We were each given a folder number and inside, a book.

There were only a few pages taken from a random point in the story. Mine was 'King Solomon's Mines'. At first I found it difficult to understand the language and dialog used. The book was written in 1885 by H.Rider Haggard, an author of his time. 'Modern Library, 10th December 2012, "Touted by its 1885 publisher as the most amazing story ever written, King Solomons Mines was one of the bestselling novels of the nineteenth century." http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23814.King_Solomon_s_Mines [accessed on the internet 28th September 2013]' Sir Henry Rider Haggard was best known for his African adventure novels, two of his most popular being King Solomons Mines and She. Henry was born 1856, born in England. After being taken out of school at age 17, him and his parents relocated to South-Africa and placed him in the service of the Natal, South-African lieutenant-governor. He returned to England in 1881 and became a barrister although writing was his passion. In 1919 he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. The story is based in Zimbabwe, Africa. Following a map drawn 300 years ago by a dying man, Allan and his fellow adventures embark on an amazing journey in search for King Solomon's Mines. They come across many obstacles and situation barely believable to survive from. The part of the story I was given, Chapter XVI is almost exactly that. After being guided to 'The Place of Death' by the wicked Gagool, from the capital city of Loo, the group discover her treacherousness after she plans to trap them within the caves of the mines. Gagool leads the crew past the door and down into the mines to bask on the glory of the sheer sighting and diamond fortune. One member of the team, Foulata, stays by the entrance and catches Gagool trying the close the door on Allen and his team, Foulata fights bravely but gets wounded, Gagool becomes lodged under the caves door due to lack of concentration on where she was. The crew hears the commotion and run to see whats happening to find Foulata dead and Gagool crushed. After grieving over Foulata they venture into the mines to find another exit. They each grab a hand full of diamonds, enough for a life time of wealth and discover an air supply somewhere in the mine, they discover an exit built by wild creatures and escape. I researched into the story of King Solomons Mines and found that both King Solomon and his mines are a true factor. He is mentioned in the bible as the wisest and richest of all testament Kings, but the mystery of his wealth is unknown but theories lead to the undiscovered mines. Due to King Solomons vas wealth and wisdom, he was presented with gifts of gold and copper from other royalties. In Jerusalem he built the temple of Solomon to house the Ark of the Covenant, spiritual focus of the newly built Israelite kingdom. To this

day he is worship by all three of the lands faiths. To Christians, king Solomon was loved for being the wisest of all testament kings. To the Jewish, he was loved for building the first temple in Jerusalem. To the Muslims they claim him as one of their own. The novel was brought out as a movie in January 1986. The film contained the characters and final outcome of the story like that of the book with added twists and scenarios. In my section of text, the author talks about The Three Witches or mountains by the diamond mines which isnt in the movie. The way down to the mines is different that of the book as they travel down in canoes through booby-traps, not in the book.