Читать книгу English Fairy Tales / Английские сказки. Elementary - С. А. Матвеев, Сергей Александрович Матвеев - Страница 4

Once upon a time, there was an old man. He lived with an old woman and a little boy. One morning, the old woman made a Johnny-cake and put it in the oven to bake.

“Watch the Johnny-cake, and I will go to work in the garden,” she said to the little boy. Then the old man and the old woman went out.

But the little boy didn’t watch the Johnny-cake, and suddenly, he heard a noise. He looked up and saw how the oven door opened. Out of the oven[33] jumped Johnny-cake and went towards the door of the house.

“Stop, stop!” cried the little boy, but Johnny-cake was very quick and ran away. The boy called his parents for help, but they could not catch Johnny-cake. Soon, he was out of sight[34].

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to two well-diggers who were digging a well. They saw him and asked, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“Really? You can, can you? We’ll see!” they said and threw down their picks and ran after him[35]. But they could not catch him, and soon they sat down by the road to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to two ditchdiggers who were digging a ditch.

“Where are you going, Johnny-cake?” said they.

He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy, and two well-diggers, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“You can, can you? We’ll see!” they said, and threw down their spades and ran after him. But Johnny-cake soon was very quick, and when they saw that they could never catch him, they sat down to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to a bear. The bear said, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, and an old woman and a little boy, two well-diggers and two ditch-diggers, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“You can, can you?” growled the bear, “We’ll see!” and tried to catch Johnnycake. But Johnny-cake did not stop and ran away. The bear was very tired and lay down to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and he came to a wolf. The wolf said, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well-diggers, two ditch-diggers, and a bear, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“You can, can you?” snarled the wolf. “We’ll see!” And he began to run after Johnny-cake, but Johnny-cake was so quick that the wolf saw that there was no hope to catch him, and he lay down to rest.

Johnny-cake was going along the road, and soon he came to a fox that was lying quietly near the fence. The fox asked him gently, “Where are you going, Johnny-cake?”

He said, “I outran an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well-diggers, two ditch-diggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

The fox said, “I can’t hear you, Johnny-cake, please come a little closer.”

Johnny-cake stopped and went a little closer and said in a very loud voice, ”I outran an old man, an old woman, a little boy, two well-diggers, two ditchdiggers, a bear, and a wolf, and I can outrun you too-o-o!”

“Oh, I can’t hear you; can you come a little closer?” said the fox in a weak voice.

Johnny-cake came closer and screamed, “I OUTRAN AN OLD MAN, AN OLD WOMAN, A LITTLE BOY, TWO WELLDIGGERS, TWO DITCH-DIGGERS, A BEAR, AND A WOLF, AND I CAN OUTRUN YOU TOO-O-O!!!!”

“You can, can you?” yelped the fox and caught Johnny-cake with his paw and threw him in his sharp teeth.