03-02-04-牙齿和爪子 [4]
． She had promised her aunts that she would not pick any of the kind king's flowers． She wanted very much to be good and to keep her promise． So she was very cross when she found that there were no flowers to pick．'
'Why weren't there any flowers？'
'Because the pigs had eaten them all，' said the bachelor immediately．' The gardeners had told the king that he couldn't have pigs and flowers， because pigs eat flowers． So the king decided to have pigs，and no flowers．'
The children thought that this was an excellent idea．
'Most people choose flowers，' said Cyril． He looked very pleased．'But of course， pigs are much better than flowers．'
'There were lots of other wonderful things in the palace gardens，'the bachelor continued． 'There were lakes with gold and blue and green fish in them． There were trees with beautiful birds that could talk and say clever things．There were also birds that could sing popular songs．
'Well， on the first Friday afternoon in May， Bertha came to the king's gardens， the king's soldiers saw her beautiful white dress and her three medals for goodness， and they opened the doors to the gardens at once．
'Bertha walked up and down and enjoyed herself very much． As she walked along， the three medals on her beautiful white dress clinked against each other． She heard them clinking， and she thought：“I'm here in these lovely gardens because I am the Best Child in the World．”She felt pleased and happy and very， very good．
'Just then a very big， hungry wolf came into the gardens． It wanted to catch a fat little pig for its supper．'
'What colour was the wolf？ asked the children， who were listening to the story with great interest．
'He was grey，'said the bachelor，'with a black tongue and angrg yellow eges． He had long black claws and big，strong， yellowish teeth． The wolf was hungry． He smelled the ground with his long grey nose． Then he saw Bertha's beautiful， clean white dress and began to move quietly towards her．
'Bertha saw the wolf and she wished she had not come to the gardens．Oh， why did I come here？”she thought．“All the bad children are safe at home． I wish I wasn't an extraordinarily good child！ Then I could be safe at home too．”She ran as hard as she could， and the wolf came after her on his long grey legs．
'At last Bertha mannged to reach some big， sweet smelling myrtle bushes， and she hid herself in the thickest bush． The wolf walked round and round the bushes， with his angry yellow eyes and his long blach tongue． But he couldn't see Bertha because the bushes were too thick， and he couldn't smell her because the smell of the myrtle was too strong． So after a while the wolf became bored， and decided to go and catch a little pig for his supper．
'Bertha was terribly frightened． Her heart beat very fast and her body shook with fear． Her arms shook and her legs shook． Her three medals for goodness shook too． And as they shook， they clinked together． The wolf was just moving away， when he heard the medals clinking， and he stopped to listen． The medals clinked again． The wolf's yellow eyes shone， and he ran into the myrtle bushes， pulled Bertha out，and ate her． He ate everything except her shoes， a few small pieces of her dress， and the three medals for goodness．'
'Were any of the little pigs killed？' asked Cyril．
'No， they all escaped．'
'The story began badly，' said the smaller girl，'but it finished beautifully．'
'It is the most beautiful story that I have ever heard，'said the bigger girl．
'It is the only beautiful story I have ever heard，' said Cyril．
The aunt did not agree．'It was a most improper story！'she said angrily．'You mustn't tell children stories like that！You have destroyed years of careful teaching．'
'Well，' said the bachelor． He put on his coat and picked up his bags．'The children sat still and were quiet for ten minutes while they listened to the story． And they didn't do that for you．'
'I feel sorry for that woman，' thought the bachelor as he stepped down from the train at the next station．'What will people think when those children ask her for an improper story
'Why weren't there any flowers？'
'Because the pigs had eaten them all，' said the bachelor immediately．' The gardeners had told the king that he couldn't have pigs and flowers， because pigs eat flowers． So the king decided to have pigs，and no flowers．'
The children thought that this was an excellent idea．
'Most people choose flowers，' said Cyril． He looked very pleased．'But of course， pigs are much better than flowers．'
'There were lots of other wonderful things in the palace gardens，'the bachelor continued． 'There were lakes with gold and blue and green fish in them． There were trees with beautiful birds that could talk and say clever things．There were also birds that could sing popular songs．
'Well， on the first Friday afternoon in May， Bertha came to the king's gardens， the king's soldiers saw her beautiful white dress and her three medals for goodness， and they opened the doors to the gardens at once．
'Bertha walked up and down and enjoyed herself very much． As she walked along， the three medals on her beautiful white dress clinked against each other． She heard them clinking， and she thought：“I'm here in these lovely gardens because I am the Best Child in the World．”She felt pleased and happy and very， very good．
'Just then a very big， hungry wolf came into the gardens． It wanted to catch a fat little pig for its supper．'
'What colour was the wolf？ asked the children， who were listening to the story with great interest．
'He was grey，'said the bachelor，'with a black tongue and angrg yellow eges． He had long black claws and big，strong， yellowish teeth． The wolf was hungry． He smelled the ground with his long grey nose． Then he saw Bertha's beautiful， clean white dress and began to move quietly towards her．
'Bertha saw the wolf and she wished she had not come to the gardens．Oh， why did I come here？”she thought．“All the bad children are safe at home． I wish I wasn't an extraordinarily good child！ Then I could be safe at home too．”She ran as hard as she could， and the wolf came after her on his long grey legs．
'At last Bertha mannged to reach some big， sweet smelling myrtle bushes， and she hid herself in the thickest bush． The wolf walked round and round the bushes， with his angry yellow eyes and his long blach tongue． But he couldn't see Bertha because the bushes were too thick， and he couldn't smell her because the smell of the myrtle was too strong． So after a while the wolf became bored， and decided to go and catch a little pig for his supper．
'Bertha was terribly frightened． Her heart beat very fast and her body shook with fear． Her arms shook and her legs shook． Her three medals for goodness shook too． And as they shook， they clinked together． The wolf was just moving away， when he heard the medals clinking， and he stopped to listen． The medals clinked again． The wolf's yellow eyes shone， and he ran into the myrtle bushes， pulled Bertha out，and ate her． He ate everything except her shoes， a few small pieces of her dress， and the three medals for goodness．'
'Were any of the little pigs killed？' asked Cyril．
'No， they all escaped．'
'The story began badly，' said the smaller girl，'but it finished beautifully．'
'It is the most beautiful story that I have ever heard，'said the bigger girl．
'It is the only beautiful story I have ever heard，' said Cyril．
The aunt did not agree．'It was a most improper story！'she said angrily．'You mustn't tell children stories like that！You have destroyed years of careful teaching．'
'Well，' said the bachelor． He put on his coat and picked up his bags．'The children sat still and were quiet for ten minutes while they listened to the story． And they didn't do that for you．'
'I feel sorry for that woman，' thought the bachelor as he stepped down from the train at the next station．'What will people think when those children ask her for an improper story