Audio Scripts
T RACK 10 Listen and read.
The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen
There was once a prince who wanted to marry a real princess. But his mother, the queen, was very demanding and wanted nothing but the best for her son. One evening, a storm came on; rain poured down in torrents when a knock was heard at the door of the palace. It was a girl asking for shelter. She was all wet and her dress muddy; she looked awful. Yet she claimed to be a real princess. The queen, who didn’t believe she was a princess, went into the bedroom where the girl was going to sleep, took all the bedding off and laid a pea on the bottom; then, she took 20 mattresses and laid them on top of the pea. The next morning, she asked the girl how she had slept. “Oh, very badly! Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard,” the princess said. Then they knew she had spoken the truth because nobody but a real princess could possibly have such sensitive skin. So, the prince took her for his wife. There, that is a true story. T RACK 9 Listen and read the tale. With your partner, circle words and expressions that describe characters, objects, and places.
The Master Cat (Part 1) by Charles Perrault
Long, long ago, there was a miller who had three sons. When he died, he left his mill to the eldest son, his donkey to the second son, and his cat to the youngest, who had always been his favorite. The poor boy, with only one cat, wondered what he should do to get his bread. While he was sitting thinking about it, his cat jumped up on the table and touched him with his paw. “My dear master,” he said, “I will get you what you need to live. Only you must buy me a pair of boots and give me a bag.” The boy thought it was a wonderful thing to hear a cat talk. So, he took the cat to the shoemaker, and got him a pair of boots and gave him a nice large bag. Once the cat received what he wanted, he put some lettuce leaves and fine parsley into his bag, went into a rabbit warren, and held the bag very quietly open, hiding himself behind it. Two little rabbits ran into it and the cat pulled the string of the bag, and carried them off to his master. Early the next day, the cat took his bag and went again into the warren to catch two more fine young rabbits. But instead of carrying them home, he walked to the king’s palace and knocked at the door. “I have brought a present to the king,” said the cat. The porter let him in, and when the cat came into the king’s presence he said, “My Lord Marquis of Carabas sends these rabbits to your majesty with his respects.” After visiting the palace, the cat went home and told his master all he had done. The miller’s son laughed; but every morning the cat caught a rabbit and carried it to the palace with the same message. T RACK 11 Listen and read. Discuss with your class how these sceneries are similar to or different from the ones where you live.
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail, and Peter. They lived with their Mother underneath the root of a very big fir tree. One morning, Mrs. Rabbit had to go out. She told her children that they could go into the fields or down the lane but never into Mr. McGregor’s garden. “Your Father had an accident there; he was put into a pie by Mrs. McGregor,” she explained. Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries. But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden and ate all his lettuce, French beans, radishes, and parsley. Mr. McGregor got extremely mad. “I will catch you!” he shouted and ran after Peter all over the garden. He caught him but fortunately Peter managed to escape. He jumped out of a window and terrified, sat down to rest. He didn’t know the way out. After a while, he began to wander about, he met some animals but none of them helped him. Peter was desperate and began to cry. Finally, Peter found the way out and slipped underneath the gate, and was safe at last. He ran home and when he arrived, he just flopped down upon the nice soft sand in the rabbit-hole. His mother didn’t say anything; she put him to bed, and gave him a dose of chamomile tea. But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.
The Master Cat (Part 2) by Charles Perrault
One day the cat went to see an ogre that lived nearby in a magnificent castle. “I heard,” the cat said, “great Ogre, that you are so clever, that you can turn yourself into any creature you please.” “Yes, so I can,” said the ogre. “Dear me,” said the cat, “how much I should like to see your ogreship do it.” The ogre turned himself into a lion, and roared loudly. Then, he changed back into an ogre again. The cat praised him a great deal, and then said, “Can your ogreship become a small animal?” “Oh, yes,” said the ogre; and he changed himself into a little mouse. Immediately the cat ate him. Then, the cat ran home and asked his master to go and bathe in the river. The miller’s son obeyed; and while he was in the water, the cat took away all his clothes,
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