Page 90 - English Class 06

The princess took off her necklace and hung it on a branch overlooking the water. But

when she came out, she forgot all about it. A few days later at the palace, the princess
looked for the necklace but couldn’t find it. She turned angrily to the woodcutter’s
daughter.

“You stole my necklace! You must have taken it when we went for our swim!” said the
princess.

“No, Your Highness, I wouldn’t do that!”

“You’re a thief and a liar too! I’ll show you what happens to people of your kind! Get out
of my sight!”

The woodcutter’s daughter ran home in tears. But an hour later, soldiers came to the
door. They arrested the woodcutter and carried him off to a public square in front of the
prison. Then they locked his feet in the stocks and left him there.

The woodcutter had to suffer the taunts and jeers of the passers – by. Some people were
kinder, though and even threw him scraps of food.

Now, that evening was Friday eve. As the sun set, the woodcutter cast his thoughts over
all that had happened to him in the past weeks. All at once, he cried out, “Oh, what a
foolish, ungrateful wretch I am! Didn’t the dervish say to share what I have each Friday eve

and tell of Mushkil Gusha? Yet I haven’t
stocks : a device for punishing offenders done it once!”
jeers : typically in a loud voice
wretch : unhappy person Just then, a packet of chickpeas
and raisins landed by the
woodcutter. When he looked
up, he didn’t see who had

thrown it. But, he did see a
beggar boy coming by.

“Young friend!” called
the woodcutter. “Please
share this with me while I

tell you a story.”
The boy sat down and

gratefully took what was
offered. As he ate, the woodcutter
related everything that had happened,
from when his daughter asked for date
cakes, to when he was put in the stocks.

English-5 90