书城外语澳大利亚学生文学读本(第1册)
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第41章

THE OLD WOmAN AND HER PIG

One day, an old woman went to market to buy a pig.

A man sold her a fine fat one.

He was so fat he could not get on very fast.

When they came to a stile, he did not want toget over it.

The woman went on until she saw a dog, and she said, "Dog, dog, bite pig; pig won"t get over the stile; and I shall not get home to- night."But the dog would not bite the pig.

The old woman went a little farther until she saw a stick, and she said, "Stick, stick, beat dog; dog won"t bite pig;pig won ‘ t jum pover the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."But the stick would not be at the dog.

The old woman

went a little farther until she saw a fire, and she said, "Fire, fire, burn stick; stick won"t beat dog;dog won"t bite pig; pig won"t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."But the fire would not burn the stick.

The old woman went a little farther until shesaw some water, and she said, "Water, water, quench fire; fire won"t burn stick; stick won" t beat dog; dog won"t bite pig; pig won" t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."But the water would not quench the fire.

T he old wom a n went a little farther

until she saw an ox,

and she said, "Ox, ox, drink water; water won"t quench fire; fire won"t burn stick; stick won"t beat dog; dog won"t bitepig; pig won"t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."But the ox would not drink the water.

The old woman went a little farther until she saw a butcher, and she said, "Butcher, butcher, kill ox; ox won"t drink water; water won"t quench fire; fire won"t burn stick; stick won"t beat dog; dog won"t bite pig; pig won"t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."But the butcher would not kill the ox.

The old woman went a little farther until she saw a rope; and she said, "Rope, rope, hang butcher; butcher won"t kill ox; ox won"t drink water; water won"t quench fire; fire won"t burn stick; stick won"t beat dog; dog won"t bite pig; pig won"t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."But the rope would not hang the butcher.

The old woman went a little farther until she saw a rat, and she said, "Rat, rat, gnaw rope; rope won"t hang butcher; butcher won"t kill ox; ox won"t drink water; water won"t quench fire; firewon"t burn stick; stick won"t beat dog; dog won"t bite pig; pig won"t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."But the rat would not gnaw the rope.

The old woman went a little farther, until she saw a cat, and she said, "Cat, cat, kill rat; rat won"t gnaw rope;rope won"t hang butcher ; butcher won" t k ill ox; ox won"t drink water; water won"t quench fire; fire wont burn stick; stick won"t beat dog; dog won"t bite pig; pig won"t jump over the stile; and I shall not get home tonight."The cat said, "Bring me some milk and I

will."

So the old woman went a little farther until she saw a cow, and she said, "Please, cow, give me some milk for the cat."The cow said, "I will not give you milk until you bring me a handful of hay."The old woman ran to the haystack and came back with a handful of hay.

The cow gave the old woman some milk. She gave the milk to the cat.

Then the cat began to kill the rat; the rat began to gnaw the rope; the rope began to hang the butcher; the butcher began to kill the ox; the ox began to drink the water; the water began to quench the fire; the fire began to burn the stick; the stick began to beat the dog; the dog began to bite the pig; and the pig jumped over the stile; and the old woman got home that night after all.

PROVERBS

Waste not, want not.

A stitch in time saves nine.

Set a stout heart to a steep hill.