SÒZ aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ*¼ dÐ[öÐ-BÜeþÐSÑ hÞlZ*¼ `ÐBÜ HL _Ñ[ÞL\Ð

(The Journey of a Wise Man:  A Fable for English Learners)


1 akÊþ]Þ_ `ËaàeÊþ, SÒZ aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ HL `aà[eþ `Ð]Ò]hÒeþ aÐj LeÊþ\ÞÒmþ ¼¼Ð `Ð]Ò]hVÞ akÊþ[ jÊteþ \ÞmþÐ ¼¼Ð cÐ[ö HWÐÒeþ `õdàÔÐ©Æ MÐ]Ô jaà]Ð cÞfÊ_\ÞmþÐ ¼¼Ð

    1 A long time ago, there was a wise man living in a mountain country. The country was beautiful. But it was always difficult to find enough food.

2 hÑià Ò]heþ ÒmþÐLcÐÒ_ HL]Ð _Þ¹¤rÞþ Ò_Òmþ ÒjcÐÒ_ ]faw ÒkþÐB `aà[eþ `Ð]Ò]hLÊ dÐ[öÐ LeÞþÒa ¼¼Ð   ÒdÒ[ÒaÒf aeþ$¼ [eþmÞþaÐLÊ Aeþc÷ LmþÐ ÒjcÐÒ_ cÐmþ NÐXÞÒeþ dÐkþÐLÞRÞ `ÐB\ÞÒmþ ÒjNÊXÞLÊ mþ]ÞÒmþ ¼¼Ð HL ]ÊÓM [\Ð AhÐeþ cÞhõÞ[ bþÐa_Ð Ò_B, aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ J [Ð*¼eþ `ÒXÐhÑcÐÒ_ ÒjcÐ_*¼ hÑià Ò]heþ OeþLÊ `eÞþ[ÔÐN LÒmþ¼¼Ð

    2 The people of the High Country decided that they would travel together to the Low Country. When the snow began to melt, they packed all they owned into their wagons. With anticipation mixed with sadness, the wise man and his neighbors left their High Country homes.

 3 aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ jkþjÐ ÒjcÐÒ_ ÒjcÐ_*¼ dÐ[öÐ Aeþc÷ `Òeþ LÞRÞ @¡Êþ[ OVÞaÐeþ jËQ_Ð mþÐbþ LÒmþ¼¼Ð   ÒjcÐÒ_ ]Þ_ `Òeþ ]Þ_ dÐ[öÐ LeÞþaÐ Òkþ[Ê [Ð*¼eþ ]lÞZ aÐkÊþVÞ ¢ÆÐ«Æ ÒkþÐB`XÞmþÐ ¼¼Ð `ÊeÞþ ÒjcÐÒ_ hÑià Ò]hLÊ Ò$¼eÞþmþÐ ÒaÒf HkþÐ @^ÞL ]Êaàf ÒkþÐB`XÞmþÐ ¼¼Ð [Ð*ʼ [ÞÒ_ÐVÞ SÞ_Þi böþcÒeþ `LÐD\ÞmþÐ ¼¼Ð `õ\cVÞ, ÒjcÐÒ_ HL NÜÐÒeþ eþkÞþaÐ ÒaÒf [Ð*¼eþ aÐkÊþ jaà]Ð @[Þ ]Êàaf @_ÊbËþ[ ÒkþD\ÞmþÐ ¼¼Ð   ]éÞ[ѯÆVÞ ,Òj jËQ_Ð mþÐbþ LÒmþ Òd hÑià Ò]heþ `eÞþaöÐSL cÐÒ_ eþÐ[öÑÒeþ ÒjcÐ_*¼ c^ÔÒeþ aÐràþÐfÐ` LeÞþaÐLÊ _ÞAÜ _ÞLVÒeþ HL[öÞ[ ÒkþaÐÒaÒf, [Ð*¼eþ aÐkÊþ `Ê_àaÐeþ h¦ÞÆhÐfÑ ÒkþÐB DWÊ\ÞmþмÐ

    3 The wise man noticed something strange taking place soon after they began their journey. As they traveled day after day, his right arm began to feel stiff. The further they traveled from the High Country, the weaker it became. Three things puzzled him. First, his arm always felt the weakest whenever they stopped in a village. Secondly, he noticed that when the travelers from the High Country gathered around a fire at night to talk among themselves, his arm became strong again.

4 [ÐbçþLeþ [ó[Ñ¯Æ AaÞ´ÆÐeþVÞ [Ð*ʼ jaàÐ^ÞL böþcÞ[ LeÊþ\ÞmþмР  ÒdÒ[ÒaÒf Òj [Ð*¼eþ aÐkÊþLÊ `ÞWÞ`ÒV eþMÊ\ÞÒmþ, HkþÐ AD @^ÞL _Þ´öÞÆ¯Æ J @^ÞL @aÔakóþ[ @_ÊbËþ[ ÒkþD_\ÞmþмÐ

    4 His third discovery puzzled him the most. When he put his arm behind his back, it no longer felt stiff and useless.

5 ]ÞÒ_ aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL A[*Þ¼[ ÒkþÐB`XÞÒmþ¼¼Ð   ÒdÒkþ[Ê [Ð*¼eþ cÐmçþNÐXÞVÞ HL Dn `Ðaà[Ô `\Òeþ \Òeþ a*¼Ð ÒkþÐBNmþÐ, ÒjÒ[ÒaÒf Òj Ò]MÞÒmþ [Ð*¼eþ `ÒXÐhÑ cÐ_*¼ cÐmþNÐXÞ NÊXÞL [Ð*¼ ANÒeþ dÐD\Þmþм¼Ð Òj @_Êbþa LÒmþ akÊþ[ ÒmþÐL c^Ô ÒjcÐ_*¼ aÐkÊþLÊ `ÞWÞ `ÒV ^eÞþR«ÞƼ¼Ð H`eÞþLÞ Òj @^ÞL _ÞLVeÊþ QÐkÚþÒmþ, Òj Ò]MÞÒmþ Òd ÒLÒ[L a¯Æ²Æ aÔ¦ÞÆ c^Ô ÒjcÐ_*¼ aÐkÊþLÊ d\ÐyÐ_Òeþ HL ]DXÞ ]éÐeþÐ aÐuÞR«ÞƼ¼Ð

    5 One day the wise man was startled. As his wagon rounded a bend in a high mountain road, he looked down on his neighbors' wagons ahead of him. He realized that many others were also holding an arm behind their back. As he looked more closely, he saw that some older people had even tied their arm in place with a rope.

6 Òj aÞQfÞ[ ÒkþÐB `XÞÒmþ, LÐkÚþLÞ HkþÐ OVÊRÞ?

    6 Why, he wondered, was this happening?

7 `eÞþÒhiÒeþ Òj `Ð]Ò]hÒeþ `kþqÞÒmþ¼¼Ð `ÐN @_ÊLËf \Þmþм¼Ð Òl[NÊXÞL hjÔÒeþ bþÐeþLõÐ«Æ \Þmþм¼Ð S=¼mþ ÒjcÐ_*ʼ LÐW ÒdÐNÐD\Þmþм¼Ð SÑa_Òeþ LÞRÞ `õ[ÞsÐ aw[Ð AjÞmþм¼Ð `õ[ÞsÐ, [ÐkþÐ ÒjcÐ_*¼ ]Êaàf aÐkÊþ aÔ[Þ[ @ÒV¼¼Ð HL NÊSa hÊZÐNmþÐ Òd _Þcï Ò]heþ aЯÊÆ HkÞþ @¡Êþ[ ]Êàaf[Ðeþ LÐeþZ \ÞmþÐ ¼¼Ð H`eÞþLÞ ÒLÒ[L ÒmþÐL LkÞþÒmþ Òd d]Þ ÒjcÐÒ_ _Þcï Ò]hÒeþ eþkÞþaÐLÊ QÐkþЫÞÆ ÒjcÐ_*ʼ HkÞþ ]Êaàf[Ð jkþ LÞ`eÞþ aqÞaÐLÊ Òkþa _Þ¾Þ¤[ hÞlÐ LeÞþaÐLÊ `XÞa¼¼Ð

    7 At last they reached the Low Country. The weather was warm. The fields would produce grain and the forests would supply lumber for their houses. Life looked promising. Promising, that is, except for their weak arms. It was rumored that the Low Country's air caused this strange weakness. Some of the people even said they must learn to live with this weakness if they wanted to stay in the Low Country.

8 hÞhÊ J dÊaLcÐÒ_ LÐcÒeþ mþÐNÞ `XÞÒmþ ¼¼Ð ÒjcÐÒ_ LçÒ#i[ j\Ð LÒmþ, $¼jmþ mþNÐBÒmþ J ÒjcÐ_*¼ _ËA Oeþ [ÞAeÞþ LeÞþaÐLÊ LÐW LÐc LÒmþ ¼¼Ð HL hÑià Ò]heþ ]SÙ _ËA ^eþZeþ LcÞS jÞmþÐB LÒmþ dÐkþÐ @aÔakóþ[ aÐkÊþVÞLÊ d\Ð yÐ_Òeþ ^ÐeþZ LÒmþ ¼¼Ð Òj c^Ô ÒLÐVÒeþ QcXÐ mþNÐBÒmþ dÐkþÐ]éÐeþÐ LÐuVÞ @^ÞL JS_ akþ_ LeÞþaÐLÊ jlc Òkþa¼¼Ð HkÞþ _ËA ÒLÐV jréþ c^Ô LÐc cxeþ \Þmþм¼Ð LÐeþZ `õ[Þ aÔ¦ÞÆ ÒLaf ÒNÐVÞH kþÐ[ aÔakþÐeþ LeÊþ\ÞÒmþ ¼¼Ð

    8 The adults and children set to work. They cleared the land, planted crops, and prepared lumber to build their new homes. A High Country tailor sewed a new kind of coat that would hold the useless arm in place. He also put leather on the coat so the shoulder could push heavy loads. Even with the new coat, however, work was slow because everyone used only one arm.

9 `Ê_àaÐeþ aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL HL @¡Êþ[ SÞ_Þi @_Êbþa LÒmþ ¼¼Ð `õ\Òc Òj @_Êbþa LÒmþ Òd d]ÞJ HkþÐ ÒjcÐ_*¼ d§ÆZÐeþ LÐeþZ \ÞmþÐ, `ÞmþÐcÐÒ_ ÒjcÐ_*¼ ]Êaàf kþÐ[LÊ aÔakþÐeþ LeÞþaÐ Aeþc÷ LÒmþ¼¼Ð ]éÞ[ѯÆÒeþ aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL Ò]MÞaÐLÊ `ÐBÒmþ Òd ÒdÒ[ÒaÒf hÑià Ò]heþ ÒmþÐLcÐÒ_ ÒjcÐ_*¼ `õ\c OÒeþ cÞfÞ[ ÒkþDR«ÞÆ, d]Þ ÒjcÐÒ_ jcªÆ LaÐV,TþeþLÐLÊ at LeÞþÒ]DR«ÞÆ,aÊYÐaÊYÞ*¼ aÐkÊþÒeþ c^Ô h¦ÞÆ Ò$¼eÞþAjÊRÞ ¼¼Ð _Þ¾Þ¤[ bþÐÒa LkÞþaÐLÊ NÒmþ HkþÐ `õcÐZ LÒeþ _Þcï Ò]heþ aЯÊÆ [óVÞdÊ¦Æ @ÒV ¼¼Ð akÊþ j®¤[ ÒkþÒmþ HkþÐeþ ÒNÐVÞH cÐ[ö jcÐ^Ð_ \ÞmþÐ OeþNÊXÞLÊ akÊþ[ ]óY LeÞþ NYÞaÐ dÐkþÐ]éÐeþÐ _Þcï Ò]heþ jcªÆ aЯÊÆ aÐkþÐÒeþ eþkÞþa ¼¼Ð cÐ[ö aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL akÊþ jc¯ÆÒeþ ]étÒeþ `XÊ\Òmþ LÐeþZ `ÞmþÐcÐÒ_ _Þcï Ò]heþ aЯÊÆÒeþ ÒMfÞmþÐ ÒaÒf LÐc LmþÐ ÒaÒf h¦ÞÆhÐfÑ SZÐ `XD\ÞÒmþ ¼¼Ð

    9 Again, the wise man noticed a strange thing. First, he noticed that--even though it caused them pain--the children soon began using their weak arm again. Secondly, the wise man noticed that whenever the High Country people met together in their first buildings, if they shut all the doors and windows, strength returned to the arms of even the oldest men and women. "Surely," most said, "this proves that the Low Country air is at fault." Most agreed that the only solution was to build houses so strong that all Low Country air could be kept outside. But the wise man was puzzled most because the children seemed to become stronger while playing and working outside in the Low Country air.

10 aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL @aÒmþÐL_ LÒmþ Òd [Ð*¼eþ hÑià Ò]heþ `ÒXÐhÑcÐÒ_ ÒjcÐ_*¼ OeþNÊXÞLÊ _ÞcàÐZ LmþÐÒaÒf ÒNÐVÞH kþÐ[ aÔakþÐeþ LeÊþR«ÞÆ ¼¼Ð Òj [Ð*¼eþ aÔ¦ÞÆcÐ_*¼eþ c=¼f `ÐBÜ bþ¯ÆÐ[Êeþ \ÞÒmþ ¼¼Ð _ËA ÒLÐVàVÞ ÒNÐVÞH kþÐ[Òeþ ÒjcÐ_*ʼ ]ó[ bþÐÒa LÐc LeÞþaÐLÊ jÐkþÐdÔ LmþÐ ¼¼Ð cÐ[ö hÑ[ cÐXÞAjÊ\ÞmþÐ J `õÒ[L ÒNÐVÞH kþÐ[ ÒjcÐ_*¼ `ÞWÞ `ÒV eþMÞ LÐc _Þ¯ÆcÞ[ LeÊþ\ÞaÐ j[çÒ#a OeþNÊXÞL LÞcèÐ $¼jmþ LÞRÞ aÞ `ªÊÆ[ ÒkþÐB_\Þmþм¼Ð

    10 The wise man watched his High Country neighbors trying to build their houses while using only one arm. He became fearful for his people's welfare. The new coat helped them work faster with one arm. But winter was coming and neither the houses nor the crops would be ready if everyone continued to work with one arm behind their back.

11 aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL `ÞmþÐcÐ_*¼ WÐeÊþ HL hÞlÐ mþÐbþ LÒmþ ¼¼Ð Òj @_Êbþa LÒmþ Òd d]ÞJ HkþÐ d§ÆZÐ]ЯÆL [\Ð`Þ LÐ*¼eþ ]Êàaf kþÐ[LÊ `Ê_àaÐeþ h¦ÞÆhÐfÑ LeÞþaÐLÊ HkþÐ HL cÐ[ö `xÐ \Þmþм¼Ð hÑ[ `ÐÒMB AjÊ\ÞmþÐ, d]ÞJ Òj SÐZÞ\ÞÒmþ Òd [Ð*¼eþ kþÐ[LÊ h¦ÞÆhÐfÑ LeÞþaÐLÊ ÒQ½¤Ð LeÞþaÐÒeþ [Ð*¼eþ jcªÆ jc¯Æ Mnà LeÞþ Oeþeþ LÐdàÔ yNÞ[ LeÞþÒkþa _ÐkÚþ ¼¼Ð cÐ[ö Òj c^Ô SÐZÞ\ÞÒmþ Òd d]Þ [Ð*¼eþ ]ÊBVÞ kþÐ[LÊ aÔakþÐeþ _Leþ«ÞÆ hÑ[ `ËaàeÊþ Òj [Ð*¼eþ OeþLÊ j­ÊÆÀठLeÞþ`ÐeÞþÒa _ÐkÚþ ¼¼Ð aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL _Þ¹¤rÞþ Ò_Òmþ Òd d]Þ [Ð*ʼ hÑ[ `ËaàeÊþ [Ð*¼eþ OeþLÊ j­ÊÆÀठLeÞþaÐLÊ @RÞ Ò[Òa [Ð*ʼ _Þ¾Þ¤[ bþÐÒa `õ[Þ]Þ_ [Ð*¼ kþÐ[LÊ h¦ÞÆhÐfÑ LeÞþaÐLÊ LÞRÞ jc¯Æ Mnà LeÞþaÐLÊ `XÞa ¼¼Ð dÐkþÐ]éÐeþÐ Òj [Ð*¼eþ OeþLÊ hÞOõ jcÐ©Æ LeÞþ`ÐeÞþÒa¼¼Ð

    11 The wise man learned a lesson from the children. He realized that--even though it was painful--using his weak arm for hard work was the only way to make it strong again. Because winter was coming, he knew that he could not stop working on his house in order to spend all his time trying to make his arm strong. But he also knew that he could not finish his house before winter unless he used both arms. The wise man decided that if he was to finish his house before winter, he must spend some time each day strengthening his arm so that he could finish his house more quickly.

12 aÞs aÔ¦ÞÆ SZL `õ[Þ]Þ_ Dbþ¯Æ [Ð*¼ kþÐ[eþ h¦ÞÆ awà_ J Oeþ [ÞAeÞþ LÐdàÔÒeþ jc¯Æ aÞ_ÞÒdÐN LÒmþ ¼¼Ð Òj [Ð*¼eþ OeþLÊ hÑ[ `ËaàeÊþ jcÐ©Æ LÒmþ ¼¼Ð

    12 The wise man spent time each day both strengthening his arm and working on his house. He finished his house before winter.

13 ÒLÒ[L hÑià Ò]heþ aÔ¦ÞÆcÐÒ_ hÑ[LÊ @bÞþj©Æ cZÞÒmþ LÐeþZ ÒjcÐ_*¼ $¼jmþ @cf ÒkþaÐ J Oeþ j­ÊÆÀठÒkþaÐ `ËaàeÊþ hÑ[ AjÞNmþм¼Ð ÒjcÐÒ_ `õ[Þ]Þ_ cxeþ bþÐÒa LÐc LeÞþ\ÞÒmþ LÐeþZ ÒjcÐÒ_ ÒjcÐ_*¼ ]Êàaf kþÐ[LÊ h¦ÞÆhÐfÑ LeÞþaÐ @Ò`lÐ OeþLÐdàÔLÊ yNÞ[ LeÞþaÐLÊ bþ¯Æ LeÊþ\ÞÒmþ ¼¼Ð

    13 Some High Country people perished that winter because the snow came before their crops were harvested and their houses finished. They had worked slowly every day because they were afraid to stop working on their houses long enough to strengthen their weak arm.

14 d]Þ A`Z dʦÆeþнö¤ AÒceÞþLÐÒeþ aÐj LeÊþR«ÞÆ J bþmþ bþÐÒa BÜeþÐSÑ LkÞþ`ÐeÊþ _ÐkþЫÞÆ, A`Z A`Z*¼ ÒNÐVÞH kþÐ[LÊ `ÞWÞ`ÒV aÐuÞmþÐ `eÞþ aÐj LeÊþR«ÞÆ ¼¼Ð A`eþ A`Z*¼ `eÞþaÐeþLÊ jkþÒdÐN LeÞþaÐ `ÐBÜ LÐdàÔ LeÞþaÐ DQÞ[缼РcÐ[ö d]Þ A`Z `õ[Þ]Þ_ BÜeþÐSÑ hÞlÐ aÞ_ÞÒdÐN _Leþ«ÞÆ, A`Z A`Z*¼ @ahÞ½¤ SÑa_Òeþ jÑcÞ[[Ð bÞþ[Òeþ eþkÞþdÞÒa¼¼Ð    bþÐiÞ[ BÜeþÐSÑ ]ó[ hÞlZ ÒmþMÐÒkþmþÐ dÐkþÐLÊ A`Z OÒeþ [\Ð HL N--Òeþ eþkÞþ c^Ô @^Ô¯Æ_ LeÞþ`ÐeÞþÒa ¼¼Ð (Spoken English Learned Quickly) d]Þ A`Z _Þ¯ÆcÞ[ bþÐÒa HL aiàeþ 6 cÐj `dàÔ«Æ `õ[Þ]Þ_ BÜeþÐSÑ @^Ô¯Æ_ Leþ«ÞÆ, A`Z*¼ BÜeþÐSÑÒeþ @Ò_L D_ï[Þ OVÞa ¼¼Ð d]Þ A`Z @^ÞL ]eþcÐ ÒeþÐSNÐeþ, j$¼f bþÐÒa SÑa_dÐ`_ J BÜeþÐSÑ aÞ]ÔÐf¯ÆÒeþ `YÊ\ÞaÐ A`Z*¼ `ÞmþÐcÐ_*¼ jkþ L\ÐaÐràþÐ LeÞþ`ÐeÞþÒa¼¼Ð

    14 If you live in the United States and cannot speak English well, you are living as though one arm was tied behind your back. You must work to support your family. But if you do not spend time each day learning English, you will be limited for the rest of your life. Spoken English Learned Quickly was written so that you can study at home and still hold a job. If you will regularly study English each day for six months to a year, your English will greatly improve. You will be more able to earn higher wages, live more effectively in your community, and talk with your children as they learn English in school.
 

 Spoken English Learned Quickly
The Journey of a Wise Man
 
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