One day an old man and his wife were sitting in front of a miserable¹ house resting a while from their work. Suddenly a splendid carriage with four black horses came driving up, and a richly-dressed man descended² from it. The peasant stood up, went to the great man, and asked what he wanted, and in what way he could be useful to him? The stranger stretched out his hand to the old man, and said, “I want nothing but to enjoy for once a country dish; cook me some potatoes, in the way you always have them, and then I will sit down at your table and eat them with pleasure.” The peasant smiled and said, “You are a count or a prince, or perhaps even a duke; noble gentlemen often have such fancies, but you shall have your wish.” The wife went into the kitchen, and began to wash and rub the potatoes, and to make them into balls, as they are eaten by the country-folks. Whilst she was busy with this work, the peasant said to the stranger, “Come into my garden with me for a while, I have still something to do there.” He had dug some holes in the garden, and now wanted to plant some trees in them. “Have you no children,” asked the stranger, “who could help you with your work?” “No,” answered the peasant, “I had a son, it is true, but it is long since he went out into the world. He was a ne’er-do-well; sharp, and knowing, but he would learn nothing and was full of bad tricks, at last he ran away from me, and since then I have heard nothing of him.”

The old man took a young tree, put it in a hole, drove in a post beside it, and when he had shovelled³ in some earth and had trampled⁴ it firmly down, he tied the stem of the tree above, below, and in the middle, fast to the post by a rope of straw. “But tell me,” said the stranger, “why you don’t tie that crooked⁵ knotted tree, which is lying in the corner there, bent⁶ down almost to the ground, to a post also that it may grow straight, as well as these?” The old man smiled and said, “Sir, you speak according to your knowledge, it is easy to see that you are not familiar with gardening. That tree there is old, and mis-shapen, no one can make it straight now. Trees must be trained while they are young.” “That is how it was with your son,” said the stranger, “if you had trained him while he was still young, he would not have run away; now he too must have grown hard and mis — shapen.” “Truly it is a long time since he went away,” replied the old man, “he must have changed.” “Would you know him again if he were to come to you?” asked the stranger. “Hardly by his face,” replied the peasant, “but he has a mark about him, a birth-mark on his shoulder, that looks like a bean.” When he had said that the stranger pulled off his coat, bared his shoulder, and showed the peasant the bean. “Good God!” cried the old man, “Thou art really my son!” and love for his child stirred in his heart. “But,” he added, “how canst thou be my son, thou hast become a great lord and livest in wealth and luxury? How hast thou

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1 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。

2 descended
a.为...后裔的，出身于...的
参考例句：
A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。 The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

3 shovelled
v.铲子( shovel的过去式和过去分词 )；锹；推土机、挖土机等的)铲；铲形部份
参考例句：
They shovelled a path through the snow. 他们用铲子在积雪中铲出一条路。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The hungry man greedily shovelled the food into his mouth. 那个饿汉贪婪地把食物投入口中。 来自辞典例句

4 trampled
踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯
参考例句：
He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊，怕他让暴民踩着。 People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。

5 crooked
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。 You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

6 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。

7 contrived
adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的
参考例句：
There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said.他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。 The plot seems contrived.情节看起来不真实。

8 whatsoever
adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么
参考例句：
There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。 All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

9 dexterity
n.(手的)灵巧，灵活
参考例句：
You need manual dexterity to be good at video games.玩好电子游戏手要灵巧。 I'm your inferior in manual dexterity.论手巧，我不如你。

10 beheld
v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
参考例句：
His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

11 distinguished
adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的
参考例句：
Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。 A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

12 leniently
温和地，仁慈地
参考例句：
He marked the paper leniently. 他改考卷打分数很松。 Considering the signs he showed of genuine repentance,we shall deal leniently with him. 鉴于他有真诚悔改的表现，我们将对他宽大处理。

13 croaking
v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说
参考例句：
the croaking of frogs 蛙鸣 I could hear croaking of the frogs. 我能听到青蛙呱呱的叫声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 raven
n.渡鸟，乌鸦；adj.乌亮的
参考例句：
We know the raven will never leave the man's room.我们知道了乌鸦再也不会离开那个男人的房间。 Her charming face was framed with raven hair.她迷人的脸上垂落着乌亮的黑发。

15 tottering
adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠
参考例句：
the tottering walls of the castle 古城堡摇摇欲坠的墙壁 With power and to spare we must pursue the tottering foe. 宜将剩勇追穷寇。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 tottered
v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠
参考例句：
The pile of books tottered then fell. 这堆书晃了几下，然后就倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The wounded soldier tottered to his feet. 伤员摇摇晃晃地站了起来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 draught
n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计
参考例句：
He emptied his glass at one draught.他将杯中物一饮而尽。 It's a pity the room has no north window and you don't get a draught.可惜这房间没北窗，没有过堂风。

18 bridle
n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒
参考例句：
He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。 I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。

19 bellows
n.风箱；发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的名词复数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的第三人称单数 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫
参考例句：
His job is to blow the bellows for the blacksmith. 他的工作是给铁匠拉风箱。 来自辞典例句 You could, I suppose, compare me to a blacksmith's bellows. 我想，你可能把我比作铁匠的风箱。 来自辞典例句

20 awakened
v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到
参考例句：
She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。 The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 stony
adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的
参考例句：
The ground is too dry and stony.这块地太干，而且布满了石头。 He listened to her story with a stony expression.他带着冷漠的表情听她讲经历。

22 hoofs
n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The stamp of the horse's hoofs on the wooden floor was loud. 马蹄踏在木头地板上的声音很响。 来自辞典例句 The noise of hoofs called him back to the other window. 马蹄声把他又唤回那扇窗子口。 来自辞典例句

23 galloped
（使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事
参考例句：
Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。 The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。

24 gallows
n.绞刑架，绞台
参考例句：
The murderer was sent to the gallows for his crimes.谋杀犯由于罪大恶极被处以绞刑。 Now I was to expiate all my offences at the gallows.现在我将在绞刑架上赎我一切的罪过。

25 sufficiently
adv.足够地，充分地
参考例句：
It turned out he had not insured the house sufficiently.原来他没有给房屋投足保险。 The new policy was sufficiently elastic to accommodate both views.新政策充分灵活地适用两种观点。

26 favourable
adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的
参考例句：
The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。 We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。

27 villain
n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因
参考例句：
He was cast as the villain in the play.他在戏里扮演反面角色。 The man who played the villain acted very well.扮演恶棍的那个男演员演得很好。

28 gainsay
v.否认，反驳
参考例句：
She is a fine woman-that nobody can gainsay.她是个好女人无人能否认。 No one will gainsay his integrity.没有人对他的正直有话可讲。

29 unwillingly
adv.不情愿地
参考例句：
He submitted unwillingly to his mother. 他不情愿地屈服于他母亲。 Even when I call, he receives unwillingly. 即使我登门拜访，他也是很不情愿地接待我。

30 crafty
adj.狡猾的，诡诈的
参考例句：
He admired the old man for his crafty plan.他敬佩老者的神机妙算。 He was an accomplished politician and a crafty autocrat.他是个有造诣的政治家，也是个狡黠的独裁者。

31 crabs
n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
As we walked along the seashore we saw lots of tiny crabs. 我们在海岸上散步时看到很多小蟹。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The fish and crabs scavenge for decaying tissue. 鱼和蟹搜寻腐烂的组织为食。 来自《简明英汉词典》

32 crab
n.螃蟹，偏航，脾气乖戾的人，酸苹果；vi.捕蟹，偏航，发牢骚；vt.使偏航，发脾气
参考例句：
I can't remember when I last had crab.我不记得上次吃蟹是什么时候了。 The skin on my face felt as hard as a crab's back.我脸上的皮仿佛僵硬了，就象螃蟹的壳似的。

33 ascended
v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》 The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

34 behold
v.看，注视，看到
参考例句：
The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。 The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

35 pastor
n.牧师，牧人
参考例句：
He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。 We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

36 puddles
n.水坑， （尤指道路上的）雨水坑( puddle的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The puddles had coalesced into a small stream. 地面上水洼子里的水汇流成了一条小溪。 The road was filled with puddles from the rain. 雨后路面到处是一坑坑的积水。 来自《简明英汉词典》

37 captivity
n.囚禁；被俘；束缚
参考例句：
A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。 He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

38 wager
n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌
参考例句：
They laid a wager on the result of the race.他们以竞赛的结果打赌。 I made a wager that our team would win.我打赌我们的队会赢。

39 elevation
n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高
参考例句：
The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。 His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

40 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。