(From Robin Hoodafter Antonia Fraser)
Robin Hood and his friends had to keep a sharp look-out for
any further tricks which the Sheriff and his men might try to play
upon them. From time to time bold young men attacked any of
the Sheriff`s people who appeared in Sherwood Forest, and proved
their courage by some clever deed. In this way they had many
fine adventures and many rich barons had to give their
money to Robin's men. That money was later given to the poor of Nottingham
The poor people, who had been starving under the Sheriff`s rule, spoke about Robin Hood's generosity with delight. They often woke up and found a bag of gold or some silver coins on their doorstep and a piece of paper with these words on it:
"Greetings from Robin Hood, who robs the rich to pay the poor."
One of the bravest and merriest of Robin's men who always took part in all the adventures was Little John. It all began one sunny afternoon in spring. All Robin's men were in the camp, busy with their duties Much the Miller was preparing the meat for the evening meal, Will Scarlett was working out some complicated system for sounding an alarm when the enemy approached the camp, and Alan-a-Dale was playing a sad tune on his lute as usual, and dreaming of his lady love. And Robin Hood felt ready for a new adventure. The adventure came even sooner than he had expected: an arrow. whistled through the air, and landed in the ground at his feet. Robin examined the arrow, and recognized it as the black-feathered arrow which his men had agreed to shoot into the camp when there was some danger or if a stranger was approaching. A few minutes later Tom Turpin arrived, breathing hard and bringing the news that a very big man, "a giant, no less", had been noticed and was coming nearer.
"He seems to know his way," said Tom. "I fear he comes from the Sheriff."
Robin seized his bow and arrows and ran up the hill and on to the secret path which led to their camp. Will Scarlett shouted after him to be careful and take someone with him. but Robin replied:
"One outlaw against one enemy. We don't use the Sheriff`s methods here."
Everything in the forest was quiet, and Robin walked silently for a mile or so, but found no sign of a visitor. Then, on the bank of one of the many streams which flowed through Sherwood Forest, he came on some footprints in the moss. Robin saw at once that either the footprints belonged to a strange sort of animal, or else -the man he was tracking had the largest pair of feet that ever a man owned.
"This is a welcome guest," thought Robin. "I'm sure I'll find a good fighter at the end of the track." A moment later he saw a man on the other bank of the stream, standing beside a narrow plank which served as a bridge. Yes, Tom Turpin had been right. This was a giant of a man.
"Ahoy there, stranger!" shouted Robin.
The unknown man turned and gave a silent attentive look at the figure on the opposite bank.
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"Greetings to you, my young friend," he said in a slow, deep voice.
"What is your business in Sherwood, giant?" Robin shouted.
The large man looked at him again. "What has that to do with you, young man?"
"Everything in Sherwood has to do with me!" said Robin. "So answer up, and tell me what you want here." The giant looked at Robin attentively once more. "At this very moment, little man," he said, "I'm thinking whether to cross the bridge and throw you into the river, or just push you gently into the water from here with this good oak stick of mine." And the giant showed the fine oak stick which he held in his hand.
"That's good," said Robin laughing, but taking care at the same time to step back. "That's good! Throw me into the river, indeed. I am the Lord of Sherwood Forest, and no one even crosses this bridge if I don't want him to. Come on, giant, you'll soon find yourself in the water with which you are threatening me."
"Little man, little man," said the giant. "You are taking too much on yourself. If I choose to cross this bridge, there is no man who can stop me."
"Come on, then, giant, and see," shouted Robin joyfully, cutting himself a stick from a nearby bush. "Let's put the matter to the test and see whether or not I am Lord of Sherwood."
"Willing and ready, little man," shouted the giant in return, and smiling from ear to ear. "Willing and ready." The giant tested his stick, cutting the air this way and that, so that the nearby branches shook. Robin in his turn tested his stick before he took up his position at one end of the bridge.
The two fighters smiled at one another. Neither moved.
"Ready, giant?" cried Robin.
"Ready enough, little man," answered the giant, and started to move forward. His great weight shook the old plank which served as a bridge. Robin looked strangely small beside him, but he believed in his strong muscles and quick wits to defeat his enemy.
The stranger's first blow showed Robin that he was fighting with a very strong opponent.
Crash! The giant received a blow on the shoulder, but he took as little notice of' it as of a fly.
Several heavy blows from the big man followed, which made Robin step quickly backwards to his end of the bridge where he could feel safer.
"Frightened, eh?" shouted the giant in his great voice "Come forward again, little man, and see what I have in store for you."
Robin's blood boiled at the giant's words that he was frightened. "Take that! That!" he cried. "And that! And that!"
In a blind fury, Robin gave his opponent four or five hard blows. Now the fight was fast. Blows were given and received on both sides. And both sides showed skill and strength.
By this time. Tom Turpin and Will Scarlett, who had followed Robin at some distance, had caught up with their friend and were watching the battle from behind the trees. Tom Turpin was willing to rush forward and attack the stranger. But Will, who knew Robin's nature better, stopped him.
"He will never forgive you," he whispered, "this is a very strong opponent, and Robin has always liked a good fight. See, Tom, what muscles that great giant has! We could use those in our camp, to chop down trees."
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"And fight with sheriffs!" added Tom Turpin with a smile.
Meanwhile the fight on the bridge was still furious. Neither seemed to tire. It was Robin who showed the first sign of weakness when he suddenly slipped and seemed about to fall. Was his strength failing? The giant waited a little bit, and at that moment Robin gave him a great push with his stick which sent him flying into the stream!
It was a fine end to the battle, and Robin stood breathing hard and looking at the struggling figure in the water.
"Well, now who is Lord of Sherwood?" he said.
"Give me a hand out of the water," was all the giant said. "I am too heavy to struggle out by myself."
Robin bent down and stretched out a hand. The next thing he knew, he, too, was in the icy water, while the giant was standing on the bank, laughing heartily.
"Brains, little man," he cried. "Brains it's a good thing to have brains."
Robin laughed, too, and said that he had been outwitted.
"You are a fighter after my heart, lad, said the big man. "Let us shake hands on it."
So Robin Hood and the big stranger, both wet, shook hands in the middle of the forest and swore a pact of friendship.
"Can you tell me something, lad?" asked the stranger after a while, just as Tom Turpin and Will Scarlett were thinking it was time to come out from behind the trees and join their leader. "Can you tell me where lives this famous Robin Hood they talk so much about in this part of the country? I'd like to meet him. I have a strong wish to join him and rob the rich to pay the poor. I have been in trouble and must leave my home for a while."
"What sort of trouble?" asked Robin.
"I tell you, lad, I spoke against the Sheriff and his people are now after me."
"Stranger," Robin said, "you are welcome to Sherwood! You will find a home with Robin Hood and his band."
The stranger looked at Robin in surprise.
"You are not you cannot be Robin Hood himself?" he asked. "I had thought Robin to be an old man."
"I am indeed he," said Robin with a smile. He saw Tom Turpin and Will Scarlett approaching and said, "Will, Tom, this noble fighter wants to join our band. What will you say?" "Agreed!" cried Tom, joyfully, throwing his cap in the air 'What do they call you, man?"
"I am really called John the Smith," said the stranger, modestly. "But for my great size, men have called me Little John."
"Then Little John you shall be! Welcome to Sherwood, Little John! Come now to my camp, and meet the rest of my band."
I Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions ( ):
1) ; 2) ; 3) ; 4) , ;
5) ; 6) ; 7) ; 8) ; 9) ; 10) ; 11) ; 12) ; 13) ; 14) ; 15) ; 16) ; 17) ; 18) .
II Give Russian equivalents for the following words and expressions from the text and use them in sentences of your own ( ):
1) to keep a sharp look out to; 2) complicated system for sounding an alarm; 3) an arrow whistled through the air; 4) what has that to do with you?; 5) you are taking too much on yourself; 6) lets put the matter to the test; 7) to take as little (much) notice of smth. as of smth.; 8) to have in store; 9) in a blind fury; 10) to swear a pact of friendship; 11) be in trouble.
III Answer the questions ( ):
1. What did the arrow which once landed near Robin's feet
mean?
2. What was the man like that Robin saw on the bank of the
stream?
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3. What was the word the stranger used that made Robin's
blood boil?
4. Was Robin frightened by the size of the stranger? Was he
afraid to fight with the giant?
5. The fight on the bridge was furious, wasn't it? Why was
it?
6. Why didn't Will Scarlett allow Tom Turpin to attack the
stranger and so help Robin Hood?
7. Who was the first to find himself in the water?
8. How did it happen that Robin Hood found himself in the
water?
9. Was Robin angry because he had been outwitted? Why not?
10. Why had the stranger no idea that he was fighting with
Robin Hood?
11. Were Robin and his friends glad to have Little John in
their band? Why?
IV Discuss the following ( ):
1) Try and explain why Robin Hood was not at all afraid when he made up his mind to fight against a man so much bigger than himself.
2) Which do you think is the most exciting (amusing) episode in the story? Speak about it.
3) Though Robin Hood was outwitted by the stranger and could not call himself the winner, why do you think he was glad to make the stranger his friend? Explain your answer.
V Give a summary of the story in not more than seven sentences ( , ).
VI Retell the story on the part of ( ):
1) Robin Hood; 2) Little John; 3) Will Scarlett.
VII Grammar Task
1. Look through the text and find the sentences with Past Perfect ( , ).
2. Ask questions about the words in bold type ( ):
1) By this time tow men had caught up with their friend.
2) The stranger looked at Robin in surprise.
3) So Robin Hood and the big stranger shook hands in the middle of the forest and swore a pact of friendship.
3. Open the brackets ( ):
a) They (to have) to keep a sharp look-out.
b) They (to find) money on their doorstep.
c) He (to prepare) supper when somebody (to approach) the door.
d) The strangers first blow (to show) Robin that he (to fight) with a very strong man.
e) They (to be) in trouble and must leave soon.
f) They (to call) him Little John for his great size.
4. Make these sentences 1) interrogative and 2) negative (C 1) 2)):
a) He always takes part in all the adventures.
b) Alan was playing a sad tune on his lute.
c) Robin gave him a great push with his stick.
d) They swore a pact of friendship in the middle of the forest.
e) He had a strong wish to join Robin Hood.
f) The stranger bent down and looked at him in surprise.
5. Translate from Russian into English ( ):
a) .
b) .
c) .
d) ! .
e) .
f) .
Part II
Unit 18
ABSENT-MINDEDNESS
By Jerome K. Jerome
Mrs. Pratt went to see her mother. Her husband said that he would come later with the baby and a complete change of clothing.
At eleven o'clock sharp Pratt started on his way with the baby carriage. "I know I forgot something," muttered Pratt. He stopped for the fourth time to scratch his head. "Blanket, hat, diapers, socks," he thought. "No, I have those things. There is something missing. I will start at the baby's head and work downwards. I have a hat, sweater, pants, and socks. What did I forget?"
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Pratt started with the socks and worked up to the hat. Then he went through a day in baby's life from morning until night. Pratt still did not remember. He was walking slowly when he met his friend, Stillkins. "Stillkins," said Pratt, "think about your family. Tell me what your babies wear from morning until night." "Seems to me," said the amazed Stillkins, "you are thinking too hard." "You see," added Pratt, "I'm taking the baby to his mother, but I forgot one of his things. Can you remind me what it is." Stillkins suggested, "Sweater?" "No, I've thought about that a dozen times." Stillkins added, "Diapers? Socks? Pants?" Pratt listened to the hints, but said that he had all of those things. Stillkins started to make some wild guesses. "A teddy-bear? A doll?" Pratt shook his head to say no. Stillkins became interested in the problem. He forgot his own business and walked on with Pratt. In a little while they met their friend, Mowitt. Pratt said, "Mowitt, I forgot something for the baby. Perhaps you can tell me what it is?"
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"Diapers," said Mowitt. Pratt yelled at him, and Stillkins added a few words.
Mowitt gave a few more suggestions. Mowitt decided to join Stillkins and Pratt. He argued fiercely with Stillkins about how to dress a baby.
Pratt's steps became slower and slower as he approached his destination. By the time they reached the gate of the baby's grandmother, the group had increased in number Each man was loudly telling his opinion about what a three-week old baby would and would not wear.
They waited on the road while Pratt pulled the baby carriage up the stone steps.
Two cries of feminine delight greeted Pratt. Pratt` s wife and her mother ran down the path to meet him.
"Our little darling!" said Mrs. Pratt as she put her hands under the hood.
Then she stared angrily at Pratt, and Pratt's knees shook "I know I forgot something, Lizzie," he said. I have been trying to remember. Stillkins and Mowitt tried to help me remember."
"Where is the baby?" yelled Mrs. Pratt.
I Find in the text English equivalents for the following words and expressions:
1) ; 2) ; 3) ; 4) ; 5) ; 6) ; 7) ; 8) ; 9) ; 10)
