THE Emperor's horse was shod with gold．It had a golden shoe on each of its feet．

And why was this？

He was a beautiful creature，with delicate legs，bright intelligent eyes，and a mane that hung down over his neck like a veil．He had carried his master through the fire and smoke of battle，and heard the bullets whistling around him，had kicked，bitten，and taken part in the fight when the enemy advanced，and had sprung with his master on his back over the fallen enemy's horse，and had saved the crown of red gold，and the life of the Emperor，which was more valuable than the red gold；and that is why the Emperor's horse had gold-en shoes．

And a Beetle¹ came creeping forth²．

“First the great ones，”said he，“and then the little ones；but it's not size that does it．”And so saying，he stretched out his thin legs．

“What do you want？”asked the smith．

“Golden shoes，”replied the Beetle．

“Why，you must be out of your senses，”cried the smith．“Do you want to have golden shoes too？”

“Golden shoes！”I said the Beetle．“Am I not just as good as that big creature，that is waited on，and brushed，and has meat and drink put before him？Don't I belong to the imperial stable？”

“But why is the horse to have golden shoes？Don't you understand that？”asked the smith．

“Understand？I understand that it is a slight to me，”cried the Beetle．“It is an insult，and therefore I am now going into the wide world．”

“Go along！”said the smith．

“You're a rude fellow！”cried the Beetle；and then he went Out of the stable，flew a little way，and soon afterwards found himself in a beautiful flower garden，all fragrant³ with roses and lavender．

“Is it not beautiful here？”asked one of the little Ladybirds that flew about，with black spots on their red shield-like wings．“How sweet it smells here—how beautiful it is！”

“I'm accustomed to better things．”said the Beetle．“Do you call this beautiful？Why，there is not so much as a dung-heap．”

Then he went on，under the shadow of a great stock，and found a Caterpillar⁴ crawling along．

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1 beetle
n.甲虫，近视眼的人
参考例句：
A firefly is a type of beetle.萤火虫是一种甲虫。 He saw a shiny green beetle on a leaf.我看见树叶上有一只闪闪发光的绿色甲虫。

2 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。

3 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。

4 caterpillar
n.毛虫，蝴蝶的幼虫
参考例句：
A butterfly is produced by metamorphosis from a caterpillar.蝴蝶是由毛虫脱胎变成的。 A caterpillar must pass through the cocoon stage to become a butterfly.毛毛虫必须经过茧的阶段才能变成蝴蝶。

5 conceited
adj.自负的，骄傲自满的
参考例句：
He could not bear that they should be so conceited.他们这样自高自大他受不了。 I'm not as conceited as so many people seem to think.我不像很多人认为的那么自负。

6 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。

7 refreshing
adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的
参考例句：
I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。 The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

8 hind
adj.后面的，后部的
参考例句：
The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。 Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

9 specially
adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地
参考例句：
They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。 The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

10 maternal
adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的
参考例句：
He is my maternal uncle.他是我舅舅。 The sight of the hopeless little boy aroused her maternal instincts.那个绝望的小男孩的模样唤起了她的母性。

11 clergy
n.[总称]牧师，神职人员
参考例句：
I could heartily wish that more of our country clergy would follow this example.我衷心希望，我国有更多的牧师效法这个榜样。 All the local clergy attended the ceremony.当地所有的牧师出席了仪式。

12 spoke
n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
参考例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。 The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

13 beetles
n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》 This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

14 fatigued
adj. 疲乏的
参考例句：
The exercises fatigued her. 操练使她感到很疲乏。 The President smiled, with fatigued tolerance for a minor person's naivety. 总统笑了笑，疲惫地表现出对一个下级人员的天真想法的宽容。

15 standing
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
参考例句：
After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。 They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

16 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。

17 maiden
n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的
参考例句：
The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。 The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

18 maidens
处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球
参考例句：
stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事 Transplantation is not always successful in the matter of flowers or maidens. 花儿移栽往往并不成功，少女们换了环境也是如此。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

19 betrothal
n. 婚约, 订婚
参考例句：
Their betrothal took place with great pomp and rejoicings. 他们举行了盛大而又欢乐的订婚仪式。 "On the happy occasion of the announcement of your betrothal," he finished, bending over her hand. "在宣布你们订婚的喜庆日。" 他补充说，同时低下头来吻她的手。

20 Forsaken
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词
参考例句：
He was forsaken by his friends. 他被朋友们背弃了。 He has forsaken his wife and children. 他遗弃了他的妻子和孩子。

21 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。

22 forsook
forsake的过去式
参考例句：
He faithlessly forsook his friends in their hour of need. 在最需要的时刻他背信弃义地抛弃朋友。 She forsook her worldly possessions to devote herself to the church. 她抛弃世上的财物而献身教会。

23 espied
v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
One day a youth espied her as he was hunting.She saw him and recognized him as her own son, mow grown a young man. 一日，她被一个正在行猎的小伙子看见了，她认出来这个猎手原来是自己的儿子，现在已长成为一个翩翩的少年。 来自《简明英汉词典》 In a little while he espied the two giants. 一会儿就看见了那两个巨人。 来自辞典例句

24 woolen
adj.羊毛(制)的；毛纺的
参考例句：
She likes to wear woolen socks in winter.冬天她喜欢穿羊毛袜。 There is one bar of woolen blanket on that bed.那张床上有一条毛毯。

25 abominable
adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的
参考例句：
Their cruel treatment of prisoners was abominable.他们虐待犯人的做法令人厌恶。 The sanitary conditions in this restaurant are abominable.这家饭馆的卫生状况糟透了。

26 prances
v.（马）腾跃( prance的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
The little girl prances about the room in her new clothes. 小女孩穿著新衣在屋里雀跃。 来自互联网 Southern Jiangsu prances, go in countrywide front row, and northward Heibei economy temperature is relatively inferior. 南方的江苏昂首阔步，走在全国前列，而北方的河北经济热度相对较低。 来自互联网

27 ornament
v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物
参考例句：
The flowers were put on the table for ornament.花放在桌子上做装饰用。 She wears a crystal ornament on her chest.她的前胸戴了一个水晶饰品。