The Gingerbread Man
An old lady and an old man lived in a little house by themselves.
They had no children, and they felt very lonely and sad at times.
It gets to be so boring with just the two of us.
You are always out in the garden, and I have nothing to do after I finish my cooking and
cleaning Well, I'm sure you can find some other ways
to keep yourself occupied.
Hmmmm…
. I think I will bake something today.
I haven't done that in a long time.
That's a good idea, go ahead and do that.
Make something interesting for dinner tonight.
Now I have to head out to the garden again as there are still some more weeds to be pulled out.
The old lady decided she would make some gingerbread.
She got out all the ingredients she needed, and kneaded the dough for the gingerbread.
(softly humming to herself) Suddenly, she had an idea.
Let me do something fun.
I will make the gingerbread in the shape of a man.
A gingerbread man!
My husband will be very amused I'm sure.
So the old lady rolled out the dough and cut it out in the shape of a man.
Let me see now….one little ball to be shaped into a mouth, two little chololate chips for
eyes, and these pretty red cherries for buttons……
Ah!
That's one handsome gingerbread man.
I'm sure he'll taste as good as he looks.
Now, into the oven!
The old lady went and sat on her rocking chair, knitting away while waiting for the gingerbread
man to bake.
Mmmmmm!
I am starting to get the lovely smell of gingerbread.
Must be done by now, let me go and check.
The old lady put on her oven gloves and went to open the oven door.
But as she did, the gingerbread man got up from the baking tray and jumped out of the oven
Good heavens!!
What was that?
Before she realized what was happening, the gingerbread man ran to the open window, jumped
out, and in a second was running down the garden and out into the street.
Hey!
Hey!
Where do you think you are going?
Come right back here!
We are supposed to be having you for dinner!
Oh no no, I am not your dinner, for you can't lay your hands on me.
Run, run, as fast as you can.
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!
The old lady's husband looked in surprise at his wife running after a gingerbread man.
What's happening?
Stop staring and run and catch that rogue!
I had baked him for our dinner!
But how did he run out?
I will tell you all that later.
Quick, catch him before he vanishes!
The old man starts running after the gingerbread man, shouting at him to stop.
The old lady cannot catch me, and neither can you.
Run, run, as fast as you can.
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!
Down the road ran the gingerbread man, with the old man and lady running behind him.
A cow sitting beside the road saw the gingerbread man and said.
Moo, moo.
You look so tasty, I want to eat you!
Ha ha ha!
The old lady and old man cannot catch me.
See if you can catch me, you fat thing!
Fat thing!
You cheeky fellow, just you wait till I catch you.
The cow started running after the gingerbread man along with the old man and the old lady.
Run, run, as fast as you can.
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!
Along the road they ran, with all the passers by looking at them in surprise.
A little way ahead, a horse that was trotting along the road stopped to see what was happening.
That sure looks like a tasty meal.
Neigh neigh!
Everyone out of my way!
I am going to catch that fellow, and have him for dinner instead of hay!
Oh ho!
So now you also want to eat me?
Come on, you can also try, but you will have to start galloping instead of trotting.
Ha ha ha.
Believe me, you will be having your hay only for dinner after all!
He he he he he!
So the horse also joined the old lady, old man and the cow to try and catch the gingerbread man
The gingerbread man was having a lot of fun seeing all of them trying to catch him.
A little way ahead, he stood by the roadside.
Don't you think you should give up?
Let me tell you again.
Run, run, as fast as you can.
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!
Once again the gingerbread man started running, looking back at all those chasing him with
a big grin on his face.
A little way ahead was a big fat pig walking along with its piglets.
When it saw the gingerbread man, it said.
Oink Oink.
That guy sure smells good, should be a good treat for my little piggies.
Oink oink, wait, wait, I want to have a word with you.
No you don't, you want to make a meal of me, and that is not going to happen, you stinking thing!
What!
How dare you, you rude fellow!
I will show you!
Come on, piggies, let's catch him and eat him.
Oink oink, oink oink!
And so the pig and piglets also joined the rest to try and catch the gingerbread man.
Up ahead there was a farm, and near the fence was a big brown hen.
When she saw the gingerbread man, she said.
You look so yummy!
May I have a nibble? (in a soft voice) May I have a nibble?
No you may not, but you can always try.
Come, join the merry procession.
Ha ha ha ha ha!
Run, run, as fast as you can.
You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!
Oh, what a sight it was!
There was the old man and old lady trundling along, the cow and the pig waddling along,
the horse galloping along, and the hen running and flapping her wings with a loud sound!
I think I've had enough fun.
No way are those slow coaches going to catch up with me, so I'll just look around for
some place to rest.
Phew!
All that running has really tired me out.
A liittle farther away, there was a river flowing gently.
The gingerbread man wanted to go across to the other side, but if he fell in the water,
he would become all soggy!
As he was thinking of what to do, he heard a voice.
Want me to take you across?
The gingerbread man looked around, and saw a fox sitting against a rock.
You think I'm a fool?
You also want to eat me like the rest of them.
Eat you?
A measly looking fellow like you?
You are not even enough as a starter, forget a whole meal.
The fox was a very, very wily fellow.
He knew the gingerbread man could run very fast, and he was too lazy to run after him.
Then why would you want to be so good to me?
I am not being good to you.
I was going to cross the river anyway, so I thought you could hop on to my back and
I would take you across.
Er…
Decide fast, I don't have the whole day.
Okay.
What would you want in exchange?
I'll tell you that when we cross over.
Come on, on my back.
When they were half way across, the fox told the gingerbread man.
I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable.
I think it would be better if you perch yourself on my neck.
The gingerbread man crawled on to the fox's neck.
Ah, that's better.
After a while, the fox started moving its neck and told him.
Oooh!
My neck has started paining.
I think it would be better if you sit on my snout.
The gingerbread thought he was very smart, but he couldn't guess what was going on
in the cunning fox's mind.
As before, it did what the fox told him to.
There!
Are you okay now?
This was the chance the fox had been waiting for.
As soon as the gingerbread man sat on it's snout, the fox quickly tossed him up, and
caught him in his mouth as he fell.
And there ended the tale of the gingerbread man.
Belch.
Ha ha!
Thought he was smarter than me!
Pied Piper Of Hamelin
Hamelin, a small town in Germany, was facing a big problem.
There were rats and rats running here, there, everywhere.
What are we going to do?
The rats have made our lives miserable.
We are scared to eat anything in case they have already had a bite.
Ugh!
I am afraid that they will bite my little baby when it is asleep, the wretched things.
I can't even sleep myself, dreading when they will decide to taste me!
We must meet the mayor and ask him to do something about it.
This cannot go on.
It is his responsibility to see that the town is rid of the pests.
So the people of Hamelin went to meet the mayor.
Sir, as you know, our city has been over run by rats.
There are more rats now than people!
We are really, really scared for our children as well as ourselves.
You have to do something about this problem immediately.
Well, we have tried making cats go after the rats, but the rats are so many that the cats
are not able to catch them all.
So what can be done?
Is there no way our city can be rid of the rats?
Will be always live with the fear of rats making our lives hell?
No, no, of course not!
I am going to have a meeting with all the ministers this afternoon.
Don't worry, we will find a way to drive those pests out of our city.
A funny looking man with a funny looking hat and carrying a long pipe walks up to the mayor's office
I wish to see the mayor.
Off with you!
Some cheek you have to just come and ask to see the mayor.
You must book an appointment, and only if the mayor agrees can you see him.
Well, I thought the mayor would be very happy to see someone who can solve the rat problem
of this city, but if the mayor is so busy, I guess I better go away.
Er, what did you say?
You can solve the rat problem?
That's right.
I can make all the rats in the city vanish, and that too without the help of cats.
Are you serious?
I don't have time to waste on jokes.
If the mayor has no time to see me, then I'll be on my way.
Wait, wait, let me talk to the mayor.
Maybe he could see you for a few minutes to hear what you have to say.
The officer rushes to the mayor.
What is the matter?
Why are you barging in like this?
Don't you know I am having an urgent meeting?
Sorry to disturb you, sir, but there is a young man outside who says he can get rid
of all the rats in the city.
Get rid of the rats?
What are you waiting for, call him in and let's see what he can do.
The Pied Piper was brought in to meet the mayor.
What is this I hear?
You can get rid of all the rats in Hamelin?
That's right.
Hmmm… you seem very confident.
Well then, go ahead and do it.
For that you have to give me 1000 gold coins.
Do you agree?
1000 gold coins?
That is a very big amount.
And how do we know you will be able to do it?
I do not agree with you, sir.
I think it is a very small price to pay for getting rid of all the rats that have made
all your lives so wretched.
Let us give him a chance to prove what he says.
There doesn't seem to be anything else that we can do.
Alright, prove that you can get rid of all the rats in this town, and you shall be rewarded.
But remember, there should not be a single rat left.
Don't you worry, sir.
By tomorrow the city of Hamelin will be free of the rat menace.
The next morning, before the sun was up, a strange sound was heard by the people of Hamelin,
coming from the pipe of the strange man.
And when they came out of their houses, what an extraordinary sight met their eyes!
Rats of all kinds, big, small, fat and thin, were all following the pied piper!
I can't believe my eyes!
How is that man getting all the rats to come out and follow him?
As the pied piper walked, the rats kept following him.
He walked through all the roads and lanes, with more and more rats coming behind him.
Finally, the piedpiper made his way to the river, and as he stood on the bank playing
his pipe, the rats all jumped into the river and were swept away.
Before the sun came up, the city of Hamelin was rid of all the rats.
Come one, come all, Hear hear hear, The rats are all gone, We can now live without fear.
All the people in the town were very happy, and sang and danced with joy.
Soon, the piedpiper came to see the mayor again.
Well, sir, I have done what I promised.
There are no more rats in Hamelin, so please give me the 1000 gold coins that you promised.
1000 gold coins for a 15-minute job?
You must be out of your mind young fellow!
Some audacity you have to ask for such a big sum for playing your pipe for a few minutes.
This is not right.
You are breaking a promise you made.
Oh, come on, young fellow, you really think you deserve 1000 coins?
Here, take these 50 gold coins, that is all you are going to get.
Sir, as the mayor of the city, you should not go back on your word.
You will be setting a very bad example for the people of this city.
Okay, okay, here is another 50 coins.
Now off with you, I shall not give you anything more.
The piedpiper was very angry.
He walked away in a huff, and as he reached the door, he turned to face the mayor again.
You have cheated me, and you shall pay for it.
Oh really?
The rats have all drowned in the water, and I don't think even you can bring them back
to life.
Pay for it, indeed!
Now get lost and don't waste my time!
Ha ha ha, ha ha ha.
You are indeed very smart sir.
You have solved the rat problem and saved the money of the city.
Even getting cats would have cost more!
And so the pied piper went away, a very angry young man.
The mayor was very pleased with himself.
The city of Hamelin had no more rats, and it was all done with just 100 gold coins.
Well, dear people of Hamelin, our problem is over, let's get back to leading our lives
normally again.
However, the
next morning, a strange whistling sound was heard in Hamelin, and before the people could
realize what was happening, all the children rushed out of their homes and started following
the pied piper.
What is happening?
What is this man doing?
In front of their astonished eyes, their children just kept following the pied piper, far, far
away from their town.
Come on, come on, that fellow is leading our children away.
We have to go and save them!
The people of Hamelin rushed after the pied piper and the children, but they seemed to
have just vanished!
Where has that rogue taken our children?
Where have they all gone?
The people looked everywhere, but there was no sign of the children.
Finally, they spotted little Tim, who was lame, sitting by the roadside.
Oh Tim, you did not follow that pied piper?
And where have all the other children disappeared?
I did follow the pied piper, like all the other children did.
He was playing such beautiful music that we just couldn't stop ourselves from following
him.
But I couldn't go so fast, so I got left behind.
Yes, yes, but where are the other children?
You see that mountain?
When the pied piper reached there, it just seemed to open up, and everybody went inside.
Before I could reach, the mountain closed again.
The people of Hamelin were very, very sad, and went to the mayor.
What you did was very wrong, sir.
You should have given the pied piper what you had promised him.
He has taken his revenge in such a cruel manner.
Oh, will we ever see our children again?
The mayor sent his men far and wide to search for the children, but never again were they
ever seen again.
The homes in Hamelin wore a deserted and gloomy look.
The people were missing the laughter and cheer of the children.
We were all wrong.
We should not have supported the mayor.
When he had promised 1000 gold coins, we should have made sure that he gave the 1000 gold
coins.
It does not matter how long the piedpiper took to get rid of the rats, he did what he
promised, but we failed to keep our promise.
We are all responsible for cheating him, and we shall live to regret this.
It was a long time before the homes and streets of the city of Hamelin were filled with the
cheer of children, but it was a lesson the people never forgot.
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