英语博客：The Golden Goose.

　　The Golden Goose (part 1).
There once was a gentle boy called Samuel. He lived at the edge of the forest with his parents and two older brothers. His family often treated him poorly. They didn't know that he was capable of much greater things, until the day that he met a strange old man in the woods. That day began as Samuel's oldest brother went to cut wood. Their mother packed a sweet cake and a bottle of cider for her oldest son to take into the woods. Samuel stayed at home and chopped nuts. In the woods, Samuels's brother came upon a little gray man. The man kindly¹ said good day and asked, "Will you share your meals with a tired old man? I am very hungry and thirsty." Samuel's brother yelled² at the man. "If I share with you, I won't have enough for myself," he said. "Now out of my way!" The brother left the man standing³ there and went to chop a tree. After a few strong swings, his ax slipped and hit his arm. He suffered a deep cut and could no longer continue his work. The little man saw all this happen. He smiled as the oldest brother hurried home to dress his wound. Now, the second brother was called to get the firewood. Their mother gave him sweet cake and cider for his journey, as she'd done for the oldest brother. Before long the second brother also met up with the old man in the woods. The man kindly said good day and asked if he would share his meal with him. This next brother was as selfish as the first. "If I give you my food and drink, I won't have enough for myself," he said. "Now get out of my way!" The second brother walked away and found a tree to chop. He swung so strongly with the ax that the head dropped off. It fell right on his foot, and so, he also had to go home hurt. Back at the house, young Samuel said, "Let me go and cut wood, Father." "You know nothing about it," replied his father harshly⁴. "But if you want to get hurt, then go." Samuel's mother gave him some stale bread and a jug⁵ of warm water. In the forest, Samuel met the little gray man as well. "Would you share some food and drink with a tired old man? I am so very hungry and thirsty," he said. "I have only stale bread and warm water," Samuel said, "but if you don't mind that, we can eat together." They sat in the woods to eat.

1 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

2 yelled   

v.叫喊，号叫，叫着说( yell的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He yelled at the other driver. 他冲着另一位司机大叫。
• The lost man yelled, hoping someone in the woods would hear him. 迷路的人大声喊着，希望林子里的人会听见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 harshly   

ad.严厉地；苛刻地

参考例句：

• The grit beneath her soles grated harshly on the wooden deck. 粘在她鞋底的沙砾蹭在木甲板上发出刺耳的声音。
• We should not judge the young writers too harshly. 我们不应当对青年作家太苛求。

5 jug   

n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂

参考例句：

• He walked along with a jug poised on his head.他头上顶着一个水罐，保持着平衡往前走。
• She filled the jug with fresh water.她将水壶注满了清水。