POOR LITTLE JOCKO

I.

On the porch¹ of a comfortable old house, shaded by fine trees, a group of young girls were gathered around a small table, sewing.

Suddenly the harsh² notes of a hand-organ came to their ears, disturbing the peaceful stillness of the summer afternoon.

Marion Johnson, who was visiting her cousins, laid aside her work and listened.

“Why, I do believe it is the very same man that came to our town a week ago,” she exclaimed. “He had with him a poor, miserable³ looking monkey, which he called Jocko.”

Just then they saw the organ-grinder, with the monkey perched on the, organ, coming up the village street. Seeing the girls on the porch, he turned up the walk.

“I think I shall call Aunt Kate,” remarked Marion, rising and going into the house.

Aunt Kate could always be depended upon to help any dumb creature needing a friend.

Aunt Kate’s face lost its usual look of quiet good humor, as she glanced over the porch railing and saw a tall swarthy man at the foot of the[70] steps, carelessly turning the handle of a small squeaky organ.

Keeping time to the music, a weak little monkey danced very wearily⁴. When his steps dragged he was brought up quickly with a sharp jerking⁵ of the chain which was fastened to his collar.

A cap was held on his head by a tight rubber band which passed under the chin. His gaudy⁶ dress was heavy and warm and seemed to weigh down his tired limbs⁷.

Now and then, when he dared, Jocko laid a tiny brown hand on the tugging⁸ chain in an effort to ease it. With an appealing look he glanced up at his master, as if trying to make him understand how painfully the collar was cutting his thin neck.
II.

Aunt Kate’s mild blue eyes almost flashed as she motioned to the organ-grinder to stop playing.

“You no lika music?” he asked brokenly, glancing up at her in some surprise.

“Yes, that is right,” she answered, speaking very slowly and distinctly⁹.

“We do not like the music; and we do not like to see that poor monkey dance; and, above [71]
[72]all, we do not like to see you hurting his neck by pulling that chain.”
Woman, Jocko and children, organ grinder in background

The look of sullen¹⁰ anger which came over the man’s face quickly disappeared when he saw the coin in Aunt Kate’s hand.

“I will give you this,” she said, holding up the piece of money, “if you will stay here and let Jocko rest for one hour.”

The organ-grinder smiled and sat down on the steps as a sign of agreement.

At first, Jocko could scarcely believe that he might rest his weary¹¹ little legs and feet. After a while, however, he threw himself at full length upon the porch floor as some worn out child might have done.

Marion was left on guard to see that he was not disturbed when the others went to get food.

When they returned they found Jocko resting on a soft cushion, a comfort his little body had never known before.

Only after being promised more money did the organ-grinder permit Marion to take off Jocko’s hard leather collar, underneath¹² which she had discovered sores.

She bandaged the tiny neck with soft linen¹³ spread with salve. She took off his cap, too, with its tight-cutting band.

[73]

When water was brought, Jocko drank with pitiful eagerness. Many hours had passed since he had had a drink, and his throat and lips were parched¹⁴. He ate the food they offered him like a wild creature, for he was very hungry.

Every once in a while he would glance at the organ-grinder as though he feared punishment.

When the hour was up, the organ-grinder would stay no longer. As his master led him away, Jocko lifted his hat, just as if he wanted to thank Aunt Kate and the girls for their kindness.

“I never knew before,” said Marion, “how cruel it is to expect little monkeys to live such unnatural¹⁵ lives. I do hope the man will be more kind to Jocko after this.”
—Mary Craige Yarrow—Adapted.
QUESTIONS

Why didn’t the girls and their aunt like to see the little monkey dance?

What did they enjoy seeing it do?

Have you ever been very, very tired?

Can you imagine how you would feel if some giant would not let you rest?

What kind of life is natural for monkeys?

Did you ever give a penny to an organ-grinder with a monkey?

If everyone stopped giving money to men who use monkeys for begging, how would it help the little monkeys?

1 porch   

n.门廊，入口处，走廊，游廊

参考例句：

• There are thousands of pages of advertising on our porch.有成千上万页广告堆在我们的门廊上。
• The porch is supported by six immense pillars.门廊由六根大柱子支撑着。

2 harsh   

adj.严厉（酷）的，刺耳的，刺目的，毛糙的

参考例句：

• The sunlight is very harsh.太阳光很刺眼。
• Although his words are harsh,there is positiveness in them.虽然他的话很苛刻，但有建设性。

3 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

4 wearily   

adv. 疲倦地，厌烦地

参考例句：

• He trudged wearily along the path. 他沿着小路疲惫地走去。
• He sagged wearily back in his chair. 他疲倦地瘫坐到椅子上。

5 jerking   

n. 颠簸, 震摇 adj. 无节奏的 动词jerk的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• There was much jerking of heads, and looking down the line. 常常有人伸出头来，望望后面的队伍。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• "Now, don't be jerking your chin at me," warned Gerald. "好，别跟我作对了，"杰拉尔德警告说。

6 gaudy   

adj.华而不实的；俗丽的

参考例句：

• She was tricked out in gaudy dress.她穿得华丽而俗气。
• The gaudy butterfly is sure that the flowers owe thanks to him.浮华的蝴蝶却相信花是应该向它道谢的。

7 limbs   

肢( limb的名词复数 )； 大树枝； 肢体

参考例句：

• For a while, she lost the use of her limbs. 好一会儿她四肢都动弹不得。
• The prisoner's limbs flailed violently because of the pain. 那囚犯因为疼痛，四肢剧烈地抖动着。

8 tugging   

n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Tom was tugging at a button-hole and looking sheepish. 汤姆捏住一个钮扣眼使劲地拉，样子显得很害羞。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• She kicked him, tugging his thick hair. 她一边踢他，一边扯着他那浓密的头发。 来自辞典例句

9 distinctly   

ad.清楚地；显然

参考例句：

• We were distinctly underwhelmed by the director's speech. 主任的讲话显然令我们感觉索然无味。
• He was beginning to feel distinctly uneasy about their visit. 他对他们的造访明显地感到不安起来。

10 sullen   

adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的

参考例句：

• He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
• Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

11 weary   

adj.疲劳的，使人疲劳的；vi.厌烦，不耐烦

参考例句：

• He has laid out all his strength and is weary.他使出了全部气力，非常疲倦。
• I am weary of his constant complaints.我对他不断发牢骚感到厌烦。

12 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

13 linen   

n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的

参考例句：

• The worker is starching the linen.这名工人正在给亚麻布上浆。
• Fine linen and cotton fabrics were known as well as wool.精细的亚麻织品和棉织品像羊毛一样闻名遐迩。

14 parched   

adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干

参考例句：

• Hot winds parched the crops.热风使庄稼干透了。
• The land in this region is rather dry and parched.这片土地十分干燥。

15 unnatural   

adj.不自然的；反常的

参考例句：

• Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
• She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。