ‘was’, the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound. In the word ‘two’, the letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘gigantic’, the first letter ‘G’ is dropped to say its lower ‘J’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
Later on, they came to a bee’s nest. There was so much honey there that it spilled out of the tree trunk below the gigantic hive. The two older brothers wanted to build a fire under the tree. This would make the bees leave, so that they could then take all of the honey for themselves.
![In the word ‘once’, the letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
But once again, Saul stopped them. He yelled, “Leave the tiny buzzing creatures in peace. None of them has ever hurt you. I will not let you burn them.”
![In the word ‘into’, the letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘strangely', the letter ‘G’ is dropped to say its lower ‘J’ sound. In the word ‘mystery’, the first letter ‘Y’ is dropped to say its lower ‘IH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
At last, the brothers arrived at a castle. Oddly, they saw many horses standing in the stables, but they had been turned into stone! And very strangely, not a single human being was in sight. This was quite a mystery to the brothers.
![In the word ‘room’, the first letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
They entered the castle and went through all of the hallways, until they came to a door where there were three locks. In the middle of the door, there was a little glass pane, so that they could see into the room.
![In the word ‘twice’, the letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound. In the word ‘food’, the first letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘took’, the first letter ‘O’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
There they saw a little Gray Man sitting at a table. They called him once, then twice, but he didn’t hear them. Then they called him a third time, and he got up slowly, opened the locks, and he let them into the room. He said nothing, but he led them to a big table with lots of fine food to eat. When they had finished their feast, he took each of them to a cozy bedroom. ![](/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/x-read-160x120-1.png)
![In the word ‘serious’, the letter ‘I’ is raised to say its higher ‘E’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the words ‘could’ and 'would', the letter ‘U’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
The next morning, the little Gray Man came to the oldest brother. He called to him, and he brought him to a stone table. The Gray Man had a very serious look on his face, as he explained the difficult situation that the people of the castle were in. Three tasks were written on the table. If these three challenges could be overcome, then the castle would be saved from a horrible fate.
![In the word ‘pearls’, the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound. In the word ‘by’, the letter ‘Y’ is raised to say its higher ‘I’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘looking’, the first letter ‘O’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
The first test was that in the forest, beneath the thick, deep moss, the Princess’s pearls were all scattered and hidden. There were a thousand of them, and every last one must be picked up. If by sunset, even one single pearl was still missing, the person who was looking for them would be turned to stone.
![In the word ‘by’, the letter ‘Y’ is raised to say its higher ‘I’ sound. In the word ‘true’, the letter ‘U’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘changed’, the letter ‘G’ is dropped to say its lower ‘J’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
The oldest brother went out to find the pearls, and he searched for them all day. But by the time the sun had set, he had found only a hundred of them. What was written on the table came true, and he was changed into stone instantly, as the sun fell below the horizon.
![In the word ‘his’, the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘undertook’, the first letter ‘O’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
On the next day, the second brother undertook the three challenges. It did not, however, go much better for him than for his older brother. He didn’t find more than two hundred pearls, and he, too, was transformed to stone at the end of the day.
![In the words ‘sky’ and 'cry', the letter ‘Y’ is raised to say its higher ‘I’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘large’, the letter ‘G’ is dropped to say its lower ‘J’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
At last, the time came for Saul to seek out the pearls, all hidden in the deep moss. But he, too, found that it was very hard to locate the pearls. Saul was barely making any progress, as the sun moved through the midday sky. Frustrated at how long it was taking him, he sat on a large stone and started to cry.
![In the word ‘whose’, the letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound, and the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound. In the word ‘recently’, the letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
But while he was sitting there, the King of the Ants, whose life Saul had recently saved, came with five thousand ants to help gather up the hidden pearls. Before long, the teeny, hardworking creatures had gotten the thousand pearls together, and they laid them all in a neat pile at Saul’s feet.
![In the word ‘surface’, the letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the words ‘huge’ and 'gently', the letter ‘G’ is dropped to say its lower ‘J’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
But there were two more huge tasks left, according to what was written on the table. The second task was to fetch, out of the deep lake, the key to the King’s Daughter’s bedroom. When Saul arrived at the lake, the ducks that he had saved swam up to him. They dove down beneath the surface, and one of them quickly brought the key out of the water, placing it gently into Saul’s hand.
![The three daughters were all sound asleep, from a magic spell, and they all looked the same.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/QB02.jpg)
![In the words ‘identify’ and 'eyes', the letter ‘Y’ is raised to say its higher ‘I’ sound. In the word ‘eyes’, the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘looked’, the first letter ‘O’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
Now, the third remaining task would be the most difficult. From among the three sleeping daughters of the King, Saul had to identify and point to the youngest and dearest of them, even though it was the very first time that he had set eyes upon any of them. But they looked exactly like each other, and one could tell them apart only by knowing what each one of them had eaten for dessert, before going to sleep!
![In the word ‘of’, the letter ‘F’ is raised to say its higher ‘V’ sound. In the word ‘spoonful’, the first letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘spoonful’, the letter ‘U’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
The oldest had enjoyed a bit of sugar. The middle sister had sipped down a taste of syrup. The youngest of the three had swallowed a spoonful of honey. But how could ANYONE possibly know which sweet each sister had enjoyed?!
![In the word ‘who’, the letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound. In the word ‘princess’, the letter ‘C’ is raised to say its higher ‘S’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘challenge’, the letter ‘G’ is dropped to say its lower ‘J’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
Saul feared that this challenge was way too difficult for him. He feared that he would soon turn into stone himself. But then, the Queen of the Bees, who Saul had protected from the fire, came and tasted the lips of all three sleeping sisters. At last, she remained seated on the mouth of the sister who had eaten the honey. And this is how the King’s third son, Saul, recognized the correct Princess.
![In the word ‘to’, the letter ‘O’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘magic’, the letter ‘G’ is dropped to say its lower ‘J’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
Now that Saul had completed the three challenges successfully, the terrible magic spell was broken! Everyone was released from their deep sleep, and those who had been turned to stone became human again.
![In the word ‘brothers' and 'easy’, the letter ‘S’ is raised to say its higher ‘Z’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
Saul married the youngest and sweetest Princess, and after her father’s death, he became the new King. And although his two brothers were able to marry the two other sisters, they found out that neither one was very easy to get along with!
![In the word ‘cruelty’, the letter ‘U’ is raised to say its higher ‘OOH’ sound.
Raised letters ALWAYS say their Higher Exception sound.
In the word ‘should’, the letter ‘U’ is dropped to say its lower ‘UH’ sound. In the word ‘they’, the letter ‘E’ is dropped to say its lower ‘A’ sound.
Dropped letters ALWAYS say their Lower Exception sound.](https://mlc.learningstewards.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/hint.png)
What might we learn from the story of the Queen’s Bee? Cruelty to others will backfire on you. Instead, one should respect and be nice to others, and one day they will return the favor to you!
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