The Adventures of the Little Boy Learn English through story level 1
chapter one
tom and his friends
tom
tom
where are you
no answer
where is that boy
when i find him
i’m going to
aunt paulie looked under the bed
then she opened the door
and looked out into the garden
home
she heard something behind her
a small boy ran past
but aunt paulie put out her hand
and stopped him
ah
there you are
and what’s that in your pocket
nothing aunt polly
nothing
it’s an apple
i can see it
now listen tom
those apples are not for you
and i
oh aunt polly
quick
look behind you
so aunt paulie looked
and tom was out of the house in a second
she laughed quietly
oh
i never learned
i love that tom
my dead sister’s child
but he isn’t an easy boy for an old lady
well
it’s saturday tomorrow
and there’s no school
but it isn’t going to be a holiday for
tom
oh
no
he’s going to work tomorrow
saturday was a beautiful day
it was summer
and the sun was hot
and there were flowers in all the
gardens
it was a day for everybody
to be happy
tom came out of his house with a brush
and a big pot of white paint in his hand
he looked at the fence
it was three meters high
and 30 meters long
he put his brush in the paint
and painted some of the fence
he did it again
then he stopped and looked at the fence
put down his brush
and sat down
there were hours of work in front of him
and he was the unhappiest boy
in the village
after 10 minutes
tom had an idea
a wonderful idea
he took up the brush again
and began work
he saw his friend joe harper
in the street
but he didn’t look at him
joe had an apple in his hand
he came up to tom
and looked at the fence
i am sorry tom
tom said nothing
the paintbrush moved up and down
working for your aunt said joe
i’m going down to the river
i’m sorry you can’t come with me
tom put down his brush
you call this work
he said
painting of fans
said joe
of course it’s work
perhaps it is
and
perhaps it isn’t
but i like it
said tom
i can go to the river any day
i can’t paint a fence very often
joe watched tom for about five minutes
tom painted very slowly and carefully
he often stopped
moved back from the fence
and looked at his work
with a smile
joe began to get very interested
and said
tom
can i paint a little
tom thought for a second
i’m sorry joe
you see my aunt wants me to do it
because i’m good at painting
my brother sid wanted to paint too
but she said no
oh please tom
just a little
i’m good at painting too
hey
do you want some of my apple
no joe
i can’t
okay
you can have all my apple
tom gave joe the brush
he did not smile
but for the first time that day
he was a very happy boy
he sat down
and ate joe’s apple
more friends
came to laugh at tom
but soon they all wanted to paint too
by the afternoon
tom had
three balls
an old knife
a cat with one eye
an old blue bottle
and a lot of other exciting things
he was the richest boy in saint
petersburg
and the fence
all 30 meters of it
was a beautiful white
he went back to the house
aunt polly
can i go and play now
aunt paulie came out of the house to
look
when she saw the beautiful white fence
she was very pleased
she took tom into the house
and gave him an apple
well
you can go and play
but don’t come home late
tom quickly took a second apple
and ran off
on monday morning
tom didn’t want to go to school
but aunt paulie got him out of bed
and then out of the house
in the street near the school
he met his friend
huckleberry finn
huck had no mother
and his father drank whiskey all the
time
so huck lived in the streets
he didn’t go to school
he was always dirty
and he never had a new shirt
but he was happy
the mothers of saint petersburg didn’t
like huck
but tom and his friends did
hello huck
said tom
what have you got there
a dead cat
what are you gonna do with it
ask tom
i’m gonna take it to the graveyard
tonight
huck said
at midnight
a dead cat
can call ghosts out of their graves
i never heard that
said tom
is it true
well
i don’t know said huck
old mrs hopkins told me
come with me and see
or
are you afraid of ghosts
of course not
said tom
come and meow for me at my window at
eleven o’clock
after this tom was late for school
and the teacher looked at him angrily
thomas sawyer
why are you late again
he
said
tom began to speak
and then stopped
there was a new girl in the school room
a beautiful girl
with blue eyes
and long yellow hair
tom looked
and looked
oh
how beautiful she was
and in two seconds
tom
was in love
he must sit next to her
but how
in the girls half of the room
there was only one empty chair
and it was next to the new girl
tom thought quickly
and then looked at the teacher
i stopped to talk with huckleberry finn
he said
the teacher was very
very
angry
boys were often late for school
that was bad
but talking with huckleberry finn
was worse
much worse
the teacher took his stick
and two minutes later
tom’s trousers were very hot
and the teacher’s arm
was very tired
now tom sawyer
you go and sit with the girls
some of the children
laughed
tom walked to the chair
next to the new girl
sat down
and opened his book
the other children began to work again
after 10 minutes
the girl looked up
there was an apple on the table
in front of her
she put it back on tom’s half of the
table
a minute later
the apple
was in front of her again
now
it stayed
next
tom drew a picture of a house
and put it in front of her
that’s nice
the girl said
now draw a man
tom drew a man next to the house
the man was taller than the house
and he had very big hands
and very long legs
but the girl liked him
can you draw me now
she asked
tom drew a girl next to the man
you draw beautifully
i can’t draw pictures
i can teach you
said tom
after school
oh
please
what’s your name
tom asked
becky
becky thatcher
just then
tom felt a hand on his head
it was the teacher
he took tom by the ear
and moved him back to his chair
in the boys half of the room
chapter 2
in the graveyard
that night
tom went to bed at half past nine
he waited for hux meow
and at eleven o’clock
it came
he climbed quietly out of the bedroom
window
and then he and huck
walked out of the village
with the dead cat
the graveyard was on a hill
about a mile from saint petersburg
when the boys got there
they put the dead cat on a
grave and sat down behind some trees
they watched
and waited
it was very dark
and very quiet
do you see that new grave there
whispered huck
that’s hoss william’s grave
he died last week
perhaps he can hear us
tom whispered back
do you think he can huck
i don’t know
but i
shh
oh tom
what is it
shh
whisper tom
i can see something
look
huck move near to tom
ghose
he said
three of them
they’re coming here tom
oh
let’s go home
they can’t see us
tom whispered
not here
ghosts can see through trees
said huck unhappily
they can see through
everything
the ghosts moved quietly through the
graveyard
and came nearer to the trees
huck and tom watched
very afraid
then
after a minute
huck said
tom
they’re not ghosts
that’s muff potter
so it is
and that’s engine joe
and the other man
is dr robinson
what are they doing here
they’re grave robbers tom
they’re going to rob a grave
my father told me about it
the doctor wants a dead body you see
he cuts it up
because he wants to learn about
shh
said tom
they’re getting near
the three men
stopped at haas williams grave
and joe and muff potter
began to dig
ten minutes later
the grave was open
now
doctor
said muff potter
you want us to take the body
to your house
that’s five dollars more
no
said the doctor
i gave you the money this morning
i’m not giving you any more
now you listen to me
doctor
said joe
i want that money
do you remember a day
five years ago
i came to your house
and asked for something to eat
and you gave me nothing
nothing
so give me that money
he took the doctor’s arm
but suddenly
the doctor hit him
and joe
fell to the ground
don’t hit my friend
cried muff potter
he jumped on the doctor
and the two men
began to fight
it all happened very quickly
and the two boys
watched with open mouths
joe got up
he had muff potter’s knife in his hand
now
and he moved behind the doctor
then the doctor hit muff potter on the
head
muff fell to the ground
and at the same moment
the knife in joe’s hand
went into the doctor’s back
the doctor fell to the ground
on top of muff potter
and he did not move again
the two boys could watch no more
very quietly
they moved away from the trees
and then ran out of the graveyard
and back to the village
joe
stood by hoss williams grave
and looked down at the two men
then he put the knife into muff potter’s
hand
and sat down
three
four
five minutes
went by
potter moved a little
and opened his eyes
what
what happened joe
he asked
this is bad muff
said joe
why did you kill him
muff looked at the doctor’s dead body
then
at the knife in his hand
me
did i kill him
his face went white
and the knife fell from his hand
it’s the whiskey joe
i never fight with knives usually
oh
why did i drink all that whiskey tonight
i don’t remember anything
it’s okay muff
said joe
i’m not going to tell anyone
you get away quickly
go on
go now
muff potter got up
and ran away
joe watched him for a minute
then he carefully put the knife
next to the doctor’s body
then he too
left the graveyard
the next day
the sheriff’s men found the doctor’s
body in the graveyard
and
muff potter’s knife
that night
muff came to the graveyard to get his
knife
but the sheriff’s men were there
and they took muff to saint petersburg’s
little jail
and there muff sat
for four weeks
and waited for his trial
tom and huck could not forget that night
in the graveyard
they were very unhappy
and very afraid
what are we gonna do
said tom
muff potter didn’t kill the doctor
joe did
we saw him
i know
hux said
but what can we do
we can’t tell anyone
i’m afraid of joe
he’s dangerous
and he’s a killer
do you want enough in your back
yes
i’m afraid of him too
tom said
he thought for a minute
i’m sorry for muff potter
but you’re right huck
we can’t tell anyone
about joe
chapter three
on jackson’s island
the summer holidays came
and there was no school
tom didn’t want to think about muff
potter and joe
but it wasn’t easy
at night
when he was in bed
he saw joe’s face in the dark
and he couldn’t sleep
but he couldn’t talk to anyone about it
one hot summer’s day he and joe harper
were down by the mississippi river
they sat and watched the boats
and fished
and talked
let’s get away from here
said tom suddenly
let’s go and do something exciting
somewhere
okay
said
joe but what
and where
i know
tom said
let’s run away
let’s go and live on jackson’s island
we can sleep out under the trees
jackson’s island was in the mississippi
three miles south of st petersburg
nobody lived there
let’s ask huck finn too
said tom
but don’t tell your mother or father or
anyone go home
and get some things to eat
and meet me here at midnight
so that night
three boys in a small boat
went down the river
to jackson’s island
they had some bread
and some meat
and huck had his pipe too
when they got there
they carried everything onto the island
and made a fire
under a big old tree
then they cooked some of the meat over
the fire
and oh
that meat was
good
the best dinner in the world
soon they stopped talking
their eyes closed
and they slept
the next morning
tom woke up with the sun on his head
and a smile on his face
then hawk and joe woke up
and the three boys ran down to the river
to swim
after that
they fished
and soon they had about six big fish for
their breakfast
they cooked the fish on their fire
and ate them all
they were very hungry
that
said joe happily
was a wonderful breakfast
after breakfast
they walked through the island
swam some more
talked
fished
and swam again
they came back to their fire in the
afternoon
suddenly
tom looked up and said
listen
can you hear boats
they listened
and then ran across the island to look
down the river
there were 20 or more boats on the water
every boat in saint petersburg was out
what are they doing
ask joe
they’re looking for a dead body i think
said huck
they did that last summer
when bill turner fell in the river and
drowned
who’s dead do you think
ask joe
the boys watched the boats
suddenly
tom cried
i know who’s dead
it’s us
they’re looking for us
this was wonderful
tom looked at his friends
we’re famous
he said
everybody in saint petersburg is talking
about us
and they all feel sorry for us
night came
and the boys went to sleep
but tom did not sleep
and when morning came
he wasn’t there
huck
where’s tom
cried joe
i don’t know
huck began
but
look
there he is
he’s swimming across to the island now
hey tom
at breakfast
tom told his story
i went home last night
he said
and listened at the window
joe
your mother was there too
and she and aunt polly cried and cried
i heard some very interesting things
on sunday
there’s going to be a big funeral at the
church
for us
and listen
i’ve got a wonderful idea
huck and joe listened
and laughed
and
yes it was a wonderful idea
that night
the boys cooked some more fish
and after dinner
hot got out his pipe
and began to smoke
can we smoke too
ask tom
i want to learn
so huck made pipes for tom and joe
and the three boys sat and smoked
hey
i like smoking
said tom
it’s easy
it’s nothing
said joe
i’m going to smoke every day
but after 10 minutes
tom and joe
got quieter
and quieter
and their faces
went an interesting color
i’m
going for a little walk now
said tom
he stood up carefully
and walked away into the trees
nato
said joe
quickly
the two boys came back an hour later
but they didn’t smoke their pipes again
on sunday morning
there were no happy faces in saint
petersburg
and paulie and joe’s mother and father
were in the church
and all the boys friends
the minister said some very nice things
about the three boys
and the boys families cried and
cried
everybody cried
and little becky thatcher
did not stop crying for one second
there was a small noise at the back of
the church
but at first
nobody heard it
then the minister looked up
and suddenly stopped speaking
everybody turned to look
their mouths opened
and stayed open
and into the church
came the three dead boys
tom first
joe next
and then huck
for a second
nobody moved or spoke
and then the noise began
aunt paulie and joe’s mother ran to the
boys
and took them in their arms
aunt polly cried and laughed
and cried again
oh tom
she said
you’re a bad boy
but i love you
suddenly the minister called out
oh
happy days
sing
good people of saint petersburg
sing
and be
happy
and everybody sang
and smiled
and laughed for a long time
it was saint petersburg’s happiest
funeral
the weeks went by
and the judge came to saint petersburg
on the day before muff potter’s trial
huck and tom met in the street near
tom’s house
huck was unhappy
tom
you didn’t tell anyone about
you know
i didn’t
but huck
what about muff
people are saying he’s the killer
and he’s going to die
but we can’t tell anyone about joe
said hawk
i don’t want to die too
do you
no
tom didn’t want to die
but he couldn’t forget muff potter’s
face in the jail
old
tired
and unhappy
and joe was a free man
it wasn’t right
that night
tom came home late
and very excited
he could not sleep for two or three
hours
the next morning
all the village was at muff potter’s
trial
joe was there too
muff waited
a tired old man
with a dirty face
the judge began the trial
questions
questions
questions
answers
answers
answers
and the answers were all bad for muff
potter
yes i found the knife in the graveyard
next to dr robinson’s body
yes
that’s muff potter’s knife
he always carries it
yes i saw muff potter in the village
that afternoon
he had the knife with him then
muff potter began to look more and more
unhappy
then the judge said
call
thomas sawyer
saint petersburg
sat up
what did young tom sawyer know
everybody looked at him
and waited
thomas sawyer
where were you on the 17th of june
at the hour of midnight
in the graveyard
why
i went there to see ghosts
with a
uh dead cat
saint petersburg laughed
and the judge looked angry
and where were you in the graveyard
thomas
behind the trees near hoss williams
grave
joe’s face
suddenly went white
now my boy
said the judge
tell us your story
and so tom told his story
and saint petersburg sat and listened to
him
with open mouths
and then muff potter fell
and engine joe
jumped with the knife and
crash
joe jumped through the window
and was out and away
in a second
saint petersburg loved tom for a week
but tom
was not happy
joe was not in jail
and he was a dangerous man
tom slept badly for weeks
the slow summer days went by
joe did not come back to st
petersburg
and tom
began to forget
chapter 4
treasure
there is a time in every boy’s life
when he wants to go and dig for treasure
and that time came for tom
so
one hot summer’s day
he went to find huck
huck liked the idea of treasure
where are we going to dig
he asked
an old dead tree is best
who puts the treasure under old trees
robbers
said tom
and then they go away
or they forget to come back for the
treasure
there’s a dead tree on cardiff hill
said huck
let’s go there
i’ve got an old pick and shovel
it was three miles to the old tree
and the boys arrived tired and hot
they dug for an hour or two
but they didn’t find any treasure
then they stopped
and tom looked down at an old house
at the foot of the hill
hey look
he said
nobody lives in that old house
let’s go there
old houses are always good for treasure
good for ghosts too
said huck
they took the pick and shovel with them
went down the hill
and into the old house
they looked in all the rooms downstairs
and then went upstairs
but there was no treasure
and no ghosts
then
they heard a noise
said tom suddenly
what’s that
ghosts
whispered huck
there were holes in the floor
and through them the boys could see into
the rooms downstairs
no
tom whispered
it’s two men
one is the old spaniard
he came to live in the village last week
i don’t know the other man
let’s listen to them
the two men
sat down on the floor
the spaniard had a green hat
and long white hair
the other man
was small and dark
he took out a bag
and began to open it
it’s hard in here
the spaniard said
he took off his green hat
and then
he took off his long white hair
tom
huck whispered upstairs
that’s joe
we took
650 dollars when we robbed that house
said the second man
he took some money out of the bag
we can take fifty dollars with us now
what are we going to do with the 600
leave it here
said joe
we can come back
and get it next week
here
give me the bag
he walked across the room to the
fireplace
moved two big stones from the floor
and began to dig with his knife
upstairs
the two boys watched excitedly
treasure
six hundred dollars of wonderful
treasure
joe stopped digging
hello
what’s this
he said
there’s something here
it’s an old box
the two men got the box out
and opened it
it’s money
said joe’s friend
joe put his hand into the box
there are thousands of dollars here
he said
and the two men looked at the money
with happy smiles
but who
began joe’s friend
don’t ask
joe said
it’s our money now
we can’t take it with us today
said his friend
what can we do with it
put it back under the floor
yes
said joe
happy faces upstairs
no
very unhappy faces upstairs
let’s put it under the cross
nobody goes there
we can take it there tonight
when night came
the two men carried all the money away
the boys did not go after them
because they were afraid of inch and joe
but they wanted very much
to find that cross
for a week
the two boys thought and thought about
the treasure
it was
under the cross
but where was the cross
in saint petersburg
the boys watched the spaniard carefully
but they didn’t see a cross
and they didn’t find the treasure
chapter five
in the cave
the next saturday was becky thatcher’s
birthday
and all becky’s friends were very
excited
it’s going to be a wonderful day
becky told tom
we’re going to have a picnic by the
river and after that
we can visit mcdougall’s cave
so in the morning
a big boat took becky
tom
and all their friends down the river
there were some older children on the
boat too
but all the mothers and fathers stayed
at home
picnics are better without them
and it was a very happy
noisy picnic
after the picnic
the children took out their candles
and ran up the hill
to the cave
the mouth of the cave was dark
and some of the children were afraid at
first
but caves are exciting
so in the end
everybody went in
mcdougall’s cave was very very big
with hundreds of tunnels and rooms
the tunnels went up
down
and into the hill for miles
you could walk for days in mcdougall’s
cave
nobody knew all the cave
but many people knew the tunnels near
the door
you could play all day in these tunnels
tom of course
knew them well
for hours the children walked and ran
through the cave
up and down the tunnels
in and out of the rooms
in the evening they came out
and walked down the hill to the boat
tired
but happy
when the boat arrived back in st
petersburg
it was dark
huck finn saw the boat
but he did not know about the picnic
he did not go to birthday picnics of
course
because the mothers of saint petersburg
did not like him
but tonight
huck was only interested in treasure
joe’s treasure
joe was in an old building by the
river
and huck waded in the street near the
building
perhaps
he thought
engine joe’s cross isn’t there
and the box of money
i must wait and watch
i can tell tom about it tomorrow
but joe didn’t come out
at midnight
it began to rain
and huck waited all night in the cold
street
in the morning
he could not move
and he could not speak
he felt cold
then hot
then cold
then hot again
mrs douglas
a woman from the church
found him in the street
she took him to her home
and put him to bed
and there he stayed for two weeks
he was very ill
and so he did not hear about tom and
becky
but on sunday morning
all saint petersburg knew about tom and
becky
because they were not on the boat
when he came back to the village
where were they
were they lost in the cave
and were they alive
or dead
at first
tom and becky played with their friends
in the cave
then tom wanted to go down a new tunnel
and becky went with him
they walked and talked
and went into a second tunnel
then a third
sometimes tom put a mark with candle
smoke on the tunnel wall
he wanted to find the mouth of the cave
again
then they came out of the tunnels
into a big room
there were hundreds of bats in this room
and the candles woke them up
tom took becky’s hand and they ran into
the nearest tunnel
with the bats behind them
but one bat hit becky’s candle
and it went out
the children ran and ran through the
tunnels
and at last
they got away from the bats
they stopped and sat down
suddenly
it was very
very quiet
where are we now tom
becky whispered
afraid
i don’t know
said tom
i think it’s time to go back
but we can’t go through that big room
because of the bats
let’s go down this tunnel
they went down one tunnel
then a second
a third
a fourth
then they wanted to find the big room
with the bats again
but they couldn’t
becky began to cry
tom
we can’t get out
we’re lost tom
we’re lost
they walked and walked
when they were tired
they sat down
then they got up
and walked again
time went by
was it day
or night
they didn’t know
then tom wanted to find water
they had nothing to eat
and they must have something to drink
they found a very small river
and sat down next to it
becky
said tom
we must stay here
near this river
this is our last candle and
he did not finish
but becky understood
tom
yes becky
are they going to come and look for us
of course
when the boat gets to st petersburg
but how can they find us
in these hundreds of tunnels
oh tom
tom
we’re going to die in here
becky began to cry again
then the candle went out
and the two children were in the dark
they sat for hours and hours
they slept a little
then woke up
then slept again
was it sunday now
or monday
suddenly
tom sat up
listen
somebody’s calling
the two children listened
they heard it again
a little nearer
they called back
then they began to walk down the tunnel
in the dark
with their hands on the wall
they stopped
and listened again
but now they couldn’t hear anything
slowly
they went back to their river
they slept again
and woke up very very hungry
perhaps it’s tuesday now
tom thought
what can i do
i must do something
then he had an idea
becky
listen
i’ve got a long string in my pocket
i can go down some of the small tunnels
and get back to you with the string
you wait here
slowly and carefully
tom went down the first tunnel
on his hands and knees
then the tunnel wall on his right
finished
and there was nothing
tom put out his hand to feel the floor
and just then
away to his right
he saw a hand
a hand
with a candle
at once tom called out
help
he cried
the hand moved
and tom saw an arm
and a face
it was joe
tom was very afraid
but joe was afraid too
and he quickly ran away down the tunnel
tom went back to becky
but he did not tell her about joe
tom waited for an hour
then went into a different tunnel with a
string
then a third tunnel
it was tuesday evening
and st petersburg waited
many of the villagers were in the cave
and they looked for the children day and
night
but they heard nothing
saw nothing
and found nothing
then
late that evening
there was a sudden noise in the streets
people began to run to the thatcher’s
house
they’re here
becky and tom are here
most of the village came to listen to
tom’s story
it was in the sixth tunnel
he told them
i went to the end of my string
and suddenly
i could see daylight
there was a little hole in the cave wall
i put my head out
and there was the river
right under my nose
i went back and got becky
and we climbed out through the hole
then we stopped a boat on the river
we were five miles from the mouth of the
cave
tom was very tired after his three days
in the cave
and he went to bed
and stayed there for two
days he heard about huck
and went to see him on sunday
and then every day
but mrs douglas was always in the room
you can just say hello
she told tom
and then you must go
huck is very ill
and he needs to sleep
so tom could not talk about anything
exciting
and he could not tell huck about
joe
one day
about two weeks after the picnic
tom was in becky’s house
and her father came in
well
tom mr thatcher said
would you like to go back to the cave
again
one day
i’m not afraid of that cave
said tom
mr thatcher laughed
there are a lot of people like you tom
but nobody’s going into that cave again
there are big doors across the cave
mouth now
and nobody can open them
tom’s face went white
but mr thatcher
joe’s in that cave
an hour later
50 men were at the cave
and they opened the doors
joe was on the ground
dead
his face to the door
and his knife in his hand
chapter 6
under the cross
the day after joe’s funeral
huck was out of bed
he and tom walked slowly out of the
village
they had a good long talk
and huck heard all about the picnic
the cave
and joe
we’re never gonna find the money now
said huck
huck
said tom
the money isn’t in st petersburg
it’s in the cave
i know it is
why was joe in the cave
because he took the box of money there
right
huck looked excited
say that again tom
the money’s in the
cave and we can get to it easily
let’s go there now
i’ve got some candles and a long string
we can take a boat and put it back later
twenty minutes later the boys were in a
boat on the mississippi
they went eight miles down the river
and then tom stopped by some small trees
here we are
he said
tom’s hole was just behind the trees
tom took a candle and climbed in
huck climbed in after him
engine joe never found this hole
said tom
or he did find it and couldn’t get
through it
it’s very small
the boys went carefully through the
tunnels with their string
then tom stopped
i saw joe about here
he said
and look huck
there’s the cross
there was a big smoke cross on the
tunnel wall
the boys looked up and down the tunnel
but there was no box of money
joe said
under the cross
said tom
perhaps is under the ground
look
we can move these stones
the boys took their knives
and began to dig by the tunnel wall
very soon
they found a second smaller tunnel under
the wall
they climbed down into it
and came into a small room
there was a bed
two whiskey bottles
some old shoes
and the box of money
when somebody finds treasure
everybody hears about it very quickly
the two boys carried the box through the
village
and when they got to aunt paulie’s house
half the village was with them
everybody went into the house
oh tom
tom cried aunt polly
what is it now
and what have you got there
tom put the box on the table
and opened it
there were twelve thousand dollars in
that box
and suddenly
sawyer and huckleberry finn
were the richest people
in saint petersburg
you