Сборник лучших английских сказок. Уровень 1

3) Translate the following sentences using ‘neither… nor…’ construction:

1. Дворецкий не мог ни оставить жалюзи, ни сделать так, чтобы они не открывались.

2. Пусть Уильям не сможет ни оторвать руки от одежды, ни подобрать её.

3. Пусть Джеймс не сможет ни налить бренди, ни убрать руку с бутылки.

4. Я не могу ни прочесть этот текст, ни перевести его.

4) Translate the following sentences:

1. Что бы прачка ни загадала на перья, всё исполнялось.

2. Прачка попросила дворецкого закрепить жалюзи.

3. Она положила в фартук деньги, которые она получила от кучера.

4. Лакей скопил десять фунтов.

5. Дворецкий, лакей и кучер стали бороться и столкнули друг друга в пруд.

6. Господин закричал: «Что на вас нашло?»

7. В этой неразберихе они были готовы наброситься на кого угодно.

5) Retell the fairy-tale.

The Three Cows

There was a farmer, and he had three cows, fine fat cows. One was called Facey, the other Diamond, and the third Beauty. One morning he went into his cowshed[70], and there he found Facey so thin that the wind would have blown her away. Her skin hung loose[71] about her, all her flesh was gone, and she stared out of her great eyes as though she’d seen a ghost; and what was more, the fireplace in the kitchen was one great pile of wood-ash. Well, he was bothered with it; he could not see how all this could happen.

Next morning his wife went out to the shed, and saw that Diamond became as thin as Facey – nothing but a bag of bones, all the flesh gone, and half a rick[72] of wood was gone, too; but the fireplace was full of white wood ashes. The farmer decided to watch the third night; so he hid in a closet next to the kitchen, and he left the door slightly open, that he might see what happened.

Tick, tick, went the clock, and the farmer was nearly tired of waiting; he had to bite his little finger to keep himself awake, when suddenly the door of his house opened, and in rushed[73] maybe a thousand pixies, laughing and dancing and pulling Beauty’s rope till they had brought the cow into the middle of the kitchen.

Tick, tick, went the clock, but he did not hear it now. He was staring at the pixies and his last beautiful cow. He saw them throw her down, fall on her, and kill her; and then with their knives they ripped her open, and cut off all the meat. Then out ran some of the little people and brought in firewood and made a roaring fire on the hearth[74], and there they cooked the flesh of the cow – they baked and they boiled, they stewed and they fried.

‘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 lines. Some of them can belong to more than one line:

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

to bake ____________________

to cook ____________________

to fry ____________________

to toast ____________________

to stew ____________________

5) Retell the fairy-tale.

Gobborn Seer

Once there was a man, Gobborn Seer, and he had a son called Jack.

One day he sent him out to sell a sheepskin, and Gobborn said, ‘You must bring me back the skin and the value of it as well.’

So Jack started, but he could not find any who would leave him the skin and give him its price too. So he came home discouraged[79].

But Gobborn Seer said, ‘Never mind, you must take another turn at it tomorrow.’

So he tried again, and nobody wished to buy the skin on those terms[80].

When he came home his father said, ‘You must go and try your luck tomorrow,’ and the third day it seemed as if it would be the same thing over again[81]. And he had half a mind not to go back at all, his father would be so angry. As he came to a bridge he leaned[82] on the parapet thinking of his trouble, and that perhaps it would be foolish to run away from home, but he could not tell which to do; when he saw a girl washing her clothes on the bank below. She looked up and said: ‘If it may be no offence[83] asking, what is it you feel so badly about?’

‘My father has given me this skin, and I am to fetch it back and the price of it beside.’

‘Is that all? Give it here, and it’s easy done.’

So the girl washed the skin in the stream, took the wool from it, and paid him the value of it, and gave him the skin to carry back.

His father was well pleased, and said to Jack, ‘That was a witty[84] woman; she would make you a good wife. Do you think you could tell her again?’

Jack thought he could, so his father told him to go by and by to the bridge, and see if she was there, and if so ask her come home to take tea with them.

And Jack spied her and told her how his old father had a wish to meet her, and would she be pleased to drink tea with them.

The girl thanked him kindly, and said she could come the next day; she was too busy at the moment.

‘All the better,’ said Jack, ‘I’ll have time to make ready.’

So when she came Gobborn Seer could see she was a witty woman, and he asked her if she would marry his Jack. She said ‘Yes,’ and they were married.

Not long after, Jack’s father told him he must come with him and build the finest castle that ever was seen.

And as they went to lay the foundation-stone, Gobborn Seer said to Jack, ‘Can’t you shorten the way[85] for me?’

But Jack looked ahead and there was a long road before them, and he said, ‘I don’t see, father, how I could break a bit off[86].’

‘You’re no good to me, then, and had best be off home.’

So poor Jack turned back, and when he came in his wife said, ‘Why, how’s this you’ve come alone?’ and he told her what his father had said and his answer.

‘You stupid,’ said his witty wife, ‘if you had told a tale you would have shortened the road! Now listen till I tell you a story, and then catch up with[87] Gobborn Seer and begin it at once. He will like hearing it, and by the time you are done you will have reached the foundation-stone.’

So Jack catched up with his father. Gobborn Seer said never a word, but Jack began his story, and the road was shortened as his wife had said.

When they came to the end of their journey, they started building of this castle which was to outshine[88] all others. Now the wife had advised them to be intimate[89] with the servants, and so they did as she said, and they said ‘Good morning’ and ‘Good day to you’ to everyone.

Now at the end of a year, Gobborn, the wise man, had built such a castle thousands were gathered[90] to admire it.

And the king said: ‘The castle is done. I shall return tomorrow and pay you all.’

‘I have just a ceiling to finish in an upper lobby[91],’ said Gobborn.

But after the king was gone off, the housekeeper sent for Gobborn and Jack, and told them that she had watched for a chance to warn them, for the king was so afraid they should carry their art away and build some other king a castle, he meant to take their lives tomorrow. Gobborn told Jack to keep a good heart, and they would come off[92] all right.

When the king had come back Gobborn told him he had been unable to complete the job for lack[93] of a tool left at home, and he should like to send Jack after it.

‘No, no,’ said the king, ‘cannot one of the men do it?’

‘No, they could not make themselves understood,’ said the Seer, ‘but Jack could bring it.’

‘You and your son are to stay here. But how will it do if I send my own son?’

‘That will do.’

So Gobborn sent by him a message to Jack’s wife. ‘Give him Crooked and straight!’

Now there was a little hole in the wall rather high up, and Jack’s wife tried to reach up[94] into a chest there after ‘crooked and straight’, but at last she asked the king’s son to help her, because his arms were longest.

But when he was leaning over the chest she caught him by the two heels, and threw him into the chest, and locked it. So there he was, both ‘crooked and straight’!

Then he begged for pen and ink, which she brought him, but he was not allowed out.

When his letter came, telling the king, his father, he was to be let free when Gobborn and Jack were safe home, the king saw he must let them go away.

As they left Gobborn told him: now that Jack was done with this work, he should soon build a castle for his witty wife far superior to the king’s, which he did, and they lived there happily ever after.

EXERCISES

1) True or false?

1. Gobborn Seer had three sons.

2. Jack had to bring his father the skin and the value of it as well.

3. The girl washed the skin in the stream and took the wool from it.

4. Jack knew how to shorten the way.

5. Gobborn Seer and his son were building a castle.

6. The king wanted to trick Gobborn Seer and Jack.

7. Gobborn asked Jack’s wife for a screwdriver.

2) Fill in the gaps using words in brackets.

1. One day he… (to send) his son out to sell a sheepskin.

2. So he… (to try) again, and nobody… (to wish) to buy the skin on those terms.

3. The girl… (to wash) the skin in the stream,… (to take) the wool from it, and… (to pay) him the value of it, and… (to give) him the skin to carry back.

4. Jack… (to spy) her and… (to tell) her how his old father… (to have) a wish to meet her.

5. King… (to be) so afraid they should build some other king a castle, he… (to want) to take their lives tomorrow.

6. She… (to catch) him by the two heels and… (to throw) him into the chest.

3) Fill in the gaps with the following words:

reach up, catch up, outshine, shorten the way, come off

1. It’s dangerous,… the roof immediately!

2. This castle should… all the others in beauty.

3. He… with his father an hour ago.

4. This road is too long, we must… somehow.

5. Jack’s wife tried to… into a chest after a tool.

4) Translate the following sentences:

1. Никто не хотел покупать овечью шкуру на этих условиях.

2. Остроумная жена рассказала Джеку как сократить путь.

3. Джек снова нагнал своего отца.

4. Отец и сын начали строить замок, который должен затмить все остальные.

5. Близкие друзья собрались в вестибюле.

6. Они не могли закончить работу из-за отсутствия одного инструмента.

5) Retell the fairy-tale.

The Hobyahs

Once there was an old man and woman and a little girl, and they all lived in a house made of hempstalks. Now the old man had a little dog named Turpie and one night the Hobyahs came and said, ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off his tail.’ So in the morning the old man cut off little dog Turpie’s tail.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said, ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off one of his legs.’ So in the morning the old man cut off one of little dog Turpie’s legs.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said, ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off another of his legs.’ So in the morning the old man cut off another of little dog Turpie’s legs.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off another of his legs.’ So in the morning the old man cut off another of little dog Turpie’s legs.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off another of his legs.’ So in the morning the old man cut off another of little dog Turpie’s legs.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off little dog Turpie’s head.’ So in the morning the old man cut off little dog Turpie’s head.

The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ And when the Hobyahs found that little dog Turpie’s head was off they tore down hempstalks, ate up the old man and the woman, and carried the girl in a bag.’

And when the Hobyahs came to their home they hung up the bag with the little girl in it, and every Hobyah knocked on the top of the bag and said, ‘Look me! look me!’ And then they went to sleep until the next night, for the Hobyahs slept in the daytime.

The little girl cried a great deal, and a man with a big dog came that way and heard her crying. When he asked her how she came there and she told him, he put the dog in the bag and took the little girl to his home.

The next night the Hobyahs took down the bag and knocked at the top of it, and said ‘Look me, look me!’ and when they opened the bag the big dog jumped out and ate them all up; so there are no Hobyahs now.

EXERCISES

1) True or false?

1. An old man and an woman had a little boy.

2. Turpie was a little dog.

3. In the morning the old man cut off little dog Turpie's tail.

4. The Hobyahs came to the old man’s house ten times.

5. The Hobyahs sleep at night.

6. A man with a big dog put the dog in a bag and took the girl.

7. The big dog ate all of the Hobyahs.

2) Fill in the gaps using words in brackets.

1. When the Hobyahs… (to find) that little dog Turpie’s… (to be) there they… (to tear) down hempstalks,… (to eat) up the old man and the woman, and… (to carry) the girl in a bag.

2. They… (to go) to sleep until the next night, for the Hobyahs… (to sleep) in the daytime.

3. The little girl… (to cry) a great deal, and a man with a big dog… (to come) that way and… (to hear) her crying.

4. He… (to ask) her how she… (to come) there and she… (to tell) him.

5. When they… (to open) the bag the big dog… (to jump) out and… (to eat) them all up.

3) Translate the following sentences:

1. Жили-были старик со старухой в доме из стеблей конопли.

2. Старик сказал: «Пёсик лает так громко, что я не могу ни спать, ни дремать».

3. Хобья! Съедим старика со старухой и утащим девочку!

4. Когда хобьи пришли к себе домой, они повесили сумку с девочкой и легли спать до следующей ночи.

5. Девочка плакала изо всех сил.

6. Когда хобьи сняли сумку и стали по ней стучать, из неё выпрыгнула большая собака и съела их всех.

4) Answer the following questions:

1. Why are there no Hobyahs now?

2. Who heard the little girl crying?

3. How many times did the Hobyahs come to the old man’s house?

4. What happened to the girl at Hobyahs home?

5) Retell the fairy-tale.

English fairy tales about Jack and others

Tom Tit Tot

Once upon a time, there was a woman[95], and she baked five pies. And when they came out of the oven, they were very hard to eat. So she says to her daughter:

“Daughter, put the pies on the shelf and leave them there a little, and they will come again[96].” That is[97], the crust will become softer.

But the girl says to herself, “Well, if they come again, I will eat them now.” And she ate them all.

Well, when supper-time came, the woman said, “Go and get one of the pies. I think they came again now.”

The girl went and looked, and there were only dishes. So she comes back and says, “No, they did not come again.”

“No?” says the mother.

“No,” says the daughter.

“Well,” said the woman, “I’ll[98] eat one for supper.”

“But you can’t[99] if they didn’t[100] come,” said the girl.

“But I can,” says she. “Go you and bring the best pie.”

“Best or worst,” says the girl, “I ate them all, and you can’t eat the pie till it comes again.”

Well, the woman was very angry, and she took her spinning to the door, and she began to sing:

“My daughter ate five, five pies today.

My daughter ate five, five pies today.”

The king was coming down the street, and he heard her song. So he stopped and said, “What were you singing, my good woman?”

The woman told him these other words instead of that[101]:

“My daughter span five, five skeins today.

My daughter span five, five skeins today.”

“Oh!” said the king, “I never heard of anyone who could do that.” Then he said, “Listen, I want a wife, and I’ll marry your daughter. During eleven months of the year, she will have everything that she wants; but the last month of the year she will spin five skeins every day, and if she can’t, I shall kill her.”

“All right,” says the woman; she thought only about a grand marriage. Her daughter was very happy. “I’ll marry a king!” she thought. “And in eleven months the king will forget about skeins.”

Well, so they were married. And for eleven months the girl had all she liked to eat, all the dresses she liked to wear, and all the friends she liked.

When the time came, she began to think about the skeins. But the king did not say any word about them, and she decided that he forgot them.

However, the last day of the last month he takes her to a new room. There was nothing in it but a spinning-wheel and a stool. And he says, “Now, my dear, I’ll shut you here tomorrow with some food and some flax, and if you do not spin five skeins by the night, your head will be cut[102].” And he went away.

The girl was very frightened; she didn’t know how to spin, and what will she show the king tomorrow? Nobody will come to help her. She sat down on a stool in the kitchen and began to cry.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door. She stood up and opened it, and she saw a small black impet with a long tail. He looked at her and asked:

“Why are you crying?”

“Why do you ask?” says she.

“Tell me,” said he, “why are you crying.”

And he turned his tail around.

So the poor girl told him about the pies and the skeins and everything.

“I’ll help you,” says the little black impet, “I’ll come to your window every morning and take the flax and bring it ready at night.”

“What do you want for that?” says she.

He said, “I’ll give you three guesses every night to guess my name, and if you don’t guess it before the end of the month, you will be mine[103].”

“Well,” she thought, “I’ll guess his name for sure[104]”. “All right,” says she, “I agree.”

The next day, her husband took her into the room, and there was the flax and her food.

“This is the flax,” says he, “and if you don’t spin it this night, you’ll lose your head.” And then he went out and locked the door.

So the girl heard a knock near the window. She stood up and opened it, and there was the little old impet.

“Where’s the flax?” says he.

“Here it is,” says she. And she gave it to him.

When the evening came, the knock came again to the window. The girl stood up and opened it, and there was the little old impet with five skeins of flax on his arm.

“Here it is,” says he, and he gave it to her.

“Now, what’s my name?” says he.

“Is that Bill?” says she.

“No, it isn’t!” says he, and he twirled his tail.

“Is that Ned?” says she.

“No, it isn’t!” says he, and he twirled his tail.

“Well, is that Mark?” says she.

“No, it isn’t!” says he, and he twirled his tail harder and flew away.

When her husband came in, there were the five skeins ready for him. “Well, I shan’t[105] kill you tonight, my dear,” says he; “you’ll have your food and your flax in the morning,” says he and goes away.

Every day he brought the flax and the food, and every day that little black impet came mornings and evenings. And all the day the girl was trying to guess his name in order to[106] say it when the impet came at night. But she did not say the right name. By the end of the month, the impet began to look very angrily, and twirled his tail faster and faster.

Finally, the last day came. The impet came at night with the five skeins and said:

“Do you know my name?”

“Is that Nicodemus[107]?” says she.

“No, it isn’t,” he says.

“Is that Sammle[108]?” says she.

“No, it isn’t,” he says.

“Is that Methusalem[109]?” says she.

“No, no, no!” he says.

Then he looks at her and says: “Woman, there’s only tomorrow night, and then you’ll be mine!” And he flew away.

She was very afraid. But the king came. When he sees the five skeins, he says:

“Well, my dear, if I see the skeins ready tomorrow night, I shan’t kill you. And I’ll have supper here.” So he brought supper and another stool for him, and they sat down.