The Rescue

Nasr-ed-Din Hodja yawned. He stretched his arms in their gaily striped sleeves. He stretched his long legs in their yellow pantaloons.

“Time for bed!” He rubbed his sleepy eyes. “But first a good cold drink of water.”

Nasr-ed-Din Hodja reached for the earthen water jug. Empty!

“Fatima!” he called. “Fatima!”

No answer. He must go to the well and fill the jug himself.

Drowsily he stumbled to his feet. He straightened his turban, which had fallen over one ear as he dozed. At the door he shoved his bare toes into his scuffly pointed shoes before he stepped out into the bright, moonlit courtyard.

“Such an evening!” he breathed deeply of the cool night air.

As he ambled across to the well, Nasr-ed-Din Hodja was glad that Fatima had been asleep. It was worth the effort of coming out to the well just to see such a moon. He sniffed the fragrance of the almond blossoms, feathery soft in the silver light.

I wonder if the water looks black or golden on a night like this, thought the Hodja. He leaned over to look down into the well. His drowsy eyes popped wide open.

Instantly he gave a low scream. “What has happened?” he cried. He looked wildly about for someone to help him.

“Fatima!” he called. “Fatima! The moon has fallen into the well!”

No answer!There was no one to help. Something had happened that would make the whole world a sadder, darker place. He, and only he, must make it right again. He would find a way. He would be a true hero.

Nasr-ed-Din Hodja fluttered about. He did not know exactly how to begin being a hero, but he did feel very brave and important.

“I have it!” he cried as he noticed the empty hook on the end of the rope he held in his hand. “If this hook can lift water jars in and out of the well, it surely can lift the moon out.”

His hands trembling with excitement, he let the rope down deep into the well. The hook clattered on the rough stone sides as it went down. There was a muffled splash as it hit the water.

“Keep up your courage, good Moon!” The voice of the Hodja sounded hollow in the well, “I am here! All will soon be mended.”

He dangled the hook near the surface of the water, swinging it back and forth until he felt it catch on something solid. Giving never a thought to the jutting stones that lined the well, he was sure that it was the moon he had hooked.

He jerked and he tugged, but the hook held fast.

“Jump when I pull, good Moon,” he called. “Do not pull against me.”

He braced his feet and put every bit of strength into one mighty yank. Up came the hook. Down on the cobblestones of the courtyard went Nasr-ed-Din Hodja. He lay on his back, blinking up at the sky.

Suddenly he forgot the pain of his fall. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Yes, there above him shone the full round moon. That mighty pull of his had carried the moon out of the well and had shot it back to its rightful place as queen of the night sky.

“Oh, Moon,” said the Hodja in triumph. “It was a hard fight, but I saved you. Now you can shine again for all the world.”

Rubbing his bruised head, he scuffled back into the house. He was so content with his own heroism that he completely forgot the empty water jug at the edge of the well.

I. How well did you read?

1 [See the piont] The main character in this Turkish folktale is_________.

A. brave B. foolish C.wise

2 [Judge from the details] The Hodjas home was probably a _________.

A. house in a village B. house in a large city

C. camp in the desert

3 [Give the purpose] The Hodja went to the well to get water for _________.

A. making a cup of teaB. washingC. neither A nor B

4 [Give the reason] He looked into the well in order to see

whether the_________.

A. water looked black or goldenB. water was low

C. hook on the rope was empty

5 [Follow the action] When he looked down, the Hodja instantly_________.

A. decided to be a true heroB. screamed and looked for help

C. thought of using the hooked rope

6 [Give the result] The “mighty yank” _________.

A. freed the hook from a jutting stone

B. put the Hodja on his back C. both A and B

7 [Draw a conclusion] If the Hodja had still wanted his drink of

water, he would have _________.

A. felt content that he was a hero

B. been puzzled and upset by what he saw

C. learned instantly that he had seen a reflection

Ⅱ.Learn about words

A.In the paragraph, find the word that best fits the meaning below, write the word.

1 sleepily(6)

2 pleasing smell (8)

3 moved uncertainly(13)

4 swung loosely (17)

5 great courage (23)

B.Read each sentence. Look back at the paragraph and find the word that best fits. Write the word.

6 The boy_________over a log and fell on his face. (6)

7 Make every_________to find the right word. (8)

8 The crowd roared with_________when the player scored. (15)

9 When I took the box apart,I scratched my hand on a_________nail. (17)

10 Tim shouted in_________when he found the right answer. (22)