once there was a little boy who went out and got his feet wet and caught cold. nobody could understand how it had happened, because the weather was very dry.

his mother undressed him, put him to bed, and had the tea urn brought in to make him a good cup of elder tea, for that keeps one warm.

at the same time there came in the door the funny old man who lived all alone on the top floor of the house. he had no wife or children of his own, but he was very fond of all children, and knew so many wonderful stories and tales that it was fun to listen to him.

"now drink your tea," said the little boy's mother, "and then perhaps there'll be a story for you."

"yes," nodded the old man kindly, "if i could only think of a new one! but tell me, how did the young man get his feet wet?" he asked.

"yes, where did he?" said the mother. "nobody can imagine how."

"will you tell me a fairy tale?" the little boy asked.

"yes, but i must know something first. can you tell me as nearly as possible how deep the gutter is in the little street where you go to school?"

"just halfway up to my top boots," answered the little boy. "that is," he added, "if i stand in the deep hole."

"that's how we got our feet wet," said the old man. "now, i certainly ought to tell you a story, but i don't know any more."

"you can make one up right away," the little boy said. "mother says that everything you look at can be turned into a story, and that you can make a tale of everything you touch."

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作文地带知识拓展:

• 英语（English）属于印欧语系日耳曼语族西日耳曼语支，最早被中世纪的英国使用，并因其广阔的殖民地而成为世界使用面积最广的语言。英国人的祖先盎格鲁部落是后来迁移到大不列颠岛地区的日耳曼部落之一，称为英格兰。这两个名字都来自波罗地海半岛的Anglia。该语言与弗里斯兰语和下撒克森语密切相关，其词汇受到其他日耳曼语族语言的影响，尤其是北欧语（北日耳曼语），并在很大程度上由拉丁文和法文撰写。

  英语的英文释义：

  English 名词 uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  the language that is spoken in the UK, the US, and in many other countries

  英语

  American/British English

  美式／英式英语

  Do you speak English?

  你会说英语吗？

  English   形容词 adjective   uk  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/ us  /ˈɪŋ.ɡlɪʃ/

  in or relating to the English language

  英语的

  an English teacher

  英语老师

  relating to or from England

  英格兰的;英国的

  English films/food/people

  英国电影／食品／人

  English law

  英格兰法律