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Once upon a time there was a poor miller. He lived in a small house, together with his three sons. The miller worked at the mill, and his sons helped him. The miller had no horse. He used his donkey to bring wheat from the fields.

The years went by. The miller grew old and died. His sons decided to divide their father's things among themselves. That was easy: he had almost nothing to leave to his sons. Only his mill, his donkey and his cat.

"I'm going to take the mill," said the miller's oldest son.

"I'm going to take the donkey," said the second.

"And what about me?" asked the youngest son.

"You? You can take the cat," laughed his brothers.

The young fellow was very much upset. He went out of the house and sat down on the bench.

"Oh, well," he said in a sad voice. "My brothers have the mill and the donkey. They can put them together and make enough money to live an honest life. But what can I do? I can eat the cat, and I can make a hat out of his fur. But then I have nothing. I can die of hunger."

The Cat was sitting on the bench too. He was trying not to listen to his master. But of course he heard all his words. And he didn't like them at all. He put on a serious face and said:

"Don't look so sad, Master. I'm not a bad thing. And I am more useful to you alive than dead. I can prove that."

"How so?" asked the Cat's master.

"All you have to do is to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots. Such as gentlemen wear in the woods. I'm going to show you that you're lucky to have me."

"It's unusual that a cat can speak at all," the miller's son said to himself. But then he started thinking. "This cat's very good at catching rats and mice. He played so many cunning tricks on them. He never came home without a rat or a mouse. He could hide in the wheat, or pretend to be dead. Perhaps, he can help me after all."

"OK," he said to the Cat. "I'm going now to order the boots."

Helpful Words & Notes

Once upon a time there was … — Традиционное начало сказок на английском языке. В русском языке им соответствуют фразы: Жил-был …, Давным-давно … и т. п.

he had almost nothing to leave to his sons — он мало что мог оставить своим сыновьям.

They can put them together and make enough money to live an honest life. — Они могут держаться вместе и честно зарабатывать себе на хлеб.

Не put on a serious face — Он посмотрел на своего хозяина с серьезным видом.

you're lucky to have me — тебе повезло, что я тебе достался.

This cat's very good at catching rats and mice. — Этот кот отлично умеет ловить крыс и мышей. (Запомните, что во множественном числе существительное mouse (мышь) принимает особую форму mice.)

Не played so many cunning tricks on them. — Он столько раз их обманывал, придумывая хитрые уловки.

after all — всё-таки.

Exercises

1. Answer the questions.

1) How many sons did the miller have?

2) What did the old miller leave to his sons?

3) What did the youngest son get?

4) Why was he upset?

5) What did the Cat say to the young man?

6) What did his master answer?

2. Complete the sentences.

1) The miller worked at the ___.

a) factory

b) mill

c) post-office

2) The second son took the ___.

a) cat

b) horse

c) donkey

3) The Cat asked his master to get him a pair of ___.

a) dance shoes

b) boots

c) blue jeans

3. Fill in the adjectives from the text.

1) The older brothers could put their things together and live an ___ life.

2) The Cat could be more useful ___ than dead.

3) The Cat played a lot of ___ tricks on mice and rats.

4. Choose right.

1) The Cat's master was the youngest / younger son in the family.

2) The miller's oldest / old son took the mill.

3) The Cat's master was younger / young than his brothers.

5. Fill in the prepositions from the box.

of on at among

1) The miller's sons divided his things ___ themselves.

2) The Cat's master was afraid to die ___ hunger.

3) The Cat was good ___catching mice and rats in the house.

4) The Cat put ___ a serious face and spoke to his master.

6. Speak about the miller's youngest son.

1) Say what you know about his family.

2) The miller's youngest son wanted to live an honest life like his brothers. How can you prove that?

3) The young man agreed to order the boots for the Cat. Why?