已輸入6108字

The Children of the New Forest

Frederick Marryat?

Rowena Akinyemi?

THE CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST

It is 1647 and the four Beverley children — Edward, Humphrey, Alice and little Edith — are in hiding in the New Forest. The King of England is in prison, and there is fighting everywhere in the country — Cromwell's men against the King's men. And if you are a friend of the King, you are in great danger…

The children's father died while fighting for the King, their mother is dead, Cromwell's soldiers have burnt their home, and they have no money, no food, nothing. But they have one true friend — old Jacob Armitage. So now, with Jacob to help them, they must learn to live off the land — to hunt for meat in the forest, to plant vegetables, to look after the pigs and chickens…

But Cromwell's men are everywhere, and the children must learn never to say that their name is Beverley...

Chapter 1

Escape!

'Burn Arnwood! They can't do that! It's my house, and I'm staying here!' Edward said angrily. He was fourteen years old, the oldest of the four Beverley children.

// It is a brave boy because he want to protect the house

Before he left home, he asked Jacob, a poor forester who lived near Arnwood, to look after his family. Jacob knew the family well and was happy to do this.

// This is why you should be nice with neighborhood

// The remote water cannot solve the close thirsty

'My dear boy,' Jacob said, 'remember your sisters and brother. The soldiers will shoot them, or burn them in the house. No, no, you must all come with me.'

// The Forester realized he need to help all of them

Jacob told Alice, who was eleven, and Edith, who was eight, that they were going to visit his home in the forest. He did not tell them about the soldiers.

// It is hard to explain why on earth someone wants to kill them

After a while he heard horses, and the Parliamentary soldiers arrived. Soon they were in the gardens and all round the house.

// The children leave the house on time

Edward slowly followed Jacob into the cottage. He hated Cromwell and the Parliamentary soldiers. First they killed his father, and now they burnt his house. He lay down on the bed, but he did not sleep.

// The soldiers just obey the order without feeling, the key point is finding the person who behind the fire

'My dinner for a week,' explained Jacob. 'I can't light a fire every day, so I cook once a week.'

// Under the word: I am so poor, please do not take it away

// The soldiers absolutely understand and took away

But you are still in danger, and so you must stay here with me and pretend to be my grandchildren. You are children of the New Forest now.'

// The children have to play a new game now

// It is not big deal because they have a good friend Jacob, is not?

Chapter 2

Life in the Forest

'Only a little noise will frighten a red deer,' said Jacob kindly. 'But these mistakes can happen to anyone, and you will learn. Now — not a word, and not a sound!'

// not a anger

It was a good beginning to their new life, and the next day Jacob rode to Lymington to sell some of the meat. With the money he bought things for the vegetable garden, a big bag of oatmeal for the winter, and a gun for Edward.

// Beginning to their new life in the Forest is good

Alice learned…Edith learned…Humphrey was clever with his hands…Edward learned…

They were all busy and happy…

// Everybody learned how to do for living

'I've found a cow! She's left the other cows because of her new-born calf. So she's alone, and we can catch her.'

// Because a cow group has a leader cow, without the leader order a female cow cannot have a new-born calf.

Every day for a fortnight Humphrey brought grass to the cow, and every day she was a little quieter. After a month, Humphrey began to take milk from the cow.

// fortnight: two weeks. Humphrey take care of the cow and calf, so the cow take back for milk.

'I have learned how to shoot deer,' said Edward. 'But Humphrey has caught a cow and given us milk. You are cleverer than I am, brother!'

// Edward was brave, Humphrey was clever.

Chapter 3

Edward Goes Visiting

A girl aged about fourteen opened the door, and told him that Oswald Partridge was out in the forest.

…

'Wait a minute,' the girl said. She went inside, and then came back. 'You must come and speak to my father.'

// Oswald Partridge was NOT out in the forest

Edward felt angry. But he was just a poor, unimportant forester, he remembered. So he said nothing, and waited.

// He remembered he was poor child for now.

'Why must he see you, sir?'

'My grandfather has not heard this, sir,' said Edward.

'When I was a child, I lived at Arnwood with the Beverley children.'

// A forester child is not able to speak like this.

// Hetherstone also can see it at once.

'Because Cromwell has given the New Forest to me, to look after for Parliament. My name is Hetherstone, and all the foresters now work for me.'

// Maybe Hetherstone is Parliament's son.

'Sir,' Edward said quietly, 'the King himself is in prison and so he cannot pay his foresters. If they kill the deer, it is because they must have food to eat. I am sure the King will understand that his people must live.'

// Edward bravely speaks to the Hetherstone, very brave, all of child of forest can not speak like that.

Oswald was very surprised to see him. 'I never knew Jacob had a grandson,' he said. 'I never knew he had a son! Are you on the King's side, like Jacob?'

'To the death, ' replied Edward

// But Oswald knew what is matter: Edward is on the King's side

'But Mr Hetherstone will want to thank you for saving his daughter's life,' said Oswald.

'I don't want Mr Hetherstone's thanks. I want nothing from the King's enemy,' said Edward.

// Edward was just trying to save everybody in the flames for nothing.

Chapter 4

Secretary to Mr Hetherstone

In the evening Jacob spoke to them all very lovingly, one by one. Those were his last words, and a little later, he died.

// Every child has last words and different destiny.

King Charles... He never listened to Parliament, he did only what he wanted, and the people were very angry.

// Charles did only what he wanted, and never heard other person's advice.

But for now we can't speak of these things openly — it's too dangerous.

// Some clever people do not speak ALL things they have known.

I know that you want to get out into the world, but for now you must take this job.

// This is not good and that is not good so what is good for NOW.

Then, with his father's sword by his side, Edward rode away on Mr Hetherstone's black horse, to fight for the King at last.

// It is time to fight for the King, for the family.

Chapter 5

Soldier of the King

It was clever of you to come back in a Roundhead's uniform — that will help to keep both of us out of danger.'

// New mission: as a spy waiting for time.

'Patience is rich now,' he thought, 'and many men will want to marry her. And I don't think that she loves me. And if I say I am Edward Beverley, I'm sure that Parliament will take Arnwood back, and I'll still be a poor forester.?

// This is why some people call somebody clever.

'All my plans have gone wrong,' Mr Hetherstone told.

She loves him, but she wanted to talk to me first, because she thought that Edward was a poor man.And I asked Parliament for Arnwood because I wanted to rebuild the house and then give it to Edward.

// Everybody knows there is a elephant in the room except the elephant.

Edward was away for nearly nine years, fighting with the French army in France and Holland and Spain.

// NINE years become a MAN.

@牛津書蟲雙語讀物