Tell Me a Story (21 traditional stories from the British Isles dramatised by J.D.Graham), страница 21

And then he went into the castle and found a beautiful princess.   “I’ve come to rescue you,” Herbert told her.   And the princess smiled so kindly at Herbert that he fell in love with her at once - and she with him.   Then the little man reappeared.   “Now it’s time to go home,” he said.   But first of all he helped them get some gold from the castle to take home with them.   Herbert was pleased but also a little worried.   “Can I take the princess as well?” he asked.

So Herbert and the princess and the little man collected some gold from the castle.   Then they went back to the mine and climbed up to the top and found themselves in the wood again.

And then the little man disappeared.   And that’s nearly the end of the story.   Herbert and the princess went home with the gold and of course everyone was very pleased to see them.

Herbert and the princess were married - and lived happily every after.

18 - THE STORY OF THE HAT THAT PAID

This story is about a hat - a white hat with a blue band round it.   Well, really, it’s not about the hat but about the man who owed it.   This man’s name was Harry.   Now, Harry had worked hard and saved up some money - fifteen pounds, in fact.   And as he sat and looked at his money, he suddenly had an idea - an idea that would make money for him.   He decided to divide up his fifteen pounds and leave five pounds with the landlords of three different inns.

First of all Harry went to the landlord of a nearby inn.   His name was Ted.   “Could you do me a favour?” asked Harry.   “I’m going away and I don’t want to take all my money with me, so would you look after this five pounds for me?”   And Ted said “Yes, of course”.   Harry added: “But there’s just one thing.   When I come back I don’t want everybody to know about this arrangement so when I want my money back, I’ll give you a secret signal,” said Harry.   “When I want my five pounds I’ll raise my hat and say ‘Do you remember the man in the white hat with the blue band round it?’   Then you give me the money.”

And Harry went on his way - to another inn where he talked to the landlord whose name was Sid.   And he made the same arrangement about the five pounds and the secret signal.   Then he went on his way to an inn in the next village.   There he talked to the landlord whose name was Norman and made the same arrangement with him.   And then he went away.

A few days later Harry came back to the village.   As he was walking down the street that evening he met a man he knew.   The man’s name was Charlie.   Harry asked Charlie to come to the inn with him and they set off together.   As they were walking along, Harry said “When we get to the inn, I bet someone will give me some money.”   “I bet you five pounds they won’t,” said Charlie.   And both men went into the inn.

The landlord - whose name was Ted, you remember - came up to greet them.   And then Harry raised his hat and said:  “Do you remember the man in the white hat with the blue band round it?”   And the landlord said:  “Yes - there’s some money here for him.”   And the landlord gave Harry five pounds.   Charlie was amazed.   “How did you make him do that?” he asked.   “It’s a secret,” said Harry and reminded Charlie that he owed him five pounds.   So Charlie had lost the bet and had to give Harry five pounds.

Harry now had ten pounds - five from the landlord and five from Charlie.   Charlie was quite sure that Harry couldn’t do the same thing again.   He wanted his five pounds back, so he made another bet with Harry.   “I bet you five pounds you can’t do that again,” he said.   “All right,” replied Harry.   Come to the next inn and I’ll show you.”   So they set off for the next inn.