my dear, if I see the skeins ready tomorrow night, I shan’t kill you. And I’ll have supper here.” So he brought supper, and another stool for him, and they sat down.
Suddenly he stops and begins to laugh.
“What’s up?[16]“ says she.
“Oh,” says he, “I was hunting today, and I went very far in the wood. And I heard a song. So I got off[17] my horse, and I went forward. I saw a funny little black man. He had a little spinning-wheel, and he was spinning wonderfully fast, and he was twirling his tail. And he was singing:
“Nimmy nimmy not
My name’s Tom Tit Tot.”
When the girl heard this, she became very happy, but she didn’t say a word.
Next day that little impet looked very maliceful when he came for the flax. And when the night came, she heard the knock. She opened the window, and the impet came into the room. He was grinning, and his tail was twirling very fast.
“What’s my name?” he asked when he was giving her the skeins.
“Is that Solomon?[18]” she says.
“No, it isn’t,” he said, and came further into the room.
“Well, is that Zebedee?[19]” says she again.
“No, it isn’t,” says the impet. And then he laughed and twirled his tail like a wheel.
“Take time,[20] woman,” he says, “next guess, and you’re mine.” And he lifted his black hands.
The girl smiled and said:
“NIMMY NIMMY NOT, YOUR NAME’S TOM TIT TOT!”
When the impet heard her, he cried awfully and flew away into the dark, and she never saw him any more.
Упражнения
1. Выберите правильный вариант:
1. A woman lies to a king; she tells him that her daughter can spin five skeins.
2. A woman lies to a king; she tells him that her daughter can spin three skeins.
3. A woman lies to a king; she tells him that her daughter can spin six skeins.
4. A woman lies to a king; she tells him that her daughter can spin two skeins.
2. Where does the king shut the girl?
1. The king shuts the girl in a castle with no food.
2. The king shuts the girl in a room with impets.
3. The king shuts the girl in a castle room with a spinning wheel.
4. The king shuts the girl in a basement with ugly rats.
3. What is an impet?
1. a noble man
2. an animal
3. a big bird
4. a small demon
4. Why does the girl agree to marry a king?
1. Because she knows how to spin.
2. Because she does not need her head.
3. Because she thinks that he will forget about his promise.
4. Because she has nobody to marry.
5. What is a skein?
1. a machine for spinning
2. a length of yarn or thread in a loose coil
3. a round piece of wool
4. silk bobbin
6. What is Tom Tit Tot’s payment?
1. three jars of gold
2. the girl herself
3. the pies
4. the kingdom
7. Выберите правильный вариант:
1. The king helped his wife to spin.
2. The king is very kind.
3. The king killed the impet.
4. The king learned the impet’s name.
8. What does it mean, “the pies will come again”?
1. The pies have legs.
2. The pies will be ready soon.
3. The pies left, but they promised to return.
4. The pies usually come and go away.
9. Why did the impet twirl his tail?
1. He was nervous.
2. He was proud of his tail.
3. He had nothing to play with.
4. He did not know what to do with his tail.
10. Выберите нужный глагол:
The impet _____________ from the girl a promise that she will be his.
1. tells
2. gives
3. makes
4. extracts
11. Выберите нужные глаголы:
The king _________ to his wife, “Now _________ me what you _________.”
1. told, promise, give
2. tells, give, promised
3. promised, tell, give
4. gave, promise, give
12. Выберите нужный предлог:
for – of – with – on
1. Put the pies ________ the shelf, and leave them there a little.
2. During eleven months ________ the year she will have everything that she wants.
3. I’ll
What’s up? – В чём дело?
I got off – я слез
Solomon – Соломон
Zebedee – Зеведей
Take time – Не торопись
