小学英语 英语故事（童话故事）The Bell 钟声.doc

TheBell钟声Inthenarrowstreetsofalargetownpeopleoftenheardintheevening,whenthesunwassetting,andhislastraysgaveagoldentinttothechimney-pots,astrangenoisewhichresembledthesoundofachurchbell;itonlylastedaninstant,foritwaslostinthecontinualroaroftrafficandhumofvoiceswhichrosefromthetown.“Theeveningbellisringing,”peopleusedtosay;“thesunissetting!”Thosewhowalkedoutsidethetown,wherethehouseswerelesscrowdedandinterspersedbygardensandlittlefields,sawtheeveningskymuchbetter,andheardthesoundofthebellmuchmoreclearly.Itseemedasthoughthesoundcamefromachurch,deepinthecalm,fragrantwood,andthitherpeoplelookedwithdevoutfeelings.Aconsiderabletimeelapsed:onesaidtotheother,“Ireallywonderifthereisachurchoutinthewood.Thebellhasindeedastrangesweetsound!Shallwegothereandseewhatthecauseofitis?”Therichdrove,thepoorwalked,butthewayseemedtothemextraordinarilylong,andwhentheyarrivedatanumberofwillowtreesontheborderofthewoodtheysatdown,lookedupintothegreatbranchesandthoughttheywerenowreallyinthewood.Aconfectionerfromthetownalsocameoutandputupastallthere;thencameanotherconfectionerwhohungabelloverhisstall,whichwascoveredwithpitchtoprotectitfromtherain,buttheclapperwaswanting.Whenpeoplecamehometheyusedtosaythatithadbeenveryromantic,andthatreallymeanssomethingelsethanmerelytakingtea.Threepersonsdeclaredthattheyhadgoneasfarastheendofthewood;theyhadalwaysheardthestrangesound,butthereitseemedtothemasifitcamefromthetown.Oneofthemwroteversesaboutthebell,andsaidthatitwaslikethevoiceofamotherspeakingtoanintelligentandbelovedchild;notune,hesaid,wassweeterthanthesoundofthebell.Theemperorofthecountryheardofit,anddeclaredthathewhowouldreallyfindoutwherethesoundcamefromshouldreceivethetitleof“BellringertotheWorld,”eveniftherewasnobellatall.Nowmanywentoutintothewoodforthesakeofthissplendidberth;butonlyoneofthemcamebackwithsomesortofexplanation.Noneofthemhadgonefarenough,norhadhe,andyethesaidthatthesoundofthebellcamefromalargeowlinahollowtree.Itwasawisdomowl,whichcontinuallyknockeditsheadagainstthetree,buthewasunabl