A Piece of String introduces students to the short works of Guy de

Maupassant, a prolific French writer from the late 1800s. In this story,
the main character has built a reputation as a habitual liar or exaggerator
of the truth. His fellow villagers dont trust him, so when he is accused of
a crime he didnt commit, he is unable to defend himself. His past
behavior makes him appear guilty. The moral of the story, of course, is
not to lie, that establishing a positive reputation is important, which is a
profound lesson for many young people. String shares a similar theme
to the folktale, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, which makes for an excellent
compare and contrast activity.

Short Answer Comprehension Activity (CCSs Literature items 2 and 5)

The items on this page can be used as either discussion prompts or for
written responses by the students. Give out the entire page, or divide
your class into seven groups and give out one prompt to each group.
Key: 1. He apparently has a history of selling bad food. In Sc. 2, Madame Duroy says she doesnt believe his
milk is fresh and Madame Swinburne says those apples better be good uns this time. In Sc. 3, the villagers
imply that he has in the past exaggerated the number of his cattle. Students may also reference his frequent
oath, Its the sacred truth. 2. Answers may vary. 3. This is similar to question one, but the emphasis here is
on the oath and the spitting on the ground. This habitual behavior suggests Hauchecorne can no longer help
himself. 4. Answers may vary. 5. Answers may vary. 6. Hauchecornes dishonest actions carry greater weight
than his words because his words have frequently been lies. The author establishes this by showing that
Hauchecorne has a history of cheating and lying. 7. Answers may vary. There really isnt anything Hauchecorne
can do. He should have built a positive reputation long before this incident.

Bubble Test Comprehension Activity (CCSs Literature items 1, 4, 10). Have students cite evidence from the
text when completing and reviewing. Key: 1. c; 2. d; 3. c; 4. a; 5. b (while a, b, and c are all reasonable
answers, the story is about telling the truth. The lost pocketbook and going to market are merely devices used
by the author to tell the story); 6. c; 7. b; 8. b; 9. a; 10. a.

Point of View Comprehension Activity (CCSs Lit items 3, 5, 6): This activity can be managed in several ways:

1. (Easiest): Have students use the last page to summarize the play (or the original story).
2. (More difficult): Have students use Hauchecornes point of view as a model to re-imagine the story from the
perspective of other characters. Identify what each scene would look like if seen through another characters
eyes. How does Madame Swinburne react when she takes a bite of those mealy apples? What does she do
when she hears Hauchecorne has been accused of taking the money? What does she say to him after hes
been cleared? Rather than having all students map the characters shown, consider assigning each third of
the class a single character and then sharing out.
3. (Hardesthigh level): Use the mapping activity as a pre-writing activity to fully re-write the play from
another characters perspective. Students can then share or enact these new versions with the class.
Key: POV maps may vary widely, but they should generally correspond with Hauchecornes POV. All three
characters, for example, should hear that the pocketbook was returned. All three should speculate about
Hauchecornes guilt or innocence. In the epilogue, all three should either hear his voice in the wind or reject
others claims of having heard it as superstition.

2015 by Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved ReadAloudPlays.com A Piece of String -- Page 8 of 15
 A Piece of String
Name: _________________________________________________ Date: __________________________

Comparing Point of View: This story is from Hauchecornes perspective. If it were written from the viewpoint
of another character, how would it be different? Re-imagine the play from another characters perspective by
describing the main events of each scene. Hauchecornes is done for you. (CCSs Literature items 3, 5, 6)

Hauchecornes Scene One: Hauchecornes Scene Five:

He sees a piece of string in the road. Thinking it
might be useful, he picks it up. Hes embarrassed
when he notices Malandain, his enemy, watching
him, so he hides the string and pretends to be
picking up something important.
Hes surprised that his friends think he has the
pocketbook and the money. He doesnt
understand why they dont believe him when he
tells them about the string.

Hauchecornes Scene Two: Hauchecornes Scene Six:

He uses half-truths to sell his milk, and trades a He sits glumly at home, feeling as though his
bag of mealy apples for roasting hens. reputation has been ruined until his neighbors
tell him the pocketbook has been found.

Hauchecornes Scene Three: Hauchecornes Scene Seven:

He brags to his friends how good a farmer he is.
He hears that someone has lost a wallet
containing 500 francs. When he gets called to
the mayors office, he tells his friends how
important he must be.
He goes to town and tells everyone how the found
wallet shows hes not guilty, but hes now
accused of having had an accomplice return the
wallet for him. The townspeople think hes more
guilty than ever.

Hauchecornes Scene Four: Hauchecornes Epilogue:

The Mayor accuses him of finding and concealing The frustration of having ruined his reputation
the missing pocketbook, that Malandain had seen eats away at him until he dies, but his ghost
him pick it up. He explains that hed merely found continues proclaiming his innocence in the winds.
a piece of string.

2015 by Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved ReadAloudPlays.com A Piece of String -- Page 11 of 15
 Originally adapted for Scholastics Scope magazine by Mack Lewis

CAST of CHARACTERS
Narrators 1, 2, and 3
Hauchecornea farmer Malandainthe harness-maker The Mayor
Fifithe tavern maid Gendarmea police officer Town Crier
Peasant women : Madame Duroy Madame Swinburne Madame Valmont
Peasant men : Maufrigneuse Prunier Poittevin

LA SCNE PREMIRE HAUCHECORNE: Shame to let a good piece of

string go to waste.
N1: It was market day in the French village of
Goderville. The town square was bustling with N1: As he plucked it from the dirt he noticed
peasants trading wool, fruit, meat, and other Malandain, the harness-maker, watching.
goods.
HAUCHECORNE: Whats that ol
Shame to let a good piece coot starin at?
N2: Matre Hauchecorne, a
of string go to waste.
peasant farmer known for
being a bit of a dodger, was N2: Theyd once quibbled over the
walking toward the square price of a halter, and being good
with a cart full of goods haters, they were still on bad terms.
when he saw on the ground MALANDAIN: What are you on
a little piece of string. about over there, Hauchecorne?
HAUCHECORNE: Whats HAUCHECORNE: Mind your own
this we got here? business, you ol goat!
N3: He bent over painfully, N3: Hauchecorne was ashamed his
as his body was crooked enemy would see him stoop for
from many hard years of something as insignificant as a
farming. piece of string.

2015 by Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved ReadAloudPlays.com A Piece of String -- Page 2 of 15
HAUCHECORNE (aside): Ill just slip this into
my shirt, or maybe my trousers.
N1: So, to make it appear his toils were of
greater importance than they were, he
pretended to be still looking for something on
the ground.
N2: Until finally going on his way, unaware
that the little piece of string would be his ruin.
LA SCNE DEUXIME
N1: At market, all that smacked of the stable,
the dairy, and the dirt heap gave forth that
unpleasant odor peculiar to the people of the
field.
N2: Hauchecorne joined the clamor.
HAUCHECORNE: And how are you today,
Madame Duroy? May I
interest you in some milk?
DUROY: I need milk. How old
is it?
HAUCHECORNE: Why, it was
a fresh jug just this mornin!
DUROY: Fresh this morning?
Im not sure I believe you,
Hauchecorne.
N3: Hauchecorne lifted his
hand and spat on the ground. Whatre you sellin today,
Madame Swinburne?
HAUCHECORNE: Its the
sacred truth!
DUROY: Very well. Ill give you thirty centimes.
N1: Hauchecorne moved through the crowd
selling this and buying that, always seeking
advantage.
HAUCHECORNE: Whatre you sellin today,
Madame Swinburne?
2015 by Mack Lewis. All Rights Reserved
SWINBURNE: Bread, day old. And chickens.
Got more an I need.
HAUCHECORNE: There are better loaves for
half the price down the alley, but Ill trade you
a franc and this small bag o pommes for two
of them roastin hens.
SWINBURNE: Two? One, maybe. And the
scrawny one at that.
N2: Hauchecorne began hobbling away.
SWINBURNE: All right, all right, Ill give you
two of em , but those apples better be good
uns this time.
LA SCNE TROISIME
N3: After a long morning spent bartering,
Hauchecorne headed straightaway for the
tavern.
N1: Outside, the carts, gigs, and
wagons of peasant farmers
filled the courtyard.
N2: Inside, the chickens,
pigeons, and legs of lamb
sizzling on spits made
Hauchecorne's mouth water.
HAUCHECORNE: Fifi, serve me
up a leg of that delicious
mutton.
FIFI: Do you actually have
money this time, Matre?
HAUCHECORNE: Of course I do.
N3: The flames from the ovens cast a lively
heat as Hauchecorne swapped stories with his
friends.
MAUFRIGNEUSE: Good crop of beans this
year. I stand to pocket a few francs, I think.
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 The flames from the ovens cast a lively heat as Hauchecorne swapped stories with his friends.

PRUNIER: The weather favors the green
things, but heaven help ya if youre a wheat
farmer.
HAUCHECORNE: Dont mean to boast, but my
wheats doin just fine.
MAUFRIGNEUSE: That so? I heard your wheat
was dead.
N3: Hauchecorne lifted his hand and spat.
HAUCHECORNE: Its the sacred truth.
N3: As the drumbeat moved on, the diners
speculated about the lost pocketbook.
FIFI: Whats twenty francs when you got five
hundred?
PRUNIER: Theyll never see that wallet again.
VALMONT: Shame someone would run off
with it.
N1: The tavern goes silent when a gendarme
enters.

N1: They were interrupted by the drum beat GENDARME: Is French

of the town crier outside. Matre Vocabulary
Hauchecorne
FIFI: Must be important news! here? Matre and Monsieur =
Mister
N2: They rushed to the door. HAUCHECORNE franc = French
(with his mouth currency
CRIER: It is hereby made known to all persons
full): Umph. Here I centimes = cents
that there was lost this morning on the road, a
am. pommes = apples
black leather pocketbook containing five Gendarme = officer
hundred francs. GENDARME:
Matre, the mayor
PRUNIER: Good gracious. Five hundred
would like to speak to you.
francs!

FIFI: Some unlucky fellow dropped his wallet!
MAUFRIGNEUSE: And some lucky fellow
mustve found it!
CRIER: Whoever finds it is asked to return it
to the mayor's office. There will be a reward
of twenty francs.
N2: Hauchecorne swallowed what was left in
his mouth and stood.
HAUCHECORNE: Well, my friends, the mayor
must need me for some important business!
N3: The peasants rolled their eyes as
Hauchecorne and the gendarme left together.

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