Сергей Матвеев: The Three Little Pigs / Три поросенка и другие сказки

The girl went again to the grocer’s, and the grocer gave her a third bunch. But the same thing happened! [53]The big dog came again and ran off with the candles as usual.

Then the girl came to her stepmother crying, because she had spent all the money and had lost three bunches of candles.

The stepmother was angry, but she pretended not to mind the loss. [54]She said to the child, “Come, lay your head on my lap that I may comb your hair.” So the little girl laid her head in the woman’s lap, who proceeded to comb the yellow hair. And when she combed the hair fell over her knees, and rolled right down to the ground.

Then the stepmother hated her more for the beauty of her hair; so she said to her, “I cannot part your hair on my knee, fetch a billet of wood.” So she fetched it. Then said the stepmother, “I cannot part your hair with a comb, fetch me an axe.” So she fetched it.

“Now,” said the wicked woman, “lay your head down on the billet while I part your hair.”

Well! she laid down her little golden head without fear; and whist! [55]down came the axe, [56]and it was off. [57]So the mother wiped the axe and laughed.

Then she took the heart and liver of the little girl, and she stewed them and brought them into the house for supper. The husband tasted them and shook his head. He said they tasted very strangely. She gave some to the little boy, but he would not eat. She tried to force him, but he refused, and ran out into the garden, and took up his little sister, and put her in a box, and buried the box under a rose-tree; and every day he went to the tree and wept, till his tears ran down on the box.

One day the rose-tree flowered. It was spring, and there among the flowers was a white bird. The bird sang, and sang, and sang like an angel out of heaven. Then it flew away. It went to a cobbler’s shop, and perched itself on a tree nearby; and thus it sang,

“My wicked mother slew me,

My dear father ate me,

My little brother whom I love

Sits below, and I sing above

Stick, stock, stone dead.”

“Sing again that beautiful song,” asked the shoemaker.

“Please give me those little red shoes that you are making.”

The cobbler gave the shoes, and the bird sang the song; then flew to a tree in front of a watchmaker’s, [58]and sang:

“My wicked mother slew me,

My dear father ate me,

My little brother whom I love

Sits below, and I sing above

Stick, stock, stone dead.”

“Oh, the beautiful song! sing it again, sweet bird,” asked the watchmaker.

“Please give me that gold watch and chain in your hand.” The jeweller gave the watch and chain. The bird took it in one foot, the shoes in the other, and repeated the song. Then the bird flew away to where [59]three millers were picking a millstone. The bird perched on a tree and sang:

“My wicked mother slew me,

My dear father ate me,

My little brother whom I love

Sits below, and I sing above

Stick!”

Then one of the men put down his tool and looked up from his work,

“Stock!”

Then the second miller’s man laid aside his tool and looked up,

“Stone!”

Then the third miller’s man laid down his tool and looked up,

“Dead!”

Then all three cried out with one voice: “Oh, what a beautiful song! Sing it, sweet bird, again.”

“Please put the millstone round my neck,” said the bird. The men did what the bird wanted and away to the tree it flew with the millstone round its neck, the red shoes in one foot, and the gold watch and chain in the other. It sang the song and then flew home. It rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house, and the stepmother said, “It thunders.” Then the little boy ran out to see the thunder, and down dropped the red shoes at his feet.

It rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house once more, and the stepmother said again: “It thunders.” Then the father ran out and down fell the chain about his neck.

Father and son came in, laughing and saying, “See, what fine things the thunder has brought us!” Then the bird rattled the millstone against the eaves of the house a third time; and the stepmother said, “It thunders again, perhaps the thunder has brought something for me,” and she ran out. But alas! When she stepped outside the door, the millstone fell down on her head; and so she died.

1. Выберите правильный вариант:

1. The girl was very beautiful, but her stepmother was nicer.

2. The girl was very beautiful, and although her brother loved her, his mother hated her.

3. The girl was very beautiful, and although her brother did not love her, his mother adored her.

4. The girl was not beautiful, but her brother loved her.

2. Who is a stepmother?

1. A stepmother is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child.

2. A stepmother is a person who is the sister or sister-in-law of a parent.

3. A stepmother is one’s father’s wife and not one’s natural mother.

4. A stepmother is the sister of one’s spouse.

3. Where did the stepmother send the little girl?

1. The stepmother sent the little girl to the village to bring some water.

2. The stepmother sent the little girl to the her father.

3. The stepmother sent the little girl to the forest to pick up some berries.

4. The stepmother sent the little girl to the store to buy candles.

4. How many times did the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog steal them?

1. Three times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.

2. Two times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.

3. Four times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.

4. Five times, the girl put down the candles to climb a stile, and a dog stole them.

5. What did the stepmother told the daughter when she returned?

1. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to go away.

2. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to prepare dinner.

3. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to come and let her comb her hair.

4. When the daughter returned, her stepmother told her to rest a little.

6. What is the millstone?

1. It is the iron support, usually four-armed or cross-shaped, for the turning stone.

2. It is the stone used in grist mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.

3. It is the common rock granite.

4. It is the colourless and transparent stone.

7. Выберите правильный вариант:

1. The stepmother stewed the daughter’s heart and liver, and her husband tasted them and said they were delicious.

2. The stepmother stewed the daughter’s heart and liver, and her husband tasted them and said they tasted strangely.

3. The stepmother stewed the daughter’s heart and liver, and her husband ate them all and asked some more food.

4. The stepmother stewed the daughter’s head and liver, and her husband tasted them and said they tasted strangely.

8. Why did the brother refuse to eat his sister’s heart and liver?

1. Because he was sorry for his sister.

2. Because they were not delicious.

3. Because he was not hungry.

4. Because he was vegetarian.

9. Выберите нужное прилагательное:

One day, the rose-tree flowered, and a _____________bird appeared.

1. black

2. blue

3. red

4. white

10. Выберите нужные слова:

The bird sang to a cobbler and received _____________; it sang to a watchmaker and received _____________; it sang to three millers and received _____________.