Сборник лучших английских сказок. Уровень 1

Just then the master came through the hall, and the girl said: �By power of my three feathers may there be slashing and striving[65 - strive – состязаться, бороться] between master and men, and may all get splashed in the pond.’

And so it was, the men argued which had suffered the most by her, and when the master came up all would be heard at once and none listened to him, and they had shoved[66 - shove – пихать, толкать] one another into the pond.

When the girl thought they had had enough she took the spell off, and the master asked her what had begun the fight, for he had not heard in the confusion[67 - confusion – зд.

And the girl said: �They were ready to fall on[68 - fall on – наброситься] anyone; they’d have beat me if you had not come by.’

So it went on, and through her feathers she made the best laundress ever known. But to make a long story short, when the seven years and a day were up, the bird-husband, who had known her doings all along, came after her, restored to his own shape again.

And then he bade[69 - bid – предложить] her give the men back their savings.

�That was a rare game you had with them,’ said he, �but now you are going where there is plenty, leave them each their own.’ So she did; and they went to their castle, where they lived happy ever after.

EXERCISES

1)В True or false?

1. The girl’s husband had a deformity.

2.В After the girl saw her husband, he changed into a bird.

3.В The girl had to work for ten years as a laundry-maid.

4. The girl’s husband gave her three magic feathers.

5.В The butler, the coachman and the cook wanted to marry the girl.

2)В Fill in the gaps using words in brackets.

1. The girl… (to think) that was funny, and all her friends… (to tell) her there must be something wrong with her husband.

2. One night when he… (to come) home she suddenly… (to lit) a candle and… (to see) him.

3. And the girl… (to tell) him to bring her the money, and he… (to ask) his master for it, and… (to bring) it to her.

4. The men… (to argue) which… (to suffer) the most by her.

5. When the girl… (to think) they… (to have) enough she… (to take) the spell off.

6.