ONCE upon a time there was a poor laborer¹ who, feeling that he had not much longer to live, wished to divide his possessions between his son and daughter, whom he loved dearly.

So he called them to him, and said: “Your mother brought me as her dowry two stools and a straw bed; I have, besides, a hen, a pot of pinks, and a silver ring, which were given me by a noble lady who once lodged² in my poor cottage. When she went away she said to me:

“‘Be careful of my gifts, good man; see that you do not lose the ring or forget to water the pinks. As for your daughter, I promise you that she shall be more beautiful than anyone you ever saw in your life; call her Felicia, and when she grows up give her the ring and the pot of pinks to console her for her poverty.’ Take them both, then, my dear child,” he added, “and your brother shall have everything else.”

The two children seemed quite contented³, and when their father died they wept for him, and divided his possessions as he had told them. Felicia believed that her brother loved her, but when she sat down upon one of the stools he said angrily:

“Keep your pot of pinks and your ring, but let my things alone. I like order in my house.”

Felicia, who was very gentle, said nothing, but stood up crying quietly; while Bruno, for that was her brother’s name, sat comfortably by the fire. Presently, when supper-time came, Bruno had a delicious egg, and he threw the shell to Felicia, saying:

“There, that is all I can give you; if you don’t like it, go out and catch frogs; there are plenty of them in the marsh⁴ close by.” Felicia did not answer, but she cried more bitterly than ever, and went away to her own little room. She found it filled with the sweet scent⁵ of the pinks, and, going up to them, she said sadly:

“Beautiful pinks, you are so sweet and so pretty, you are the only comfort I have left. Be very sure that I will take care of you, and water you well, and never allow any cruel hand to tear you from your stems.”

As she leaned over them she noticed that they were very dry. So taking her pitcher

点击收听单词发音  

1 laborer
n.劳动者，劳工
参考例句：
Her husband had been a farm laborer.她丈夫以前是个农场雇工。 He worked as a casual laborer and did not earn much.他当临时工，没有赚多少钱。

2 lodged
v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属
参考例句：
The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 contented
adj.满意的，安心的，知足的
参考例句：
He won't be contented until he's upset everyone in the office.不把办公室里的每个人弄得心烦意乱他就不会满足。 The people are making a good living and are contented,each in his station.人民安居乐业。

4 marsh
n.沼泽，湿地
参考例句：
There are a lot of frogs in the marsh.沼泽里有许多青蛙。 I made my way slowly out of the marsh.我缓慢地走出这片沼泽地。

5 scent
n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉
参考例句：
The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。 The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

6 pitcher
n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手
参考例句：
He poured the milk out of the pitcher.他从大罐中倒出牛奶。 Any pitcher is liable to crack during a tight game.任何投手在紧张的比赛中都可能会失常。

7 brink
n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿
参考例句：
The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。 The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

8 canopy
n.天篷，遮篷
参考例句：
The trees formed a leafy canopy above their heads.树木在他们头顶上空形成了一个枝叶茂盛的遮篷。 They lay down under a canopy of stars.他们躺在繁星点点的天幕下。

9 saluted
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
The sergeant stood to attention and saluted. 中士立正敬礼。 He saluted his friends with a wave of the hand. 他挥手向他的朋友致意。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 fragrant
adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的
参考例句：
The Fragrant Hills are exceptionally beautiful in late autumn.深秋的香山格外美丽。 The air was fragrant with lavender.空气中弥漫薰衣草香。

11 humbly
adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地
参考例句：
We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy. 我们恳请陛下发发慈悲。 "You must be right, Sir,'said John humbly. “你一定是对的，先生，”约翰恭顺地说道。

12 distressed
痛苦的
参考例句：
He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑，无法回答他们的问题。 The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。

13 gratitude
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。

14 drawn
v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的
参考例句：
All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。 Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

15 winding
n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈
参考例句：
A winding lane led down towards the river.一条弯弯曲曲的小路通向河边。 The winding trail caused us to lose our orientation.迂回曲折的小道使我们迷失了方向。

16 kindly
adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地
参考例句：
Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。 A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

17 catching
adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住
参考例句：
There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。 Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

18 horrid
adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的
参考例句：
I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。 The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

19 fatigue
n.疲劳，劳累
参考例句：
The old lady can't bear the fatigue of a long journey.这位老妇人不能忍受长途旅行的疲劳。 I have got over my weakness and fatigue.我已从虚弱和疲劳中恢复过来了。

20 swarm
n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入
参考例句：
There is a swarm of bees in the tree.这树上有一窝蜜蜂。 A swarm of ants are moving busily.一群蚂蚁正在忙碌地搬家。

21 bent
n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的
参考例句：
He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。 We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

22 rustle
v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声
参考例句：
She heard a rustle in the bushes.她听到灌木丛中一阵沙沙声。 He heard a rustle of leaves in the breeze.他听到树叶在微风中发出的沙沙声。

23 humble
adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低
参考例句：
In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。 Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

24 velvet
n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的
参考例句：
This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。 The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

25 joyfully
adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地
参考例句：
She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。 During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

26 zephyrs
n.和风，微风( zephyr的名词复数 )
参考例句：
If you but smile, spring zephyrs blow through my spirits, wondrously. 假使你只是仅仅对我微笑，春天的和风就会惊奇的吹过我的心灵间。 来自互联网

27 entrusted
v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He entrusted the task to his nephew. 他把这任务托付给了他的侄儿。 She was entrusted with the direction of the project. 她受委托负责这项计划。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 undoing
n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭
参考例句：
That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。 This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。

29 mischief
n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹
参考例句：
Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。 He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。

30 amiable
adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的
参考例句：
She was a very kind and amiable old woman.她是个善良和气的老太太。 We have a very amiable companionship.我们之间存在一种友好的关系。

31 hesitation
n.犹豫，踌躇
参考例句：
After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。 There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

32 enchantment
n.迷惑，妖术，魅力
参考例句：
The beauty of the scene filled us with enchantment.风景的秀丽令我们陶醉。 The countryside lay as under some dread enchantment.乡村好像躺在某种可怖的魔法之下。

33 attired
adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The bride was attired in white. 新娘穿一身洁白的礼服。 来自《简明英汉词典》 It is appropriate that everyone be suitably attired. 人人穿戴得体是恰当的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 embroidered
adj．绣花的
参考例句：
She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。 She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。

35 suspense
n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑
参考例句：
The suspense was unbearable.这样提心吊胆的状况实在叫人受不了。 The director used ingenious devices to keep the audience in suspense.导演用巧妙手法引起观众的悬念。

36 entreat
v.恳求，恳请
参考例句：
Charles Darnay felt it hopeless entreat him further,and his pride was touched besides.查尔斯-达尔内感到再恳求他已是枉然，自尊心也受到了伤害。 I entreat you to contribute generously to the building fund.我恳求您慷慨捐助建设基金。

37 splendor
n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌
参考例句：
Never in his life had he gazed on such splendor.他生平从没有见过如此辉煌壮丽的场面。 All the splendor in the world is not worth a good friend.人世间所有的荣华富贵不如一个好朋友。