آموزش زبان انگلیسی

The Farming Brothers

In days gone by, two brothers, Raul and Johan, who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 35 years of farming side by side in central Germany, sharing machinery, and trading labour and goods as needed without a single problem occurring.

However, one autumn, the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence between the two brothers.

One morning there was a knock on Raul"s door. He opened it to find a man holding a carpenter"s toolbox. "I"m looking for a few days work," Angelis said. "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with? Could I help you?"

"Yes," answered Raul, extremely pleased to see Angelis the carpenter, "I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That"s my neighbour, in fact, it"s my younger brother, Johan"s farm. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I"ll go him one better. See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence; an 8-foot fence, so I won"t need to see Johan"s place nor his face anymore."

Angelis the carpenter said thoughtfully, "I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post hole digger and I"ll be able to do a job that pleases you."

Raul then left for the nearby town, Erfurt, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day. The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing, and hammering.

About sunset when Raul returned, the carpenter had just finished his job. The farmer"s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all.

It was a bridge: a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other. A fine piece of work handrails and all, and the neighbour, his younger brother Johan, was coming across, his hand outstretched. "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I"ve said and done, "Johan smiled.

The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other"s hand. They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder. "No, wait. Stay a few days. I"ve a lot of other projects for you," called Raul.

"I"d love to stay on," Angelis murmured quietly, "but, I have many more bridges to build."

The Usher: A Lovely, Clean and Funny Short Story

Cora, an elderly woman walked into her local St Michael"s Church.  The friendly usher greeted her at the door and helped her up the flight of steps, "Where would you like to sit?" he asked politely.

"The front row please," Cora answered amiably.
"You really don"t want to do that," the usher said, "This vicar is really boring."

"Sonny, do you happen to know who I am?" Cora inquired, looking directly at him.
"No." he rejoined.

"I"m the vicar"s mother," Cora announced indignantly.
"Do you know who I am?" he asked.

"No." she said.
"Good," he answered and disappeared.

The Old Witch - Classic Fairy Tale by The Brothers Grimm

There was once a little girl who was very wilful and who never obeyed when her elders spoke to her - so how could she be happy?

One day she said to her parents, "I have heard so much of the old witch that I will go and see her. People say she is a wonderful old woman, and has many marvellous things in her house, and I am very curious to see them."

But her parents forbade her going, saying, "The witch is a wicked old woman, who performs many godless deeds - and if you go near her, you are no longer a child of ours."

The girl, however, would not turn back at her parents" command, but went to the witch"s house. When she arrived there the old woman asked her:

"Why are you so pale?"
"Ah," she replied, trembling all over, "I have frightened myself so with what I have just seen."

"And what did you see?" inquired the old witch.
"I saw a black man on your steps."
"That was a collier," replied she.

"Then I saw a gray man."
"That was a sportsman," said the old woman.

"After him I saw a blood-red man."
"That was a butcher," replied the old woman.

"But, oh, I was most terrified," continued the girl, "when I peeped through your window, and saw not you, but a creature with a fiery head."

"Then you have seen the witch in her proper dress," said the old woman. "For you I have long waited, and now you shall give me light."

So saying the witch changed the little girl into a block of wood, and then threw it on the fire. When it was fully alight, she sat down on the hearth and warmed herself, saying:

"How good I feel! The fire has not burned like this for a long time