CHAPTER IX ALADDIN'S LAMP

 Said Mama Bear: "'Tis time for bed,

That is very clear.

Scamper¹ off, as good Bears should,

A story you shall hear!"

 

 

"It is time to go to bed," said Mama Bear.

 

"I am afraid to go up in the dark," said the first little Bear.

 

"I am not a bit sleepy," said the sec­ond little Bear.

 

"Please let me stay up a little while," said the third little Bear.

 

"We are all afraid of the dark," said the fourth little Bear in a whisper².

 

Red Riding Hood³ said: "If you are all in bed in five minutes I will come up and tell you a story!"

 

Then the first little Bear ran up the stairs as fast as his fat little legs could carry him!

 

The second little Bear cried: "Good­night, Pa. Good-night, Ma." and all the little Bears ran up-stairs and got into bed as fast as they could.

 

Red Riding Hood did not go up­stairs for a few minutes. She was look­ing for her story-book.

 

The first little Bear cried: "Oh, Ma, may I have a drink of water?"

 

The second little bear cried: "Oh, Ma, please come and open the window!"

 

Then Papa Bear called: "Hush⁴! be still! Red Riding Hood is coming up."

 

Little Bear was so sleepy he fell asleep.

 

Curly⁵ Bear woke him up. Little Bear said: "Did they find the pot of gold?" He had been, dreaming again.

 

Pretty soon Red Riding Hood came upstairs; she said: "I cannot find my story-book, but I will tell you a story."

 

"What is the story about?" shouted all the little Bears.

 

Red Riding Hood said: "It is the story of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp."

 

This is the story Red Riding Hood told the little Bears:

 

Aladdin was a poor boy. One day he met a stranger. The stranger told him to build a fire for him.

 

Aladdin built a fire and watched it burn. When the fire died out he saw a stone and a ring.

 

The stranger said: "Lift the stone and go under the ground and get a lamp for me."

 

Aladdin lifted the stone and went under the ground.

 

He was in a beautiful place.

 

He saw bright lights and many jew­els about him.

 

He put jewels in his pockets and in his cap.

 

He soon found the lamp.

 

Aladdin called to the stranger: "Help me up, please."

 

The stranger said: "I will not let you up until you give me the lamp."

 

Aladdin said: "I want to keep the lamp myself."

 

The stranger put the stone back in place, and Aladdin could not get out.

 

Aladdin did not know what to do. He wrung⁶ his hands, and rubbed the ring, which he had put on his finger.

 

As soon as he rubbed the ring, a fairy appeared.

 

The fairy said: "You may have one wish."

 

Aladdin said: "I want to go home!"

 

The fairy took Aladdin home, and Aladdin soon found that whenever he wanted anything; all he had to do was to rub⁷ the ring, or the lamp, and the fairy would come.

 

Whenever Aladdin wanted any­thing he called the fairy.

 

He grew very rich, of course.

 

He married a princess and lived in a palace.

 

One day the stranger heard about Aladdin.

 

The stranger still wanted the lamp.

 

One day Aladdin went away from home.

 

The stranger bought some new lamps.

 

Then he went about the streets, call­ing:

 

"I give new lamps for old ones! I give new lamps for old ones!"

 

He came to the palace where Alad­din lived.

 

He traded a new lamp for Aladdin's wonderful lamp.

 

The stranger rubbed the lamp and wished that Aladdin's palace were in Africa.

 

Aladdin came home. His palace was gone. He, rubbed his ring, and was taken to his palace.

 

He rubbed the ring again and wished for the lamp.

 

He lived happy ever after.

 

"Tell it again," said the first little Bear.

 

"Where is the lamp now?" asked the second little Bear.

 

"Where is the magic ring?" asked Curly Bear.

 

Little Bear did not say a word. He had fallen asleep again.

 

"You must all go to sleep," said Red Riding Hood.

 

Then all the seventeen little Bears fell asleep.

 

Curly Bear dreamed about Aladdin and his wonderful lamp.

 

 

 

 

1 scamper   

v.奔跑，快跑

参考例句：

• She loves to scamper through the woods of the forest.她喜欢在森林里的树林中穿梭嬉戏。
• The flash sent the foxes scampering away.闪光惊得狐狸四处逃窜。

2 whisper   

n.耳语，密谈，谣传，飒飒的声音；vi.耳语，密谈，飒飒地响；vt.低声说

参考例句：

• Their voices fell to a whisper.他们的话音低到成了耳语。
• I've heard a whisper that he's going to resign.我听到了一个传闻说他准备辞职。

3 hood   

n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖

参考例句：

• She is wearing a red cloak with a hood.她穿着一件红色带兜帽的披风。
• The car hood was dented in.汽车的发动机罩已凹了进去。

4 hush   

int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静

参考例句：

• A hush fell over the onlookers.旁观者们突然静了下来。
• Do hush up the scandal!不要把这丑事声张出去！

5 curly   

adj.卷曲的，卷缩的

参考例句：

• The little boy has curly hair.这小男孩长着一头卷发。
• She is tall and dark with curly hair.她高高的个子，黑皮肤，卷头发。

6 wrung   

绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水）

参考例句：

• He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
• He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。

7 rub   

n.摩擦，困难，障碍，难点，磨损处；vt.擦，搓，摩擦，惹怒；vi.摩擦，擦破

参考例句：

• Don't let the wire rub up against the pipe.别让电线碰到管子上。
• He used to rub up against many famous movie stars.他过去经常偶然碰到许多有名的影星。