Page 93 - Viva Real English 4 : Ebook

down of a pot-lid, he sat up in bed, rubbed his eyes: there was the bewitched tea-

kettle covered with fur and sprouting out legs. In short, it was turning into a hairy
beast.

‘Don’t beat me or shut me in a vinegar keg,’ it said, ‘because I am really kind-
hearted and wish you well.’

‘What can I do for you?’ asked the tinker.

‘Feed me a little rice now and then, and don’t put me on the fire as that stupid
priest did. Look here.’

Going over to a corner of the room and taking a fan from the rack, the badger
climbed up on the frame of the lamp, and began to dance on its one hind leg,
waving the fan with its forepaw. It played many other tricks, until the man started
up, and then the badger turned into a tea-kettle again.

Next morning the delighted tinker hired a professional showman to build a little

theatre and stage. Then he ordered an artist to paint scenery, with the sacred
mountain Fujiyama in the background and cranes flying through the air, a crimson
sun shining through the bamboo, a red moon rising over the waves, with golden
clouds and tortoises and such like. Then he stretched a tight rope of rice-straw
across the stage. Handbills were stuck up in all the barber shops in town, and
wooden tickets branded with ‘Magic Tea-Kettle Performance, Admit One’ were sold.

The house was speedily filled, the people coming in parties, bringing their teapots

full of tea and picnic boxes full of rice, and eggs, and other refreshments; because
they came to stay all day. Mothers brought their babies with them. The children
enjoyed it most of all.

Then the tinker, dressed up in colourful clothes, with a big fan in his hand, came
out on the platform. He made a polite bow and set the wonderful tea-kettle on
the stage. At a wave of his fan, the kettle ran around on four legs, half badger and
half kettle, clanking its lid and wagging its tail. How the children shouted! Next

bewitched : having a magic spell refreshments : small amounts of food
hind leg : back leg and drinks served to people

showman : a man who performs for during a public event
people’s entertainment clanking : sounding like pieces of
crimson : dark red metal hitting each other

handbills : printed advertisements
given by hand
83