A Happy Homeless Learn English through story level 2
once there was a poor man
his name was hans
he had no money
no house
and no food
but he was happy
i’ll find something he said i’ll walk
down this road to the next town
after a short time
a very old woman called to him from
across the road
what do you want
asked hans
what do you want
said the old woman
what do i want
i want money
you can have money
said the old woman
take this magic blue coat and climb to
the top of that tall tree
then climb down inside it
you will come into a large room with 300
lights
there are three doors
go through the first door and you will
see a big box
on the box sits a dog with eyes as large
as eggs
don’t be afraid
it won’t hurt you
put my blue coat on the floor
take the dog
and put it down on the coat
in front of the box open the box
and you will see money
take some
go through the second door
and you will see a bigger box
on the box sits a dog with eyes as large
as oranges
don’t be afraid
it won’t hurt you
put the dog down on the coat in front of
the box
open the box
and you will see gold
take some
go through the third door
there you will see the biggest box
on the box sits a dog with eyes as large
as plates
don’t be afraid
it is friendly
there are jewels in its box
take some
this is wonderful
said hans
but what can i do for you
i don’t want any money or gold or jewels
said the old woman
i only want one little thing
in the third room
there is a small glass box
my grandmother lost it there
bring me that box
hands climbed up the tree and then down
inside the tree
he went down
and down
and down
then he saw the 300 lights and the three
doors
he opened the first door
and went into a little room
there
on a box
was a dog with eyes as large as eggs
good dog
said hans
he remembered the old woman’s words
he put her blue coat on the floor
he took the dog and put it down on the
coat in front of the box he opened the
box
and he got very excited
he took some money and put it in his hat
he put the dog back on the box
and went into the second room
there on a box
was a dog with eyes as large as oranges
you’re a fine dog
said hans
he put the dog down in front of the box
and opened the box
his eyes were suddenly as yellow as the
gold in the box
hans took some gold
and put it in his hat
then he went into the last room
this dog’s eyes were as large as plates
you are a very fine dog he said
hans looked at the jewels in the box
his eyes were suddenly red blue
yellow green and gold
he took some jewels
and put them in his shoes
then
he remembered the old woman’s glass box
he found it on the floor next to the dog
he climbed up inside the tree again
it was harder this time with a heavy
gold and jewels
but he got out of the tree
throw down the box
called the old woman when she saw him
but he did not throw it
suddenly a stone hit him on the head
help
i’m going to fall and die he thought
but he put out a hand
and he did not fall
did you throw that stone
he called
yes
now give me the
she was not very friendly now
i’m not going to give it to you he
answered
the old woman got very angry and her
face was very ugly
he climbed to the ground
and walked away down the road
she called him names but he did not
answer
she could do nothing
it was night when he came to the town
he found a very nice room
and asked for the best food
the next day he went out and bought
beautiful clothes
he was a very important and rich man
people thought he suddenly had many
friends
one day
somebody asked him
do you know about the princess
what princess
asked hans
who is she
where does she live
you cannot see her
answered the man
why not
because she is in a big house and she
can’t leave it there is only one door
the windows are high up
she never goes out
the king says nobody can see her
why does she live in that way
asked hans
because a clever old man said to the
king
your daughter will marry a poor man
the king was very angry
he built the big house with high windows
and
shut the princess in it
i want to see the princess
said hans
he found the house
and went to the door
but the king’s servants quickly sent him
away
then he put on his most expensive
clothes and went to the king’s home
the king was very angry
don’t come near my house again he
shouted i will cut off your head and put
it on a stick
hance lived well at this time and
quickly used his money
one day
he only had two jewels
he left his nice room
he found a poor house and lived in it
hans was poor now
nobody cooked his food
nobody cleaned his shoes his rich
friends
did not invite him to their homes
he tried to find the tree with the three
dogs again
but he couldn’t find it
after a short time hans had no money
no money for food
he looked round his room
what could he sell
there
on the table
he saw the little glass box
perhaps i can buy some bread with this
he thought
why did the old woman want it
it is glass but i can’t see into it
perhaps there are jewels or gold inside
he tried to open the box
but he couldn’t
he hit it once with his hand
suddenly
the dog with eyes as large as eggs
appeared in front of him
what do you want
asked the dog
what do i want
cried hans
i want money
the dog went away
it quickly came back with a bag of money
in its mouth
hans thought
then he said
i know
the first dog comes when i hit the box
once
the second dog will come when i hit the
box again
the third dog will come when i hit the
box three times
he hit the box
one
two
and the dog with eyes as large as
oranges brought gold
he hit the box three times
one two three
and the dog with eyes as large as plates
wrought jewels
hans was rich again
he bought beautiful clothes and moved to
a big house
all his friends
came back
why didn’t you visit us he said where
were you
hans did not like these friends
he thought only of the sad princess
she can never go out he thought
she can never walk in the garden
her mother is dead
she can only speak to the servants and
the old king
she has an unhappy life
one night
hans could not sleep
suddenly he had an idea and he got up
from his bed
he took the glass box
and hit it once
the dog came
it is night
a beautiful night
said hans and nobody will see
i know that the princess would like a
walk in my garden
bring her here
very quickly the dog came back
the princess was asleep on its back
her beautiful face was sad
hans woke her and took her into the
garden
where am i
she cried
what is happening
she was afraid
you are walking with me in my garden
said hans
look
the flowers are asleep
her garden
cried the princess
am i outside
with the ground under my feet and the
sky over my head
no walls
no windows
i can hear the sounds of the night round
me
they walked for a long time
then the sun started to appear
i have to go she said
but how did i get here
hans told her about the glass box and
the dogs
she hit the box
and called the dog
good dog she said when it appeared
you have beautiful eyes
take me home
i don’t want anybody to see us
thank you for this night hands
the princess climbed on the dog’s back
and fell asleep
the next day
the princess did not remember anything
but she felt different
her servant anna
a jealous and unkind woman woke her
she said
wake up princess
it is the middle of the day
the king is waiting for you
is he
said the princess
and she jumped happily out of bed
look anna
it’s a beautiful day
anna started to think
a number of things were strange
first
the princess always got up at seven
o’clock
but today
it was twelve o’clock
second
the princess was always sad
but today
she was happy
third
the bottom of the princess’s night dress
was dirty
fourth
there was a beautiful white flower
on the princess’s bedroom floor but
there were no white flowers in the
king’s garden
anna went to the king
let’s wait and watch
said the king
when she goes out again
we’ll follow her
hanse was in love with the princess
he thought about her all day and all
night
after three days
he couldn’t wait he hit the glass box
one
two
and the dog with eyes as large as
oranges appeared
please bring the princess to my garden
he said
the dog went to the princess
but anna was there too
the dog carried the princess away on its
back
and anna followed
the dog stopped at the door of a big
house and went in
anna
wrote the letter x on the door
and went home
hans and the princess
walked in the garden
hance told the story of the old woman
and the tree and the three dogs and the
glass box
he told the princess about his poor
mother
and about his three brothers
and three sisters
the princess loved his stories
she talked about her parents
my father was a great man
and a good king she said
but when my mother died he changed
suddenly he was old and tired and sad
he shot me in that house
now he gets angry about little things
he doesn’t want to be king
he wants white flowers in his garden
my mother loved white flowers
but now his flowers always die
the red of the morning sun
started to light up the sky
the princess said good night to hans
he hit the box
one two
and the second dog appeared
with its eyes as big as oranges
this dog could see everything
it saw the x on the door
and it told hans
ho ho
lofthance
come with me quickly and we will write
x’s on every door in this street and the
next ten streets
the next day
anna told the king the story of the
night
the king took anna and some men
to hans’s street
here is the house
cried anna
no
here it is
cried the king
one of the men
ran to them
the house is in the next street he said
there is an x on the door
every house had an x on its door
the king was very angry and went home
later that day anna thought of another
plan
she went into her room
and shut the door
she made a small bag
and she put little white stones in the
bag
she made a small cut in the bottom of
the bag
and then put it in the princess’s
clothes
now she said
when the princess goes out
the little stones will fall onto the
road
we can follow the stones to the house
that night
hans called the princess again with the
glass box
they walked in the garden
the dog with eyes as large as plates
waited at the front of the house
i would like to be a prince
said hans
i would like not to be a princess
said the princess
why
asked hans
she didn’t answer
i want to be a prince he said
because i want to marry you they sat
down under a tree
hands put the glass box on the ground
next to him
don’t be a prince she said
i can’t love a prince
i will be a poor girl and you will be
hands
at that minute
the dog saw the king and anna with a
hundred servants
they came out of the king’s house and
looked at the little white stones
the white stones shone in the dark
and they followed them
the dog ran to the princess
the king
the king is coming it cried come quickly
the dog ran away through the streets
with the princess on its back
the king
anna and the servants
arrived at hans’s house
is the princess here
cried the king
hans didn’t answer
suddenly
the king saw his daughter’s little shoe
on the ground
next to some beautiful white flowers
he couldn’t speak for a minute
then he said angrily to hans
my woodcutter will cut off your head at
12 o’clock tomorrow
the servants took hands to the king’s
house
and shot him in a room
hans looked for his glass box
where was it
lost
he could not call the dogs
then he remembered
it was under the tree
when the sun came up hans went to the
window
and looked out
he was very high up
he saw a little boy below him
and called to him
hey
little boy
what do you want
cried the boy
would you like three punts
yes please
said the boy
then run to my house
say to my servant
hans has a little glass box
it is in the garden
under a tree
he wants me to bring it to the king’s
house
when you bring me the box
i will give you three points
the boy disappeared
a little time later
he came back with the box
throw it up to me
called hans
the boy threw up the box and hence
caught it
then he threw down the money
at that minute
the door opened and the king’s men came
in
they took hands to a big square in the
center of the town
everybody from the town was there
they wanted to watch
the king stood in the middle of the
square with the important people of the
town round him
in front of hans
stood a big strong woodcutter
he wore a long red coat
and a tall black hat
are you ready
said the king
to the woodcutter
are you ready
said the woodcutter the hans
no
cried hans and he took out the glass box
are you ready
said the woodcutter to hans
no
cried hans
and he hit the box once
he hit the box again
one two and then again
one two three
the three dogs stood in front of him
take the woodcutter away
he said to the dog with eyes as large as
eggs
throw him in the river
the dog ran away with the woodcutter on
his back
take the king’s men away
hans said to the dog with eyes as large
as plates
the dog got bigger and bigger
everybody watched with open mouths
now the dog was as big as a house
the king’s men were very afraid and ran
away bring the princess here
hans said to the dog with eyes as big as
oranges
where is the king
he cried
in a short time
the princess
and the king stood in front of hands
with the dogs behind them
do you want to be king
hence asked the old king
no
said the king
i only want to have white flowers in my
garden
and a happy daughter
when the princess and i marry
white flowers will live in your garden
again
and the princess will be happy
and so hands married the princess
the new king and queen
lived happily for many years
they had six children
and a very big garden
the old king lived his last years near
them
his garden was a sea of white flowers
all year
you