小学英语 英语故事(童话故事)The Old Street Lamp 老路灯

2021年1月26日发(作者：英语心理测试)
The
Old
Street
Lamp
老路灯

Have
you
ever
heard
the
story
of
the
old
street
lamp?
It
is
not
really
very
amusing,
but one can bear to hear it once, anyway. There was once a respectable old street
lamp who had performed his duties faithfully and well for many years; but now had
been
declared
to
be
too
old-fashioned.
This
was
the
last
evening
that
it
would
hang
from the lamppost and illuminate the street; and he felt like a ballerina who was
dancing for the last time and knew that tomorrow she would be a has-been. The lamp
was
very
frightened
of
the
coming
day,
for
he
had
been
told
that
he
would
be
inspected
by
the
six
and
thirty
men
of
the
town
council.
They
were
to
decide
whether
the
lamp
was fit for further service and, if so, what kind. They might suggest that he be
hung
over
one
of
the
lesser
bridges,
or
be
sold
to
a
factory,
or
condemned
altogether,
which
meant
that
he
would
be
melted
down.
Then
he
would
be
made
into
something
else,
of course; but what worried him was that he did not know whether he would then be
able to recall that he had been a street lamp. No matter what happened to him, one
thing was certain: tomorrow he would be separated from the night watchman and his
wife, and that was a tragedy, for he considered them to be his family. He had been
hung on his lamppost the very year that the man became a night watchman. His wife
had been young and snobbish. She would look at the street lamp at night but she
wouldn't so much as glance at it in daylight. During recent years, however, when
all
three
of
them-- the
night
watchman,
his
wife,
and
the
street
lamp--had
grown
old,
the wife had taken care of the lamp: polished it and filled it with oil. The old
couple were an honest pair who had never cheated the lamp out of a single drop of
oil.
This
was
to
be
the
last
night
that
the
old
lamp
would
shine
down
upon
the
pavement.
Tomorrow
it
would
be
taken
to
a
room
in
the
town
hall.
These
two
facts
made
the
lamp
feel so sad that he flickered. Other thoughts came: memories of all he had seen.
He had cast his light upon many a curious sight and had seen more than all the six
and thirty men of the town council put together. But the old lamp would never have
expressed
such
a
thought
out
loud,
for
he
had
the
greatest
respect
for
the
authorities.
It is always pleasant for the old to reminisce, and each time the lamp remembered
something different, the flame inside him seemed to grow brighter.
remember
me
as
I
remember
them,
thought
the
lamp.

years
ago
there
was
a
young
man who stood right under me and opened a letter. It had been written on pink
stationery and the handwriting was a woman's. He read it twice; then he kissed it.
His
eyes
when
he
looked
up
at
me
said,
'I
am
the
happiest
of
all
men.'
He
had
received
a
love
letter
from
the
girl
he
loved;
and
only
he
and
I
knew
it.

remember
another
pair of eyes.--How strangely one's thoughts can jump!-- There had been a funeral.
Someone who had lived in this street had died: a young, rich woman. The hearse had
been drawn by four black horses and the coffin had been covered with flowers. The
mourners had walked behind it carrying torches, which had outshone my light. But
when the procession had passed and I thought the street was deserted once more, I
suddenly
noticed
someone
standing
right
under
me
and
weeping.
I
shall
never
forget
those sorrow- filled eyes that stared right into me.
memories ---of the old street lamp as it shone for the last time. A sentry who is
to be relieved of his duty is allowed to
exchange at
least a
few
words with the man
who
will
take
his
place.
But
the
lamp
did
not
even
know
who
his
successor
would
be,
so he would not be able to give him a bit of advice about the wind, and tell him
from which corner it usually blew; or the moon, and explain how it shone upon the
sidewalk.
Down
in
the
gutter
there
were
three
who
were
ready
to
take
over
the
job
of
lighting
up
the
street
as
soon
as
it
became
vacant;
and
thinking
that
the
lamp
could
appoint
his
own
successor,
they
presented
them
selves
to
him.
The
first
was
a
rotten
herring
head,
which
can
shine
in
the
dark,
as
you
know.
It
pointed
out
that
his
appointment
would mean a great saving in oil. The second was an old piece of dry rotten wood.
It can also glow and that a lot brighter than an old codfish, as it said itself.
Besides, it was the last piece of a tree
that had been the pride
of a whole forest.
The
third
was
a
glowworm.
The
old
street
lamp
could
not
imagine
where
it
could
have
come
from,
but
there
it
was
shining
like
the
others.
The
herring
head
and
the
piece
of old, dry, rotten wood claimed that the worm did not glow all the time but only
when it had fits, which ought to disqualify it.
The
old
lamp
tried
to
explain
to
them
that
none
of
them
had
sufficient
light
to
become
a street lamp. But none of the three would believe that; and when they were told
that the lamp could not, in any case, appoint his own successor, they all declared
that this was good news, for--as they all agreed--the old lamp was too senile to
make such an important decision.
Just
then
the
wind
came
around
the
corner
and
whistled
through
the
cowl
of
the
lamp.

that
I
shall
find
you
here?
Well,
let
me
give
you
a
farewell
present,
since
we
must
part. I shall blow your brain clean of all cobwebs, so that you will not only be
able to remember everything you have ever heard or seen, but you will be able to
see clearly anything that is told or read aloud in your presence, as well.


you can get a few more presents like mine, your retirement and old age will be a
pleasure.

what
if
I
am
melted
down?
sighed
the
lamp.

you
ensure
my
memory
then
too?

the
moon
came
out
from
behind
a
cloud.

will
you
give
the
old
lamp?
asked
the
wind.

lamp has never shone for me, though I have shone for him.
the
clouds
because
it
hated
anyone
who
made
demands
on
it.
A
drop
of
water
fell
upon
the cowl. It announced that it had been sent by the gray clouds above and that it
brought a valuable gift.
one night--any night that you choose, even tonight.
poor
present
and
the
wind
agreed
with
him.

anyone
anything
better
to
offer
.
.
.
anything
better
to
offer?
screeched
the
wind
as
loudly
as
it
could.
A
shooting
star
fell from the sky, making an arch of fire.