大学英语精读听力预备级 less14

[00:00.00]Lesson 14  The Sleeping Beauty  (Part One)
[00:26.88]  Long,long ago there lived a king and a queen,
[00:32.16]who owned wide forests,great gardens,and beautiful palaces.
[00:39.42]Still they were not altogether happy,for they had no children.
[00:45.48]But at last on a bright spring morning,a daughter was born to them.
[00:51.72]Then great was the joy in the whole kingdom,
[00:56.37]flags were waving,bells were ringing,
[01:01.34]and the king decided to hold a party and to invite all the good people to come.
[01:07.50]To the party were also invited six good fairies,
[01:12.96]for you must know there lived seven in all,
[01:17.40]but the one who was dark and evil was not invited.
[01:22.76]  The day for the party came with blue skies and merry songs.
[01:28.61]Rich and wonderful gifts were brought,
[01:32.73]gifts of silver and gold,diamonds,silk,and necklaces.
[01:39.71]But the gifts of the fairies were the best.
[01:43.86]  The fairies danced in.
[01:47.42]All the guests around the king's daughter held their breath
[01:52.67]to see their beauty and loveliness.
[01:56.74]One fairy stepped forward and whispered,
[02:01.00]"My gift to you is this,
[02:04.84]you shall become the most beautiful woman in all the kingdom."
[02:10.40]"And,"added the second fairy,
[02:14.45]"you shall become as kind and good as you will be beautiful."
[02:20.23]The third fairy said,"I give you the gift of wisdom."
[02:25.97]"And I," said the fourth,"the gift of love.
[02:30.73]You shall love and be loved."
[02:34.70]The fifth fairy whispered,"Mine is the gift of song and laughter."
[02:41.36]  Then before any one knew what had happened,
[02:45.72]the dark and evil fairy pushed others aside
[02:50.58]and stood beside the king's dughter.
[02:54.55]"Why was I not invited to the party?
[02:58.68]Ah,I shall show no mercy to you.
[03:03.33]My gift is this,all my sisters' wishes shall come true;
[03:10.09]but when you are sixteen,
[03:13.65]you shall hurt your finger on a spindle and die."
[03:18.32]The king and queen cried and the guests all wept.
[03:23.68]  Then the sixth good fairy stepped forward.
[03:28.04]She smiled lovingly on all.
[03:31.98]"Do not fear,"she said. "I can change it.
[03:36.71]Our king's daughter shall not die,but sleep-
[03:41.88]-sleep until in due time a king's son shall come.
[03:47.24]And with his kiss she shall be awake."
[03:51.50]This comforted the people of all ranks.
[03:55.86]"She shall not die,not die,"they repeated.
[04:00.72]The king then raised his hand,and all were silent.
[04:05.68]"I command,"he cried,"that all spindles in my kingdom be burned!"
[04:12.76]Gladly the people obeyed and now they all thought the little girl would be safe from harm.
[04:19.53]Then began the happy life of the king's daughter.