THE FIRE AND WATER MAN

 Jan and Katrina were down at Bram’s house. Bram’s house is by the canal.

Down the canal came a man in a boat. Now and then the man would call “Fire” in a loud voice. Then he would call “Water.”

He was the Fire-and-Water Man. He sells fire and water to the people by the canal.

Bram’s mother called,[78] “Quick, Bram! Here comes the Fire-and-Water Man! Run for the shovel¹ and buy some coals of fire from him. I need water, too. Take the big blue pail² with the cover, then you will not spill any of the water. Hurry, Bram!”

“I will take your pail to the man,” said Jan. “I will carry the water and Bram can carry the fire.”

So Bram and Jan ran down to the boat and bought hot coals and fresh water from the man.

Then the man sailed on down the canal in his boat. They could hear him calling “Fire” and “Water.” He was going to sell fire and water to other Dutch mothers.

1 shovel   

n.铁锨，铲子，一铲之量；v.铲，铲出

参考例句：

• He was working with a pick and shovel.他在用镐和铲干活。
• He seized a shovel and set to.他拿起一把铲就干上了。

2 pail   

n.桶，提桶

参考例句：

• There was a pail of water on the ground.地上有一桶水。
• She can lift a pail of water from the ground.她能把一桶水提起来。