Most children begin school when they are five years old,or just before, but matilda's parents forgot tosend her. She was five and a half when she went for the first time. Crunchem hell school had about two hundred and fifty children, and the head teacher was called miss trunchbull. She was a terrible women who frightened the children and the teachers. When she came near, you could almost feel danger coming from her; and if four or five children got in her way, she crashed straight through them, pushing them right and left.
Matida found herself in a group with eighteen other small boys and girls about her age. Their teacher was miss honey, and she was about twenty-three. She had a pretty face, with blue eyes and brown hair. She never shouted, but she did not seem to smile. But all the children loved her.
after calling all their names, miss honey said, this is your first day at crunchem hell, children. The head teacher is miss trunchbull, and when she tells you to do something, you must do if. Never argue with her. If you make her angry she will break you into little pieces and turn you into fish-food. Don't laugh, lavender! It's nothing to laugh about. Do you all understand?
Yes, miss honey, replied nineteen little voices.
I want to help you to learn quickly, said miss honey. By the end of this week i want you all to be able to multiply by two. Can any of you do that already?
Matilda put up her hand. She was the only one.
Miss honey looked carefully at the small girl with the dark hair and the round serious face. Wonderful, she said. Please stand up and show us.
Matilda stood up and said, two twos are four, two threes are six...' and when she got to two twelves are twenty-four, she went straight on with, two thirteens are twenty-six, two fourteens are twenty-eight...'
Stop! Said miss honey. How far can you go?
I don't really know, said matilda.
Miss honey thought for a second or two. Then she said, can you tell me what two twenty-eights are?
Fifty-six, miss honey, answered matilda. What about something much more difficult? Said the teacher. Something like four hundred and eighty-seven multiplied by two.
Nine hundred and seventy-four, said matilda.
Miss honey tried to speak calmly. Th-that is really wonderful, she said but can you multiply by any other numbers? Three?four?
Yes,miss honey, said matilda
Well, can you multiply all the way up to twelve? Said miss honey. What are twelve sevens?
Eighty-four, said matilda
Miss honey tried to stey calm. Multiply fourteen by nineteen... No, that's too difficult, she said
It's two honey was careful not to show that she was very, surprised.
Who taught you to multiply like this, matilda? She asked. Was it your mother?
No, miss honey, said matilda.
Was it your father? Asked miss honey.
No,miss honey, matilda said again.
Did you teach yourself? Asked miss honey.
I don't quite khow said matilda i just don't find it difficult to multiply one number by another. It's hard to explain... I just put the fourteen down in my head and multiply it by mineteen.
Miss honey was feeling quite strange. But she had to find out more about this surprising little girl.
Well, she said looking at all the children. Let's leave numbers for a minute or two and see if any of you can speel. Hands up anyoune who can spell cat.
Three hands went up. They belonged to lavender, a small boy called nigel and tonmatilda
Spell cat, nigel said miss honey
Nigel spelle it.
Then miss honey asked a question that she had never asked a group of children before on their first day. Can any of you three read a book? She said
I can, miss honey, said matilda i've read all the children's books in the library in the high street.
Miss honey's voice was shaking when she asked, and-and what are you going to read now,matilda? I'm reading other books, said matilda. Mrs phelps at the library helps me to choose them.
What...other books? Asked miss honey. Her legs and her voice were shaking now.
I like charles dickens's books, said matilda
Miss honey suddenly found that she had to sit down.