小学英语格林童话系列（二）桧树GodfatherDeath死神教父（一）阅读素材.docx 5页

GodfatherDeathJacobandWilhelmGrimm　　Apoormanhadtwelvechildrenandhadtoworkdayandnightinorderjusttofeedthem.Thuswhenthethirteenthcameintotheworld,notknowingwhattodoinhisneed,heranoutintothehighway,intendingtoaskthefirstpersonwhomhemettobethegodfather.　　thefirstpersonwhocamehiswaywasourdearGod,whoalreadyknewwhatwasinhisheart,andGodsaidtohim,"Poorman,Ipityyou.Iwillholdyourchildathisbaptism,andcareforhim,andmakehimhappyonearth."　　themansaid,"Whoareyou?"　　"IamGod."　　"thenIdonotwishtohaveyouforagodfather,"saidtheman."Yougivetotherich,andletthepoorstarve."　　Thusspoketheman,forhedidnotknowhowwiselyGoddividesoutwealthandpoverty.ThenheturnedawayfromtheLord,andwentonhisway.　　thenthedevilcametohimandsaid,"Whatareyoulookingfor?Ifyouwilltakemeasyourchild"sgodfather,Iwillgivehimanabundanceofgoldandallthejoysoftheworldaswell."　　themanasked,"Whoareyou?" 　　"Iamthedevil."　　"thenIdonotwishtohaveyouforagodfather,"saidtheman.Youdeceivemankindandleadthemastray."　　Hewentonhisway,andthenDeath,onhiswitheredlegs,camewalkingtowardhim,andsaid,"Takemeasyourchild"sgodfather."　　themanasked,"Whoareyou?"　　"IamDeath,whomakeseveryoneequal."　　thenthemansaid,"Youaretherightone.Youtakeawaytherichaswellasthepoor,withoutdistinction.Youshallbemychild"sgodfather.　　Deathanswered,"Iwillmakeyourchildrichandfamous,forhewhohasmeforafriendcannotfail."　　themansaid,"NextSundayisthebaptism.Bethereontime."　　Deathappearedashehadpromised,andservedasgodfatherinanorderlymanner.　　Aftertheboycameofagehisgodfatherappearedtohimonedayandaskedhimtogowithhim.HetookhimoutintothewoodsandshowedhimanherbthatGREwthere,saying,"Nowyoushallreceiveyourgodfather"spresent.Iwillturnyouintoafamousphysician.WheneveryouarecalledtoasickpersonIwillappeartoyou.IfIstandatthesickperson"shead,youmaysaywithconfidencethatyoucanmakehimwellagain;thengivehimsomeofthisherb,andhewillrecover.ButifIstandatthesickperson"sfeet,heismine,and youmustsaythatheisbeyondhelp,andthatnophysicianintheworldcouldsavehim.Butbewareofusingthisherbagainstmywill,orsomethingverybadwillhappentoyou."　　Itwasnotlongbeforetheyoungmanhadbecomethemostfamousphysicianinthewholeworld.Peoplesaidofhim,"Heonlyneedstolookatthesickinordertoimmediatelyknowtheircondition,whethertheywillregaintheirhealth,oraredoomedtodie."Andpeoplecametohimfromfarandwide,takinghimtotheirsick,andgivinghimsomuchmoneythathesoonbecameawealthyman.　　Nowitcametopassthatthekingbecameill.Thephysicianwassummonedandwastoldtosayifarecoverywerepossible.However,whenheapproachedthebed,Deathwasstandingatthesickman"sfeet,andsonoherbonearthwouldbeabletohelphim.　　"IfIcouldonlydeceivedeathforonce,"thoughtthephysician."Hewillbeangry,ofcourse,butbecauseIamhisgodsonhewillshutoneeye.Iwillriskit."Hethereforetookholdofthesickmanandlaidhimtheotherwayaround,sothatDeathwasnowstandingathishead.Thenhegavethekingsomeoftheherb,andherecoveredandbecamehealthyagain.　　However,Deathcametothephysician,madeadarkandangryface,threatenedhimwithhisfinger,andsaid,"Youhavebetrayedme.Iwilloverlookitthistimebecauseyouaremygodson,butifyoudaretodoitagain,itwillcostyouyourneck,forIwilltakeyouyourselfawaywithme."　　Soonafterwardtheking"sdaughterbecameseriouslyill.Shewashisonlychild,andhecrieddayandnightuntilhiseyesweregoingblind.Thenheproclaimedthatwhosoeverrescuedherfromdeathshouldbecomeherhusbandand inheritthecrown.　　Whenthephysiciancametothesickgirl"sbedhesawDeathatherfeet.Heshouldhaverememberedhisgodfather"swarning,buthewassoinfatuatedbytheprincess"sGREatbeautyandtheprospectofbecomingherhusbandthathethrewallthoughttothewinds.HedidnotseethatDeathwaslookingathimangrily,liftinghishandintotheair,andthreateninghimwithhiswitheredfist.Heliftedupthesickgirlandplacedherheadwhereherfeethadbeen.Thenhegavehersomeoftheherb,andhercheeksimmediatelyturnedred,andlifestirredinheronceagain.　　Death,seeingthathehadbeencheatedoutofhispropertyforasecondtime,approachedthephysicianwithlongstridesandsaid,"Youarefinished.Nowitisyourturn."　　thenDeathseizedhimsofirmlywithhisice-coldhandthathecouldnotresist,andledhimintoanundergroundcavern.Therethephysiciansawhowthousandsandthousandsofcandleswereburninginendlessrows,somelarge,othersmedium-sized,otherssmall.Everyinstantsomediedout,andotherswererelit,sothatthelittleflamesseemedtobejumpingaboutinconstantchange.　　"See,"saidDeath,"thesearethelife-lightsofmankind.Thelargeonesbelongtochildren,themedium-sizedonestomarriedpeopleintheirbestyears,andthelittleonestooldpeople.However,evenchildrenandyoungpeopleoftenhaveonlyatinycandle."　　"Showmemylife-light,"saidthephysician,thinkingthatitstillwouldbeverylarge.　　Deathpointedtoalittlestumpthatwasjustthreateningtogoout,and said,"See,thereitis."　　"Oh,deargodfather,"saidthehorrifiedphysician,"lightanewoneforme.Doitasafavortome,sothatIcanenjoymylife,andbecomekingandthehusbandofthebeautifulprincess."　　"Icannot,"answeredDeath."Onemustgooutbeforeanewoneislighted."　　"thensettheoldoneontoanewonethatwillgoonburningaftertheoldoneisfinished,"beggedthephysician.　　Deathpretendedthathewasgoingtofulfillthiswishandtookholdofalargenewcandle,but,desiringrevenge,hepurposelymadeamistakeinrelightingit,andthelittlepiecefelldownandwentout.Thephysicianimmediatelyfelltotheground,andhetoowasnowinthehandsofDeath.