Сергей Матвеев - Самые лучшие английские сказки

The robbers saw that it was all dark and they sent one man back to the house to look after[30] the money. But he came back in a great fright and told them his story.

“I went back to the house,” said he, “and went in and tried to sit down in the chair, and there was an old woman, she was knitting, and she stuck her knitting-needles into me.” That was the cat, you know.

“Then I went to the table to look after the money and there was a shoemaker under the table, and he stuck his awl into me.” That was the dog, you know.

“Then I started to go upstairs, and there was a man up there, he was threshing, and he knocked me down with his flail.” That was the goat, you know.

“Then I started to go down cellar, and there was a man down there, he was chopping wood, and he knocked me up with his axe.” That was the bull, you know.

“But the most dreadful thing was that little boy on top of the house. He was crying, ‘Chuck him up[31] to me-e! Chuck him up to me-e!’” Of course[32] that was the cock-a-doodle-do.[33]

Johnny-Cake

Once upon a time there was an old man. He lived with an old woman and a little boy. One morning the old woman made a Johnny-cake, and put it in the oven to bake.

“Watch the Johnny-cake and I will go to work in the garden,” she said to the little boy. Then the old man and the old woman went out.

But the little boy didn’t watch the Johnny-cake, and suddenly he heard a noise. He looked up and saw how the oven door opened. Out of the oven[34] jumped Johnny-cake and went towards the door of the house.

“Stop, stop!” cried the little boy, but Johnny-cake was very quick and ran away. The boy called his parents for help, but they could not catch Johnny-cake. Soon he was out of sight.[35]

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to two well-diggers who were digging a well. They saw him and asked, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman and a little boy, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“Really? You can, can you? We’ll see!” they said, and threw down their picks and ran after him.[36] But they could not catch him, and soon they sat down by the road to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to two ditch-diggers who were digging a ditch.

“Where are you going, Johnny-cake?” said they.

He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy and two well-diggers, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“You can, can you? We’ll see!” they said, and threw down their spades and ran after him. But Johnny-cake soon was very quick, and when they saw that they could never catch him, they sat down to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to a bear. The bear said, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman and a little boy, two well-diggers and two ditch-diggers, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“You can, can you?” growled the bear. “We’ll see!” and tried to catch Johnny-cake. But Johnny-cake did not stop and ran away. The bear was very tired and lay down to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and he came to a wolf. The wolf said, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well-diggers, two ditch-diggers and a bear, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“You can, can you?” snarled the wolf. “We’ll see!” And he began to run after Johnny-cake, but Johnny-cake was so quick that the wolf saw that there was no hope to catch him, and he lay down to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to a fox that was lying quietly near the fence. The fox asked him gently, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well-diggers, two ditch-diggers, a bear and a wolf, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

The fox said, “I can’t hear you, Johnny-cake, please come a little closer.”

Johnny-cake stopped, and went a little closer, and said in a very loud voice, ”I outran an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well-diggers, two ditch-diggers, a bear and a wolf, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“Oh, I can’t hear you; can you come a little closer?” said the fox in a weak voice.

Johnny-cake came closer, and screamed, “I OUTRAN AN OLD MAN, AN OLD WOMAN, A LITTLE BOY, TWO WELL-DIGGERS, TWO DITCH-DIGGERS, A BEAR AND A WOLF, AND I CAN OUTRUN YOU TOO-O-O!!!!”

“You can, can you?” yelped the fox, and caught Johnny-cake with his paw and threw him in his sharp teeth.

Упражнения

1. Выберите правильный вариант:

1. The old woman made some pies.

2. The old woman made Johnny-cake.

3. The old woman made some pies and Johnny-cake.

4. The old woman made a big pie and Johnny-cake.

2. What is Johnny-cake?

1. an apple pie

2. a sausage

3. a cornmeal flatbread

4. a cheesecake

3. Who is the little boy?

1. the old woman and old man’s son

2. the Johnny-cake’s brother

3. Johnny-cake himself

4. a well-digger

4. Why did the old woman leave Johnny-cake in the oven?

1. Because she did not want to watch him.

2. Because she was going to make other cakes.

3. Because she went to sleep.

4. Because she went to work in the garden.

5. Who is a digger?

1. The man who excavates.

2. The man who works with the hammer.

3. The man who dances.

4. The man who writes poems.

6. What does it mean, “to outrun”?

1. to follow somebody

2. to run faster or further than someone

3. to catch somebody

4. to eat somebody

7. Why did the fox asked Johnny-cake to come closer?

1. Because the fox could not hear him.

2. Because the fox wanted to eat him.

3. Because the fox did not want to move.

4. Because the fox was very lazy.

8. Why did the Johnny-cake come to the fox?

1. Because he wanted to speak loudly.

2. Because the fox asked him.

3. Because he ran very fast.

4. Because he was not very clever.

9. Выберите нужный глагол:

Johnny-cake was so quick that the wolf saw that there was no hope to catch him, and he _____________ down to rest.

1. went

2. lied

3. lay

4. lie

10. Выберите нужный предлог:

after – to – for – in

1. “Oh, I can’t hear you; can you come a little closer?” said the fox ______________ a weak voice.

2. Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came ______________ a bear.

3. They threw down their picks and ran ______________ him.

4. The boy called his parents ________ ________ help, but they could not catch him.

11. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. How many persons are mentioned in the story?

2. How many diggers were there?

3. Did you like Johnny-cake?

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.

12. Заполните таблицу:

Ответы:

1. The old woman made Johnny-cake.

2. a cornmeal flatbread

3. the old woman and old man’s son

4. Because she went to work in the garden.

5. The man who excavates.

6. to run faster or further than someone

7. Because the fox wanted to eat him.

8. Because he was not very clever.

9. Johnny-cake was so quick that the wolf saw that there was no hope to catch him, and he lay down to rest.

10.

1. “Oh, I can’t hear you; can you come a little closer?” said the fox in a weak voice.

2. Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to a bear.

3. They threw down their picks and ran after him.

4. The boy called his parents for help, but they could not catch him.

12.

The Mouse and the Cat

The Mouse went to visit the Cat. The Cat was sitting behind the hall door and spinning.

MOUSE. What are you doing, my lady, my lady,

What are you doing, my lady?

CAT. I’m spinning old breeches, my dear, my dear,

I’m spinning old breeches, my dear.

MOUSE. I was sweeping my room, my lady, my lady,

I was sweeping my room, my lady.

CAT. It will be cleaner, my dear, my dear,

It will be cleaner, my dear.

MOUSE. I found a silver sixpence, my lady, my lady,

I found a silver sixpence, my lady.

CAT. You’ll be richer, my dear, my dear,

You’ll be richer, my dear.

MOUSE. I went to the market, my lady, my lady,

I went to the market, my lady.

CAT. You went so far, my dear, my dear,

You went so far, my dear.

MOUSE. I bought me a pudding, my lady, my lady,

I bought me a pudding, my lady.

CAT. You’ll have more food, my dear, my dear,

You’ll have more food, my dear.

MOUSE. I put it in the window to cool, my lady,

I put it in the window to cool.

CAT. You’ll eat it faster, my dear, my dear,

You’ll eat it faster, my dear.

MOUSE. The cat came and ate it, my lady, my lady,

The cat came and ate it, my lady.

CAT. And I’ll eat you too, my dear, my dear,

And I’ll eat you too, my dear.

Jack the Buttermilk

Jack was a boy who sold buttermilk. One day he met a witch. She asked him to give her some of his buttermilk for free.[37] “If you don’t give me some buttermilk,” said the witch, “I’ll put you into my bag and carry away[38]”. Jack refused to give the witch any of his buttermilk, so the witch put him into a bag that she carried over her shoulders.

She walked home with him. But on her way she suddenly remembered that she forgot a pot of fat that she bought in the town. Jack was very heavy, and the witch did not want to carry him back to the town, so she asked some men who were brushing the hedge by the road to take care[39] of her bag till she came back.

When the witch went away, Jack cried to the men, “If you take me out[40] of this bag and fill it full of thorns,[41] I will give you some of my buttermilk.”

So the men took Jack out of the bag and filled it with thorns, and then Jack gave them some buttermilk and ran home.

When the witch came back from town she picked up her bag, and walked home. But the thorns began to prick her back. When she came home, she emptied the bag on a clean white table. But when she found that there was nothing in the bag but thorns, she was very angry and said, “I’ll catch you tomorrow, Jack, and I’ll boil you.”

Next day she met Jack again and asked him for some buttermilk and told him, “If you do not give me some buttermilk, I’ll put you into the bag again.” But Jack said, “I’ll give you no buttermilk.” So the witch put him into her bag and again she remembered that she forgot something in the town.

This time she left the bag with some men who were mending the road.

When the witch went away, Jack cried to the men, “If you will take me out and fill this bag full of stones, I will give you some of my buttermilk.”

Then the men took Jack out of the bag, and he gave them the buttermilk.

When the witch came back from town she picked up her bag, and walked home. But the bag was very heavy. So she chuckled and said, “Indeed, Jack, you must eat less.”

When she came home she emptied the bag on the white table again. But when she saw the stones, she was very angry, and cried, “I swear, Jack, that I’ll boil you when I catch you!”

Next day she met Jack again and asked for some buttermilk. But Jack said, “No,” again, so she put him into her bag and went straight home with him and threw him out on the white table.

When she did this she saw she did not have enough water to boil the boy. So she put Jack back in the bag and went away. But she forgot to tie the bag. So while she was away, Jack crept out of it, opened all the cupboards in the house and filled the bag with all the pots that he could find. After that he went away, and soon he was safely home.

When the witch came back she emptied the bag on the table again and broke all the pots that she had. After this she never caught Jack any more.

Упражнения

1. Выберите правильный вариант:

1. The witch asked Jack for some thorns.

2. The witch asked Jack for some buttermilk.

3. The witch asked Jack for some stones.

4. The witch did not ask Jack for anything.

2. What is buttermilk?

1. a white liquid produced by the cows

2. a dairy product from the top of milk

3. a sour liquid which remains after the butter was separated from milk

4. a sweet liquid

3. Who is a witch?

1. a woman whose husband died

2. a woman who owns or manages a farm

3. a woman was married young

4. a woman who possesses evil magic powers

4. Why did Jack refuse to give the witch some buttermilk?

1. Because he did not want to give her buttermilk for free.

2. Because he was greedy.

3. Because she did not ask politely.

4. Because he did not have any buttermilk.

5. Why did the witch recommend Jack to eat less?

1. Because he drank much.

2. Because he was very fat.

3. Because her bag was very heavy.

4. Because she wanted to boil him.

6. Why did the witch stop to catch Jack?

1. Because she found another boy.

2. Because she did not see him any more.

3. Because she understood that it was useless.

4. Because she liked him.

7. Выберите правильный вариант:

1. When she did this she saw she did not have enough water to boil the boy.

2. When she did this she saw she did not have enough power to boil the boy.

3. When she did this she saw she did not have enough strength to boil the boy.

4. When she did this she saw she did not have enough money to boil the boy.

8. Why did Jack fill the witch’s bag with all the pots that he could find?