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Time—Long Ago
Place—A Country roAd
Persons
SimpLeton
FirSt FArmer SeCond FArmer
[Simpleton walks along, jingling money in his pocket. He meets First Farmer with a basket.]
SIMPLETON. Good-day, Sir! What is in your basket ?
FIRST FARMER. [Rudely.] Nothing for you!
[Simpleton walks away, jingling his money.]
FI RST FARMER. [Calling after Simpleton.] What is that noise I hear?
SIMPLETON. [Stopping] Oh, that is just my money, jingling.
FI RST FARMER. How did you get money enough to make such a merry sound?
SI MPLETON. Oh, my brothers gave me twenty pieces of money. They say that I am a simpleton, so they sent me away from home.
FI RST FARMER. Oho! Well, see! This is a goose in my basket, a wonderful goose, a splendid goose! I am taking it to market.
SI MPLETON. [Peeping into the basket.] Will you sell your goose for twenty pieces of money?
FI RST FARMER. Well, it is worth more than that, but I will let you have it.
[Simpleton buys the goose and goes on. After a while he meets Second Farmer. ]
SI MPLETON. [Pointing.] Who lives in that beautiful palace on the hill?
SE COND FARMER. What a simpleton you must be! Have you never heard of the King’s palace? Our great King lives there.
SI MPLETON. Oho! I will take my goose to the palace and give it to the King.
[He goes on his way, singing merrily.]
Time—the SAme dAy
Place—the King’S pALACe
Persons:
FirSt ServAnt
SimpLeton
SeCond ServAnt
[Simpleton knocks at the palace door. First Servant opens it.]
FIRST SERVANT. What do you want?
SIMPLETON. I want to see the King. I have a present for him.
FI RST SERVANT. Oh, indeed! I must see your present before it can be taken to the King.
SIMPLETON. Well, you may see it. [Opens basket.]
FIRST SERVANT. That is a fine goose. But half of it is mine!
SIMPLETON. What do you mean?
FI RST SERVANT. You must be a simpleton! I am keeper of the palace door. Half of everything that is carried through it must be given to me.
SI MPLETON. But this is a present for the King. I cannot take half a goose to the King.
FI RST SERVANT. That is true, but I will tell you what to do.
Take the goose to the King. He will reward you. Promise me that I shall have half of whatever the King gives you.
SIMPLETON. Very well! I promise you that.
[First Servant takes Simpleton to the stairs, where they meet Second Servant.]
SE COND SERVANT. Here, here! Not so fast. Who are you?
What is your business?
SIMPLETON. I have a present for the King.
SE COND SERVANT. What is it? You cannot go farther until I see what it is.
SIMPLETON. [Opening the basket.] It is a goose.
SE COND SERVANT. It is a splendid goose! But I am the keeper of these stairs, and half of everything that goes up them must be given to me.
SI MPLETON. But I cannot give half a goose to the King. Let me see. This keeper of the door says the King may reward me. Suppose I give you half of my reward?
SECOND SERVANT. Do you promise it to me?
SIMPLETON. Yes, I promise it.
SECOND SERVANT. Then I will lead you to the King.
[Simpleton and Servants go up the stairs.]
Time—A Few momentS LAter
Place—the throne room oF the pALACe Persons:
THE KING
SECOND SERVANT
SIMPLETON
THIRD SERVANT
FIRST SERVANT
OTHER SERVANTS
[Second Servant leads Simpleton to the King. First Servant follows.]KING. What have you in that basket?
SI MPLETON. [Bowing low.] I have brought a gift for Your Majesty.
KI NG. Open the basket. [To Simpleton, as the goose is uncovered.]This is indeed a goose fit for a King. You shall be rewarded for your gift. Choose wisely, and you shall have whatever you ask.
SE COND SERVANT. [Whispering to Simpleton] Ask for a bag of gold.
FI RST SERVANT. [Whispering to Simpleton.] Ask for a box full of jewels.
SI MPLETON. I will ask for neither gold nor jewels. I ask for no reward but a sound beating, O King.
[All the Servants cry out in surprise.]KI NG. A sound beating! I thought all lads had plenty of beatings without asking for them. Come, change your mind! Do you call that a wise choice?SI MPLETON. [Bowing low.] I wish nothing for a reward but a sound beating.KI NG. Then it shall be as you say. [To Third Servant.] Take this lad away and give him fifty strokes.
SI MPLETON. Wait! This reward is not mine. I must not take it. The servant who guards the door made me promise to give him half my reward, before he would open the door. I had to promise the other half to the servant who guards the stairs, before he would lead me here. It is only right that I should keep my promises. It would not be honest for me to take the reward; these servants must have it.
[The King and the Servants stare in wonder. Then, as they begin to understand Simpleton’s strange wish, they nod their heads.]
KI NG. [To First and Second Servants, sternly.] Is this the way you treat strangers? [To Third Servant.] Each claimed half of the reward. Very well! The reward is a beating of fifty strokes.
Take these two servants out and give each of them half of the reward.
[First Servant and Second Servant are led out. The other servantslaugh aloud at the joke on the two Servants. Even the King smiles.]
ALL. Ha! ha! Ho! ho! ho!
KING. As for you, my lad, tell me your name.
SI MPLETON. My brothers call me Simpleton. They sent me away from home.
KI NG. You shall stay here in my palace. I need just such simpletons as you.
(Grimm )
jingling : shaking
splendid : wonderful
throne : a seat for a king or queen
A) Answer the following questions.
1) What is a simpleton?
2) Where did the Simpleton get his money?
3) What did the Simpleton buy with his money?
4) Why did the Simpleton go to see the king?
5) Why did the Simpleton ask the king for a beating?
B) What’s the word? Using the clues, write the correct words from the story.
1) to hit many times-b _ _ _ _ _
2) another word for boys-l _ _ _
3) those who work for the king and queen-s _ _ _ _ _ _ _
4) a kind of bird-g _ _ _ _
5) a kind of precious metal-g _ _ _
C) True, False, or Not Given—Read these sentences carefully. Write T (true), F (false), or NG (not given) for each.
1) _____ The Simpleton was very poor.
2) _____ The Simpleton wanted the king to buy his goose.
3) _____ The king’s servants were very greedy.
4) _____ The Simpleton got a beating.
5) _____ The king liked the Simpleton.