Chapter 2: The Urrmsh
1. This chapter starts out by showing us a difference in the things people value. What do the merchants value? What does Cymbril value? Please explain your answer.
2. Do you know any famous stories about dogs? How is Rombol’s dog Bale like or unlike the dogs in those stories? Would you like to have Bale as a pet? Why or why not?
3. In this chapter we learn about some important friends of Cymbril’s, one small, and some very large. Please tell their names and describe Cymbril’s friends.
4. On page 17, the word “Sidhe” is pronounced “She,” like we use for women and girls. It’s an old word meaning “fairy.” What does page 17 tell us about the relationship between cats and the land of the Faeries or Fey folk?
5. In your own words, explain the inscription on the Monk’s Door (page 18). What’s another way of saying the same thing?
6. How would you say the word “Urrmsh” out loud? Have a contest in your class. Let different people pronounce the word as they think it should sound. Then vote on what the class thinks is the best way of saying it.
7. Tell about the personality of the Urrmsh. What are they like? (This is a different question from “What do they look like?”)
8. What are Cymbril’s two treasures? Please describe them.
9. What does Cymbril know about her past in this chapter?
10. What happens at the end of the chapter?
Essay Idea 1: Write about your most prized possession. What does it mean to you?
Essay Idea 2: Write about a time you were frustrated. Explain what you wanted or hoped for and what kept you from getting or doing what you wanted. Did you overcome the obstacle, or did your feelings about it change after awhile?