书城英文图书英国学生文学读本(套装共6册)
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第17章 HOW POLL WAS FOUND

1.In a small town in Scotland there lived a parrot.He was known to all the boys and girls in the place.

2..He talk and sing and whistle.

He barked like a dog,and mewed like a cat.He would cry,“Cluck,cluck,cluck,”and all the cocks and hens would come strutting into the kitchen.Then Poll would throw them some of his own seed.

3.Poll was not shut up all day in his cage.He was very tame,and was often seen walking about in the garden.Sometimes he went outside the garden gate.He was so well known that no one harmed him.

4.When his master came home from his work,Poll would call out,“Uncle,uncle,how d‘ye do?Glad to see you.”

5.If his master found him in the garden,Poll would call out,“Uncle,uncle,take me home!Take me home!”Then Poll would be taken home,perched on “uncle’s”shoulder.

6.One evening Poll was missed.He was not in the garden,and he was not in the house.Night came on,but Poll did not come home.

7.Next day the bell-man was sent round the town.He went from street to street.In each street he rang his bell,and called out:“Notice-Lost-yesterday-a fine parrot.Any one who brings him back-safe and well-to Mr.Dow-will be rewarded.”

8.But Poll was not brought back.No one seemed to know anything about him.

9.One day news of the parrot came to Mr.Dow.It was said that a shoe-maker who lived in a back street had a parrot.No one had seen the bird,but his voice had been heard.

10.Mr.Dow set off at once for the shoe-maker‘s house.He knocked at the door,and asked the man if he had a parrot.

“No!”said the shoe-maker rudely;“I have no parrot.”

11.“Uncle,uncle,take me home!Take me home!”called out a sad voice.Mr.Dow knew that voice well.

He pushed past the shoe-maker,found Poll in an inner room,and walked off with his pet without asking leave.