THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN-GRIMM’S FAIRY TALES Một trong những bộ truyện cổ nổi tiếng nhất thế giới đã được dịch ra nhiều thứ tiếng là Truyện cổ Grimm. Sau đây là những câu truyện cổ ấy nhưng với nguyên bản bằng tiếng anh nhằm giúp các bạn nhỏ vừa học ngoại ngữ vừa tiếp xúc với thế giới thần tiên . | THE STRAW THE COAL AND THE BEAN In a village dwelt a poor old woman who had gathered together a dish of beans and wanted to cook them. So she made a fire on her hearth and that it might burn the quicker she lighted it with a handful of straw. When she was emptying the beans into the pan one dropped without her observing it and lay on the ground beside a straw and soon afterwards a burning coal from the fire leapt down to the two. Then the straw began and said Dear friends from whence do you come here The coal replied I fortunately sprang out of the fire and if I had not escaped by sheer force my death would have been certain I should have been burnt to ashes. The bean said I too have escaped with a whole skin but if the old woman had got me into the pan I should have been made into broth without any mercy like my comrades. And would a better fate have fallen to my lot said the straw. The old woman has destroyed all my brethren in fire and smoke she seized sixty of them at once and took their lives. I luckily slipped through her fingers. But what are we to do now said the coal. I think answered the bean that as we have so fortunately escaped death we should keep together like good companions and lest a new mischance should overtake us here we should go away together and repair to a foreign country. The proposition pleased the two others and they set out on their way together. Soon however they came to a little brook and as there was no bridge or foot-plank they did not know how they were to get over it. The straw hit on a good idea and said I will lay myself straight across and then you can walk over on me as on a bridge. The straw therefore stretched itself from one bank to the other and the coal who was of an impetuous disposition tripped quite boldly on to the newly-built bridge. But when she had reached the middle and heard the water rushing beneath her she was after all afraid and stood still and ventured no farther. The straw however began to burn broke in two
