Любимые английские сказки / My Favourite English Fairy Tales: читать начало книги онлайн

‘Take care,’ cried one, who seemed to be the king, ‘let no bone be broken.’

Well, when they had all eaten, they began playing games with the bones, tossing them one to another. One little leg-bone fell close to the closet door, and the farmer was so afraid that the pixies should come there and find him in their search for the bone, that he put out his hand and picked it up. Then he saw the king stand on the table and say, ‘Gather the bones!’

Round and round flew the imps, picking up the bones. ‘Arrange them,’ said the king; and they placed them all in their proper positions in the hide[75] of the cow. Then they folded the skin over them, and the king struck the pile of bone and skin with his rod. Whisht! Up sprang the cow and lowed dismally[76]. It was alive again; but alas! as the pixies dragged it back to the cowshed, it halted[77], because a bone was missing. The cock crew[78], away they flew, and the farmer went trembling to bed.

Exercises

1) True or false?

1. The farmer had three cows.

2. The first cow who became thin was Diamond.

3. In the morning the fireplace was full of white wood ashes.

4. The farmer decided to watch the third night.

5. The farmer hid in a cowshed.

6. When the door of his house opened, three witches rushed in.

7. The last cow started to halt.

2) Fill in the gaps using words in brackets.

1. One morning he .................. (to go) into his cowshed, and there he ................... (to find) Facey to be very thin.

2. Next morning his wife ................. (to go) out to the shed, and .................. (to see) that Diamond .......................... (to become) as thin as Facey.

3. The farmer .............................. (to decide) to watch the third night, so he ........................ (to hide) in a closet next to the kitchen.

4. Suddenly the door of his house ..................................... (to open), and ............................. (to rush in) maybe a thousand pixies, .............. (to laugh) and ........................... (to dance).

5. They ........................ (to cook) the flesh of the cow – they ........................ (to bake) and they ..................... (to boil), they ....................... (to stew) and they ...................... (to fry).

6. They ...................... (to begin) playing games with the bones, ..................... (to toss) them one to another.

7. He ........................ (to put) out his hand and .......................... (to pick) the little leg-bone up.

3) Translate the following sentences:

1. Кожа свободно болталась на корове.

2. Половина поленницы дров пропала.

3. В хлев ворвалась тысяча эльфов.

4. В очаге на кухне лежала груда пепла от дров.

5. Эльфы варили, жарили, пекли и тушили мясо коровы.

6. Косточка из ноги упала рядом с дверью чулана.

7. Корова начала хромать, потому что у неё не было одной косточки.

4) Put the following words in columns. Some of them can belong to more than one column:

cake, food, bacon, chicken, egg, biscuits, bread, potatoes, pumpkin, vegetables, meat, diner

[75] hide – зд. шкура

[76] dismally – зловеще

[77] halt – зд. хромать

[78] crow – кукарекать