"HOW THE FIRST LETTER WAS WRITTEN"
материал по английскому языку (7 класс) на тему

How

The First Letter

Was Written

0. In the beginning of the years, when the world was so new, and so there was so much work to do there were Neolithic people.

Движняк 

1. In this most early time was a Neolithic man.
2. He was a Primitive, and he lived cavily in a Cave,
3. and he wore very few clothes,
4. and he couldn't read and he couldn't write and he didn't want to,
5. and except when he was hungry he was quite happy.

TEG

        His name was Tegumai Bopsulai,

0. and that means, 'Man-who-does-not-put-his-foot-forward-in-a-hurry';
1. but we, О Best Beloved, will call him Tegumai, for short.

TESH

        And his wife's name was Teshumai Tewindrow,

0. and that means, 'Lady-who-asks-a-very-many-questions';
1. but we, О Best Beloved, will call her Teshumai, for short.

TAFFY

        And this little girl-daughter's name was Taffimai Metallumai,

0. and that means, 'Small-person-without-any-manners-who-ought-to-be-spanked';
1. but We'are going to call her Taffy.

TAG

        And she was Tegumai Bop-sulai's Best Beloved

TESH

        and her own Mummy's Best Beloved, and she was not spanked half as much as was good for her;

FAMILY

        and they were all three very happy.

TAFFY

        As soon as Taffy could run about she went everywhere with her Daddy Tegumai, TAG

and sometimes they would not come home to the Cave till they were hungry,

TESH

         and then Teshumai Tewindrow would say, 'Where in the world have you two been to, to get so shocking dirty? Really, my Tegumai, you're no better than my Taffy.'

0. Now attend and listen!

БАМС

TAG

        One day Tegumai Bopsulai went down through the beaver-swamp to the Wagai river to spear carp-fish for dinner,

TAFFY

        and Taffy went too.

0. Tegumai's spear was made of wood with shark's teeth at the end, and before he had caught any fish at all he accidentally broke it.

1. -They were miles and miles from home

2. (of course they had their lunch with them in a little bag),

3. and Tegumai had forgotten to bring any extra spears.

TAG

        'Here's a pretty kettle of fish. 'It will take me half the day to mend this.'

TAFFY
        There's your big black spear at home. Let me run back to the Cave and ask Mummy to give it me.'

TAG

        'It's too far for your little fat legs. Besides, you might fall into the beaver-swamp and be drowned. We must make the best of a bad job.'

0. He sat down and took out a little leather mendy-bag, full of reindeer-sinews and strips of learner,

1. and lumps of bee's-wax and resin,

TAG

        and began to mend the spear.

Taffy sat down too, with her toes in the water and her chin in her hand, and thought very hard. 

TAFFY

        I say, Daddy, it's an awful nuisance that you and I don't know how to write, isn't it? If we did we could send a message for the new spear.'

TAG

        Taffy, how often have I told you not to use slang? "Awful" isn't a pretty word,—but it would be a convenience, now you mention it, if we could write home.

0. Just then a Stranger-man came along the river,

1. but he belonged to a far tribe, the Tewaraa,

2. and he did not understand one word of Tegumai's language.

TEW

        He stood on the bank and smiled at Taffy, because he had a litfle girl-daughter of his own at home.

Tegumai drew a hank of deersinews from his mendy-bag and began to mend his

Spear

TAFFY

        Come here. Do you know where my Mummy lives?

TEW

'        Um!'- He is, as you know, a Tewara.

Taffy

        'Silly!

 and she stamped her foot,

TAG

        'Don't bother grown-ups,

busy with his spear-mending that he did not turn round.

TAFFY

        I aren't. I only want him to do what I want him to do, and he won't understand.

TAG'

        Then don't bother me 

and he went on pulling and straining at the deer-sinews with his mouth full of loose ends.

The Stranger man sat down on the grass, and Taffy showed him what her Daddy was doing. 

TEW

        This is a very wonderful child. She stamps her foot at me and she makes faces. She must be the daughter of that noble Chief who is so great that he won't take any notice of me.

        So he smiled more politely than ever, a genuine Tewara as he was

TAFFY

        Now I want you to go to my Mummy, because your legs are longer than mine, and you won't fall into the beaver-swamp, and ask for Daddy's other spear the one with the black handle that hangs over our fireplace.

TEW

        This is a very, very wonderful child. She waves her arms and she shouts at me, but I don't understand a word of what she says. But if I don't do what she wants, I greatly fear that that haughty Chief, Man-who-turns-his-back-on-callers, will be angry.

He got up and twisted a big flat piece of bark off a birch-tree and gave it to Taffy. 

0. He did this, Best Beloved, to show that his heart was as white as the birch-bark and that he meant no harm;

1. but Taffy didn't quite understand

TAFFY

        Oh! Now I see! You want my Mummy's living address? Of course I can't write, but I can draw pictures if I've anything sharp to scratch with. Please lend me the shark's tooth off your necklace.

so Taffy put up her little hand and pulled at the beautiful bead and seed and shark-tooth necklace round his neck.

TEW

        This is a very, very, very wonderful child. The shark's tooth on his necklace is a magic shark's tooth, and he was always told that if anybody touched it without his leave they would immediately swell up or burst, but this child doesn't swell up or burst, and that important         Chief, Man-who-attends-strictly-to-his-business, who has not yet taken any notice of me at all, doesn't seem to be afraid that she will swell up or burst. He had better be more polite.

So he gave Taffy the shark's tooth, and she lay down flat on her tummy with her legs in the air 

TAFFY

         'Now I’ll draw you some beautiful pictures! You can look over my shoulder, but you mustn't joggle. First I'll draw Daddy fishing. It isn't very like him; but Mummy will know, because I've drawn his spear all broken.

        Well, now I’ll draw the other spear that he wants, the black-handled spear. It looks as if it was sticking in Daddy's back, but that's because the shark's tooth slipped and this piece of bark isn't big enough.

        That's the spear I want you to fetch; so I’ll draw a picture of me myself 'splaining to you.

        My hair doesn't stand up like I've drawn, but it's easier to draw that way. Now I’ll draw you. I think you're very nice really, but I can't make you pretty in the picture, so you mustn't be 'fended. Are you 'fended?

 Tewara smiled.

TEW

        There must be a big battle going to be fought somewhere, and this extraordinary child, who takes my magic shark's tooth but who does not swell up or burst, is

telling me to call all the great Chiefs tribe to help him. He is a great Chief, or he would have noticed me.

TAFFY

'        Look, drawing very hard and rather scratchily, 

        now I've drawn you, and I've put the spear that Daddy wants into your hand, just to remind you that you're to bring it.

        Now I’ll show you how to find my Mummy's living-address. You go along till you come to two trees (those are trees), and then you go over a hill (that's a hill), and then you come into a beaver-swamp all full of beavers.

        I haven't put in all the beavers, because I can't draw beavers, but I've drawn their heads, and that's all you'll see of them when you cross the swamp. Mind you don't fall in!         Then our Cave is just beyond the beaver-swamp. It isn't as high as the bills really, but I can't draw things very small.

        That's my Mummy outside. She is beautiful. She is the most beautifullest Mummy there ever was, but she won't be 'fended when she sees I've drawn her so plain. She'll be pleased of me because I can draw.

        Now, in case you forget, I've drawn the spear that Daddy wants outside our Cave. It's inside really, but you show the picture to my Mummy and she'll give it you. I've made her holding up her bands, because I know shell be so pleased to see you.

         Isn't it a beautiful picture? And do you quite understand, or shall I 'splain again?]

0. The Stranger-man (and he was a Tewara) looked at the picture and nodded very hard.

TEW

        If I do not fetch this great Chief's tribe to help him, he will be slain by his enemies who are coming up on all sides with spears.

 Now I see why the great Chief pretended not to notice me! He feared that his enemies were hiding in the bushes and would see him deliver a message to me.

        Therefore he turned his back, and let the wise and wonderful child draw the terrible picture showing me his difficulties. I will away and get help for him from his tribe.

0. He did not even ask Taffy the road, but raced off into the bushes like the wind, with the birch-bark in his hand,

1. -and Taffy sat down most pleased.

TAG

        What have you been doing, Taffy?

He had mended his spear and was carefully waving it to and fro.

TAFFY

        It's a little berangement of my own, Daddy dear. If you won't ask me questions, you'll know all about it in a little time, and you'll be surprised. You don't know how surprised you'll be, Daddy! Promise you'll be surprised.

TAG

'Very well

and went on fishing.

0. The Stranger-man - did you know he was a Tewara?— hurried away with the picture and ran for some miles,

1. till quite by accident he found Teshumai Tewindrow at the door of her Cave, talking to some other Neolithic ladies who had come in to a Primitive lunch.

Движняк

0. Taffy was very like Teshumai, especially about the upper part of the face and the eyes,

1. so the Stranger-man—always a pure Tewara—smiled politely and handed Teshumai the birch-bark.

2. He had run hard, so that he panted, and his legs were scratched with brambles, but he still tried to be polite.

As soon as Tesbumai saw the picture she screamed like anything and flew at the Stranger-man. The other Neolithic ladies at once knocked him down and sat on him in a long line of six, while Teshumai pulled his hair. 

TESH

        'It's as plain as the nose on this Stranger-man's face has stuck my Tegumai all full of spears, and frightened poor Taffy so that her hair stands all on end; and not content with that, he brings me a horrid picture of how it was done. Look!'

 She showed the picture to all the Neolithic ladies sitting patiently on the Stranger-man. 

TESH

        Here is my Tegumai with his arm broken; here is a spear sticking into his back; here is a man with a spear ready to throw; here is another man throwing a spear from a Cave, and here are a whole pack of people  'coming up behind Tegumai. Isn't it shocking!

4. they were Taffy's beavers really, but they did look rather like people

Neolithic ladies,

        'Most shocking!'

5. and they filled the Stranger-man's hair with mud

TEW

        at which he was surprised        

Neolithic ladies

6. and they beat upon the Reverberating Tribal Drums

7. and called together all the chiefs of the Tribe of Tegumai,

(появляется толпа)

8. with their Hetmans and Dolmans, Bonzes,

9. and the rest, who decided that before they chopped the Stranger-man's head off

10. he should instantly lead them down to the river and show them where he had hidden poor Taffy.

TEW

        By this time the Stranger-man (in spite of being a Tewara) was really annoyed. -They had filled his hair quite solid with mud;

11. they had rolled him up and down on knobby pebbles;

12.  they had sat upon him in a long line of six;

13. they had thumped him and bumped him till he could hardly breathe;

TEW

        and though he did not understand their language, he was almost sure that the names the Neolithic ladies called him were not ladylike.

14. he said nothing till all the Tribe of Tegumai were assembled,

15. and then he led them back to the bank of the Wagai river,

Движняк

and there they found Taffy making daisy-chains, and Tegumai carefully spearing small carp with his mended spear.

TAFFY

        Well, you have been quick! But why did you bring so many people?

        Daddy dear, this is my surprise. Are you surprised, Daddy?

TEG

        Very! But it has ruined all my fishing for the day. Why, the whole dear, kind, nice, clean, quiet Tribe is here, Taffy

And so they were. First of all walked Teshumai Tewin-drow and the Neolithic ladies, tightly holding on to the Stranger-man, whose hair was full of mud (although he was a Tewara).

0. Behind them came the Head Chief,

1. the Vice-Chief,

2. the Deputy and Assistant Chiefs

3. all armed to the upper teeth

4. the Hetmans and Heads of Hundreds with their Detachments; ranking in the rear (still armed to the teeth).

5. Behind them was the Tribe in hierarchical order, from owners of four caves (one for each season),

6. a private reindeer-run,

7. and two salmon-leaps, to Villeins,

8. semi-entitled to half a bearskin of winter nights,

9. seven yards from the fire,

TEG

        They were all there, shouting, and they frightened every fish for twenty miles, and Tegumai thanked them in a fluid Neolithic orationы

 Teshumai Tewindrow ran down and kissed and hugged Taffy very much indeed;

the Head Chief

        the Head Chief of the Tribe of Tegumai took Tegumai by the top-knot feathers and shook him severely.

cried all the Tribe of Tegumai.

16. Explain! Explain! Explain!'

TEG

Goodness sakes alive! Let go of my top-knot. Can't a man break his carp-spear without the whole countryside descending on him? You're a very interfering people.

TAFFY

        I don't believe you've brought my Daddy's black-handled spear after all. And what are you doing to my nice Stranger-man?

They were thumping him by twos and threes and tens till his eyes turned round and round. He could only gasp and point at Taffy.

TESH

        Where are the bad people who speared you, my darling?'

TEG

        There weren't any. My only visitor this morning was the poor fellow that you are trying to choke. Aren't you well, or are you ill, О Tribe of Tegumai?

the Head Chief

        'He came with a horrible picture,—'a picture that showed you were full of spears.

TAFFY

        'Er—urn—Pr'aps I'd better 'splain that I gave him that picture, but she did not feel quite comfy.

the Tribe

        'You! Small-person-with-no-manners-who-ought-to-be-spanked! You?

TEG

        Taffy dear, I'm afraid we're in for a little trouble,

and put his arm round her, so she didn't care.

the Head Chief

        'Explain! Explain! Explain!1,

and he hopped on one foot.

TAFFY

        I wanted the Stranger-man to fetch Daddy's spear, so I drew it. There wasn't lots of spears. There was only one spear. I drew it three times to make sure. I couldn’t help it looking as if it stuck into Daddy's head-—there wasn't room on the birch-bark; and those things that Mummy called bad people are my beavers.

        I drew them to show him the way through the swamp; and I drew Mummy at the mouth of the Cave looking pleased because he is a nice Stranger-man, and  think you are just the stupidest people in the world

        He is a very nice man. Why have you filled his hair with mud? Wash him!

Nobody said anything at all for a long time, till the Head Chief laughed; then the Stranger-man (who was at least a Tewara) laughed; then Tegumai laughed till he fell down fiat on the bank; then all the Tribe laughed more and worse and louder.

Neolithic ladies

        The only people who did not laugh were Teshumai Tewindrow and all the Neolithic ladies.

        They were very polite to all their husbands, and said 'idiot!' ever so often.

 the Head Chief 

        O Small-person-without-any-manners-who-ought-to-be-spanked, you've hit upon a great invention!

TAFFY

        I didn't intend to; I only wanted Daddy's black-handled spear

the Head Chief 

        Never mind. It is a great invention, and some day men will call it writing. At present it is only pictures, and, as we have seen to-day, pictures are not always properly understood.

        But a time will come,О Babe of Tegumai, when we shall make letters and when we shall be able to read as well as to write, and then we shall always say exactly what we mean without any mistakes.

        Let the Neolithic ladies wash the mud out of the stranger's hair.

TAFFY

        I shall be glad of that, because, after all, though you've brought a spear.

Then the Head Chief cried and said and sang, '

VICE Chief

        Taffy dear, the next time you write a picture-letter, you'd better send a man who can talk our language with it, to explain what it means. I don't mind it myself, because I am a Vice Chief.

17. Then they adopted the Stranger-man (a genuine Tewara of Tewar) into the Tribe of Tegumai, because he was a gentleman

18. and did not make a fuss about the mud that the Neolithic ladies had put into his hair.

19. But from that day to this (and I suppose it is all Taffy's fault), very few little girls have ever liked learning to read or write.

20. Most of them prefer to draw pictures and play about with their Daddies—just like Taffy.

There runs a road by Merrow Down

A grassy track to-day it is— An hour out of Guildford town,

Above the river Wey it is.

Here, when they heard the horse-bells ring, The ancient Britons dressed and rode

To watch the dark Phoenicians bring Their goods along the Western Road.

And here, or hereabouts, they met To hold their racial talks and such—

To barter beads for Whitby jet, And tin for gay shell torques and such.

But long and long before that time (When bison used to roam on it)

Did Taffy and her Daddy climb

That down, and had their home on it.

Then beavers built in Broadstonebrook

And made з swamp where Bramley stands

And bears from Shere would come and look For Taffimai where Shamley stands.

The Wey, that Taffy called Wagai, Was more than six times bigger then;

And all the Tribe of Tegumai They cut a noble figure then!

Of all the Tribe of Tegumai Who cut that figure, none remain—

On Merrow Down the cuckoos cry— The silence and the sun remain.

But as the faithful years return And hearts unwounded sing again,

Comes Taffy dancing through the fern To lead the Surrey spring again.

Her brows are bound with bracken-fronds And golden elf-locks fly above;

Her eyes are bright as diamonds And bluet than the skies above.

In moccasins and deer-skin cloak, Unfearing, free and fair she flits,

And lights her little damp-wood smoke To show her Daddy where she flits.

For far—oh, very far behind,

So far she cannot call to him, Comes Tegumai alone to find

The daughter that was all to him.