My wicked mother slew me,
My dear father ate me,
My little brother whom I love
Sits below, and I sing above
Stick!
Then one of the men put down his tool and looked up from his work,
Stock!
Then the second millers man laid aside his tool and looked up,
Stone!
Then the third millers man laid down his tool and looked up,
Dead!
Then all three cried out with one voice: Oh, what a beautiful song! Sing it, sweet bird, again.
Please put the millstone round my neck, said the bird. The men did what the bird wanted and away to the tree it flew with the millstone round its neck, the red shoes in one foot, and the gold watch and chain in the other. It sang the song and then flew home. It rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house, and the stepmother said, It thunders. Then the little boy ran out to see the thunder, and down dropped the red shoes at his feet.
It rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house once more, and the stepmother said again: It thunders. Then the father ran out and down fell the chain about his neck.
Father and son came in, laughing and saying, See, what fine things the thunder has brought us! Then the bird rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house a third time; and the stepmother said, It thunders again, perhaps the thunder has brought something for me, and she ran out. But alas! When she stepped outside the door, the millstone fell down on her head; and so she died.
Упражнения
1. Выберите правильный вариант:
1. The girl was very beautiful, but her stepmother was nicer.
2. The girl was very beautiful, and although her brother loved her, his mother hated her.
1. The girl was very beautiful, but her stepmother was nicer.
2. The girl was very beautiful, and although her brother loved her, his mother hated her.
3. The girl was very beautiful, and although her brother did not love her, his mother adored her.
4. The girl was not beautiful, but her brother loved her.
2. Who is a stepmother?
1. A stepmother is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child.
2. A stepmother is a person who is the sister or sister-in-law of a parent.
3. A stepmother is ones fathers wife and not ones natural mother.
4. A stepmother is the sister of ones spouse.
3. Where did the stepmother send the little girl?
1. The stepmother sent the little girl to the village to bring some water.
2. The stepmother sent the little girl to the her father.
3. The stepmother sent the little girl to the forest to pick up some berries.
4. The stepmother sent the little girl to the store to buy candles.
4. How many times did the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog steal them?
1. Three times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.
2. Two times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.
3. Four times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.
4. Five times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.
5. What did the stepmother told the daughter when she returned?
1. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to go away.
2. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to prepare dinner.
3. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to come and let her comb her hair.
4. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to rest a little.
6. What is the millstone?
1. It is the iron support, usually four-armed or cross-shaped, for the turning stone.
2. It is the stone used in grist mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.
3. It is the common rock granite.
4. It is the colourless and transparent stone.
7. Выберите правильный вариант:
1. The stepmother stewed the daughters heart and liver, and her husband tasted them and said they were delicious.
2. The stepmother stewed the daughters heart and liver, and her husband tasted them and said they tasted strangely.
3. The stepmother stewed the daughters heart and liver, and her husband ate them all and asked some more food.
4. The stepmother stewed the daughters head and liver, and her husband tasted them and said they tasted strangely.
8. Why did the brother refuse to eat his sisters heart and liver?
1. Because he was sorry for his sister.
2. Because they were not delicious.
3. Because he was not hungry.
4. Because he was vegetarian.
9. Выберите нужное прилагательное:
One day, the rose-tree flowered, and a _____________bird appeared.
1. black
2. blue
3. red
4. white
10. Выберите нужные слова:
The bird sang to a cobbler and received _____________; it sang to a watchmaker and received _____________; it sang to three millers and received _____________.
1. a millstone; a pair of red shoes; a gold watch and chain
2. a gold watch and chain; a pair of red shoes; a millstone
3. a pair of red shoes; a gold watch and chain; a millstone
4. a millstone; a gold watch and chain; a pair of red shoes
11. Выберите нужные глаголы:
The stepmother _____________that it thundered, and the boy _____________.
1. ran out; said
2. ran out; say
3. said; ran out
4. said; run out
12. Выберите нужные слова:
The boy ran out, and the bird dropped _____________at his feet. The father went out, and the bird dropped _____________at his feet. The stepmother went out, and the bird dropped _____________on her head.
1. the millstone, the shoes, the watch and chain
2. the shoes, the watch and chain, the millstone
3. the watch and chain, the shoes, the millstone
4. the watch and chain, the millstone, the shoes
13. Ответьте на вопросы:
1. How many persons are mentioned in the story?
2. How many times did the bird sing?
3. Did you like the daughter?
4. What would you do if you were the main character of the story?
5. What is the end of the story?
6. Retell the story.
14. Заполните таблицу:
Ответы
1. The girl was very beautiful, and although her brother loved her, his mother hated her.
2. A stepmother is ones fathers wife and not ones natural mother.
3. The stepmother sent the little girl to the store to buy candles.
4. Three times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.
5. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to come and let her comb her hair.
6. It is the stone used in grist mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.
7. The stepmother stewed the daughters heart and liver, and her husband tasted them and said they tasted strangely.
8. Because he was sorry for his sister.
9. white; One day, the rose-tree flowered, and a white bird appeared.
10. a pair of red shoes; a gold watch and chain; a millstone
The bird sang to a cobbler and received a pair of red shoes; it sang to a watchmaker and received a gold watch and chain; it sang to three millers and received a millstone.
11. said; ran out; The stepmother said that it thundered, and the boy ran out.
12. The boy ran out, and the bird dropped the shoes at his feet. The father went out, and the bird dropped the watch and chain at his feet. The stepmother went out, and the bird dropped the millstone on her head.
14.
Jack and His Golden Snuff-Box[60]
Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman. They had one son, and they lived in a great forest. And their son never saw any other people in his life, but he knew that there was some more in the world besides his own father and mother, because he had lots of books, and he read them every day. And when he read about pretty young women, he wanted to see some of them. One day, when his father was out cutting wood, he told his mother that he wished to go away to look for his living in some other country, and to see some other people besides them two. And he said, I see nothing at all here but great trees around me. If I stay here, maybe I shall go mad[61] before I see anything. The young mans father was out all this time, when this talk was going on between him and his poor old mother.
The old woman says to her son before leaving, Well, well, my poor boy, if you want to go, its better for you to go, and God be with you.[62] (The old woman thought for the best when she said that.) But stop a bit before you go. Which would you like best for me to make you, a little cake and bless you, or a big cake and curse you?
The old woman says to her son before leaving, Well, well, my poor boy, if you want to go, its better for you to go, and God be with you.[62] (The old woman thought for the best when she said that.) But stop a bit before you go. Which would you like best for me to make you, a little cake and bless you, or a big cake and curse you?
Dear, dear! said he, make me a big cake. Maybe I shall be hungry on the road.
The old woman made the big cake, and she went on top of the house, and she cursed him as far as she could see him.
He presently meets with his father, and the old man says to him, Where are you going, my poor boy?
And he said, I see nothing at all here but great trees around me. If I stay here, maybe I shall go mad before I see anything.
Well, says his father, Im sorry to see you going away,[63] but if you decided to go, its better for you to go.
The poor lad had not gone far, when his father called him back. Then the old man drew out of his pocket a golden snuff-box, and said to him, Here, take this little box, and put it in your pocket, and be sure not to open it[64] till you are near your death.
And away went poor Jack upon his road,[65] and walked till he was tired and hungry, for he had eaten all his cake upon the road. By this time night was upon him, so he could hardly see his way before him. He could see some light a long way before him, and he came to it. He found the back door and knocked at it, till one of the maid-servants came and asked him what he wanted. He said that night was on him, and he wanted to get some place to sleep. The maid-servant called him in to the fire, and gave him plenty to eat, good meat and bread and beer. While he was eating his food by the fire, there came the young lady to look at him, and she loved him well[66] and he loved her. And the young lady ran to tell her father, and said there was a pretty young man in the back kitchen. Immediately the gentleman came to him, and questioned him, and asked what work he could do. Jack said, the silly fellow, that he could do anything.