LESSON 46 SHARE YOUR GOOD THINGS.

SHARE YOUR GOOD THINGS.

cheeped quick-ly ter-ri-er

feath-ers seized troub-le

rus-tle ruf-fled tugged

1. "Cluck, cluck, cluck!" cried the brown hen. "Here's a lot of crumbs, chicks; cluck, cluck, cluck!"

2. The chicks ran at their mother's call, and quickly picked up the food.

Peck and Pick pushed the smaller chicks aside, and tried to get more than a fair share.

3. "Don't be greedy, Peck and Pick," said the brown hen, "or I shall have to beat you with my wings. Your greed will surely bring you into trouble. Behave yourselves! Cluck, cluck, cluck!"

4. The two chicks were afraid of their mother, so they gave up pushing, but they still tried to gobble up more than the others.

5. The brown hen called all the chicks under her wings for a short nap.

Peck and Pick said they were not sleepy, so they stole away into the grass.

6. There lay a piece of cake, that a little girl had dropped. Peck and Pick both saw it. They ran and seized it at the same time.

Let go, said Pick, "I saw it first." "Shan't," said Peck, "it's mine!"

7. They could not agree to share the cake, so both tugged 〔1〕 at it. Peck's hold was not very tight and at last Pick got it.

He ran away with it in his beak. Peck ran after him.

8. Dixie, the terrier, lay sleeping in the sun with one eye open. She heard the rustle 〔2〕 in the grass when Pick ran by, and saw the cake in the chick's beak.

9. "Yap, yap, yap!" she cried, and ran at Pick to make him drop the cake. Pick cheeped in fright, dropped the cake, and, in his hurry to get away, hurt his leg. Peck ran off as hard as he could.

10. "Cheep, cheep, cheep!" cried poor Pick. "Mother, help me." The brown hen ruffled her feathers 〔3〕 , and flew at Dixie. The dog took no notice of her but gobbled up the cake.

11. "Cluck, cluck!" said the mother hen, as she took Pick under her wing to rest his hurt leg. "Cluck, cluck! Greedy folk always find trouble. Learn to share your good things. Cluck, cluck!"

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If you tried and have not won,

Never pause for crying;

All that's great and good is done

Just by patient trying.

注释

〔1〕 tugged: Pulled hard.

〔2〕 rustle: A soft sound.

〔3〕 ruffled her feathers: Caused her feathers to stand up as if in anger.