Raconter des histoires, et en écouter, est l’un des meilleurs moyens d’améliorer son anglais.
Écoutez cette histoire et racontez-la à nouveau avec votre famille – l’anglais de chacun sera bien meilleur – et vous entendrez une belle histoire en compagnie d’un renard, d’un ours, d’un écureuil – et du très rare singe des neiges !
Listening to stories and telling stories is a great way to practise your English. This ancient folk story from the indigenous Moo people from Kamchatka in Siberia is a great way to enjoy the winter.
You can either just listen for fun, or you can learn the story and tell it to your children – or if you are a child you can learn the story and tell it to your parents – in English!
A Story – the winter cake!
This story takes place on the side of a river in a forest near a mountain in the wild lands of Coldistan.
Coldistan is far up in the north, and in the winter time people need to be very careful.
The roads are sometimes covered with so much snow and ice that the lorries delivering food and supplies from the south can’t get there. So you need to have plenty of food in your house.
The problem is that for all the animals it is also difficult to find food in the winter too. The bears, the foxes and the squirrels and even the very rare snow monkeys.
Fortunately, most of the bears, the foxes, the squirrels and the very rare snow monkeys live on the other side of the Great White River from little Micky’s house- and Micky knew his winter food would be safe.
The coldest and darkest day of the year was December 21st
It was snowing so much and it was so windy that the animals wanted to stay in their homes.
The fox was in his den, inside a hollow tree.
The bear was in a cave, hidden by a big rock covered in snow.
The squirrel was trying to lie down on the branch of a tree but the wind was making him colder and colder.
But the very rare snow monkey couldn’t take it any longer. He was so hungry that he had to do something about it.
He put on his very rare snow monkey coat and walked out to the river bank.
My stomach is rumbling. I’m hungry. I need to eat! If any of you feel the same, come to the river bank now and we will find some food together
he shouted at the top of his voice.
First, the bear appeared, then the squirrel and finally the fox.
“We must do something! Let’s cross the river together and find some food!”
They shouted in unison.
Remember that I told you it was a very windy day. Micky’s mother was cooking a special enormous winter chocolate cake in the kitchen and the sweet smell of the cake was blown across the river by the wind.
“That smells like cake”
said the fox.
“My stomach is rumbling”
said the squirrel.
“Let’s go”
said the bear and the very rare snow monkey.
“Stop for a minute” you might be saying
How can 4 animals cross the Great White River?
It’s too cold and too far to swim”.
Well, yes – you are right – up to a point. But in the winter, the water in the Great White River freezes and animals and people can walk across – except for the rapids in the middle of the river – where the rocks in the river mean that the water is too fast to freeze. That part is never icy enough to walk over.
The fox, the bear, the squirrel and the very rare snow monkey held hands as they walked towards the middle of the river. The smell of the chocolate cake was getting closer and closer. And their stomachs were rumbling louder and louder.
BUT- oh no! Look at the rapids. Six feet of fast, freezing running water lay between them and the safe icy surface of the far side of the Great White River. But when you are hungry you think of a way. Every animal has its talent. The very rare Snow monkey was very clever and took charge. He told the bear to drag two big logs from the forest He told the fox and the squirrel to bring small branches from the trees. They were going to build a bridge.
And indeed they did. Ten minutes later, our courageous friends had put together a rickety but clever bridge, and one by one they climbed over the rapids, The bear went last and the bridge was shaking and trembling under his weight, but it held firm and here they were. On the other side.
Now all they needed to do was to walk across the ice to Micky’s house where the smell of the chocolate cake was coming from.
When they were really close to the house, they could hear the sound of singing and dancing, and see the glow of the fire.
“But Micky’s dad is a hunter If he sees us here, he won’t give us some cake – he’ll shoot us with his gun”, .
said the squirrel
“Why don’t we eat Micky’s dad? “
said the bear.
“No – I have an idea”
said the very rare snow monkey
Quick – get that old coat and hat from the scarecrow and put it round you” He said to the bear. The fox stood on the bear’s shoulders, the squirrel on top of the fox’s head and the rare snow monkey stood behind them all.
Now it looked like a strange monster with the body of a bear, covered in a coat with a fox’s head, a hat and another smaller head like a squirrel.
The monkey threw three stones at the window of the house..
Micky, his mum and dad came out.
“What’s that? Said Micky’s dad – let me get my gun. It must be those stupid animals from across the river. I’m going to kill them all”
But Micky told him to stop and the a strange noise came from the monstrous apparition.
It was the rare snow monkey and this is what he said – in a strange monster like voice.
“I am the Lord of the Northern Winter Forests – my name is Bearfosquimonkey. You are small and weak people – nothing compared to nature.
Have you left out food for the beasts today?
If you don’t the Lords of the sky will take you away – for ever. If you do – your house will be safe and your summer will be warm.
Leave your chocolate cake for the beasts!
And go back to your house!”
Micky, his mum, and his dad were scared now – what if the lords of the sky were to take them away – for ever?
“Let me get the cake. I`ll put it here”
said Micky’s mum.
She left the cake on the ground, next to the monstrous apparition and went back inside the house. The bear, the fox, the squirrel and the monkey fell to the ground and ate as quickly as they could. Before Micky’s dad could see what had happened, they had finished everything, ran back to the Great White River, over the rickety bridge across the windy snow and back to their homes.
Now they were able to sleep with a full stomach. And they didn’t feel nearly as cold as they had before.
And this is the end of the story.
Thank you for listening to the story of the winter cake. What do you think? Do the Moo people from Kamchatka in Siberia exist? No they don’t – just like the best stories – I made them up.
And you can make your own winter story up too. Speak to your VivaLing coach and tell them you want to make a story like this. And not only will you be practising your English, you’ll be having fun too.
Attributions
angry squirrel / chimpanzee / coyotee call / Neck breaking / River noise / Scary Titus Calen / Ta Da/ Wind Blowing – all soundbible.com
