初级故事 Pecos Bill

Part 1: Bill and the Coyotes

Pecos Bill was born in the East of the United States in the 1800's. He had a lot of brothers and sisters. Bill was the baby of the family.

When Bill was about two years old, his mother and father decided to move to the West. They wanted to be pioneers. They liked the adventure of the frontier.

One day they put all their possessions in a covered wagon and began their journey. The family crossed forests, mountains, rivers and plains. They saw many new things. They met friendly Indians.

When they arrived in Texas, little Bill fell out of the covered wagon! His brothers and sisters didn't see him fall out. His parents didn't see him fall out!

That evening his parents looked for him. They looked everywhere, but they did not find little Bill. They were very sad but they continued their journey.

Little Bill was all alone in the plains of South Texas. He was all intelligent child. He looked around. He saw mountains, cacti and other small plants. It was very hot. Then he saw a cave. He went inside the cave and slept. He slept for a long time.

In the cave there was a family of coyotes. There was a mother coyote and five small coyotes. The mother coyote liked little Bill. She decided to protect him. Bill liked his new mother and his new brothers and sisters. He played with the little coyotes. The coyote family was kind to him. He copied the coyotes and learned to run and eat. He learned to drink water from the river.

At night Bill howled at the moon with the coyotes. Bill learned to speak the language of the animals. Soon Bill forget about his human family. He thought he was a coyote!

Many years passed and Bill grew up. One day when he was about 20 years old, Bill was at the Pecos River with the other coyotes. He drank water with them. A cowboy saw him and asked, "Why are you drinking water in that way? You aren't a coyote!"

Bill looked at the cowboy and said, "Yes, I am!"

"No! You're not a coyote!" said the cowboy.

"Of course I'm a coyote! This is my coyote family," said Bill

"Where's your tail?" asked the cowboy.

Bill looked in the water of the Pecos River to see his reflection . He didn't see his tail. He looked and looked. He turned around and looked again. He was surprised. He didn't have a tail!

"You're right. I'm not a coyote. My name is Bill. I'm a human! This is a big surprise for me," he said.

The cowboy laughed and Bill laughed too.

"My name's Tall Tom. I'm a very tall cowboy. This is the Pecos River and I will call you Pecos Bill. Come with me, Pecos Bill! You can be a cowboy with me. We can work together at the Longhorn Ranch."

"What's a cowboy?" asked Pecos Bill.

"A cowboy watches and guards the cattle and horses. He takes cattle from Texas to other places. People from the East buy our cattle. They like good meat. A cowboy is a strong, courageous man."

Pecos Bill wanted to be a cowboy. He said goodbye to the coyotes. He was sad to leave them. They were his friends.

Then he said to Tall Tom, "Let's go to the ranch!"

The cowboy gave Pecos Bill some cowboy clothes. Pecos Bill looked at the clothes and laughed. Then he put them on.

Tall Tom rode his horse. Pecos Bill walked near him because he didn't have a horse. It was a sunny day. The sky was blue and the sun was hot.

Part 2: King of the Cow boys Pecos Bill and Tall Tom traveled under the hot sun. It was a long journey.

When they arrived at the mountains, it was evening. Pecos Bill said, "I'm tired. Let's sit down and rest."

“That's a good idea," said Tall Tom. "My horse is tired and thirsty.”He gave his horse some water to drink.

Pecos Bill and Tall Tom sat down under a big tree. There was a blackbird in the tree. It sang a happy song. Pecos Bill knew the language of the animals so he spoke to the blackbird. They had a long conversation.

Pecos Bill and Tall Tom ate some biscuits and drank some water. Pecos Bill gave the blackbird some of his biscuit.

Tall Tom sang a Western song. Pecos Bill liked it and asked, "What's the name of the song?"

"It's called Red River Valley. Many cowboys in Texas sing it," said Tall Tom.

Tall Tom made a fire and they talked about a cowboy's life.

They looked at the stars in the night sky. Then they fell asleep. Early the next morning they began their journey to the ranch.

After two days they finally arrived at the cattle ranch. The other cowboys were happy to meet Pecos Bill.

"Welcome to Longhorn Ranch," said the cowboys.

The ranch was very big. There were longhorn cattle , everywhere. They ate grass and drank water at the river.

Pecos Bill saw the cowboys on their horses. Every cowboy had a long rope in his hands.

"I want to be a cowboy," Pecos Bill said to Tall Tom. "What must I do?"

"First, you must find a horse. Second, you must have a rope. Then we must take all the cattle to the Red River Valley. Then we must sell the cattle there. The Red River Valley is far away. It is a long, difficult journey."

Pecos Bill looked around. He saw a black horse near a cactus.

No one wanted to ride that horse. He went to the horse and talked to it in animal language. The horse didn't answer.

Pecos Bill got on the horse. He tried to ride it.

After a few moments the black horse bucked him off, Bill tried again.

The black horse bucked him off again.

"You're a bucking bronco! That's your new name: Bucking Bronco," said Pecos Bill to the horse.

Bucking Bronco bucked Pecos Bill off for three days. He did not want a master. Pecos Bill was strong and determined. He wasn't afraid of Bucking Bronco. He wasn’t afraid of anything!

Bucking bronco was a beautiful horse, but he was very wild. On the fourth day Bucking Bronco stopped bucking. He understood that Pecos Bill was a special cowboy. Pecos Bill was very strong. Bucking Bronco knew that Pecos Bill was his new master.

Pecos Bill and Bucking Bronco became good friends. Together they roped the cattle of Texas. Together they took cattle from Texas to other states.

Pecos Bill became a famous cowboy. He was the best cowboy at the rodeos. Everyone knew him and liked him. He became the King of the Cowboys of Texas!

After a few years, Pecos Bill met a beautiful woman called Sue. She was very friendly. Her home was near the Rio Grande River. Pecos Bill loved her and she loved him.

One sunny day in April they got married. Everyone at the Longhorn Ranch celebrated the wedding. There was an exciting rodeo. There was music, dancing and a lot of good food.

Soup Sam, the friendly cook, organised a pie eating competition.

Tall Tom's favourite food was apple pie. But he did not win King of the Cow boys the competition. His friend Big Bob won the pie-eating competition. Big Bob ate 88 apple pies!

Pecos Bill and Sue were very happy at the Longhorn Ranch.

Pecos Bill never forgot his friends the coyotes. And he never forgot the language of the animals.

中级故事 哈姆雷特

Part Three: The Play

Two university friends come to visit Hamlet. Their names are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. At first Hamlet is very pleased to see them. But they ask a lot of questions and he becomes suspicious.

'Why are you behaving so strangely?'

'What's the matter with you?'

'Tell us what you are thinking about. We are your friends.'

'I think the King has sent them. They are spying on me. I shall not tell them anything. I cannot trust anyone except Horatio'

Some traveling actors arrive at Elsinore. Hamlet loves the theatre and he greets them like old friends.

'Welcome to Elsinore!'

'We have come to perform a play for the King and Queen.'

'That gives me an idea, Horatio. I shall put some extra words in their play.

I shall put the Ghost's story on the stage!'

That night, Claudius and Gertrude watch the play. There are three characters —the Player King, the Player Queen and Lucianus, the Queen's lover…the murderer!

'I shall always love you.'

'But if I die, you will marry again.'

'No, never!'

'Do you like the play, Mother?'

'The lady speaks too much about love.'

All the court of Denmark watch the play. Ophelia, Polonius, Horatio,Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are all there. But nobody knows the secret of King Hamlet's death….except Claudius and Hamlet. On the stage, while the Player king is sleeping, the murderer pours poison in his ear. Hamlet watches Claudius's face carefully.

'This is the Ghost's story. If Claudius is afraid, I shall know he is guilty.'

Suddenly, Claudius stands up and runs out of the court. Everybody follows him. The actors do not know what the problem is.

'Lights! Lights! Stop the play!'

'Did you see that, Horatio? The King is frightened. The Ghost's story is true!'

After the play, Claudius feels very guilty so he goes to pray in the chapel. Hamlet finds him there.

'I want God to forgive me for my brother's murder. Perhaps, if I pray, he will help me.'

'It would be easy for me to kill him now. But if I kill him while he is praying, his soul will go to heaven. I want him to go to hell. I shall wait for another opportunity.'

'I cannot repent! God doesn't listen to my words!'

***

It's good to see you again, my friends. Let me give you some advice for the play tonight. First of all, you shouldn't speak too loudly or too quietly. If the audience can't hear you, they won't be pleased. But if you shout, they won't like it. Secondly, you shouldn't move your hands too much. But it's important to speak clearly, so the audience will understand you. Next,remember to pay attention to the meaning of the words. Last of all, don't add any extra lines to the play and don't change the writer's words. I'll repeat all that because it's important.

First of all, don't speak too loudly or too quietly. Secondly, don't move your hands too much, Thirdly, you should speak clearly. Next, you should pay attention to the meaning of the words. Finally, don't add any extra lines or change the words of the play.

Part Four: Murder and Exile 

It is the middle of the night, the time for witches and ghosts. Hamlet goes to see his mother in her bedroom. He does not know that someone is hiding behind the curtain and listening to everything.

'Hamlet, why did you offend the king?'

'Mother, why did you betray my father?'

'Don't move. I want to talk to you. I want to make you look into the mirror of your soul.'

The Queen is afraid of Hamlet and she begins to scream. The spy behind the curtain shouts for help. Hamlet turns round quickly and without thinking kills the listener.

'Are you going to murder me? Help! Help!'

'Help! Murder!'

'What's that? Is it a rat? Is it the King?'

When Hamlet pulls backthe curtain, he sees Polonius… dead!

'What have you done? You have murdered Polonius!'

'I thought it was the King! I'm sorry that I have killed this poor fool. But Mother, I'm not as bad as you. You killed a king and married his brother.'

'What do you mean?'

Suddenly, the Ghost appears in the room. He has come to remind Hamlet to take revenge before it is too late. Gertrude cannot see or hear him,so she thinks that Hamlet is crazy.

'Hamlet, don't hurt your mother. Remember that you must kill Claudius.

Don't waste time!'

'What is he looking at? He's mad. Oh, my poor son!'

'Can't you see him, Mother? Don't you pity him?'

'Hamlet, here is nothing there except the air.'

The Ghost disappears.

'No, I'm not mad, Mother. Look at this portrait of my father. He was a good, brave, handsome man. Remember him and stay away from Claudius!'

'I will, sweet Hamlet.'

'But as soon as Claudius kisses you, you will forget everything and tell him my secrets.'

'No, I promise not to betray you.'

'I am glad, Mother. Now I must take away Polonius's body. Goodnight.'

When Claudius hears that Hamlet has killed Polonius, he decides to send the Prince away.

'Hamlet is dangerous. I shall send him to England. Perhaps he will recover from his madness in a different country. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, go with him and look after him.'

'I shall send secret letters to the King of England. I shall tell the English to execute Hamlet as soon as soon as he arrives. When he is dead, I shall be safe.'

***

Narrator: It was a long journey be sea to England. One night, Hamlet could not sleep because he was thinking about all his problems. He got out of bed and walked around the ship.

While Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were sleeping, he stole Claudiu's letter to the King of England. To his surprise, he read these orders:

'As soon as Hamlet arrives, cut off his head.'

Hamlet quickly prepared another letter. 'Execute the people who bring you this letter,' he wrote. He signed it 'Cloudius'. Then he went back to his cabin and hid the original letter.

'When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive in England,' he thought, 'the English King will execute them, But how am I going to return to Denmark?'

The next morning, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern woke up without realising that the letter had been changed.