Read the passage from "The Willow-Wren and the Bear."
When the fox felt the first sting, he started so that he lifted one leg, from pain, but he bore it, and still kept his tail high in the air; at the second sting, he was forced to put it down for a moment; at the third, he could hold out no longer, screamed, and put his tail between his legs. When the animals saw that, they thought all was lost, and began to flee, each into his hole, and the birds had won the battle.
Then the King and Queen flew home to their children and cried: "Children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart's content, we have won the battle!” But the young wrens said: "We will not eat yet, the bear must come to the nest, and beg for pardon and say that we are honourable children, before we will do that.” Then the willow-wren flew to the bear's hole and cried: "Growler, you are to come to the nest to my children, and beg their pardon, or else every rib of your body shall be broken.” So the bear crept thither in the greatest fear, and begged their pardon. And now at last the young wrens were satisfied, and sat down together and ate and drank, and made merry till quite late into the night.
Which excerpt from the passage encompasses the falling action of the story?
a. “When the fox felt the first sting, he started so that he lifted one leg, from pain, but he bore it, and still kept his tail high in the air.”
b. “When the animals saw that, they thought all was lost, and began to flee, each into his hole, and the birds had won the battle.”
c. “Then the King and Queen flew home to their children and cried: ‘Children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart's content, we have won the battle!’”
d. “And now at last the young wrens were satisfied, and sat down together and ate and drank, and made merry till quite late into the night.”
Answer:
c. “Then the King and Queen flew home to their children and cried: ‘Children, rejoice, eat and drink to your heart's content, we have won the battle!’”
Explanation:
Falling action of a story occurs after the climax has been reached and there is a resolution of conflict. Here, the conflict has decreased or has been resolved and the story is reaching its conclusion.
Option C is the correct answer because it was after the fox has been defeated that the King and Queen bird flew home to tell them to rejoice.
The conflict has been passed and the story was already reaching its conclusion.
