Words, labels and reflexives

The peddler is called by many names in the story: vagabond, stranger, tramp, ragamuffin, captain, fellow, thief, rat. Each name shows how someone sees him at that moment: the ironmaster calls him 'captain' when he is friendly, and something much worse when he is angry.

Some verbs show tired, slow movement: plod, trudge and stagger. Others like them: limp, hobble, shuffle, totter and lumber.

Reflexive pronouns end in -self or -selves: myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.

• They are used when the object is the same person as the subject: 'He raised himself', 'She seated herself'.
• They can also add emphasis: 'He made the rattraps himself', 'You yourself said so.'

Every trade has its own special words. An ironworks has a forge, a furnace, an anvil, bellows, a smelter and pig iron.