THE one who could do the most incredible thing should have the king's daughter and the half of his kingdom．

The young men，and even the old ones，strained all their thoughts，sinews，and muscles；two ate themselves to death，and one drank until he died，to do the most incredible thing according to their own taste，but it was not inthis way it was to be done．Little boys in the streets prac-tised spitting on their own backs，they considered that the most incredible thing．

On a certain day an exhibition was to be held of what each had to show as the most incredible．The judges who were chosen were children from three years old to people upin the sixties．There was a whole exhibition of incredible things，but all soon agreed that the most incredible was ahuge clock in a case marvellously designed inside and out．

On the stroke of every hour living figures came out，which showed what hour was striking：there were twelverepresentations in all，with moving figures and with musicand conversation．

"That was the most incredible thing，"the peoplesaid．

The clock struck one，and Moses stood on the moun－tain and wrote down on the tables of the law the first com-mandment，"There is only one true God．"

The clock struck two，and the garden of Eden ap－peared，where Adam and Eve met，happy both of them，without having so much as a wardrobe；they did not needone either．

On the stroke of three，the three kings from the Eastwere shown；one of them was coal－black，but he could nothelp that，—the sun had blackened him．They came withincense and treasures．

On the stroke of four came the four seasons：springwith a cuckoo on a budding beech-bough；summer with agrasshopper on a stalk of ripe corn；autumn with an emptystork's nest—the birds were flown；winter with an oldcrow which could tell stories in the chimney－corner，oldmemories．

When the clock struck five，the five senses ap－peared—sight as a spectacle-maker，hearing as a copper－smith，smell sold violets and woodruff，taste was cook，andfeeling was an undertaker with crape down to his heels．

The clock struck six；and there sat a gambler whothrew the dice，and the highest side was turned up andshowed six．

Then came the seven days of the week，or the sevendeadly sins，people were not certain which；they belongedto each other and were not easily distinguished．

Then came a choir¹ of monks² and sang the eighto'clock service．

On the stroke of nine came the nine muses；one wasbusy with astronomy；one with historical archives；the oth-ers belonged to the theatre．

点击收听单词发音  

1 choir
n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱
参考例句：
The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。 The church choir is singing tonight.今晚教堂歌唱队要唱诗。

2 monks
n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。 He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 hopped
跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花
参考例句：
He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。 He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。

4 saviour
n.拯救者，救星
参考例句：
I saw myself as the saviour of my country.我幻想自己为国家的救星。 The people clearly saw her as their saviour.人们显然把她看成了救星。

5 axe
n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减
参考例句：
Be careful with that sharp axe.那把斧子很锋利，你要当心。 The edge of this axe has turned.这把斧子卷了刃了。

6 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

7 knights
骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马
参考例句：
stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事 He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

8 strutted
趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
The players strutted and posed for the cameras. 运动员昂首阔步，摆好姿势让记者拍照。 Peacocks strutted on the lawn. 孔雀在草坪上神气活现地走来走去。

9 precisely
adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地
参考例句：
It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。 The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。

10 swarmed
密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去
参考例句：
When the bell rang, the children swarmed out of the school. 铃声一响，孩子们蜂拥而出离开了学校。 When the rain started the crowd swarmed back into the hotel. 雨一开始下，人群就蜂拥回了旅社。