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FRANCIS AND MARTIN
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Once there was a father who had only one son, Francis by name. They had a farmhand called Martin. One day Martin and Francis were ploughing behind the barn1. Francis’s mother brought their meal for them, and Francis said: “Well, mother, the old man must have a lot more money than he lets on to have. We are not in debt, and yet he’s always complaining that he hasn’t any money.”

“Well, my son, you see, he’s built that large building.”

Next day Francis and Martin were ploughing together again. They decided2 that they must get on the old man’s track to see whether he had any money, and where he hid it. Francis promised Martin that, if he could find it out, he would build a cottage for him at the back of the barn. So they agreed that Martin should stay away from church to try to find out if [187]the farmer had any money hidden away at home.

When Sunday came, Francis went to church, but Martin kept on saying he wouldn’t go, until the farmer forced him to go. So he dressed for church and went out through the farm gate. But he came back on the other side, climbed over the fence, and hid himself in the barn. Soon after this the farmer came into the barn, carrying a basket full of coins. He dug a hole in the threshing-floor, put the money in it, and said: “Black Barabbas! preserve this money for me! Thou black bird! I put it in thy power!” Then he went and fetched a second basket and put it in the hole. But while he was gone to fetch the money, Martin slipped out of his hiding-place, took some of the money, and put it in his boots. Now, the farmer came back again with a third basket, and said once more: “Thou black bird! keep this money for me, and let nobody else have it, unless he gets it by ploughing this threshing-floor with three black goats!”

As he was saying these words, a blackbird was soaring3 above his head and crying out: “Master, what about the money in the boots?”

But the farmer did not understand what it [188]meant, and so he went to look at his own boots, which were in the room. But he found no money there, so he was angry and said: “What, you devil4! it’s rubbish you are talking. I’ve looked in my boots and there’s nothing there.” Then he buried the money, stamped down the threshing-floor hard again, and went out.

Martin went to the stable, and there he found Francis waiting for him to tell him what the parson’s sermon5 had been about that day, so that he would know what to say if the farmer asked him about it.

Soon afterwards the old man was taken ill and died. The two lads were pleased at this, for they hoped that they wouldn’t be long about getting the money. Martin got three black goats, he put them in the plough, and sent Francis to plough there. The wind began to blow violently, and the whole barn looked as though it were on fire. He was frightened and stopped ploughing, and immediately the whole barn was just as it had been before. So he went out of the barn and asked Martin to plough for him. Martin started, and, although the wind blew violently enough, he kept on ploughing until he got the money. [189]

When Francis had the money, he began to build just as he wanted until he had spent it all. Then he gave Martin the sack6.

Martin said sorrowfully: “This is the world’s gratitude7.”

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1 barn 6dayp     
n.谷仓,饲料仓,牲口棚
参考例句:
  • That big building is a barn for keeping the grain.那幢大房子是存放粮食的谷仓。
  • The cows were driven into the barn.牛被赶进了牲口棚。
2 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
3 soaring ziSzOe     
adj.往上爬升的;高耸的
参考例句:
  • The house prices in the city seemed soaring up without limit. 这个城市的房价好像在无限制地飞涨。
  • They were amazed at the soaring drive of our oil workers. 他们对我国石油工人的冲天干劲感到惊奇。
4 devil dlMzu     
n.魔鬼,恶魔
参考例句:
  • It is easier to raise the devil than to lay him.召鬼容易驱鬼难。
  • Susie,you're a determined little devil.苏茜,你真是个坚决的小家伙。
5 sermon UErzy     
n.布道,讲道,说教,冗长的讲话
参考例句:
  • The minister preaches a sermon now and then.牧师不时地讲道。
  • Don't preach me a sermon,please.请不要对我讲大道理。
6 sack mCbz7     
n.袋子,劫掠;vt.解雇,劫掠,把...装入袋子
参考例句:
  • They made him pay for his offence by giving him the sack.他们解雇了他,从而使他因自己的过错而受到了惩罚。
  • If you're late again tomorrow,you'll get the sack!如果你明天再迟到,那就卷铺盖走吧!
7 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。


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