Saint Valentine’s Day

Приложение 1. 

Saint Valentine’s Day 

Pupil 1: Today is February the 14th. We all have been awaiting this day eagerly, because it is the day when people tell each other nice things, give presents to their loved ones, speak and sing about love. Yes, today is Saint Valentine’s Day. 

Pupil 2: There are many different stories about the origin of Saint Valentine’s Day. We know that Valentine was a priest in Rome a long time ago. He was a very good priest and many people liked him. 

Pupil 3: Roman emperor Claudius did not want young men to get married. He wanted all men to go to war instead. He said no one could get married without his permission. 

Pupil 4: But young men and women who were in love wanted to get married. They went to Valentine and he married them in secret. When Claudius found out, he put Valentine into prison. Claudius killed Valentine on February 14. 

Pupil 5: Two hundred years later, the church made February 14 a special day to remember Saint Valentine. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. 

Pupil 10: And I know a different story. It says that ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia was held on February 15 to honor Faunus, the god of animal life, hunting, herding, the patron of husbandry, and the guardian of the secret lore of nature. After Christianity spread, some think this pagan festival eventually became Valentine’s Day. 

Pupil 6: Another story is that February 14 is the day when birds choose their mates and start building the nest, so people also choose the ones they love on that day. 

Pupil 1: Some people believe that the word “valentine” came from a Norman word “galatine”, which means a “gallant” or a “lover”. 

Pupil 7: Most European countries and the USA celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day. They have special customs to observe on that day. First of all, it is celebrated in families. This is the time to tell your loved ones how you love them. Husbands and wives make little presents to each other, they go out for dinner or have a celebration at home.  

Pupil 8: It is a good time to show your love to your Mother, Grandmother, little sister, or other relatives and friends. People write postcards to each other. Congratulations can be made in either serious or joyous manner. As for me, I wrote to my Granny today: 

I love your cakes,

I love your stew,

But most of all

I love YOU!!! 

Pupil 9: That’s why post and postcards has become a specific symbol of this day. Whoops! There’s a knock on the door. 

Please, come in. Oh, it’s a postman! 

POSTMAN: I have brought a lot of love letters and funny postcards. Find most of them seem to be very important. Here, look at this one. It says: 

“Postie, postie, don’t delay

Please deliver right away.” 

Let’s see, who gets this one. It is for KATYA. 

Pupil 1: Thank you very much. (Takes the postcard, reads:) 

You have a dimple in your cheek,

Many hearts you will seek.

A dimple on your chin,

Many hearts you will win. 

But I don’t know who sent this letter. It is signed: “A Secret Admire”. What shall I do with it? 

POSTMAN: That’s a part of Valentine game. You have to guess who is the admire. 

Pupil 1: Oh, yes, it says, “I am quite tall, slim, with dark complexion and hair. I love jokes and fun”. I know, it is Dima. 

Pupil 2: Yes, you are right. And I have got a postcard saying: 

“Good morrow to you, Valentine.

Curl your locks as I do mine,

Two before and three behind.

Good morrow, Valentine.” 

I guess, my admire has curly hair. Oh, yes, it says “I am not tall, slender, fair, with nice rosy cheeks and pretty curls.” It must be Lena. 

Pupil 3: And I’ve got a card saying: 

If you love me, love me true,

Send me ribbon, and let it be blue;

If you hate me, let it be seen,

Send me ribbon, a ribbon of green. 

And my Secret Admire has light brown hair and fair complexion. He enjoys music and is good at theatrical performances. I guess it must be Misha. 

Pupil 4: And mine says, 

“If you love me, pop and fly,

If you hate me, lay and die” 

find the admire is a “thunderous person” with curly dark hair, pretty little nose and rosy cheeks. She is very fond of literature and arts. I think it is Jane. 

Pupil 5: My postcard reads: 

“O, good St. Faith, be kind tonight

And bring to me my heart’s delight.” 

Pupil 6: My card says: 

I hope that Valentine’s Day,

Will bring you lots of fun!

He thinks you’re extra-specially nice,

And so does everyone! 

My admire is tall and has dark hair. He engages in sports. I guess, it is Kolya. 

(the game goes on until all postcards are given to their addressers. Then all the pupils give their postcards to the author of the postcard which they consider the best. These are votes. They are counted and the winner is declared) 

Pupil 1: Do you know what story is in the centre of the festival of lovers? Sure, it is the story of Cupid, the little god of love. Now we are going to tell it to you. 

Pupil 2: Cupid is the God of love. He is a small baby with magic arrows. His mother, the goddess of love gave them to Cupid and he plays with them, just like every baby would play with his toys. 

Pupil 3: Cupid likes to make people fall in love. But he is only a baby, so his is not very smart and does not know how to choose right people. 

Pupil 4: You see, Cupid shoots his magic arrow into someone’s heart. (Pupil dressed up as Cupid pretends to shoot his arrow into one of the male pupil.) 

Then that person falls in love with the next person he or she sees. (Pupils act falling in love) 

Pupil 5: But Cupid often forgets to shoot a magic arrow into the other person’s heart. Then, sometimes, the other person does not love the first person. (Pupils act the described scene) 

Pupil 6: Cupid makes a lot of trouble this way. That’s why people from the old days have been trying to remind Cupid to shoot his arrows the right way. And the best way for that is poetry and songs of love. In many countries people invented special rhymes which they call charms and spell of love. 

Pupil 7: In Russia they say such rhymes on the day of the Yule when young girls are trying to foresee their husband-to-be. In English speaking countries there are also special rhymes which are said to attract love and guess the future male. 

Pupil 8: 

The Moon shines bright,

The stars give a light,

And you may kiss

A pretty girl

At 10 o’clock at night. 

Pupil 9: 

Mirror, mirror, tell me,

Am I pretty or plain?

Or am I downright ugly.

And ugly to remain?

Shall I marry a gentleman?

Shall I marry a clown?

Or shall I marry old Knives-and-Scissors

Shouting through the town? 

Pupil 10: 

Lady-bird, Lady-bird, fly from my hand.

Tell me where my true love stands

Uphill or downhill, or by the sea sand,

Lady-bird, Lady-bird, fly from my hand.

Fly Lady-bird, fly!

North, South, East or West,

Fly to the pretty girl

That I love best. 

Pupil 1: 

If you find a hairpin,

Stick it in your shoe.

The next boy you talk with

Is sure to marry you. 

Pupil 3: 

If you stub your toe,

You’ll see your beau.

Kiss your thumb,

He is sure to come. 

Pupil 4: 

Those dressed in blue

Have lovers true;

In green and white

Forsaken quite. 

Pupil 5: 

Green’s forsaken;

Yellow’s forsworn;

Blue’s the color

That shall be worn. 

Pupil 6: 

Blue is true, yellow is Jealous,

Green’s forsaken, red’ brazen,

White is love, and black is death. 

Pupil 7: 

If your love for me is true,

Send me quick a bow of blue.

If you ever of me think,

Send me quick a bow of pink.

If you have another fellow,

Let me have a bow of yellow.

If your love for roe is dead,

I’ll know it if your bow 

Pupil 8: 

If a woman’s eyes are gray,

Listen to what she’s got to say.

If a woman’s eyes are black,

Give her room and clear the track.

If a woman’s eyes are brown,

Never let your own fall down.

If a woman’s eyes are green,

Whip her with a switch that’s keen.

If a woman’s eyes are blue,

Take her, she’s the one for you. 

Pupil 1: And this rhyme is called 

VALENTINE’S SONG 

I’ve a glove in my hand,

Hittite hot!

Another in my other hand,

Hotter than that!

So I saw beaux, and so they come up

Some in a mug, some in a cup,

I sent a letter to my love,

I lost it, I lost it

I found it, I found it!

It burns, it scalds! 

Pupil 3: 

One I love, two I love,

Three I love, I say.

Four I love with all my heart,

Five I cast away;

Six he loves, seven he loves, eight both love.

Nine he comes, ten he tarries,

Eleven he courts, twelve he marries. 

Pupil 3: Let us perform the 

LOVER’S CALENDAR 

Pupil 1: 

The first month of the year is January,

Married when the year is new,

He’ll be loving, kind and true. 

Pupil 2: 

February brings the rain,

Thaws the frozen lake again.

When February birds do mate,

You wed nor dread your fate. 

Pupil 3: 

March brings freezes, loud and shrill,

To stir the dancing daffodil.

If you wed when March winds blow,

Joy and sorrow you’ll both know.

If you marry in Lent,

You will live to repent. 

Pupil 4: 

Marry in April when you can,

Joy for maiden and for man.

April brings the primrose sweet,

Scatters daises at our feet. 

Pupil 5: 

May brings flocks of pretty lambs

Skipping by their fleecy dams

Marry in the month of May,

And you surely rue the day. 

Pupil 6: 

June brings tulips, lilies, roses,

Fills the children’s hands with posies.

Marry when June roses grow,

Over land and sea you’ll go. 

Pupil 7: 

Hot July brings cooling showers,

Apricots and gillyflowers.

Those who in July are wed,

Must labour for their daily bread. 

Pupil 8: 

August brings the sheaves of corn,

Then the harvest home is borne.

Whoever wed in August be,

Many a change is sure to see. 

Pupil 9: 

Warm September brings us fruit;

Sportsmen then begin to shoot.

Marry in September’s shine,

Your living will be rich and fine.