and the road was shortened as his wife had said.
When they came to the end of their journey, they started building of this castle which was to outshine[88] all others. Now the wife had advised them to be intimate[89] with the servants, and so they did as she said, and they said ‘Good morning’ and ‘Good day to you’ to everyone.
Now at the end of a year, Gobborn, the wise man, had built such a castle thousands were gathered[90] to admire it.
And the king said: ‘The castle is done. I shall return tomorrow and pay you all.’
‘I have just a ceiling to finish in an upper lobby[91],’ said Gobborn.
But after the king was gone off, the housekeeper sent for Gobborn and Jack, and told them that she had watched for a chance to warn them, for the king was so afraid they should carry their art away and build some other king a castle, he meant to take their lives tomorrow. Gobborn told Jack to keep a good heart, and they would come off[92] all right.
When the king had come back Gobborn told him he had been unable to complete the job for lack[93] of a tool left at home, and he should like to send Jack after it.
‘No, no,’ said the king, ‘cannot one of the men do it?’
‘No, they could not make themselves understood,’ said the Seer, ‘but Jack could bring it.’
‘You and your son are to stay here. But how will it do if I send my own son?’
‘That will do.’
So Gobborn sent by him a message to Jack’s wife. ‘Give him Crooked and straight!’
Now there was a little hole in the wall rather high up, and Jack’s wife tried to reach up[94] into a chest there after ‘crooked and straight’, but at last she asked the king’s son to help her, because his arms were longest.
But when he was leaning over the chest she caught him by the two heels, and threw him into the chest, and locked it. So there he was, both ‘crooked and straight’!
Then he begged for pen and ink, which she brought him, but he was not allowed out.
When his letter came, telling the king, his father, he was to be let free when Gobborn and Jack were safe home, the king saw he must let them go away.
As they left Gobborn told him: now that Jack was done with this work, he should soon build a castle for his witty wife far superior to the king’s, which he did, and they lived there happily ever after.
1) True or false?
1. Gobborn Seer had three sons.
2. Jack had to bring his father the skin and the value of it as well.
3. The girl washed the skin in the stream and took the wool from it.
4. Jack knew how to shorten the way.
5. Gobborn Seer and his son were building a castle.
6. The king wanted to trick Gobborn Seer and Jack.
7. Gobborn asked Jack’s wife for a screwdriver.
2) Fill in the gaps using words in brackets.
1. One day he… (to send) his son out to sell a sheepskin.
2. So he… (to try) again, and nobody… (to wish) to buy the skin on those terms.
3. The girl… (to wash) the skin in the stream,… (to take) the wool from it, and… (to pay) him the value of it, and… (to give) him the skin to carry back.
4. Jack… (to spy) her and… (to tell) her how his old father… (to have) a wish to meet her.
5. King… (to be) so afraid they should build some other king a castle, he… (to want) to take their lives tomorrow.
6. She… (to catch) him by the two heels and… (to throw) him into the chest.
3) Fill in the gaps with the following words:
reach up, catch up, outshine, shorten the way, come off
1. It’s dangerous,… the roof immediately!
2. This castle should… all the others in beauty.
3. He… with his father an hour ago.
4. This road is too long, we must… somehow.
5. Jack’s wife tried to… into a chest after a tool.
4) Translate the following sentences:
1. Никто не хотел покупать овечью шкуру на этих условиях.
2. Остроумная жена рассказала Джеку как сократить путь.
3. Джек снова нагнал своего отца.
4. Отец и сын начали строить замок, который должен затмить все остальные.
5. Близкие друзья собрались в вестибюле.
6. Они не могли закончить работу из-за отсутствия одного инструмента.
5) Retell the fairy-tale.
The Hobyahs
Once there was an old man and woman and a little girl, and they all lived in a house made of hempstalks. Now the old man had a little dog named Turpie and one night the Hobyahs came and said, ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off his tail.’ So in the morning the old man cut off little dog Turpie’s tail.
The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said, ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off one of his legs.’ So in the morning the old man cut off one of little dog Turpie’s legs.
The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said, ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off another of his legs.’ So in the morning the old man cut off another of little dog Turpie’s legs.
The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off another of his legs.’ So in the morning the old man cut off another of little dog Turpie’s legs.
The next night the Hobyahs came again, and said ‘Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Tear down the hempstalks, eat up the old man and woman, and carry off the little girl!’ But little dog Turpie barked so that the Hobyahs ran off; and the old man said, ‘Little dog Turpie barks so that I cannot sleep nor slumber, and if I live till morning I will cut off another of his legs.’ So in the