stories to tell to children-第28章

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depended　on　him；　if　he　pulled　out　his　finger；　the

water　would　surely　make　the　hole　bigger；　and

at　last　break　down　the　dike；　and　the　sea　would

come　in　on　all　the　land　and　houses。　　He　set　his

teeth；　and　stuck　his　finger　tighter　than　ever。



〃You　shall　NOT　come　through！〃　he　whispered；

〃I　will　NOT　run！〃



At　that　moment；　he　heard　a　far…off　shout。

Far　in　the　distance　he　saw　a　black　something　on

the　road；　and　dust。　　The　men　were　coming！　　At

last；　they　were　coming。　　They　came　nearer；　fast；

and　he　could　make　out　his　own　father；　and　the

neighbours。　　They　had　pickaxes　and　shovels；

and　they　were　running。　　And　as　they　ran　they

shouted；　〃We're　coming；　take　heart；　we're

coming！〃



The　next　minute；　it　seemed；　they　were　there。

And　when　they　saw　Hans；　with　his　pale　face；

and　his　hand　tight　in　the　dike；　they　gave　a　great

cheer；just　as　people　do　for　soldiers　back　from

war；　and　they　lifted　him　up　and　rubbed　his

aching　arm　with　tender　hands；　and　they　told　him

that　he　was　a　real　hero　and　that　he　had　saved

the　town。



When　the　men　had　mended　the　dike；　they

marched　home　like　an　army；　and　Hans　was

carried　high　on　their　shoulders；　because　he　was

a　hero。　　And　to　this　day　the　people　of　Haarlem

tell　the　story　of　how　a　little　boy　saved　the　dike。







THE　LAST　LESSON＇1＇



＇1＇　Adapted　from　the　French　of　Alphonse　Daudet。





Little　Franz　didn't　want　to　go　to　school；　that

morning。　　He　would　much　rather　have　played

truant。　　The　air　was　so　warm　and　still；you

could　hear　the　blackbird　singing　at　the　edge　of

the　wood；　and　the　sound　of　the　Prussians　drilling；

down　in　the　meadow　behind　the　old　sawmill。

He　would　SO　much　rather　have　played　truant！

Besides；　this　was　the　day　for　the　lesson　in　the

rule　of　participles；　and　the　rule　of　participles　in

French　is　very；　very　long；　and　very　hard；　and　it

has　more　exceptions　than　rule。　　Little　Franz

did　not　know　it　at　all。　　He　did　not　want　to　go

to　school。



But；　somehow；　he　went。　　His　legs　carried　him

reluctantly　into　the　village　and　along　the　street。

As　he　passed　the　official　bulletin…board　before

the　town　hall；　he　noticed　a　little　crowd　round　it；

looking　at　it。　　That　was　the　place　where　the

news　of　lost　battles；　the　requisition　for　more

troops；　the　demands　for　new　taxes　were　posted。

Small　as　he　was；　little　Franz　had　seen　enough　to

make　him　think；　〃What　NOW；　I　wonder？〃　　But

he　could　not　stop　to　see；　he　was　afraid　of　being

late。



When　he　came　to　the　school…yard　his　heart

beat　very　fast；　he　was　afraid　he　WAS　late；　after

all；　for　the　windows　were　all　open；　and　yet　he

heard　no　noise；the　schoolroom　was　perfectly

quiet。　　He　had　been　counting　on　the　noise　and

confusion　before　school；the　slamming　of　desk

covers；　the　banging　of　books；　the　tapping　of　the

master's　cane　and　his　〃A　little　less　noise；　please；〃

to　let　him　slip　quietly　into　his　seat　unnoticed。

But　no；　he　had　to　open　the　door　and　walk　up

the　long　aisle；　in　the　midst　of　a　silent　room；　with

the　master　looking　straight　at　him。　　Oh；　how　hot

his　cheeks　felt；　and　how　hard　his　heart　beat！

But　to　his　great　surprise　the　master　didn't　scold

at　all。　　All　he　said　was；　〃Come　quickly　to　your

place；　my　little　Franz；　we　were　just　going　to

begin　without　you！〃



Little　Franz　could　hardly　believe　his　ears；

that　wasn't　at　all　the　way　the　master　was　accustomed

to　speak。　　It　was　very　strange！　　Somehow

everything　was　very　strange。　　The　room

looked　queer。　　Everybody　was　sitting　so　still；　so

straightas　if　it　were　an　exhibition　day；　or

something　very　particular。　　And　the　master

he　looked　strange；　too；　why；　he　had　on　his　fine

lace　jabot　and　his　best　coat；　that　he　wore　only

on　holidays；　and　his　gold　snuff…box　in　his　hand。

Certainly　it　was　very　odd。　　Little　Franz　looked

all　round；　wondering。　　And　there　in　the　back　of

the　room　was　the　oddest　thing　of　all。　　There；　on

a　bench；　sat　VISITORS。　　Visitors！　　He　could　not

make　it　out；　people　never　came　except　on　great

occasions；examination　days　and　such。　　And　it

was　not　a　holiday。　　Yet　there　were　the　agent；

the　old　blacksmith；　the　farmer；　sitting　quiet　and

still。　　It　was　very；　very　strange。



Just　then　the　master　stood　up　and　opened

school。　　He　said；　〃My　children；　this　is　the　last

time　I　shall　ever　teach　you。　　The　order　has　come

from　Berlin　that　henceforth　nothing　but　German

shall　be　taught　in　the　schools　of　Alsace　and

Lorraine。　　This　is　your　last　lesson　in　French。

I　beg　you；　be　very　attentive。〃



HIS　LAST　LESSON　IN　FRENCH！　　Little　Franz　could

not　believe　his　ears；　his　last　lessonah；　THAT

was　what　was　on　the　bulletin…board！　　It　flashed

across　him　in　an　instant。　　That　was　it！　　His

last　lesson　in　Frenchand　he　scarcely　knew

how　to　read　and　writewhy；　then；　he　should

never　know　how！　　He　looked　down　at　his

books；　all　battered　and　torn　at　the　corners；　and

suddenly　his　books　seemed　quite　different　to

him；　they　seemedsomehowlike　friends。　　He

looked　at　the　master；　and　he　seemed　different；

too；like　a　very　good　friend。　　Little　Franz

began　to　feel　strange　himself。　　Just　as　he　was

thinking　about　it；　he　heard　his　name　called；　and

he　stood　up　to　recite。



It　was　the　rule　of　participles。



Oh；　what　wouldn't　he　have　given　to　be　able

to　say　it　of　from　beginning　to　end；　exceptions

and　all；　without　a　blunder！　　But　he　could　only

stand　and　hang　his　head；　he　did　not　know　a

word　of　it。　　Then　through　the　hot　pounding　in

his　ears　he　heard　the　master's　voice；　it　was

quite　gentle；　not　at　all　the　scolding　voice　he

expected。　　And　it　said；　〃I'm　not　going　to　punish

you；　little　Franz。　　Perhaps　you　are　punished

enough。　　And　you　are　not　alone　in　your　fault。

We　all　do　the　same　thing；we　all　put　off　our

tasks　till　to…morrow。　　Andsometimesto…

morrow　never　comes。　　That　is　what　it　has　been

with　us。　　We　Alsatians　have　been　always　putting

off　our　education　till　the　morrow；　and　now　they

have　a　right；　those　people　down　there；　to　say　to

us；　‘What！　　You　call　yourselves　French；　and

cannot　even　read　and　write　the　French　language？

Learn　German；　then！'〃



And　then　the　master　spoke　to　them　of　the

French　language。　　He　told　them　how　beautiful

it　was；　how　clear　and　musical　and　reasonable；

and　he　said　that　no　people　could　be　hopelessly

conquered　so　long　as　it　kept　its　language；　for

the　language　was　the　key　to　its　prison…house。

And　then　he　said　he　was　going　to　tell　them　a

little　about　that　beautiful　language；　and　he

explained　the　rule　of　participles。



And　do　you　know；　it　was　just　as　simple　as

A　B　C！　　Little　Franz　understood　every　word。

It　was　just　the　same　with　the　rest　of　the　grammar

lesson。　　I　don't　know　whether　little　Franz

listened　harder；　or　whether　the　master　explained

better；　but　it　was　all　quite　clear；　and　simple。



But　as　they　went　on　with　it；　and　little　Franz

listened　and　looked；　it　seemed　to　him　that　the

master　was　trying　to　put　the　whole　French

language　into　their　heads　in　that　one　hour。

It　seemed　as　if　he　wanted　to　teach　them　all　he

knew；　before　he　went；to　give　them　all　he　had；

in　this　last　lesson。



From　the　grammar　he　went　on　to　the　writing

lesson。　　And　for　this；　quite　new　copies　had

been　prepared。　　They　were　written　on　clean；

new　slips　of　paper；　and　they　were：



France：　Alsace。

France：　Alsace。



All　up　and　down　the　aisles　they　hung　out　from

the　desks　like　little　banners；　waving



France：　Alsace。

France：　Alsace。





And　everybody　worked　with　all　his　might；

not　a　sound　could　you　hear　but　the　scratching

of　pens　on　the　〃France：　Alsace。〃



Even　the　little　ones　bent　over　their　up　and

down　strokes　with　their　tongues　stuck　out　to

help　them　work。



After　the　writing　came　the　reading　lesson；

and　the　little　ones　sang　their　ba；　be；　bi；　bo；　bu。



Right　in　the　midst　of　it；　Franz　heard　a　curious

sound；　a　big　deep　voice　mingling　with　the

children's　voices。　　He　turned　round；　and　there；

on　the　bench　in　the　back　of　the　room；　the　old

blacksmith　sat　with　a　big　A　B　C　book　open　on

his　knees。　　It　was　his　voice　Franz　had　heard。

He　was　saying　the　sounds　with　the　little

children；ba；　be；　bi；　bo；　bu。　　His　voice　sounded

so　odd；　with　the　little　voices；so　very　odd；it

made　little　Franz　feel　queer。　　It　seemed　so

funny　that　he　thought　he　would　laugh；　then　he

thought　he　wouldn't　laugh；　he　felthe　felt

very　queer。



So　it　went　on　with　the　lessons；　they　had

them　all。　　And　then；　suddenly；　the　town　clock

struck　noon。　　And　at　the　same　time　they　heard

the　tramp　of　the　Prussians'　feet；　coming　back

from　drill。



It　was　time　to　close　school。



The　master　stood　up。　　He　was　very　pale。

Little　Franz　had　never　seen　him　look　so　tall。

He　said：　　〃My　childrenmy　children〃but　something

choked　him；　he　could　not　go　on。　　Instead　he

turned　and　went　to　the　blackboard　and　took　up

a　piece　of　chalk。　　And　then　he　wrote；　high　up；

in　big　white　letters；　〃Vive　la　France！〃



And　he　made　a　little　sign　to　them　with　his

head；　〃That　is　all；　go　away。〃







THE　STORY　OF　CHRISTMAS





There　was　once　a　nation　which　was　very

powerful；　very　fortunate；　and　very　proud。　　Its

lands　were　fruitful；　its　armies　were　victorious

in　battle；　and　it　had　strong　kings；　wise　lawgivers；

and　great　poets。　　But　after　a　great　many

years；　everything　changed。　　The　nation　had　no

more　strong　kings；　no　more　wise　lawgivers；　its

armies　were　beaten　in　battle；　and　neighbouring

tribes　conquered　the　country　and　took　the

fruitful　lands；　there　were　no　more　poets　except

a　few　who　made　songs　of　lamentation。　　The

people　had　become　a　captive　and　humiliated

people；　and　the　bitterest　part　of　all　its　sadness

was　the　memory　of　past　greatness。



But　in　all　the　years　of　failure　and　humiliation；

there　was　one　thing　which　kept　this　people　from

despair；　one　hope　lived　in　their　hearts　and　kept

them　from　utter　misery。　　It　was　a　hope　which

came　from　something　one　of　the　great　poets　of

the　past　had　said；　in　prophecy。　　This　prophecy

was　whispered　in　the　homes　of　the　poor；　taught

in　the　churches；　repeated　from　father　to　son

among　the　rich；　it　was　like　a　deep；　hidden　well

of　comfort　in　a　desert　of　suffering。　　The　prophecy

said　that　some　time　a　deliverer　should　be　born

for　the　nation；　a　new　king　even　stronger　than

the　old　ones；　mighty　enough　to　conquer　its

enemies；　set　it　free；　and　bring　back　the　splendid

days　of　old。　　This　was　the　hope　and　expectation

all　the　people　looked　for；　they　waited　through

the　years　for　the　prophecy　to　come　true。



In　this　nation；　in　a　little　country　town；　lived

a　man　and　a　woman　whose　names　were　Joseph

and　Mary。　　And　it　happened；　one　year；　that

they　had　to　take　a　little　journey　up　to　the　town

which　was　the　nearest　tax…centre；　to　have　their

names　put　on　the　census　list；　because　that　was

the　custom　in　that　country。



But　when　they　got　to　the　town；　so　many

others　were　there　for　the　same　thing；　and　it　was

such　a　small　town；　that　every　place