Chapter 16

FOO-FOO THE FIRST

Edward and the youth walked for a long way. Then the king stopped and said:

" Where are you taking me? I shall not walk on. I shall stop where I am. Hendon must come to me, not me to him. "

But the youth answered:

" Do you want to stay here when your friend is lying wounded in the wood? "

" Wounded? " cried the king. " Wounded? Let us hurry then! Quick, quick, my lad! Where is the wood? "

The youth led him on until they came to a clearing in a wood. Edward saw an old farmhouse with a barn near it. They entered the barn. No Hendon there! The king looked angrily at the youth and asked:

" Where is he? "

A laugh was the answer: John Canty, who had followed them all the way, stood before him.

" So you have run from your father? "

The king said to him angrily:

" You are not my father. I do not know you. I am the king. If you have hidden my servant, find him for me or I shall order to hang you. "

" You are mad, it is quite clear, " answered John Canty, " I don't want to beat you, but if you continue to talk like that, I shall have to give you a good whipping. Don't forget that I have killed a man and cannot stay at home. And I cannot leave you there because I need your help. My name is changed now. It is Hobbs. John Hobbs. And remember that your name is Jack now, not Tom. Where is your mother? And your sisters? They did not come to the place I told them to. Do you know where they are? "

The king said: " Do not ask me about your family. I don't know anything. "

The youth that had brought Edward to the wood began to laugh, but Canty — or Hobbs, as he now called himself — stopped him and said:

" Hugo, you must not quarrel with him, he is mad. Sit down, Jack, and rest a little. "

Hobbs and Hugo began talking together in low voices, and the king went to the farthest corner of the barn as he wanted to be alone for a few minutes. He lay there for some time, wondering how he could run away from John Canty. Then he fell asleep and in his sleep he saw his palace, and the lords, and Tom Canty, who sat on the king's throne. This thought made him so angry that he decided to hang Tom when he got back to the palace.

Edward was awakened by a loud laughter and many voices talking together. He opened his eyes and saw a big crowd of people in rags. From their talk he understood that all of them were thieves and beggars. He also understood that John Canty had been their friend for a long time. John Canty told them how he had killed a man. The others began to tell their stories too. One of these stories was very sad.

" I was a farmer, " began a man whom everybody called Yokel. " I had a kind wife and nice children. Now I have neither a wife nor children. They are dead. I am glad that they died.

" My old mother tried to earn her bread. She took care of sick people. One of them died and the doctors did not know why. So by the English law she was burned for a witch and my children stood and looked how it was done. English law! Stand up all of you, raise your cups and drink to the kind English law that killed an honest woman!

" Then I had to beg from house to house — I and my wife and the children. But the English law does not allow people to go hungry, so we were caught and whipped many times. Drink, all of you, to the kind English law, which killed my wife by beating her.

" As I could not bear to see my children hungry, I begged again, and at last I was sold as a slave. A slave! Do you understand that word? An English slave! I have run away from my master, and when I am found, the English law will hang me. " Suddenly a loud voice was heard: " No, it will not hang you, I shall not allow it. " All turned and saw the small figure of the little king who had come out of his corner.

" Who is it? What is it? Who are you? " cried many voices.

" I am Edward, King of England. " Wild laughter followed. The angry king cried out:

" You thieves and beggars, this is how you thank your king. "

The laughter grew louder and louder, and at last 'John Hobbs' shouted to the crowd:

" Friends, this is my mad son, don't pay any attention to him, he thinks he is the king. "

" I am the king, " said Edward proudly.

The crowd of drunken people liked his words very much. Many voices began to shout:

" Long live Edward, King of England! "

The little king bowed his head and said:

" I thank you, my good people. "

The laughter grew even louder and louder. Somebody shouted:

" Foo-Foo the First, King of Fools! "

Soon the whole crowd was shouting: " Long live Foo-Foo the First! "

Before Edward could do anything, he was crowned with a tin basin, a dirty old blanket was put on his shoulders, and he himself was put on the throne — a barrel. Then all of them fell upon their knees and began to shout: " Oh, sweet king, oh, king Foo-Foo! " They laughed at him and pulled him this way and that and pretended to kiss his feet....

1. Answer the questions.

1) Edward was told a lie, wasn’t he?

2) Where did the young king find himself?

3) Whom did he meet in the wood again?

4) What did Edward think about?

5) What dream did he see when he fell asleep?

6) What did he hear when he was awakened?

7) What did Edward say when he heard a farmer’s story?

8) What did the thieves and beggars do when they heard Edward’s words?

2. Add the tag questions to the sentences below.

e. g. Edward was told a lie, …. - Edward was told a lie, wasn’t he?

1) Hendon must come to me, …………………..

2) You have run from your father, ……………..

3) I was a farmer, ……………………..

4) My old mother took care of sick people, ………………

5) I am Edward, King of England, ………………………

6) The English law will not hang you, ……………………

3. Find some examples of different grammar tenses.

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