from三思堂童話親子列車

1、1. The Lion and The Mouse FableOne day a lion lay sleeping peacefully in the sun. Quite by mistake, a small mouse ran right over the lions nose. The lion woke with a start and clapped his huge paw over the mouse. “My, what a nice little snack you will make,” roared the lion. “Oh, please sir,” said t

2、he mouse, “spare my life! I didnt mean to disturb you. Please let me go! I was only out looking for seeds for my hungry children.” “What do I care about your children?” said the lion. “Im hungry, too” And he opened his big jaws. “Mercy!” cried the mouse. “If you let me go, I will do a kind deed for

3、you someday.” The lion laughed. “And how do you think a tiny little creature like you can help a mighty creature like me? Thats the funniest thing I ever heard. But Ill let you go because you make me laugh, which is something I seldom do.” The lion lifted his paw and the grateful mouse scurried away

4、. A few days later, the mouse was gathering seeds again when she heard a terrible, sad roaring in the distance. “Thats the lion!” said the mouse, and she scampered toward the sound. She found the lion trapped under a huge net that hunters had set to trap lions. “Woe is me!” cried the lion when he sa

5、w the mouse. “Soon the hunters will come back and kill me!” “Never fear!” said the mouse. “I will free you.” She set to work gnawing at the net with her sharp teeth. Soon she had made a large hole through which the lion could escape. “You see?” said the mouse. “I told you I would repay you, small as

6、 I am.”2. The River of Stars Folktale from ChinaLong ago, the sun god ruled over the stars and sky. His daughter was the goddess of weaving. On her loom, she spun the colors of the day. She wove the whispery pink of dawn and the glowing red sunset.One morning, the goddess met a herdsman leading his

7、oxen to the water. The two fell in love and were soon married.They were so happy that they forgot all about their work. No colors softened the harsh summer sun as it rose and set. No attention was paid to the oxen.“I am displeased,” the sun god told them. The couple promised to return to their work.

8、But love proved stronger than promises. The loom stood idle. Oxen wandered the fields.The sun god grew angrier. “I will put an end to your foolishness!” he stormed.He created a great river in the sky. The river ran so swift that no boat could cross it. It ran so wide that no bridge could span it. He

9、 called this river the Milky Way.The sun god ordered, “My daughter shall live on one side of the river, her husband on the other.”Broken-hearted, the herdsman returned to the fields. Once again, the goddess sat at her loom.On earth, the magpies saw how unhappy the sun goddess and herdsman were. Then

10、 the birds thought of a way they could help the couple.Once a year the magpies meet above the Milky Way.With their wings, they make a bridge across the river so that the sun goddess can spend a few, precious hours with her husband.3. The Magic Porridge Pot by Harriet ZiefertThere once was a little g

11、irl who lived with her mother. They were poor and had no money for food. One day, the mother said, “All I have for you is one small cracker. Make it last:The little girl went out to play. Along came an old man. “Can you give me something to eat?” he asked. “Yes,” said the little girl. She gave him h

12、er cracker. “Thank you,” said the old man. “And here is a present for you.” “This is a magic pot. When you want to eat, say Little pot, cook! When you have eaten all you want, say Little pot, stop!”The little girl ran home. She put the pot on the table. She said, “Little pot, cook!” The pot began to

13、 fill with porridge. The little girl ate two bowls of porridge. Her mother ate two bowls. They were full and happy. Then the little girl said, “Little pot, stop!” The pot stopped making porridge. One day, the little girl went out to play. Her mother wanted some porridge. “I dont need to call my litt

14、le girl,” she said. “I know what to do.” She looked at the pot and said, “Cook, little pot.” Nothing happened. So she said, “Little pot, cook!” And the little pot began to fill with porridge. The mother ate a bowlful. While she ate, the pot was filling itself up again. “No more, little pot!” said th

15、e mother. The pot went on filling. “Little pot, no more,” said the mother. And the pot went on filling. Porridge began to run over the top of the pot. “Little pot, dont cook!” said the mother. Porridge poured out of the pot, over the table, and onto the floor. “Dont cook, little pot” “Oh dear, oh my

16、! What are the right words? What should I say?” asked the mother.Faster and faster came the porridge. Up the wallsOut the doorand down the street!“No, no, porridge pot!” the mother said. But nothing stopped the porridge. The little girl saw a river of porridge coming toward her. She guessed what had

17、 happened. She shouted, “Little pot, stop!” Everyone brought spoons. They ate and ate until they got back home.4. How Zebras Got Their StripesLong, long ago there were no zebras.But there were a lot of donkeys.The donkeys worked hard each and every day.They had no time to play or to relax.It was jus

18、t work, work, work.The donkeys carried heavy bundles.They carried the bundles for miles,but they never felt appreciated for the work they did.One day two donkeys got fed up.They decided they did not want to work all the time.Instead, they wanted to graze in green fields.They wanted to drink from cle

19、ar streams,and they wanted to lie on soft grass.The donkeys went to see a wise old man.They told him their problem.The wise old man thought and thought.He agreed that they worked too hard,and he wanted to help the donkeys.Then suddenly the wise old man jumped up.“I have an idea,” he said.“What is yo

20、ur idea?” asked the donkeys.“I am going to paint you,” said the man.“I will paint you, and no one will know you are donkeys.”The wise old man went off to find some paint,and he returned in just a matter of minutes.He had two pots of paint.One pot was filled with white paint,and the other was filled

21、with black paint.The old man began to paint the donkeys.First he painted them white, and thenhe painted black stripes over the white paint.When he was finished,the donkeys did not look at all like donkeys.“You no longer look like donkeys,” the wise old man said.“Everyone will be fooled. I will call

22、you something else.I will call you zebras.”The zebras went to a field to graze.No one bothered them,and they did not have to work.Instead, they lay in the grass and slept.Soon other donkeys saw the zebras.They asked the zebras where they came from.When the zebras told the donkeys their secret,the do

23、nkeys all rushed to see the wise old man.“Make us into zebras, too,” they pleaded.So the wise old man painted more donkeys.As he did, more and more donkeys came.The old man could not paint fast enough.Soon the donkeys became impatient.They began to kick and stir about,and they knocked over the paint

24、 pots.There was no more paint.The painted donkeys ran off to become zebras.The unpainted donkeys, because oftheir impatience, had to return to work.This is why both donkeys and zebras roam the earth.This is also why it is important to be patient.5. Big Surprise from三思堂童話親子列車Mama Bear lived in a very

25、 beautiful forest.She was so kind and considerate that everyone loved her very much.It was a nice warm afternoon.Mama Bear was trying to take a nap when someone knocked on her door.It was Cindy Rabbit.Hello, may I borrow some sugar? Cindy asked.I dont have much sugar today, Mama Bear said, But you m

26、ay have all of it.Thank you, Cindy said and went away.When Mama Bear closed her eyes, someone else knocked on her door.It was Robin Raccoon.Good afternoon. Mama Bear. May I borrow two eggs? Robin asked.I dont have many eggs today, Mama Bear said, But you may have two. Im sorry to bother you. said Robin.Its OK. said Mama Bear.Thank you. Robin said and went away.Oh, Im so tired, said Mama Bear.When she closed her eyes, someone else knocked on her door.It was David Turtle.May I borrow some