stories to tell to children(儿童故事)-第8节
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And when he found that he was ahead of the mowers； he turned and
shouted back to them；
〃Run！ run！ as fast as you can！
〃You can't catch me； I'm the Gingerbread Man！〃
And the mowers couldn't catch him。
By this time the little Gingerbread Boy was so proud that he didn't
think anybody could catch him。 Pretty soon he saw a fox coming across a
field。 The fox looked at him and began to run。 But the little Gingerbread
Boy shouted across to him； 〃You can't catch me！〃 The fox began to run
faster； and the little Gingerbread Boy ran faster； and as he ran he
chuckled；
〃I have run away from a little old woman；
〃A little old man；
〃A cow；
〃A horse；
〃A barn full of threshers；
〃A field full of mowers；
〃And I can run away from you； I can！
〃Run！ run！ as fast as you can！
〃You can't catch me； I'm the Gingerbread Man！〃
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〃Why；〃 said the fox； 〃I would not catch you if I could。 I would not
think of disturbing you。〃
Just then； the little Gingerbread Boy came to a river。 He could not
swim across； and he wanted to keep running away from the cow and the
horse and the people。
〃Jump on my tail； and I will take you across；〃 said the fox。
So the little Gingerbread Boy jumped on the fox's tail； and the fox
swam into the river。 When he was a little way from shore he turned his
head； and said； 〃You are too heavy on my tail； little Gingerbread Boy； I
fear I shall let you get wet； jump on my back。〃
The little Gingerbread Boy jumped on his back。
A little farther out； the fox said； 〃I am afraid the water will cover you；
there； jump on my shoulder。〃
The little Gingerbread Boy jumped on his shoulder。
In the middle of the stream the fox said； 〃Oh； dear！ little Gingerbread
Boy； my shoulder is sinking； jump on my nose； and I can hold you out of
water。〃
So the little Gingerbread Boy jumped on his nose。
The minute the fox got on shore he threw back his head； and gave a
snap！
〃Dear me！〃 said the little Gingerbread Boy； 〃I am a quarter gone！〃 The
next minute he said； 〃Why； I am half gone！〃 The next minute he said； 〃My
goodness gracious； I am three quarters gone！〃
And after that； the little Gingerbread Boy never said anything more at
all。
THE LITTLE JACKALS AND THE LION＇1＇
＇1＇ The four stories of the little Jackal； in this book； are adapted from
stories in Old Deccan Days； a collection of orally transmitted Hindu folk
tales； which every teacher would gain by knowing。 In the Hindu animal
legends the Jackal seems to play the role assigned in Germanic lore to
Reynard the Fox； and to 〃Bre'r Rabbit〃 in the stories of our Southern
negroes： he is the clever and humorous trickster who comes out of every
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encounter with a whole skin； and turns the laugh on every enemy； however
mighty。
Once there was a great big jungle； and in the jungle there was a great
big Lion； and the Lion was king of the jungle。 Whenever he wanted
anything to eat； all he had to do was to come up out of his cave in the
stones and earth and ROAR。 When he had roared a few times all the little
people of the jungle were so frightened that they came out of their holes
and hiding…places and ran； this way and that； to get away。 Then； of course；
the Lion could see where they were。 And he pounced on them； killed them；
and gobbled them up。 He did this so often that at last there was not a
single thing left alive in the jungle besides the Lion； except two little
Jackals； a little father Jackal and a little mother Jackal。
They had run away so many times that they were quite thin and very
tired； and they could not run so fast any more。 And one day the Lion was
so near that the little mother Jackal grew frightened； she said；
〃Oh； Father Jackal； Father Jackal！ I b'lieve our time has come！ the
Lion will surely catch us this time！〃
〃Pooh！ nonsense； mother！〃 said the little father Jackal。 〃Come； we'll
run on a bit！〃
And they ran； ran； ran very fast； and the Lion did not catch them that
time。
But at last a day came when the Lion was nearer still and the little
mother Jackal was frightened about to death。
〃Oh； Father Jackal； Father Jackal！〃 she cried； 〃I'm sure our time has
come！ The Lion's going to eat us this time！〃
〃Now； mother； don't you fret；〃 said the little father Jackal； 〃you do just
as I tell you； and it will be all right。〃
Then what did those cunning little Jackals do but take hold of hands
and run up towards the Lion； as if they had meant to come all the time。
When he saw them coming he stood up； and roared in a terrible voice；
〃You miserable little wretches； come here and be eaten； at once！ Why
didn't you come before？〃
The father Jackal bowed very low。
〃Indeed； Father Lion；〃 he said； 〃we meant to come before； we knew
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we ought to come before； and we wanted to come before； but every time
we started to come； a dreadful great lion came out of the woods and roared
at us； and frightened us so that we ran away。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 roared the Lion。 〃There's no other lion in this
jungle； and you know it！〃
〃Indeed； indeed； Father Lion；〃 said the little Jackal； 〃I know that is
what everybody thinks； but indeed and indeed there is another lion！ And
he is as much bigger than you as you are bigger than I！ His face is much
more terrible； and his roar far； far more dreadful。 Oh； he is far more fearful
than you！〃
At that the Lion stood up and roared so that the jungle shook。
〃Take me to this lion；〃 he said； 〃I'll eat him up and then I'll eat you
up。〃
The little Jackals danced on ahead； and the Lion stalked behind。 They
led him to a place where there was a round； deep well of clear water。 They
went round on one side of it； and the Lion stalked up to the other。
〃He lives down there； Father Lion！〃 said the little Jackal。 〃He lives
down there！〃
The Lion came close and looked down into the water；and a lion's
face looked back at him out of the water！
When he saw that； the Lion roared and shook his mane and showed his
teeth。 And the lion in the water shook his mane and showed his teeth。 The
Lion above shook his mane again and growled again； and made a terrible
face。 But the lion in the water made just as terrible a one； back。 The Lion
above couldn't stand that。 He leaped down into the well after the other
lion。
But； of course； as you know very well； there wasn't any other lion！ It
was only the reflection in the water！
So the poor old Lion floundered about and floundered about； and as he
couldn't get up the steep sides of the well； he was drowned dead。 And
when he was drowned the little Jackals took hold of hands and danced
round the well； and sang；
〃The Lion is dead！ The Lion is dead！
〃We have killed the great Lion who would have killed us！
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〃The Lion is dead！ The Lion is dead！
〃Ao！ Ao！ Ao！〃
THE COUNTRY MOUSE AND THE CITY
MOUSE＇1＇
＇1＇ The following story of the two mice； with the similar fables of The
Boy who cried Wolf； The Frog King； and The Sun and the Wind； are given
here with the hope that they may be of use to the many teachers who find
the over…familiar material of the fables difficult to adapt； and who are yet
aware of the great usefulness of the stories to young minds。 A certain
degree of vividness and amplitude must be added to the compact statement
of the famous collections； and yet it is not wise to change the style…effect
of a fable； wholly。 I venture to give these versions； not as perfect models；
surely； but as renderings which have been acceptable to children； and
which I belie
