Сборник лучших английских сказок. Уровень 1

When they arrived at the palace, they were immediately shown into a room where the princess and her suite[33 - suite – свита] were sitting. Jack, who never stood on ceremony, cried, ‘What a troop[34 - troop – отряд] of fair ladies we’ve got here!’

‘Yes,’ said the princess, ‘we are fair ladies, for we carry fire in our bosoms[35 - bosom – грудь].’

‘Do you?’ said Jack. ‘Then roast me an egg,’ pulling out[36 - pull out – вытащить] the egg from his pocket.

‘How will you get it out again?’ said the princess.

‘With a crooked stick,’ replied Jack, producing[37 - produce – зд. предъявить] the hazel.

‘Where did that come from?’ said the princess.

‘From a nut,’ answered Jack, pulling out the nut from his pocket. ‘I’ve answered the three questions, and now I’ll have the lady.’ ‘No, no,’ said the king, ‘not so fast. You have still a test to go through. You must come here in a week’s time and watch for one whole night with the princess, my daughter. If you can manage to keep awake the whole night long you shall marry her next day.’

‘But if I can’t?’ said Jack.

‘Then off goes your head,’ said the king. ‘But you need not try unless you like.’

Well, Jack went back home for a week, and thought over[38 - think over – обдумать] whether he should try to win the princess. At last he made up his mind. ‘Well,’ said Jack, ‘I’ll have a try; so now for the king’s daughter, or a headless shepherd!’

He took his bottle and bag and went to the court. In his way he had to cross a river and he saw several pretty fish swimming there, so he caught some and put them into his pocket. When he reached the palace he knocked at the gate loudly with his crook. He was immediately led to the hall where the king’s daughter sat ready to see her lovers. He was placed in a luxurious[39 - luxurious – роскошный] chair, and rich wines and spices were set before him, and all sorts of delicate meats. Jack, unused to such feast, ate and drank, so that he was nearly dozing[40 - doze – клевать носом, засыпать] before midnight.

‘Oh, shepherd,’ said the lady, ‘I have caught you napping[41 - nap – дремать]!’

‘No, my lady, I was fishing.’

‘Fishing,’ said the princess in the astonishment: ‘But, shepherd, there is no fish-pond in the hall.’

‘I have been fishing in my pocket, and have just caught one.’

‘Oh!’ said she, ‘let me see it.’

The shepherd pulled the fish out of his pocket and showed it her, and she said it was the finest she ever saw.

About half an hour afterwards, she said, ‘Shepherd, do you think you could get me one more?’

He replied, ‘I may, when I have baited[42 - bait – насаживать приманку на крючок] my hook’; and after a little while he brought out another, which was finer than the first, and the princess was so delighted that she gave him leave to go to sleep, and promised to excuse him to her father.

In the morning the princess told the king, to his great astonishment, that Jack must not be beheaded, for he had been fishing in the hall all night; but when he heard how Jack had caught such beautiful fish out of his pocket, he asked him to catch one in his own. Jack readily undertook the task, and told to the king to lie down. Than Jack pretended to fish in his pocket, having another fish concealed[43 - conceal – скрывать] ready in his hand, and pricking[44 - prick – укалывать] him with a needle, he held up the fish, and showed it to the king.

His majesty was surprised, and the princess and Jack were married the same day, and lived for many years in happiness and prosperity[45 - prosperity – преуспевание].

EXERCISES

1) True or false?

1. A nobleman had two sons.

2. On his way to princess Jack found an egg, a stick and a nut.

3. After answering the three questions Jack was married to the princess immediately.

4. Jack said that he was hunting in his pocket.

5. Jack was a shepherd.

6. Jack pulled three fish out of his pocket.

2) Fill in the gaps using words in brackets.

1. The nobleman… (to have) three sons, two of whom… (to be) clever, but the third one… (to be) a fool.

2. ‘Where… (to do) that come from?’… (to say) the princess.

3. He… (to take) his bottle and bag and… (to go) to the court.

4. In his way he had… (to cross) a river and he… (to see) several pretty fish swimming there.

5. Jack… (to catch) some and… (to put) them into his pocket.

6. He was immediately… (to lead) to the hall where the king’s daughter… (to sit) ready to see her lovers.

7. The shepherd… (to pull) the fish out of his pocket and… (to show) it her, and she… (to say) it… (to be) the finest she ever… (to see).

3) Translate the following sentences:

1. У аристократа было три сына: два умных, а третий – дурак.

2. Джек снова засмеялся, когда нашёл изогнутую ореховую палочку.

3. Что за отряд хорошеньких дам у нас тут?

4. Дошли слухи, что кто угодно может попробовать сразиться за женитьбу на принцессе.

5. Джек вытащил из кармана и предъявил принцессе яйцо, изогнутую ореховую палочку и орех.

6. Тот, кто сможет продержаться без сна целую ночь, женится на принцессе.

7. Джек насадил приманку на крючок и поймал рыбку у себя в кармане и в кармане у короля.

4) Match the synonyms. Sometimes there can be more than one synonym to each word:

doze ____________________

tell

hide ____________________

shriek ____________________