how to tell children stories(如何给孩子讲故事)-第31章
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mind to eat you； too。〃 Andbefore you could say 〃Jack Robinson〃slip！
slop！ gobble！ down went the old woman！
Then the cat started down the road again； walking like this； because he
felt so fine。 Pretty soon he met a man driving a donkey。 The man was
beating the donkey； to hurry him up； and when he saw the cat he said； 〃Get
out of my way； cat； I'm in a hurry and my donkey might tread on you。〃
〃Donkey； indeed！〃 said the cat； 〃much I care for a donkey！ I have
eaten five hundred cakes； I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an old
woman；what's to hinder my eating a miserable man and a donkey？〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the old man and the donkey。
Then the cat walked on down the road； jauntily； like this。 After a little；
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he met a procession； coming that way。 The king was at the head； walking
proudly with his newly married bride； and behind him were his soldiers；
marching； and behind them were ever and ever so many elephants；
walking two by two。 The king felt very kind to everybody； because he had
just been married； and he said to the cat； 〃Get out of my way； pussy； get
out of my way； my elephants might hurt you。〃
〃Hurt me！〃 said the cat； shaking his fat sides。 〃Ho； ho！ I've eaten five
hundred cakes； I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an old woman；
I've eaten a man and a donkey； what's to hinder my eating a beggarly
king？〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the king； down went the queen；
down went the soldiers；and down went all the elephants！
Then the cat went on； more slowly； he had really had enough to eat；
now。 But a little farther on he met two land…crabs； scuttling along in the
dust。 〃Get out of our way； pussy；〃 they squeaked。
〃Ho； ho ho！〃 cried the cat in a terrible voice。 〃I've eaten five hundred
cakes； I've eaten my friend the parrot； I've eaten an old woman； a man with
a donkey； a king； a queen； his men…at…arms； and all his elephants； and now
I'll eat you too。〃
And slip！ slop！ gobble！ down went the two land…crabs。
When the land…crabs got down inside； they began to look around。 It
was very dark； but they could see the poor king sitting in a corner with his
bride on his arm； she had fainted。 Near them were the men…at…arms；
treading on one another's toes； and the elephants； still trying to form in
twos；but they couldn't； because there was not room。 In the opposite
corner sat the old woman； and near her stood the man and his donkey。 But
in the other corner was a great pile of cakes； and by them perched the
parrot； his feathers all drooping。
Let's get to work！〃 said the land…crabs。 And； snip； snap； they began to
make a little hole in the side； with their sharp claws。 Snip； snap； snip；
snap；till it was big enough to get through。 Then out they scuttled。
Then out walked the king； carrying his bride； out marched the men…at…
arms； out tramped the elephants； two by two； out came the old man；
beating his donkey； out walked the old woman； scolding the cat； and last
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of all； out hopped the parrot； holding a cake in each claw。 （you remember；
two cakes were all he wanted？）
But the poor cat had to spend the whole day sewing up the hole in his
coat！
THE RAT PRINCESS＇1＇
＇1＇ Adapted from Frank Rinder's Old World Japan。 In telling this story
the voice should be changed for the Sun Cloud； Wind； and Wall； as is
always done in the old story of The Three Bears。
Once upon a time； there was a Rat Princess； who lived with her father；
the Rat King； and her mother； the Rat Queen； in a ricefield in far away
Japan。 The Rat Princess was so pretty that her father and mother were
quite foolishly proud of her； and thought no one good enough to play with
her。 When she grew up； they would not let any of the rat princes come to
visit her； and they decided at last that no one should marry her till they had
found the most powerful person in the whole world； no one else was good
enough。 And the Father Rat started out to find the most powerful person in
the whole world。 The wisest and oldest rat in the ricefield said that the Sun
must be the most powerful person； because he made the rice grow and
ripen； so the Rat King went to find the Sun。 He climbed up the highest
mountain； ran up the path of a rainbow； and travelled and travelled across
the sky till he came to the Sun's house。
〃What do you want； little brother？〃 the Sun said； when he saw him。
〃I come；〃 said the Rat King； very importantly； 〃to offer you the hand
of my daughter； the princess； because you are the most powerful person in
the world； no one else is good enough。〃
〃Ha； ha！〃 laughed the jolly round Sun； and winked with his eye。 〃You
are very kind； little brother； but if that is the case the princess is not for me；
the Cloud is more powerful than I am； when he passes over me I cannot
shine。〃
〃Oh； indeed；〃 said the Rat King； 〃then you are not my man at all〃； and
he left the Sun without more words。 The Sun laughed and winked to
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himself。 And the Rat King travelled and travelled across the sky till he
came to the Cloud's house。
〃What do you want； little brother？〃 sighed the Cloud when he saw
him。
〃I come to offer you the hand of my daughter； the princess；〃 said the
Rat King； 〃because you are the most powerful person in the world； the
Sun said so； and no one else is good enough。〃
The Cloud sighed again。 〃I am not the most powerful person；〃 he said；
〃the Wind is stronger than I；when he blows； I have to go wherever he
sends me。〃
〃Then you are not the person for my daughter；〃 said the Rat King
proudly； and he started at once to find the Wind。 He travelled and travelled
across the sky； till he came at last to the Wind's house； at the very edge of
the world。
When the Wind saw him coming he laughed a big； gusty laugh； 〃Ho；
ho！〃 and asked him what he wanted； and when the Rat King told him that
he had come to offer him the Rat Princess's hand because he was the most
powerful person in the world； the Wind shouted a great gusty shout； and
said； 〃No； no； I am not the strongest； the Wall that man has made is
stronger than I； I cannot make him move； with all my blowing； go to the
Wall； little brother！〃
And the Rat King climbed down the sky… path again； and travelled and
travelled across the earth till he came to the Wall。 It was quite near his
own ricefield。
〃What do you want； little brother？〃 grumbled the Wall when he saw
him。
〃I come to offer you the hand of the princess； my daughter； because
you are the most powerful person in the world； and no one else is good
enough。〃
〃Ugh； ugh；〃 grumbled the Wall； 〃I am not the strongest； the big grey
Rat who lives in the cellar is stronger than I。 When he gnaws and gnaws at
me I crumble and crumble； and at last I fall； go to the Rat； little brother。〃
