Easy Stories in English for Intermediate Learners by Ariel Goodbody

Author:Ariel Goodbody
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ariel Goodbody

Hanging is an old way to kill people. People were hanged on ropes like this.

A few hours later, he walked past a tree where seven men were hanged. Anders stared up at the tree and scratched his head. What were they doing up there? It looked very uncomfortable.

It just so happened21 that there was another traveller going along that road at the same time, a conman22. He saw Anders staring up at the tree and thought, That boy looks particularly stupid, and there’s nobody easier to con than stupid boys. I think I’ll have some fun with him.

He walked up to Anders and said, ‘Greetings, fellow traveller! Where are you headed?’

‘I’m off to learn how to shudder,’ said Anders smugly23. It was such an exciting thing to learn, since he had no idea what it was.

The conman laughed. This was going to be a very easy con.

‘Well, then you’re in luck24! I’m just the right man to teach you how to shudder, and I’ll do it for free.’

‘Oh no, sir!’ said Anders. ‘I couldn’t expect such a thing for free. What luck! I’ve been barely a day out of home and I’m already learning how to shudder! No, if you teach me, I’ll give you all my money.’

The conman licked his lips. ‘Alright, then! Take a look up at that tree there.’ He pointed at the place where the seven men were hanged. ‘Those seven men wanted to marry the baker’s daughter, and as you can imagine, the baker wanted to make sure they were suitable for her. So he told them that the man who can fly will take his daughter as a wife, and there they are, learning how to fly.’

‘Wow!’ said Anders. ‘I want to join them.’

He started climbing the tree, but the conman grabbed his arm.

‘Not quite yet! You wouldn’t want to learn how to fly before you've learned how to shudder, would you?’

Anders thought for a moment. ‘I suppose not. Can I do both at once?’

‘Oh, my dear boy, by the time I’ve taught you you’ll be flying, shuddering and dancing all at once! But one thing at a time. Sit by the tree and wait for the night, and whatever you do, don’t fall asleep. By the morning, you will have learned how to shudder, I can guarantee25 you.’

‘Oh, you’re going to write me a guarantee?’ said Anders. ‘Do you have paper and a pen in your cloak26?’

‘It’s a figure of speech27,’ said the conman, losing his patience. By God, this boy was an idiot. ‘Anyway, sweet dreams! I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘But you said not to sleep!’ cried Anders as the man left.

Honestly, some people were terrible at giving instructions. But he did as the man said and sat by the tree.

As it got dark, it also got cold, so Anders made a fire. Then a sharp wind blew, and the hanged men swayed28 in the wind.

Of course, the conman had expected that Anders would figure out that they were not learning to fly, and find the swaying men very frightening.

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