A Book of Shorter Stories -

Longman Simplified English Series

Longman

2000

118 páginas

3h 56m

ISBN-11: 0_582_52802

... and as the fly tried its wings, down came a great heavy drop of ink. The little creatyre seemed absolutely shocked and afraid to move because of what would happen next. But then, as if painfully, it dragged itself forward.
He's a brave little creature, thought the manager, and he felt real admiration for the fly's courage. That was the way to face things; that was the right spirit. Never say die! But the fly had again finished its painful work, and the manager had just time to fill his pen again to shake another drop on the newly-cleaned body. What this time? A painful moment of waiting followed. But see, the front legs were again waving; the manager felt a rush of relief. He spoke to it gently. And he actually had the bright idea of breathing on it to help it to get dry. But there was something weak in its efforts now, and the manager decided that this time should be the last as he put his pen into the inkpot.
It was. The last drop fell on the wet blotting-paper and the fly lay in it and did not move.
"Wake up!" said the manager. And he moved it with his pen - in vain. Nothing happened or was likely to happen. The fly was dead.