《神奇树屋》 第四十三册 Leprechaun In Late Winter 05 a fire set tale

　　Hello! Marry! Said Augusta.



She kissed the old woman on her wrinkle cheek. With fire light onher face, marry seemed to glow, her warm snout cottage was theupset the big house. It’s small and damp lives set mass Britonchocolate. Fire light danced in the Olsen floor and stone walls, raindripped through the roof, pinning into a couple of ten buckets.



And who do we have here? Miss Augusta? Marry askedTwo poor children, from town, said Augusta. I want you to tell themabout me. how I truly love them the poor, and try to help them.



Marry smiled.



Please, sit down. First. She said.



Jack 1 Annie and Augusta sat down on three wooden chairs,Would you children like somehot coco? Marry asked.



Jack and Annie nodded eagerly.



Yes. Please marry. Said Augusta. But would you tell themYes. I will tell them all about you. Said marry.



She picked up a pile sitting on the huts, she pulled the steamingcoco into three mugs, andhanded them to Jack Annie and Augusta.



The coco smelt 2 delicious. Jack took a sip 3 licks off his lips.



Ye..m. he said.



His inside felt warm, first time all day.



Now, marry, asked Augusta.



In time. Child. Marry said to Augusta.



Tell me, what have youbeen and doing today.



I delivered the cakes in town, Augusta said proudly. Then I foundthese poor children in the kitchen looking for work, I’ve tried to helpthem. But they say I am snobby 4. I brought them here, so you couldtell them the truth about me.



Ah.. I see. Miss Augusta.



How did you try to help them? Said Mary?



I tried to discover what they’re good for. Said Augusta. But itappears they are good for nothing.



Really? Marry fixed 5 her twinkling eyes at Jack and Annie.



Well, let’s start whit 6 these children. Tell me something you like do.



No wait. What do you love to do?



Ah..well. I love to read, said Jack.



And write. Said Annie.



Read and write? Said Augusta. I don’t think so.



Marry ignored Augusta, kept looking at Jack and Annie, what doyou like to read and write? Asked Mary.



Facts, mostly. Said Jack. True stories,Jack read facts down all the time, said Annie.



Honestly Mary, said Augusta. Soon they will tell you they are actorstoo. And they performed a play by William Shakespeare .



Can you talk about me now?



Actually that’s true. Jack said to Mary. We were in the midnight’ssummer dream. Annie and I were fairies, I had a stage flight, butwhile..



He met William Shakespeare himself. Said Annie.



He helped me getover. Said Jack. He looked straight at Augusta.



Augusta rowed her eyes,While he was so niceAnd smart, said Jack.



Of course he was. Said Mary. You can tell that from your stories.



Oh, please, stop. Don’t tell Mary those ridiculous things! Augustasaid.



What about me, Mary?



Wait, child. I have a question for them. Mary said.



She leaned forward, and spoke 7 in a whisper,Where is summer ? can you answer me that/Mary’s question doesn’t make sense, Jack thought.



I don’t know. Do you know where summeris Mary? Asked Annie.



Summer is heading with the Shea . Said Mary laughing.



The Shea? What’s that/ said Annie.



Surly you must know the Shea? Said Mary. That’s where we Irishcalled our ferries. In the winter the Shea still out of the warm andsunshine, leaving us to suffer with cold and rain,Annie laughed too.



So you’ve played the parts of play by Shakespeare? Said Mary.



There are just like our Shea. Have you seen the Shea here? InIreland?



Mary! Augusta said impatiently. Not yet. Said Annie.



That’s a shame. Said Mary. I have seen them. This is a true story.



She looked at Jack and smiled.



With facts you might want to read and write them down.



Oh, sure. Said Jack.



He put his notebook and pencil out of his pocket, Augusta seemedsurprised. Mary leaned closer to Jack and Annie again, her eyeswere shinning her voice was hashed,One day, long ago, a lonely young girl took a walk in old forest, saidMary. All was still, until joyful 8 music began coming from a hiddenworld.



Jack loved Mary’s way of telling her story. He wrote down, old forest,all still, joyful music, hidden world.



Augusta frowned.



So I guessyou can write, she muddled 9.



Suddenly there came a spinning wind, said Mary, and clouds sobright, and beam of light poured over the river,Jack quickly wrote: spinning wind, break cloud, beam of light. River.



Then they came, rambling 10 and thundering, exclaimed Mary.



Mary! Said Augusta.



She sounded impatient.



But Mary kept talking.



Sounds with winds, some on the horses of white, queens and kingsin row the gangs of color of summer, for winter and spring!



Jack wrote: sound with winds, white horses, queens, kings, ...



Then gallop 11 the circle of blinding swirl 12... said Mary,They swept up the lonely girl and carried her cross the river to thesecret hollow hole. As Shea’s gone inside, she and wood becomevery small, and see many wonder sites.



Jack wrote:



Takelonely girl, hollow hole of Shea, wonder sites.



Jack looked up from his notebook waiting for Mary to go on. whenshe spoke again, her voice was very softBut the girl grew afraid, and ran home instead, ...



Mary set back on her chair, and closed her eyes,the only sound inthe cottage was the crackling of the fire, and the pinning of the rain,into the tin buckets.



Mary? Annie said softly.



Are you the girl of the story?



Mary opened her eyes/I will never tell she said.



Oh, Mary. Said Augusta. Such tales.



She turned to Jack and Annie,Mary still believes in impossible.



i.



I do.



I surely do. Said Mary. Every night I leave a bit of milk on mywindow for the Shea, I leave clumps 13 by door and they eat them too.



Mary, thebirds eat the clumps. Said Augusta.



Yes, the birds are hungry also. Said Mary. But the Shea picked overthe clumps first. At twilight 14 they still crossed the river from theirhidden hollow holes just as the fisherman come to go away. (ofcounty Gore 15 away),as the farmers and nurse maids.



Augusta shook her head sadlyMary. Only simple minded folks still believe in such things. Shesaid. educated people know what is true and what is not true.



No child said Mary.



They only know what they think is true.



Augusta straightened her shoulders,Well, we should be going now, Mary. She said. so could you pleasetell these children truth about me now?



Yes. Said Mary.



She turned to Jack and Annie,Do you children have names?



Jack smiled. This is the first timetoday anyone had asked theirnames.



Yes. Out name is Jack and Annie. said Annie.



Well, Jack and Annie, thank you for coming to visit me today. I cantell you’re very special. Said Mary.



What about me? Mary? Augusta asked. Am I special?



Yes, child. Youare. Said Mary.



She turned to Jack and Annie, Augusta is special too, but in thedifferent way.



How am I different? Mary/ asked Augusta.



You try very very hard to be good, you are very smart, but you,Mary stopped.



What Mary? I what/ said Augusta.



You are not happy. Said Mary. And that breaks my heart.



Augusta’s eyes filled with tears,Oh, Augusta don’t cry. Said Annie.



She reached out to take Augusta’s hand, but the girl stepped back,Augusta wiped her eyes.



That’s silly I am happy enough. I know I’ve never seen the Shea,and I never will but I don’t care anymore. And if you like thesemiserable children more than me, Mary, well , that is fine.



Augusta ran to the door and opened it.



The dump air swiped inside as she rushed out of the cottage.



Through the open doorway 16, Jack and Annie could see Augusta’sred cape 17 flying behind her.