Лучшие сказки мира на английском языке. Уровень 1 / The Best Fairy Tales of the World. Сборник

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      Goldilocks[10] and the three bears

      Once upon a time[11] there were three bears, who lived together in their house in a wood. One of them was a little, small bear; one was a middle bear, and the other was a great, huge bear. They had each a pot for their porridge, a little pot for the little, small bear and a middle pot for the middle bear and a great pot for the great, huge bear. They each had a chair to sit in; a little chair for the little, small bear and a middle chair for the middle bear and a great chair for the great, huge bear. And they had each a bed to sleep in; a little bed for the little, small bear and a middle bed for the middle bear and a great bed for the great, huge bear.

      One day, they made porridge for their breakfast, and poured it into their porridge pots, and then they walked out into the wood because the porridge was too hot and they didn't want to burn their mouths. While they walked, a little girl came into the house. This little girl had golden curls that tumbled down her back to her waist, and everyone called her Goldilocks. Goldilocks walked through the woods on the way to visit her grandmother, but she took a shortcut[12] and lost her way. After wandering around the woods for a very long time, and starting to despair of ever seeing her grandmamma or her parents again, she came across a little house. She was very relieved, because she was certain that whoever lived in the house would help her. You see, she did not know that the house belonged to the three bears.

      Goldilocks went up to the house and knocked on the door, but nobody answered. She looked through the window and saw the porridge on the table that the bears made for their breakfast. She said to herself:'Oh how I wish I could eat some of that porridge! I'm so very hungry.'

      Now perhaps Goldilocks should have waited[13] until the bears came home, and then, perhaps they would have asked[14] her to breakfast – for they were good bears, very good natured and hospitable. Goldilocks did something rather bad. She tried the door of the house and found that it was open – because you see the bears didn't expect that anyone would come along and steal their porridge, and so they hadn't bothered to lock the door of the house when they went out. Goldilocks went inside. First she tasted the porridge of the great, huge bear, and that was too hot for her. Then she tasted the porridge of the middle bear, and that was too cold for her. Then she went to the porridge of the little, small bear, and tasted it. And that was not too hot and not too cold, but just right; and she liked it so well, that she ate it all.

      Little Goldilocks then sat down in the chair of the great, huge bear, and that was too hard for her. So she sat down in the chair of the middle bear, but that was too soft for her. Then she sat down in the chair of the little, small bear, and that was not too hard and not too soft, but just right. So she sat until the bottom of the chair came out, and down came she, plump upon the ground – and the naughty little girl laughed out loud.

      Then Goldilocks went upstairs into the bed chamber in which the three bears slept. First she lay down upon the bed of the great, huge bear, but that was too high at the head for her. Next she lay down upon the bed of the middle bear, and that was too high at the foot for her. Finally she lay down upon the bed of the little, small bear, and that was neither too high at the head, nor at the foot, but just right. So she covered herself up comfortably, and lay there until she fell asleep.

      By this time the three bears thought their porridge would be cool enough, so they came home to breakfast. Now naughty Goldilocks left the spoon of the great, huge bear, standing in his porridge.

      'SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!'

      Growled the great, huge bear, in his great gruff voice. When the middle bear looked at his, he saw that the spoon was standing in it too. 'Somebody has been at my porridge!' said the middle bear, in his middle voice.

      Then the little, small bear looked at his, and there was the spoon in the porridge pot, but the porridge was all gone[15].

      'Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up!' said the little, small wee bear, in his little, small wee voice.

      Upon this the three bears, seeing that someone was in their house, and ate the little, small bear's breakfast, began to look about them. Now the cushion was not straight on the chair of the great, huge bear. 'SOMEBODY HAS BEEN IN MY CHAIR!' said the great, huge bear, in his great, rough voice.

      The СКАЧАТЬ