The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Here We Go! English Course 3 (2021) pg. 134-136
| The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | |
|---|---|
| トム・ソーヤーの冒険 | |
| Details | |
| Word count | 466 |
| Book | Here We Go! |
| Grade | 3 |
| Year | 2021 |
Saturday morning came. All the summer world was bright and full of joy. Tom appeared in front of the house with paint and a big brush. He looked at the fence, and all joy left him. The fence was long and high. He wet the brush and moved it. He did it again, and did it again. Then he looked at the fence. The painted part was very, very small. He sat down. He felt that he could not continue.
"How unlucky," Tom said to himself. "I must work on Saturday. Soon someone will come and laugh at me for working." At that moment, a wonderful idea came to him. It was like a great, bright light. He took his brush and began to work again.
Ben Rogers soon appeared. He was eating an apple. He came close to Tom, and stopped. Tom continued his painting. He did not look at Ben.
Ben said, "Hello!" No answer. Tom moved his brush gently and looked at the result. Ben came nearer. Tom wanted the apple, but he did not turn from his work.
Ben said, "Hello, you have to work, right?" Tom turned suddenly.
"Oh, Ben, is it you? I didn't see you." "I'm going swimming," said Ben. "Do you want to go with me? Or would you rather work?"
Tom said, "What do you mean? Work?" "That is work," said Ben. "It may be work and it may not be," replied Tom. "But it is fine for Tom Sawyer." "Do you mean that you enjoy it?" "Enjoy it? Does a boy have a chance to paint a fence every day?"
Here was a new idea. Ben stopped eating his apple. Tom moved his brush — stepped away to look at the result — added a little paint here — and stepped away again. Ben watched. He was more and more interested. Then he said, "Tom, let me paint a little."
Tom thought. Then he said, "No, Ben. Aunt Polly wants this fence to be perfect. I must paint it very carefully. Not every boy can do it well." "Oh, Tom, let me try. Only a little. I'll be careful. Tom, I'll give you part of my apple." "No, Ben. I'm afraid —" "I'll give you all of it."
Tom gave the brush to Ben slowly, but with joy in his heart. He sat under the tree and ate the apple. And he planned how to get more help.
There were enough boys. They came along the street and wanted to paint. Every boy paid something to get the right to paint the fence. By the middle of the afternoon, Tom was very rich. He had so many playthings. He also discovered a great law of human action — a man will want something if it is not easy to get it.
