stories to tell to children(儿童故事)-第11节
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brook that was caught in the weeds and in much trouble。
〃Little Half…Chick；〃 whispered the Water； 〃I am so choked with these
weeds that I cannot move； I am almost lost； for want of room； please push
the sticks and weeds away with your bill and help me。〃
〃The idea！〃 said the little Half…Chick。 〃I cannot be bothered with you；
I am off for Madrid； to see the King！〃 And in spite of the brook's begging
he went away； hoppity…kick； hoppity…kick。
A bit farther on； the Half…Chick came to a Fire； which was smothered
in damp sticks and in great distress。
〃Oh； little Half…Chick；〃 said the Fire； 〃you are just in time to save me。
I am almost dead for want of air。 Fan me a little with your wing； I beg。〃
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〃The idea！〃 said the little Half…Chick。 〃I cannot be bothered with you；
I am off to Madrid； to see the King！〃 And he went laughing off； hoppity…
kick； hoppity…kick。
When he had hoppity…kicked a good way； and was near Madrid； he
came to a clump of bushes； where the Wind was caught fast。 The Wind
was whimpering； and begging to be set free。
〃Little Half…Chick；〃 said the Wind； 〃you are just in time to help me； if
you will brush aside these twigs and leaves； I can get my breath； help me；
quickly！〃
〃Ho！ the idea！〃 said the little Half… Chick。 〃I have no time to bother
with you。 I am going to Madrid； to see the King。〃 And he went off；
hoppity…kick； hoppity… kick； leaving the Wind to smother。
After a while he came to Madrid and to the palace of the King。
Hoppity…kick； hoppity…kick； the little Half…Chick skipped past the sentry at
the gate； and hoppity… kick； hoppity…kick； he crossed the court。 But as he
was passing the windows of the kitchen the Cook looked out and saw him。
〃The very thing for the King's dinner！〃 she said。 〃I was needing a
chicken！〃 And she seized the little Half…Chick by his one wing and threw
him into a kettle of water on the fire。
The Water came over the little Half… Chick's feathers； over his head；
into his eye； It was terribly uncomfortable。 The little Half…Chick cried
out；
〃Water； don't drown me！ Stay down； don't come so high！〃
But the Water said； 〃Little Half…Chick； little Half…Chick； when I was in
trouble you would not help me；〃 and came higher than ever。
Now the Water grew warm； hot； hotter； frightfully hot； the little Half…
Chick cried out； 〃Do not burn so hot； Fire！ You are burning me to death！
Stop！〃
But the Fire said； 〃Little Half…Chick； little Half…Chick； when I was in
trouble you would not help me；〃 and burned hotter than ever。
Just as the little Half…Chick thought he must suffocate； the Cook took
the cover off； to look at the dinner。 〃Dear me；〃 she said； 〃this chicken is no
good； it is burned to a cinder。〃 And she picked the little Half…Chick up by
one leg and threw him out of the window。
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In the air he was caught by a breeze and taken up higher than the trees。
Round and round he was twirled till he was so dizzy he thought he must
perish。 〃Don't blow me so？ Wind；〃 he cried； 〃let me down！〃
〃Little Half…Chick； little Half…Chick；〃 said the Wind； 〃when I was in
trouble you would not help me！〃 And the Wind blew him straight up to the
top of the church steeple； and stuck him there； fast！
There he stands to this day； with his one eye； his one wing； and his one
leg。 He cannot hoppity…kick any more； but he turns slowly round when the
wind blows； and keeps his head toward it； to hear what it says。
THE LAMBIKIN＇1＇
＇1＇ From Indian Fairy Tales。 By Joseph Jacobs （David Nutt）。
Once upon a time there was a wee； wee Lambikin； who frolicked
about on his little tottery legs； and enjoyed himself amazingly。
Now one day he set off to visit his Granny； and was jumping with joy
to think of all the good things he should get from her； when whom should
he meet but a Jackal； who looked at the tender young morsel and said；
〃Lambikin！ Lambikin！ I'll EAT YOU！〃
But Lambikin only gave a little frisk and said；
〃To Granny's house I go； Where I shall fatter grow； Then you can eat
me so。〃
The Jackal thought this reasonable； and let Lambikin pass。
By and by he met a Vulture； and the Vulture； looking hungrily at the
tender morsel before him； said； 〃Lambikin！ Lambikin！ I'll EAT YOU！〃
But Lambikin only gave a little frisk； and said；
〃To Granny's house I go； Where I shall fatter grow； Then you can eat
me so。〃
The Vulture thought this reasonable； and let Lambikin pass。
And by and by he met a Tiger； and then a Wolf and a Dog and an
Eagle； and all these； when they saw the tender little morsel； said；
〃Lambikin！ Lambikin！ I'll EAT YOU！〃
But to all of them Lambikin replied； with a little frisk；
〃To Granny's house I go； Where I shall fatter grow； Then you can eat
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me so。〃
At last he reached his Granny's house； and said； all in a great hurry；
〃Granny； dear； I've promised to get very fat； so； as people ought to keep
their promises； please put me into the corn…bin AT ONCE。〃
So his Granny said he was a good boy； and put him into the corn…bin；
and there the greedy little Lambikin stayed for seven days； and ate； and ate；
and ate； until he could scarcely waddle； and his Granny said he was fat
enough for anything； and must go home。 But cunning little Lambikin said
that would never do； for some animal would be sure to eat him on the way
back； he was so plump and tender。
〃I'll tell you what you must do；〃 said Master Lambikin； 〃you must
make a little drumikin out of the skin of my little brother who died； and
then I can sit inside and trundle along nicely； for I'm as tight as a drum
myself。〃
So his Granny made a nice little drumikin out of his brother's skin；
with the wool inside； and Lambikin curled himself up snug and warm in
the middle and trundled away gayly。 Soon he met with the Eagle； who
called out；
〃Drumikin！ Drumikin！ Have you seen Lambikin？〃
And Mr。 Lambikin； curled up in his soft； warm nest； replied；
〃Fallen into the fire； and so will you On little Drumikin！ Tum…pa；
tum…too！〃
〃How very annoying！〃 sighed the Eagle； thinking regretfully of the
tender morsel he had let slip。
Meanwhile Lambikin trundled along； laughing to himself； and
singing；
〃Tum…pa； tum…too； Tum…pa； tum…too！〃
Every animal and bird he met asked him the same question；
〃Drumikin！ Drumikin！ Have you seen Lambikin？〃
And to each of them the little slyboots replied；
〃Fallen into the fire； and so will you On little Drumikin！ Tum…pa；
tum…too！〃 Tum…pa； tum…too！ tum…pa； tum…too！〃
Then they all sighed to think of the tender little morsel they had let
slip。
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At last the Jackal came limping along； for all his sorry looks as sharp
as a needle； and he； too； called out；
〃Drumikin！ Drumikin！ Have you seen Lambikin？〃
And Lambikin； curled up in his snug little nest； replied gayly；
〃Fallen into the fire； and so will you On little Drumikin！ Tum…pa〃
But he never got any further； for the Jackal recognized his voice at
once； and cried； 〃Hullo！ you've turned yourself inside out； have you？ Just
you come out of that！〃
Whereupon he tore open Drumikin and gobbled up Lambikin。
THE BLACKBERRY…BUSH＇1＇
＇1＇ From Celia Thaxter's Stories and Poems for Children。
A little boy sat at his mother's knees； by the long western window；
looking out into the garden。 It was autumn； and the wind was sad； and the
golden elm leaves lay scattered about among the grass； and on the gravel
path。 The mother was knitting a little stocking； her fingers moved the
bright needles； but her eyes were fixed on the clear evening sky。
As the darkness gathered； the wee boy laid
