(原版)澳大利亚语文第二册 LESSON 62
LESSON 62 JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
Ⅲ
climbed roared rus-tled
knocked pres-ent-ly re-peat-ed
be-longed stretched pre-cious
1. A few weeks after the death of the hen that laid the golden eggs, Jack again climbed the beanstalk. He went another way this time, for he was afraid of meeting the giant from whom he had taken the hen.
2. Soon he came to a large castle, in front of which was a lovely garden. Jack went to the door and knocked loudly. An old woman came out, and the boy asked for work and food. The woman told Jack to go and pull weeds out of the garden. Jack found the weeds very strong and tough, but he worked away with a will.
3. After a time the woman called the boy in, and gave him a great bowl of brown bread and milk. She said that the castle and garden belonged to a fierce giant with a dog's head.
4. As she was glad to have someone to talk with, she told Jack not to be afraid, for she would take care of him. She was glad, too, of his help, as the giant was very cruel, and used to beat her if she had not all the work done.
5. When night came on, she took Jack into the kitchen, and hid him in a large copper 〔1〕 . By lifting the lid a little, Jack could see all that was going on in the room.
6. By-and-by a loud growl was heard outside, and a huge giant marched into the kitchen. "What have you got for supper?" roared the monster. "Serve it quickly, for I feel hungry!"
7. "I have cooked two calves," said his wife. "Come and help me to lift them upon the table."
8. The giant did so, and after tearing them to pieces, as a dog tears meat, he ate them greedily. He then lapped from a huge tub of beer, and growled to his wife, "Go and fetch my prize rose."
9. The woman went out, and brought back a rose-tree in a pot, which she set on the table before him. "Out you go now!" said the giant, "you must not see how I get my flowers to grow.
10. "The rose is mine only as long as I keep the secret, and should anyone else learn that secret, then I lose the rose. So out you go!"
11. The giant's wife tried to tell him that someone else was in the room; but, as soon as she started to speak, the giant flew at her with a savage roar, and bit and snarled at her till she ran from the room in terror.
12. The giant then took some water and threw it over the tree, saying as he did so:
Upon this tree will soon be seen, The richest flower that blows, Of all the garden flowers the queen, A lovely golden rose!
13. Jack gazed in wonder, and saw the rose-tree put forth a tiny shoot. This grew to a bud, and then opened into a lovely rose. Its petals 〔2〕 were of bright gold, and sparkling 〔3〕 like dew-drops among them were two large diamonds. The giant cut the rose and put it away in an iron chest in the corner of the room.
14. He then stretched himself like a dog on the hearth before the fire, and soon his snores shook the room. Jack crept softly out of his hiding-place and caught hold of the flower-pot. As he did so, the leaves of the plant rustled loudly to warn the giant, but he was sound asleep.
15. Jack got safely from the castle and away to his beanstalk with the treasure 〔4〕 . Climbing down, he soon reached home, and placed the pot on the table. He then cast water over the rose leaves, and repeated 〔5〕 the giant's words.
16. The rose grew as before. Jack and his mother gazed at it with wonder and delight. He cut the rose and took it to the keeper of the king's jewels, who said that nothing so fine had ever before been seen.
17. When the king saw the rose he sent for Jack, and offered him a large sum of money for it. At the same time, he ordered Jack to make twenty more such roses for presents to the princesses.
18. The money which Jack got for his roses made him a rich man. One day he went on a long journey, taking his mother with him, and left the rose-tree in charge of a servant, who did not know its value.
19. While he was away, the servant fell ill, and the poor rose was left in the hot sun without water. When Jack returned from his journey he found to his great sorrow that the precious 〔6〕 rose-tree was dead.
注释
〔1〕 copper: A boiler made of copper.
〔2〕 petals: Leaves of the flower.
〔3〕 sparkling: Shining brightly.
〔4〕 treasure: Something of great value.
〔5〕 repeated: Said over again.
〔6〕 precious: Worth a great price.
