raz_ll31_oldwomanandseaspirit_clr

The Old Woman LEVELED BOOK • L
and the Sea Spirit
The Old Woman
A Reading A–Z Level L Leveled Book and the Sea Spirit
Word Count: 570
Written by Katherine Follett
Connections Illustrated by Alessandra Fusi
Writing
In the story, Sirena and Isabella sing www.readinga-z.com
songs to one another. Write a short
song about the sea. Share your song
with a friend.
Social Studies
Sirena is based on a creature who
appears in a legend from Chile.
Research to learn more about Chile.
Share your findings with your class.

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The Old Woman fierce Words to Know
and the Sea Spirit hesitated
howled mysterious
spirit
warn

Written by Katherine Follett The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit Correlation
Illustrated by Alessandra Fusi Level L Leveled Book LEVEL L
© Learning A–Z
www.readinga-z.com Written by Katherine Follett Fountas & Pinnell K
Illustrated by Alessandra Fusi Reading Recovery 18
Focus Question
What does the sea spirit help All rights reserved. DRA 20
Isabella learn?
www.readinga-z.com

Isabella was old. Her garden One night, there was a storm. The
was too big for her tired back. Her sea wolves came out to hunt, as they
children were grown. No one needs only did when the ocean was fierce.
me anymore, she thought. They howled, riding the rough
waves. The next morning, the beach
She left her village. She moved was littered with clams that had
into a small shack by the seashore, washed ashore.
where she lived alone.
What a feast! Isabella thought.
The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit • Level L 3
4

She picked up a shell. Inside was a
tiny, frightened child. She had silver
hair and a silver fish’s tail.

“You must be a little spirit of
the sea!” Isabella said. “I bet you
are hiding from those sea wolves,”
she murmured.

The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit • Level L 5 Isabella brought the sea spirit to a
calm pool near her shack. The little
girl danced in the shallow water.

The sea spirit stayed with Isabella,
who named her Sirena. Isabella
shared her clams. She sang songs
from her village. Sirena sang songs
from the sea. They grew to be like
mother and daughter.

Word Wise

Sirena means “mermaid” in Spanish.

6

One year later, Isabella saw The little girl hesitated between
a flash of silver in the waves. It was the two women.
Sirena’s mother. Sirena leaped over
the rocks. She swam through the “It is time for you to go home,”
waves. Isabella saw how strong Isabella said. With a goodbye song,
Sirena was now. She was proud. Sirena and her mother slipped
beneath the waves.

The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit • Level L 78

One windy day, Isabella saw a flash
of silver in the waves. It was Sirena!
She danced in the water, singing
a mysterious song. It sounded like
howling sea wolves. Then, with
a powerful splash, she dove beneath
the waves.

“No one needs me anymore,” Isabella
wept. She thought about returning
to her village. She feared they would
not welcome a lonely old woman.
She stayed alone by the sea.

The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit • Level L 9 10

“Is there another storm coming?” “A sea spirit warned me that a bad
Isabella wondered. “I must warn storm is coming,” Isabella said.
my village!”
“A sea spirit?” the Wise
Isabella marched through the wind. Woman gasped.
She went to the Wise Woman’s house
in the village. “I cared for the little one when she
washed ashore during a storm,”
The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit • Level L 11 Isabella said.

“Please, Isabella, stay with us in
the village,” the Wise Woman said.

“Oh, no one needs me anymore,”
Isabella said sadly.

12

“That is not true, Isabella,” the Wise “As long as you care for others,
Woman said. “The sea spirit needed someone will always need you,”
you. Our fishermen needed you to the Wise Woman said.
warn us. The whole village worries
about you being alone by the sea.” Isabella stayed in her village
during the storm. Her neighbors
Isabella was surprised to hear this. welcomed her. They ate and talked
She did not think anyone cared and laughed together.
about a lonely old woman.

The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit • Level L 13 14

Glossary
fierce (adj.) very violent or

powerful (p. 4)

hesitated paused before doing
(v.) something, especially
because of uncertainty
(p. 8)

The next morning, the storm moved howled (v.) made a long, loud cry
on. Isabella looked toward the sea. (p. 4)
She thought she saw a flash of silver
in the waves. mysterious hard or impossible

“Thank you, sea daughter,” (adj.) to explain or
she called.
understand (p. 10)
Do You Know?
spirit (n.) a supernatural being
This story is based on a water spirit from Chilean (p. 5)
legends called the Pincoya. The legends say that
the Pincoya danced to let people know if there warn (v.) to alert to danger (p. 11)
would be good fishing that year.

The Old Woman and the Sea Spirit • Level L 15 16