小学英语格林童话系列（二）theTwelveBrothers十二兄弟（二）阅读素材.docx 4页

theTwelveBrothers　"No,"theyanswered.　　Hecontinuedspeaking,"YouhavebeeninthewoodswhileIstayedathome,butIknowmorethanyoudo."　　"thentellus,"theyshouted.　　Heanswered,"Ifyouwillpromisemethatthenextgirlwemeetshallnotbekilled."　　"Yes,"theyallshouted."Wewillshowhermercy.Justtellus."　　thenhesaid,"Oursisterishere,"andliftedupthetub.Theprincesscameforthinherroyalclothingandwiththegoldenstaronherforehead,sobeautiful,delicate,andfine.　　theyallrejoiced,fallingaroundherneckandkissingher,andtheylovedherwithalltheirhearts.　　NowshestayedathomewithBenjaminandhelpedhimwiththework.Theelevenwentintothewoodsandcapturedwildgame,deer,birds,anddoves,sotheywouldhavesomethingtoeat.TheirsisterandBenjaminprepareditall.Theygatheredwoodforcooking,herbsforthestew,andputthepotontothefiresoamealwasalwaysreadywhentheelevencamehome.Shealsokeptthehouseinorder,andmadeupthebedswhiteandclean.Thebrotherswerealwayssatisfied,andtheylivedhappilywithher.　　Onetimethetwoofthemhadpreparedagoodmealathome,andsotheysat togetherandateanddrankandwereeversohappy.Nowtherewasalittlegardennexttothebewitchedhouse,andinitthereweretwelvelilies,thekindthatarecalled"students."Wantingtobringsomepleasuretoherbrothers,shepickedthetwelveflowers,intendingtogiveonetoeachofthemwhentheywereeating.Butinthesameinstantthatshepickedtheflowers,thetwelvebrothersweretransformedintotwelveravens,andtheyflewawayabovethewoods.Thehouseandthegardendisappearedaswell.　　Nowthepoorgirlwasaloneinthewildwoods.Lookingaround,shesawanoldwomenstandingnexttoher.　　theoldwomansaid,"Mychild,whathaveyoudone?"Whydidyounotleavethetwelvewhiteflowersstanding?Thosewereyourbrothers,andnowtheyhavebeentransformedintoravensforever."　　thegirlsaid,crying,"Istherenowaytoredeemthem?"　　"No,"saidtheoldwoman,"Thereisonlyonewayintheworld,anditissodifficultthatyouwillneverredeemthem.Youmustremainsilentfortwelvewholeyears,neitherspeakingnorlaughing.Ifyouspeakasingleword,evenifallbutonehourofthesevenyearshaspassed,thenitwillallbefornothing,andyourbrotherswillbekilledbythatoneword."　　thenthegirlsaidinherheart,"IknowforsurethatIwillredeemmybrothers."　　Shewentandfoundatalltreeandclimbedtoitstop,whereshesatandspan,withoutspeakingandwithoutlaughing.　　Nowitcametopassthatakingwashuntinginthesewoods.Hehadalarge GREyhoundthatrantothetreewherethegirlwassitting.Itjumpedabout,yelpingandbarkingupthetree.Thekingcame,sawthebeautifulprincesswiththegoldenstaronherforehead,andwassoenchantedbyherbeautythatheshouteduptoher,askinghertobecomehiswife.Shegavehimnoanswer,butnoddedwithherhead.Thenhehimselfclimbedthetree,carriedherdown,setheronhishorse,andtookherhomewithhim.　　theirweddingwascelebratedwithGREatpompandjoy,butthebrideneitherspokenorlaughed.　　Aftertheyhadlivedafewyearshappilytogether,theking"smother,whowasawickedwoman,begantoslandertheyoungqueen,sayingtotheking,"Youhavebroughthomeacommonbeggarwomanforyourself.Whoknowswhatkindofgodlessthingssheissecretlydoing.Evenifsheisamuteandcannotspeak,shecouldatleastlaugh.Anyonewhodoesnotlaughhasanevilconscience."　　Atfirstthekingdidnotwanttobelievethis,buttheoldwomankeptitupsolong,accusingherofsomanywickedthings,thatthekingfinallylethimselfbeconvinced,andhesentencedhertodeath.　　AGREatfirewaslitinthecourtyard,whereshewastobeburnedtodeath.Thekingstoodupstairsathiswindow,lookingonwithcryingeyes,forhestilllovedherdearly.Shehadalreadybeenboundtothestake,andthefirewaslickingatherclothingwithitsredtongues,whenthelastmomentofthesevenyearspassed.　　Awhirringsoundwasheardintheair,andtwelveravensapproached,landingtogether.Astheytouchedtheearth,itwashertwelvebrothers,whomshehadredeemed.Theyrippedthefireapart,putouttheflames,andfreedtheirsister,kissingandembracingher. 　　Nowthatshecouldopenhermouthandspeak,shetoldthekingwhyshehadremainedsilentandhadneverlaughed.　　thekingrejoicedtohearthatshewasinnocent,andtheyalllivedhappilytogetheruntiltheydied.Thewickedstepmotherwasbroughtbeforethecourtandplacedinabarrelfilledwithboilingoilandpoisonoussnakes,andshediedanevildeath.