The Straw, The Coal and the Bean

Level 1

In a small village, an old woman lives in a little house. One day, she wants to cook some beans. She makes a hot fire with dry straw.

She takes the beans and puts them into a pan. But one small bean falls on the ground. It rolls near a piece of straw. Soon, a hot coal jumps out of the fire and lands next to them.

The straw says, “Hello, friends! Where do you come from?”

The coal says, “I come from the fire. I run away. The fire is too hot. I am afraid!”

The bean says, “I also run away. I do not want to be in the pan. It is very hot.”

The straw says, “The old woman burns my friends in the fire. I am lucky to be here.”

They feel happy to be safe. The bean says, “Let us go away together. We can be good friends.”

They walk together and soon see a small river. The water is cold and moves fast.

The straw says, “I have an idea! I can be a bridge. You can walk on me.”

The straw lies across the river. The coal walks on the straw. But in the middle, the coal feels afraid. It stops and does not move.

The straw starts to burn. It breaks into two parts and falls into the water. The coal falls into the water too and dies.

The bean sits on the side and sees everything. It starts to laugh. It laughs and laughs. It cannot stop. Suddenly, the bean breaks open!

A kind tailor sits near the river. He sees the bean. He takes a needle and black thread. He sews the bean.

The bean says, “Thank you!”

From that day, all beans have a black line on them.

Source: www.gutenberg.org

Vocabulary

Village – a small place with many houses
In a small village, an old woman lives in a little house.

Old woman – a woman who is old
One day, an old woman wants to cook some beans.

Straw – dry yellow grass
She makes a hot fire with dry straw.

Coal – a black thing that burns
Soon, a hot coal jumps out of the fire.

Bean – a small food, like a seed
But one small bean falls on the ground.

Fire – hot light and heat
She makes a hot fire with dry straw.

Pan – a thing to cook food
She takes the beans and puts them into a pan.

River – water that moves
They walk together and soon see a small river.

Bridge – something to go over water
I can be a bridge.

Afraid – feeling scared
It is very hot and I am afraid.

Burn – to be in fire
The straw starts to burn.

Fall – to go down
The coal falls into the water.

Laugh – to make a happy sound
It laughs and laughs.

Break – to open into two parts
The straw breaks into two parts.

Sew – to join with a needle and thread
He sews the bean.

Questions

1. Where does the old woman live?

2. What does she want to cook?

3. Who falls on the ground?

4. Why does the coal run away?

5. What does the straw become?

6. Why does the coal stop on the straw?

7. What happens to the bean?

Test

1. What does the old woman make?
   a) Bread
   b) Beans
   c) Soup
2. Where does the bean fall?
   a) Into water
   b) On the ground
   c) Into the fire
3. What does the straw do?
   a) Runs away
   b) Becomes a bridge
   c) Sleeps
4. Why does the straw break?
   a) It is cold
   b) It burns
   c) It is wet
5. Who helps the bean?
   a) A farmer
   b) A child
   c) A tailor