素材-全国-2020_小学英语 英语故事（儿童故事）An Old Church Bell.doc

1AnOldChurchBellThereoncewasasmalltowninGermanywhereacaciaflowerswereinfullbloom,andappleandpeartreesborefruitinautumn.Thistownwasbeautifulbutpoor.Ononedayoflateautumn,whenthegrapevineleavesweredriedwitharedcolor,itrainedheavily,andtherewasacoldstrongwind.Itwasnotgoodnewsforthepoorpeopleinthistown.Asitgotdarkoutside,thesmalloldhousesgotdarker.Therewasonesmallandshabbyhousewithaverysmallwindow.Thepeopleinthathousewereverypoor,buttheyweregoodandhonest.Whenasolemnchurchbelltolledpiouslyandpeacefully,aboycameintotheworld.Hismotherwasveryhappy,becausethechurchbellseemedtodeliverherhappynewstothewholetown.Theboygrewupwell,andhisfamilymovedtoanothertown.Onthedaythattheboyturnedsix,hevisitedhishometownwithhismother.Thetownwasstillpoorthough.Therewerenewgravesinthechurchyard,andtheoldbellwaslayingonalawnnextsomewalls.Thatwasthebellfromthechurchbelltower.Anewbellwashanginginthetower.Themothertoldhersonthattheoldbelltolledforpeopleofthetownwhentheyhadbaptismceremonies,weddingsandfunerals,anditwasalwaysonpeople'smindswhenevertheyweresadorhappy.Asshetoldhimhowtheoldbellhadgivenhercomfortwhenshewasinpaingivingbirthtohim,andhowithadtolledhappilytothetown,hegazedatthebellwithawarmheart.Theoldbelltookaplaceinapartoftheboy'smemory.Soon,hegrewupasared-haired,freckledandtallyoungman.Hiseyeswereasclearasalake,andluckily,hecouldgotoamilitaryacademy,wheremostofthestudentswerearistocrats,withoutpayinganytuition.Theyoungman'snamewasMarebaha,thatis,JohnChristopheFriedrichvonSchiller.Hebecameapoliticalexile,andoneofthegreatestandimmortalpoetsofGermanywhowrotepoemsaboutthelegendarywarriorofSwitzerland,'WilhelmTell'and'DieJungfrauvonOrleans'.Whathappenedtotheoldchurchbell?TheoldbellwassoldasalumpofmetalandsenttoBayerninGermany.ItwasusedasmaterialtomakeastatueofagreatherowhogaveglorytotheGermanpeople.TheoldchurchbellmeltedandflowedintotheframeofthestatueofJohannChristopheandbecameapartofitsheadandchest.Thisstatuehasgenerallybeenknowntothepublicnow,afteronehundredyearsfromthedayMarbahawa