The Bird,, the Mouse, and the Loaf

    The Bird, the Mouse, and the LoafIOnce there was² a Bird, a Mouse, and a Loaf¹. They lived in a little house. The house was near a forest³. There was a garden at the front of the house full of pretty flowers. There were flowers in the window, and a little tree on each side⁴ of the door.
    The Bird, the Mouse, and the Loaf did⁵ all the work of the house. Each day the bird went to the forest and brought⁶ wood. The mouse brought water from the river and made⁷ the house clean. The loaf was the cook; she cooked the food and made bread.
    They were all very happy.
    One day the bird was going⁸ to the forest to get wood. He saw⁹ a friend in the lane¹⁰: it was another bird; the name of the other bird was Mr. Magpie¹¹.
    Mr. Magpie said¹², "I am very glad to see you. I have not seen¹³ you for many days. Are you happy?"The bird said, "I am very happy. I live in a pretty house. I am now going to get the wood from the forest. ""I did not know that you had¹⁴ become a servant¹⁵", said Mr. Magpie.
    "I am not a servant," said the bird; "I live with friends. Mr. Mouse and Mrs. Loaf live with me in the house. ""And do you do all the work of the house?" asked Mr. Magpie.
    "No," said the bird, "Mrs. Loaf is the cook; she cooks the food and makes bread. I bring the wood from the forest; and Mr. Mouse does all the other things."You do more work than the others¹⁶," said Mr. Magpie. " It is not just that you should do more than the others do.""The house is not far from the forest," said the bird.
    "But on some days you have to go twice," said Mr. Magpie.
    "That is so," said the bird; and he was angry that he should have to do more work than the others.
    When Mr. Bird was bringing the wood from the forest, Mr. Mouse brought water from the river, put the water in the pot¹⁷, put water on all the flowers, set¹⁸ the table ready for food, cleaned the rooms, cleaned the windows, cleaned all the pots¹⁹ and tins²⁰, and cleaned everything.
    Mrs. Loaf got²¹ the food, made it ready, put the pot on the fire, made the water hot, and cooked the food.
    Mr. Bird came²² into the house. He threw down the wood and sat²⁴ down at the table. He did not speak to Mr. Mouse or Mrs. Loaf.
    Mrs. Loaf said, "Poor Mr. Bird is ill--or he is angry. What has made you angry, Mr. Bird?"Mr. Bird said nothing .
    Mrs. Loaf brought the food and set it on the table.
    "This is very good bread," said Mr. Mouse; 'Mrs. Loaf makes very good bread."Mr. Bird did not speak.
    "There is much work to do in the garden," said Mr. Mouse. "Will you help me in the garden, Mr. Bird?" 'I will not help you in the garden," said Mr. Bird, "or do any other work. I do too much work. I work all day. I do all the work in the house." Mrs. Loaf said, " Mr. Mouse cleans the house, and I cook the food; you do not do more work than we do."Mr. Bird said, "That is not work. You sit in the house and do little things, but I go far away to the forest and get all these big bits²⁶ of wood, and bring them here."Mrs. Loaf said, "After this I will go to the forest and get the wood, and Mr. Mouse shall²⁷ cook the food. You shall clean the house. Then you will not do too much work. I shall be glad to go to the forest: I have never been there."ⅡSo, on the day after that, Mrs. Loaf went out to bring wood from the forest; Mr. Mouse went to cook the food; and Mr. Bird went to get water from the river.
    Mr. Bird took²⁸ the pot with his foot, and went out to get the water. He came to the river, and put the pot in the water. When the pot was full of water, he took it with one foot; but the pot was too big. Then he took it with the other foot, but the pot fell²⁹. Then he got another pot, and brought the water.
    Mr. Mouse went to cook the food. He put the pot on the fire, but he put his foot in the fire. The fire burned his foot, and he cried. But he made the food ready. Mr. Bird came back from the river. Mr. Mouse was angry because he had burned his foot; Mr. Bird was angry because the pot had fallen. And Mrs. Loat had not come back from the forest.
    Mr. Mouse said, "Shall we wait for Mrs. Loaf? Or shall we eat our food now?""We will wait a little," said Mr. Bird.
    They waited for an hour; Mrs. Loaf did not come. Then Mr. Bird said, "I will go to the forest and get the wood, and tell Mrs. Loaf to come home."So Mr. Bird went down the lane to the forest. He saw some bits of wood in the lane, but he could³⁰ not see Mrs. Loaf. She was not in the forest; she was not in the lane. Then he saw a wolf sitting near the bits of wood.
    Mr. Bird asked, "Mr. Wolf, have you seen Mrs. Loaf today?"Mr. Wolf said, "That is Mrs. Loaf's wood.""But where is Mrs. Loaf?" asked Mr. Bird.
    "She was here," said Mr. Wolf.
    "Where is she now?" asked Mr. Bird.
    "She is here now " said Mr. Wolf.
    "I do not see her," said Mr. Bird.
    "She is inside³¹ me," said Mr. Wolf, "I have eaten her up.""Then you are a bad wolf" said Mr. Bird. "Mrs. Loaf was a very good cook--and now you have eaten her!""Mrs. Loaf should not go to the forest," said the wolf. "Loaves³² should stay in the house. Go away, or I shall eat you too."Mr. Bird took the wood and went home: he was crying. Mr. Mouse cried too when he heard that Mrs. Loaf was dead³³.
    Then Mr. Mouse said, "I cannot eat today. But will you have your food now? I will go and get it ready."The pot was a big pot; Mr. Mouse was a little mouse. He could not take the pot down from the fire: he fell into the pot and was killed³⁴.
    Mr. Bird went to get ready the table. He set all ready, and then he waited. He waited, and waited. Then he called, "Mr. Mouse, Mr. Mouse; do come and have something to eat.""Mr. Mouse," he called, " if the food is not ready, we will eat bread." But he heard nothing.
    Then he went into the other room. He could not see Mr. Mouse. He went to the pot on the fire, and there he saw that poor Mr. Mouse was dead.
    A bit²⁵ of burning³⁵ wood fell out of the fire. "The house is on fire!" said Mr. Bird. " It will all be burned!" He ran³⁶ to the river to bring water to put out the fire. But he fell into the river, and was killed too.
    And the house was burned.
    That is what comes if you do not do your own²³ work, but want to do the work for others.
    We should each do our own work, and then we shall all be happy.

1 loaf   

n.一条面包，一只面包；vi.游荡，闲逛；懒散地工作

参考例句：

• Don't loaf away your time.不要浪费你的时间。
• I need a loaf of bread.我需要一条面包。

2 was   

v.(is,am的过去式)是，在

参考例句：

• He said he was right.他说他是正确的。
• He was cold and hungry.他又冷又饿。

3 forest   

n.森林，园林，林火；vt.用树林覆盖，植树

参考例句：

• A lion is the king of the forest.狮子是丛林之王。
• I like reading in the forest.我喜欢在树林里读书。

4 side   

n.边，旁边；面，侧面

参考例句：

• The shop is on the west side of the street.商店在街道的西边。
• There was a lot of people on every side. 到处都是人。

5 did   

v.动词do的过去式

参考例句：

• How many goals did you score in the last game?上一场比赛你们进了几个球？
• Why did you choose basketball in the first place?你为何首先选择篮球呢？

6 brought   

vbl.bring的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He brought a new book with him.他带来一本新书。
• I brought you your shirt.我带来了你的衬衣。

7 made   

v.make的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• They were not made in china.它们不是中国制造的。
• The monkey made a long arm for the peach.猴子伸臂去摘桃子。

8 going   

n.去，离去，地面(或道路)的状况，工作情况；(复数形式）goings: 行为；adj.进行中的，流行的，现存的

参考例句：

• We're going to listen to a report this afternoon. 今天下午我们要去听报告。
• He hates leaving the office and going on holiday.他不愿离开办公室去度假。

9 saw   

vbl.看见(see的过去式)；n.锯；v.用锯子锯

参考例句：

• Would you like to saw a tree for me?你能为我锯棵树吗？
• The moment I saw you,I knew you were angry with me.我一看到你，就知道你在生我的气。

10 lane   

n.(乡间)小路(巷)；车(跑，泳)道；航道

参考例句：

• There is a shop at the end of this lane.这条胡同的顶头有一家商店。
• The champion is running in lane five.冠军跑在第五跑道上。

11 magpie   

n.喜欢收藏物品的人，喜鹊，饶舌者

参考例句：

• Now and then a magpie would call.不时有喜鹊的叫声。
• This young man is really a magpie.这个年轻人真是饶舌。

12 said   

v.动词say的过去式、过去分词

参考例句：

• He said to me that he could not come.他对我说他不能来。
• He said to his mother that he would do it by himself.他对他的母亲说他将自己独立做那件事。

13 seen   

vbl.(see的过去分词)看见

参考例句：

• Since I left college, I have not seen him.自从我离开大学以后，就没有见过他了。
• I hope to have seen the film next week.我希望下星期能看到这部电影。

14 had   

vbl.have的过去式和过去分词；conj.有

参考例句：

• I just had a good idea!我有个好主意！
• The boy had a small branch of a tree in his hand.这个男孩手上拿一条小树枝。

15 servant   

n.仆人，有用物，公务员，雇员

参考例句：

• Why doesn't the servant come when I call?当我叫的时候，为何仆人没来？
• Tell the servant to knock me up at five o'clock.告诉仆人五点敲门叫醒我。

16 others   

prep.(pl.)另外的人

参考例句：

• Learning from others is important.向别人学习很重要。
• She is always ready to help others.她总是乐于助人。

17 pot   

n.罐，壶；v.把...装罐

参考例句：

• Please make me a fresh pot of tea.请给我沏一壶新茶。
• What is the pot made of?这个锅子是什么做的？

18 set   

n.组合，集合，设定；一套，一副，一局比赛；v.放置，设定；(太阳)落下去

参考例句：

• He set to with a will and soon finished it.他下定决心做这件事，很快就完成了。
• The bus set the children down just outside the school gate.公共汽车让孩子们正好在学校门口下车。

19 pots   

abbr.lobster pots 诱捕龙虾的笼n.罐( pot的名词复数 )；一罐；（某种用途的）容器；陶盆

参考例句：

• The chimney pots are purely ornamental. 这些烟囱管帽纯属装饰。
• We employ aluminium for our cooking pots. 我们用铝做饭锅。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 tins   

n.锡( tin的名词复数 )；罐头盒；（盛涂料、胶水等的）马口铁罐；金属食品盒

参考例句：

• Sardines can be eaten fresh but are often preserved in tins. 沙丁鱼可以吃新鲜的，但常常是装听的。
• I don't like eating tins of tuna fish. 我不喜欢吃金枪鱼罐头。

21 got   

v.(get的过去式)得到，猜到，明白

参考例句：

• I just got some bad news.我刚得到一些坏消息。
• I have got far too much work to do.我要做的事太多了。

22 came   

v.动词come的过去式

参考例句：

• I was surprised why he came here so early.他为什么那么早到这里，我很惊奇。
• The doctor came in time to save his life.医生及时来抢救他的生命。

23 own   

v.拥有，持有；adj.(属于)自己的，特有的

参考例句：

• I need my own space.我需要自己的空间。
• Everything I own is yours.我所有的一切都是你的。

24 sat   

v.（sit的过去式，过去分词）坐

参考例句：

• He sat on a chair.他坐在椅子上。
• The mother sat by the sick child all night long.妈妈整夜守在生病的孩子身旁。

25 bit   

n.一点儿，少量；钻头；马嚼子；辅币，位，比特(二进位制信息单位)；v.控制

参考例句：

• I'm just going out for a bit.我正打算出去一会儿。
• When did you change the bit?什么时候换的钻头？

26 bits   

n.（马）嚼子( bit的名词复数 )；少量；12。5 分；小量

参考例句：

• The strong wind hurled down bits of the roof. 大风把屋顶的瓦片刮了下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His shoes were tied on with old bits of string. 他的鞋子是用几段旧带子系的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 shall   

v.aux.（主要用于第一人称）将

参考例句：

• I shall always love you.我将永远爱你。
• Which club shall we join?我们要参加哪个社团？

28 took   

vt.带，载(take的过去式)

参考例句：

• I took my dog for a walk along the river.我带着狗沿那条河散步。
• It took me about two hours to cook the meat.我花了大约两个小时来煮这些肉。

29 fell   

vbl.fall的过去式，vt.击倒，打倒（疾病等），致于...死地，砍伐；n.一季所伐的木材，兽皮，羊毛；adj.凶猛的，可怕的

参考例句：

• I fell to the ground.我摔倒在地上。
• The young couple fell in love at first sight.这对年轻人一见钟情。

30 could   

v.能，可能(can的过去式)；aux.v.(can的过去式)能；可以

参考例句：

• Could I open the window?我可以打开窗子吗？
• I could wait ten minutes.我可以等十分钟。

31 inside   

n.内部，内脏，内幕；adj.内部的，秘密的，户内的；prep.在...之内

参考例句：

• Two minutes later we were inside the taxi.两分钟以后我们已经坐在出租车里面了。
• He will be back inside two days.他将在两天内回来。

32 loaves   

n.大块烤过的食物，块；一条[块]面包( loaf的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Bakers form dough into loaves. 面包师把生面做成大面包。
• He bought two loaves of bread. 他买了两条面包。

33 dead   

adj.死的；无生命的；死气沉沉的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• Mary threw away the dead flowers.玛丽把枯萎的花扔掉了。
• He was dead asleep.他完全睡着了。

34 killed   

adj.被杀死的，断开的v.杀死( kill的过去式和过去分词 )；使停止[结束，失败]；破坏，减弱，抵消；使痛苦，使受折磨

参考例句：

• The family was killed in an air raid. 这家人在一次空袭中遇难。
• Two soldiers were killed in a terrorist ambush. 两名士兵遭到恐怖分子伏击而死亡。

35 burning   

adj.燃烧的；发热的；急切的；（欲望等）炽烈的v.燃烧(burn的现在分词)；使用某物为燃料

参考例句：

• acrid smoke from burning tyres 燃烧轮胎产生的刺鼻气味
• A welcoming fire was burning in the fireplace. 壁炉里燃烧着暖融融的炉火。

36 ran   

vbl.run的过去式

参考例句：

• He ran,and then slowed down to a walk.他跑着，然后放慢速度步行。
• As soon as Marie opened the door,the dog ran in.当玛丽一打开门，狗就跑了进来。