小学英语安徒生童话系列（八）TheBuckwheat阅读素材.docx

theBuckwheatbyHansChristianAndersen（1842）VERYoften，afteraviolentthunder-storm，afieldofbuckwheatappearsblackenedandsinged，asifaflameoffirehadpassedoverit.thecountrypeoplesaythatthisappearanceiscausedbylightning；butIwilltellyouwhatthesparrowsays，andthesparrowhearditfromanoldwillow-treewhichGREwnearafieldofbuckwheat，andistherestill.Itisalargevenerabletree，thoughalittlecrippledbyage.Thetrunkhasbeensplit，andoutofthecrevicegrassandbramblesgrow.Thetreebendsfor-wardslightly，andthebrancheshangquitedowntothegroundjustlikegreenhair.Corngrowsinthesurroundingfields，notonlyryeandbarley，butoats，prettyoatsthat，whenripe，looklikeanumberoflittlegoldencanary-birdssittingonabough.Thecornhasasmilinglookandtheheaviestandrichestearsbendtheirheadslowasifinpioushumility.Oncetherewasalsoafieldofbuckwheat，andthisfieldwasexactlyoppositetooldwillow-tree.Thebuckwheatdidnotbendliketheothergrain，buterecteditsheadproudlyandstifflyonthestem. “Iamasvaluableasanyothercorn，”saidhe， “andIammuchhandsomer；myflowersareasbeautifulasthebloomoftheappleblossom，anditisapleasuretolookatus.Doyouknowofanythingprettierthanweare，youoldwillow-tree？”Andthewillow-treenoddedhishead，asifhewouldsay， “IndeedIdo.”Butthebuckwheatspreaditselfoutwithpride，andsaid， “Stupidtree；heissooldthatgrassgrowsoutofhisbody.”therearoseaveryterriblestorm.Allthefield-flowersfoldedtheirleavestogether，orbowedtheirlittleheads，whilethestormpassedoverthem，butthebuckwheatstooderectinitspride. “Bendyourheadaswedo，”saidtheflowers.“Ihavenooccasiontodoso，”repliedthebuckwheat.“Bendyourheadaswedo，”criedtheearsofcorn； “theangelofthestormiscoming；hiswingsspreadfromtheskyabovetotheearthbeneath.Hewillstrikeyoudownbeforeyoucancryformercy.”“ButIwillnotbendmyhead，”saidthebuckwheat.“Closeyourflowersandbendyourleaves，”saidtheoldwillow-tree. “Donotlookatthelightningwhenthecloudbursts；evenmencannotdothat.InaFLASHoflightningheavenopens，andwecanlookin；butthesightwillstrikeevenhumanbeingsblind.Whatthenmusthappentous，whoonlygrowoutoftheearth，andaresoinferiortothem，ifweventuretodoso？”“Inferior，indeed！”saidthebuckwheat. “NowIintendtohaveapeepintoheaven.”Proudlyandboldlyhelookedup，whilethelightningFLASHedacrosstheskyasifthewholeworldwereinflames.Whenthedreadfulstormhadpassed，theflowersandthecornraisedtheirdroopingheadsinthepurestillair，refreshedbytherain，butthebuckwheatlaylikeaweedinthefield，burnttoblacknessbythelightning.Thebranchesoftheoldwillow-treerustledinthewind，andlargewater-dropsfellfromhisGREenleavesasiftheoldwillowwereweeping.Thenthesparrowsaskedwhyhewasweeping，whenallaroundhimseemedsocheerful. “See，”theysaid， “howthesunshines，andthecloudsfloatinthebluesky.Doyounotsmellthesweetperfumefromflowerandbush？Whereforedoyouweep，oldwillow-tree？”Thenthewillowtoldthemofthehaughtyp