點擊上方「兒童英語口語」↑↑↑關注我
(↑點擊上面綠標在線試聽今天的音頻，音頻播放器已經支持暫停、快進、後退功能了）
Once there was a billy goat kid who lived with his mother on a farm.
Each morning he and the other goats were herded into a meadow. And each evening they were driven home again.
At the edge of the field was a wood. The grass grew thick and sweet there because the goats never went near it. The kid looked at it longingly.『Don’t go there,』 the other goats warned him. 『A big bad wolf lives in that wood.』『Yes, mind you stay close by me,』 said his mother.
At first the kid did stay close by his mother. But witheach day that passed his horns grew bigger. 『I am not a little kid any more,』 hethought. 『I can look after myself.
Anyway, I don’t believe a wolf lives in that wood. Thegoats are just
a bunch of scaredy-cats!』 He trot- ted over to where thejuiciest grass grew. The goats shook their heads when they saw where the kid was.『Baaa. Silly young thing,』 they said. 『Well, we did warn him.』
The little kid was very happy. He tore up the long stalksof sweet grass. He was so busy eating that he didn’t hear his mother call him.
He didn’t even notice the dogs rounding up the goats todrive them home. 『Oh, I do hope my lit- tle goat is safe,』 his mother said as theywere herded out of the field.
At last the kid had had enough. He lifted up his head.The goats had gone. He was all alone.
Long shadows crept towards him. It was growing dark. Thekid did not feel so big and brave any more.『Mother,』 he bleated, running up and down the field. 『Where are you? I want to gohome.』
But his Mother didn’t hear him. She was far away, downthe lane.
But someone heard him. Big yellow eyes followed the kid,as he ran up and down the field. It was the wolf. He couldn’t believe his luck.
『It’s time for my dinner and that kid will do nicely,』he smiled.
And with a single bound he was out of the wood. The kidtried to run away, but the wolf put out a paw. 『Whoa!』 he growled. 『Not so fast!』
He smacked his lips.
『If only I had listened to Mother,』 thought the kid. 『Whatshall I do? How can I stop the wolf from eat- ing me? Help! Help!』 He bleated, as loudly as he could. But the dogs and goats couldn’thear him.
The wolf growled, showing sharp yellow teeth. Then thekid had an idea. 『If I can get the wolf to sing, maybe Mother will hear him andsave me,』 he thought.
『Mr Wolf,』 he squeaked. 』I’m sure you have a beautifulvoice. Will you sing for me? And I will dance for you. I like dancing.』
The wolf considered. 『Why not?』 he thought. 『A little musicbefore dinner.』
He opened his mouth to sing.
『Eeurgh what is that,』 the rabbits said darting back intotheir bur- rows.
『What a horrible noise!』 said the moles digging themselveshurriedly down into the earth.
But in the pasture the little kid pranced and frolicked,kicking up his little legs as if he was having the most wonderful time. 『Oh wolf,he gasped. 『How beautifully you sing.』
『You really think so?』 simpered the Wolf, and howled evenlouder. No one had ever told him he sang beautifully before.
Down the lane the dogs and goats also heard the wolf. Theystopped and looked at each other. 『It’s the wolf!』 one of the dogs cried. 『Oh, please– save my little goat!』 cried the kid’s mother.
The dogs tore back into the field barking loudly.
The wolf turned his head and saw them. He leapt for thetrees just as one of the dogs was about to seize his tail.
『Why did I let that kid flatter me?』 he growled to himselfas soon as he got his breath back. 『Am I daft? I should have eaten him at once!』