Черная курица, или Подземные жители / The Black Hen

4 Fill in the prepositions.

1) Even Alyosha forgot ____ his hen.

2) The headmaster had a candle ____ his hand.

3) Alyosha looked ____ the moon.

4) The candles were ____ the floor and ____ chairs.

5) Alyosha put ____ his clothes and followed Blacky.

5 Fill in the words from the box.

moon grass stars dog

1) Blacky's eyes were like two bright ____.

2) The ____ today is like a big piece of cheese.

3) Blacky followed Alyosha around the yard like a ____.

4) Alyosha's hat was green like ____.

6 Explain why:

1) Alyosha couldn't go to the hen-house before the dinner.

2) the hens didn't want to play with Alyosha.

3) Alyosha couldn't put on his clothes at once.

Chapter 3

Alyosha bravely followed the hen. Blacky's eyes were very bright. So they didn't even need a candle. Alyosha and the hen walked through the hall.

"The door is closed, and I haven't got the key," said Alyosha.

The hen said nothing. She flapped her wings, and the door opened. Alyosha and Blacky went to the rooms of the Dutch ladies. One of them had a big grey parrot. The other one had a grey cat. The cat was very clever. She could even give her paw.

Alyosha and Blacky came up to the door of the first room. The hen flapped her wings again, and the door opened. In the room Alyosha saw beautiful old chairs and tables. He wanted to stop and look at the tables.

"We can't stop here," said Blacky.

Alyosha followed the hen into the second room. He saw a beautiful gold cage. There was a big parrot in the cage. He was grey, and his tail was red. Alyosha wanted to come up to the cage at once. But Blacky didn't let him do it.

"Don't touch anything here," she said. "You can wake the old ladies!"

Only then Alyosha saw a bed near the parrot. On the bed there was a lady. Her eyes were closed. She looked very old. In another corner there was another bed with another old lady on it. And near her the boy saw a grey cat. Alyosha came up to her and said:

"Give me your paw. Can you do that for me?"

The cat started mewing loudly. The parrot cried: "Silly boy!" The old ladies opened their eyes and sat up in bed. Blacky ran out of the room. Alyosha followed her. They closed the door behind them. But they could still hear the parrot: "Silly boy! Silly boy!"

"That's bad," said the hen. "I'm afraid the knights are not sleeping now."