小学英语安徒生童话系列六Childrenrsquo;sPrattle孩子话阅读素材

Children's Prattleby Hans Christian Andersen（1859）　　AT a rich merchant's house there was achildren's

Children'sPrattle byHansChristianAndersen（1859） ATarichmerchant'shousetherewasachildren'sparty，andthechildrenof richandGREatpeoplewerethere.Themerchantwasalearnedman，forhisfatherhad senthimtocollege，andhehadpassedhisexamination.Hisfatherhadbeenatfirst onlyacattledealer，butalwayshonestandindustrious，sothathehadmademoney， andhisson，themerchant，hadmanagedtoincreasehisstore.Cleverashewas，hehad alsoaheart；buttherewaslesssaidofhisheartthanofhismoney.Alldescriptions ofpeoplevisitedatthemerchant'shouse，wellborn，aswellasintellectual，and somewhopossessedneitheroftheserecommendations. Nowitwasachildren'sparty，andtherewaschildren'sprattle，which alwaysisspokenfreelyfromtheheart.Amongthemwasabeautifullittlegirl，whowas terriblyproud；butthishadbeentaughtherbytheservants，andnotbyherparents， whowerefartoosensiblepeople. HerfatherwasgroomoftheChambers，whichisahighofficeatcourt，and sheknewit.“Iamachildofthecourt，”shesaid；nowshemightjustaswellhave beenachildofthecellar，fornoonecanhelphisbirth；andthenshetoldtheother childrenthatshewaswell-born，andsaidthatnoonewhowasnotwell-borncouldrise intheworld.Itwasnousetoreadandbeindustrious，forifapersonwasnot well-born，hecouldneverachieveanything.“Andthosewhosenamesendwith'sen，'” saidshe，“canneverbeanythingatall.Wemustputourarmsakimbo，andmakethe elbowquitepointed，soastokeepthese'sen'peopleataGREatdistance.”Andthen shestuckoutherprettylittlearms，andmadetheelbowsquitepointed，toshowhow itwastobedone；andherlittlearmswereverypretty，forshewasasweet-looking child. Butthelittledaughterofthemerchantbecameveryangryatthisspeech，for herfather'snamewasPetersen，andsheknewthatthenameendedin“sen，”and thereforeshesaidasproudlyasshecould，“Butmypapacanbuyahundreddollars' worthofbonbons，andgivethemawaytochildren.Canyourpapadothat？”