| English texts |
| 1 | 1Once upon a time and in a country a long way off there was a king who was very ill. All the doctors of the court attended him but, in spite of all they could do, he got worse instead of better. |
| 2 | At last they called in a famous doctor from another country. He came, looked at the king, and then looking very serious, said, "Your Majesty, there is only one thing that can help you." |
| 3 | "What is that?" sais king. "Whatever you want shall be brought for you" So the king sent two of his chief servants to find a happy man and, when they had found him, to bring back his shirt. |
| 4 | Well, they went first to the richest man in the city and asked him if he was a happy man. "Happy!" he said. "When I never know whether my ships are going to be lost next day, when thieves are always trying to break into my house. How can a man be happy with all these troubles?" |
| 5 | So they went to the king's Chief Minister, the most powerful man in the country, except for king. "Are you a happy man?" they said. |
| 6 | "Don't be silly," he said. "Our enemies are trying to make war on us any day. There's John trying to push me out of power, the workers are always wanting to have more money, and the rich wanting to pay less taxes. How do you think a Chief Minister can be a happy man?" |
| 7 | So they went all over the country looking everywhere for a happy man but never finding one. They were returning home, tired and miserable ( for they quite expected that the king would have them put to death for not finding what he wanted), when they saw a beggar, sitting by the roadside. |
| 8 | He had made a little fire, and was frying some sausages in a frying-pan, and singing merrily as he watched his supper cooking. |
| 9 | They looked at each other. Had they found what they were looking for? They went up to him and one of them said, "You sound very happy, my friend." "of course, I'm happy," he said. |
| 10 | They could hardly believe their ears, With one voice they said, "We want your shirt." The beggar laughed heartily. "I'm sorry, gentle men," he said, "but I haven't got a shirt." |
| 11 | 2When Louise Roberts was eighteen, she began to feel pain in her joints. Within six months, she was in so much pain that it was like walking on glass. Just pulling up a zip brought tears to her eyes. The worst thing was that she was too weak to play the violin. |
| 12 | She had been playing since the age of seven and had planned to become a professional. Louise's doctor told her she had arthritis, a condition which makes the joints become painful. Louise was forced to give up playing the violin to avoid damaging her joints, and given pain killer drugs, which she still takes. |
| 13 | A year after the diagnosis she went to university to do teacher training. It was upsetting for Louise to listen to other students practicing their instruments, knowing she could not play her beloved violin. She begged her mother to sell it, but her mother would not. |
| 14 | Teacher training was tough. Standing for long periods made her knees and feet ache, especially in cold weather. There were times when she felt she couldn't cope with it. Nevertheless she has now got a job in a primary school teaching a class of five year olds. She also plays the piano in school hall. Her fingers are still stiff at that hour of the morning, and she misses lots of notes but the children don't seem to mind. |
| 15 | After four years away from her violin Louise has just started teaching a ten-year-old boy to play. Before the arthritis started, she used to play in a symphony orchestra, and she still dreams that one day she will perform on stage again. |
| 16 | Louise's condition has improved, partly because of the drugs, but also because, since visiting an allergy clinic, she has changed her diet completely. She has cut out all wheat, dairy products, beef and pork. Even so, her energy is limited and there are times when she is so tired that she has to stay in bed all weekend. She envies healthy people sometimes. |
| 17 | On the plus side however, she is more determined than most to get the best from life. She's also been taking singing lessons, as arthritis doesn't affect the voice, and as a result has achieved a higher standard in singing. |
| 18 | 3Jim and Della were two young people, husband and wife. They loved each other dearly. They lived in a small room in an old house in one of the dirty streets of New York. |
| 19 | They worked from early morning till late at night, but they got very little money for their work. And still they had two things which were very dear to them – Jim's gold watch and Della's beautiful hair. |
| 20 | Christmas was coming and Della wanted to give Jim a nice present, but she had no money. She really did not know what to do. She sat on the sofa and began to cry. Suddenly in idea came to her. |
| 21 | She got up and stood in front of the mirror and looked at her beautiful long hair. Then she left the house and in a few minutes she was already at the hairdresser's shop. |
| 22 | "Will you buy me hair?" she asked. The hairdresser looked at her hair and said, "Yes, I will. It's fine hair. I can give you 20 dollars for it." Della was very happy. She took the money and went to buy a present for her husband. |
| 23 | In one of the shops she saw a very beautiful watch chain. "I'll buy it. Jim will be very glad", she said to herself. "He needs a chain for his watch". |
| 24 | So Della bought a gold watch-chain as a Christmas present for Jim. When she go home, Jim was already there waiting for her. He looked at his smiling little wife and understood everything. "Why did you do it?" he asked. |
| 25 | "Dear Jim, my hair will grow and I wanted to give you a present. Here it is", and she put the watch-chain into his hand. The beautiful chain, Della's present, was of no use to him. |
| 26 | He had sold his gold watch to buy a Christmas present for his wife. He took a packet out of his pocket and gave it Della. She opened it and saw two beautiful combs that she seen in a shop window and wanted for so long. |
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