the emperor's horse was shod with gold - a golden shoe on each of its feet.

and why was he getting golden shoes?

he was a magnificent-looking animal, with slender legs, intelligent eyes, and a mane that hung down his neck like a soft veil of silk. he had carried his master through the smoke and flame of battle and heard the bullets sing and whistle around him; he had kicked and bitten those about him and done his share of the fighting whenever the enemy advanced; he had leaped, carrying his master on his back, over the enemy's fallen horse and had saved the emperor's red gold crown, saved the life of the emperor, which was much more valuable than the red gold; and that's why the emperor's horse had golden shoes, a golden shoe on each of his feet.

and the beetle came creeping out.

"first the big ones," he said, "and then the little ones; but size isn't the only thing that does it." then he stretched out his thin legs.

"and what do you want?" demanded the blacksmith.

"golden shoes," replied the beetle.

"why, you must be crazy!" said the blacksmith. "do you want golden shoes, too?"

"golden shoes," said the beetle. "i'm just as good as that great creature that is waited on, currycombed, and brushed, and served with food and drink. don't i belong to the imperial stable, too?"

"but why does the horse have golden shoes?" asked the blacksmith. "don't you understand that?"

"understand? i understand that it is a personal insult to me," said the beetle. "it's just done to annoy me, so i'm going out into the world."

编辑:Liuxuepaper.Com

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