英语阅读:The Grateful Crane（美丽的仙鹤）

　Long, long ago, there was a good and honest man,whose namewasYohyo.He lived in a small village and worked as awoodcutter.

　　One cold day in winter, when deep snow lay on the ground,Yohyowas returning home from his work in the forest. Over hisshouiderhe carrid a sack of wood1, and as it was near evening andit wasgetting very cold, he hurried on across the snow-coverdfields.Suddenly he saw something black lying in the snow-somethingthatmoved and cried. He stopped, and putting down his sack, he wenttosee what it was. As he got near, the t in the snow cried again,andhe could see that it was a crane-a large and beautiful birdwithlong legs.

　　When the crane saw Yohyo coming closer, it struggled to riseandhe could see that one of its wings was hurt.

　　“You pour thing!” he cried. “Come2, let me help you. If youstayout here in the snow, you will die.”

　　The crane stopped struggling and let Yohyo pick it up3. Gentlyandcarefully, he stroked the crane’s feathers, and carrying itunderone arm, he set off for home again.

　　Yohyo was a kind man with a gentle heart and he felt sorry forthebeautiful crane4. He looked after it until it was well again,andthen he set it free to fly off into the sky.

　　One night, afew days later, Yohyo heard someone knocking antthedoor. When he opened the door, he found a women standing inthesnow. By the light of his lamp, Yohyo could see that she wasyoungand beautiful, and shaking with cold. Yohyo stared at herinsurprise.

　　“I have lost my way in the snow,” she said, in a sweet andgentlevoice. “My I come into your house and stay for thenight?”

　　“Yes, yes, of course! Come in at once, out of the snow,”criedYohyo.

　　He build up the fire again with fresh wood, and brought theyoungwoman rice an hot soup. Her name was Otsu and she was as kingandgentle as Yohyo homself.

　　The next day there was a storm and so Otsu stayed on at thehouseand Yohyo grew to love her. Otsu, also, loved him for hisgentleheart, and soon they were married.