Антоний Погорельский - Черная курица, или Подземные жители / The Black Hen

The boys came back to school after the holidays. The second lesson that day was History. It was the headmaster's lesson. Alyosha was afraid to look at the headmaster. He put his hand in his pocket. The hemp seed was there. At last the headmaster said:

"Now we're going to listen to Alyosha. Alyosha, please say your lesson."

Alyosha came up to the headmaster and opened his mouth. He didn't know his homework. But at that moment he started talking. He said his lesson without any mistakes.

"Very well," said the headmaster.

But Alyosha was not happy.

"I didn't learn that," he thought. "I don't like it at all."

Alyosha became the best pupil at once. He got only very good marks. He always knew his homework without studying. He never made any mistakes in his tests. All this time Alyosha didn't see Blacky. At firsthe called her in the evening. But she didn't come to see him.

"I know she is busy. She's the minister," he thought.

Then he remembered her only from time to time.

Soon all St. Petersburg knew about a very clever boy. The inspector of schools came to Alyosha's school four times to listen to him. The headmaster was happy. His school was famous now. Many mothers and fathers asked him to take their children.

At first Alyosha's gift made him sad. But then he started thinking a lot of himself. "I am better and cleverer than the other children," he thought. And he showed it to the other boys. He was no longer a good and kind boy. He became proud and naughty.

One day a voice inside him said:

"Don't be so bad, Alyosha! Yes, you have this gift. But you are not better than the other children."

But Alyosha didn't listen to that voice. Each day everyone liked him less and less. The headmaster didn't know what to do with him. He told the boy to learn more and more. But it didn't help. Alyosha didn't study at all, but he always knew his homework very well.

One day the headmaster told him to learn by hearttwenty pages. But Alyosha was more naughty than usual. So he didn't even open the book.

" Why should I learn something?I've got my magic seed," he thought.

The next day the headmaster opened the book and said:

"Alyosha, please say your lesson."

Alyosha stood up and came up to the headmaster. Everyone looked at him. Alyosha opened his mouth … and nothing happened!

"What is happening?" said the headmaster. "Say your lesson."

Alyosha couldn't say a word. He didn't know the lesson.

"What does this mean, Alyosha?" the headmaster asked. "Why don't you speak?"

Alyosha put his hand in the pocket. The seed wasn't there. It was terrible!

"I'm sorry," said the boy. He started crying.

The headmaster became very angry.

"Go to the bedroom," he said, "and learn your lesson. Now!"

how the King keeps his word— как король держит слово.

At first— Сначала.

from time to time— время от времени.

he started thinking a lot of himself— он начал зазнаваться.

to learn by heart— выучить наизусть.

than usual— чем обычно.

Why should I learn something? — С какой стати я должен что-то учить?

1 Answer the questions.

1) Did the King keep his word?

2) When did the magic seed help Alyosha for the first time?

3) Was Alyosha happy then?

4) How did the King's present change Alyosha?

5) Why did the headmaster tell him to learn twenty pages by heart?

6) What happened at the History lesson the next day?

2 Match the two parts of the sentences.

1) Alyosha

2) Everyone

3) The headmaster

4) The boys

5) St. Petersburg

a) came back to school after the holidays.

b) never made any mistakes in his tests.

c) knew about a very clever boy.

d) liked him less and less.

e) told the boy to learn more and more.

3 Choose right.

1) Alyosha always / never knew his homework without studying.

2) He never / always made mistakes in his tests.

3) At first Alyosha's gift made him happy / sad.

4) The headmaster told the boy to learn more and more / less and less.

5) Each day the other pupils liked Alyosha less and less / more and more.

4 Fill in the prepositions.

1) Can you learn two pages ____ heart?

2) Alyosha started thinking a lot ____ himself.

3) Alyosha was afraid ____ look at the headmaster.

4) At first the boy called Blacky ____ the evening.

5) Then he remembered her only ____ time to time.

5 Say why:

1) Alyosha became proud and naughty.

2) Blacky didn't come to see Alyosha.

3) the inspector of schools came to listen to Alyosha.

6 Is it important to keep your word? Do you always keep your word?

Alyosha went to the bedroom. But he didn't take the book. He started looking for the hemp seed. First he looked in all his pockets. Then he looked under the bed. No seed!

"It may be in the yard," Alyosha thought. "I played there yesterday. I lost it there. But how can I get it back? I can't leave the room now."

The boy decided to call Blacky.

"Dear Blacky!" he said. "Dear Minister! Please, come to me. Give me another seed!"

But Blacky didn't come. Alyosha sat down on a chair and started crying again. Soon it was time for dinner. The door opened. The headmaster came into the bedroom.

"Do you know the lesson now?" he asked Alyosha.

"No," said the boy.

"Then learn it!" said the headmaster angrily. He left the bedroom. Soon he came again. He brought Alyosha a glass of water and a piece of bread.

Alyosha started reading his book. He tried hardto learn the text by heart. But it was hard for him now.

He stopped studying long time ago. In the evening he knew only two pages.

It was time to go to bed. The boys came into the bedroom. With them came the headmaster again.

"Alyosha, do you know the lesson?" he asked.

"Only two pages," said Alyosha.

"I see. Then you can learn it in the morning," said the headmaster. "Sorry, but no breakfast for you. Only some bread and water again."

The headmaster left. Alyosha tried to speak to the other boys. But his friends didn't like him any longer. So no one said a word to him. Alyosha went to bed in tears. But he couldn't sleep. He was very sad.

"Blacky doesn't want to see me either," he thought.

Suddenly the sheet started moving.

"Blacky! Blacky!" said Alyosha in a low voice.

The sheet moved once more. Then the black hen flew up on the boy's bed. Alyosha was very happy to see his friend.

"Oh, Blacky!" he said. "Why didn't you come? I am your friend."

"Yes," said the hen. "I know. You are my friend. And you saved me from the cook. You were a good boy then. Everyone liked you. But now… you are awful!"

Alyosha started crying. Blacky spoke to him for a long time. She asked him to become a nice, kind boy again. In the end the hen told him:

"I must leave you now, Alyosha. Here is your hemp seed. You lost it in the yard. Our King doesn't take his present away from you. But you should become a good boy. And remember your promise. Don't tell anyone about us, Alyosha!"

Alyosha took the hemp seed from the hen.

"Dear Blacky, thank you for your help. Don't worry. I promise to become better in the morning."

"It is not easy. Remember that," said the hen. "I'm sorry, I must go now. Good-bye, Alyosha!"

Alyosha looked at the hemp seed. He was happy again.

"I can say twenty pages of the text without a mistake now. And it is very easy to become better," he thought.

The next morning the headmaster told Alyosha to come to the classroom.

"Do you know your lesson?" he said.

"Yes, I do," said the boy quickly.

And he said his lesson without any mistakes. Then he looked at the headmaster and the boys. The headmaster didn't like Alyosha's proud smile.

"You know your lesson now," said the headmaster. "But why didn't you want to say it yesterday?"

"I didn't know it yesterday," said Alyosha.

"Didn't you?" said the headmaster. "Yesterday evening you knew two pages. You told me that. And today you know all twenty pages without any mistakes! When did you learn them?"

Alyosha said in low voice:

"I learned them in the morning."

But then the children shouted:

"No! He didn't look at the book this morning."

Alyosha said nothing.

"Answer me!" the headmaster said. "When did you learn the lesson?"

Alyosha didn't know what to say.

He tried hard— Он очень старался.

in tears— в слезах.

1 Answer the questions.

1) Did Alyosha start learning his lesson at once?

2) What did Alyosha have for dinner?

3) How many pages did Alyosha know in the evening?

4) What did Blacky give Alyosha?

5) What did Alyosha promise to Blacky?

6) What happened at the next History lesson?

2 Put the sentences in the right order.

1) It was time to go to bed.

2) Alyosha said his lesson without any mistakes.

3) Blacky asked Alyosha to become a nice, kind boy again.

4) Alyosha started looking for the hemp seed.

5) The headmaster didn't like Alyosha's proud smile.

6) Alyosha tried hard to learn the text by heart.

7) The headmaster brought Alyosha a glass of water and a piece of bread.

3 Match the opposites.

4 Choose right: do, did, didn't.

1) No, he ____ look at the book this morning.

2) When ____ you learn all the pages?

3) Why ____ you want to say it yesterday?

4) Alyosha, ____ you know the lesson now?

5 Say why:

1) Alyosha could learn only two pages.

2) The other boys didn't want to be Alyosha's friend any longer.

3) Blacky talked to Alyosha for a long time.

6 Is it easy for you learn something by heart? What do you usually learn by heart?

The headmaster was very angry. He said:

"You are a clever boy, Alyosha. But yesterday you were very naughty. And you are naughty today. I am going to punish you for that."

It was a terrible thing for Alyosha.

"Boys!" said the headmaster to the other children. "Don't speak to Alyosha." The headmaster took the birch. Alyosha ran up to the headmaster in tears:

"Please, don't do it. I promise to become better!"

"Why didn't you think about it before?" asked the headmaster.

The other boys asked the headmaster to forgive Alyosha.

"Very well," said the headmaster, "I forgive you. But first you must say when you learned the lesson."