Rescued

It was a gorgeous spring morning. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, the birds were singing. The village was pleasant and its inhabitants led usually a peaceful life. One could even say it was a bit boring since nothing interesting happened there. Every year thousands of tourists arrive at the country due to this silence and they immerse themselves in its refreshing solitude by listening to all the nature being around them. Yes. This place is really worth visiting. One can admire breathtaking views and landscapes and take lovely pictures depicting the whole site. C Combe was its name and it was surrounded by high mountains. There was also a stream with such clean water that all faces could be seen as in a mirror. The magic of the village attracts so many foreigners that each of them refuses to leave it. Everybody falls in love with it and this is love at first sight! Somewhere in the heart of the country there was a small wooden house, where a poor family lived. They were forced to buy the building for a small sum of money as they weren’t able to erect their own “piece of land”. They struggled with poverty. Some gossiped the house was forlorn and abandoned because of its bad condition. But in fact it was dwelt by a family that consisted of four members: mother and two semi-orphans who lost their father at war. The dog, Cajout, was, undoubtedly, regarded as the fourth family member because the siblings were so attached to this seven-year-old pet. No wonder, though. Four years ago Cajout rescued Jim who was almost swallowed by deep waters of a rough lake in the place they had lived earlier. If it hadn’t been for the dog’s help, the boy would have drowned. Children’s mother, who worked part-time as a servant of a wealthy family, earned little money and that’s why it was very difficult to make ends meet. However, nobody has ever heard them complaining about their situation. On the contrary, the kids (eight-year-old Jim and his older sister, fifteen-year-old Jane) knew perfectly what hard work meant and they were taught to appreciate every single moment of their precious life. Generally, they both were very obedient towards their mother and others. They enjoyed spending free time together playing outside and laughing at everything. They were also keen on watching the stunning area created by God. Obviously, from time to time they did have arguments about trifling matters but they finally became reconciled after a short period of time. Contrary to shy and calm Jane, her brother was a talkative lad so he found it hard to stay silent for a long time.

But this day was totally different. Jane was incredibly glad because she didn’t have to go to school this day although it was Tuesday. An ordinary day. She didn’t have to take a chemistry exam. She promised mum that she would stay at home and help her tidy up the entire house as they were to be visited by a special guest from abroad. From France, to be more precise. As Jane was the best (and simultaneously the poorest) student in her class, she was offered to go to this country to deepen her knowledge and to improve her French skills. A French family declared to put her up. Now everything was ready. For free!

-          “Mummy, I don’t want to be taken away from you. I want to stay at home, with you, Jim and Cajout.”

-          “Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. This is just a fortnight and we’ll see each other again. By the way, have you packed your suitcase yet? Your new acquaintance is going to appear soon. Get ready, will you?”

-          “Yes, I have already done it, but, mum…”

-          “Just…” - interrupted the woman.

Dejected daughter left the kitchen and entered her room. She began crying because she was afraid that she wouldn’t get used to the new people and their customs. The mere thought of frogs made her feel sick. But in fact, she desired to visit France and meet French culture even though she was panicking. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Poor girl rose from her bed and her heart started beating faster. No wonder. It was a good-looking lady with her son.

-          “Salut” – said the boy to Jane –“je m’appelle Pierre, et toi? Oh, sorry, I forgot you’re not French. Yyy, my name’s…Stone. What’s your name?”

-          “Hahaha, don’t be silly, I know French and I know that ‘pierre’ in your language means “stone”in mine but we shouldn’t translate names. Your name is Pierre, not Stone. Haha”

-          “I know, I know, only kidding to cheer you up” - replied the boy – “you have to get used to my stupid jokes.”

Suddenly Mrs Dubois realized that the children had been talking for nearly two hours and she shouted:

-          “Hurry up, otherwise we’ll miss our plane!”

They left home quickly and ran to the airport.

-          “Have you ever gone by plane?” – Pierre asked Jane

-          “No, this is my first time and I’m really scared. What’s even worse, I have never been abroad…”

-          “You’re pulling my leg!!! How come you’ve never been to any foreign country?!”

-          “Well, our family can’t afford to lead a debauched life, you know. Never mind, let’s change the topic, shall we?”

The boy nodded and they were talking until they finally reached their destination – Paris. Having left the large plane after a tiring journey, Jane saw the city of her dreams. She was stunned. She couldn’t believe her eyes. It was so enormous and crowded… The girl wasn’t able to produce a single word to express her astonishment. Later that they Pierre showed the teenage girl round. They both admired extraordinary places including the Eiffel Tower, which Jane only used to see in the postcards…

-          “Do you know?” – said the boy to Jane – “this construction looks far more spectacular at night when it’s illuminated. I will bring you here at night”

This day they watched many tourist attractions in the capital and spent up to six hours visiting the vibrant city. While sightseeing, Jane realized she was extremely ravenous.

-          “I’m starving, my stomach is rumbling. Can we go to a restaurant to eat something?”

-          “Yes, obviously, that’s a good idea. I’ll bring you to the best one here where our traditional food is served. You’ll love it!”

After they had entered the restaurant, they took a seat near the window.

-          “We need to wait for some time, but it’s worth it. You’ll see” – the boy assured

Soon it turned out there was no point in waiting… Poor Jane had no idea that FROGS would be this <best dish in the world>, and she vomited on the table as soon as she took a look at this food. A moment later a crowd of people gathered in front of the teenagers’ table and all were staring at Jane and gossiping.

-          “What a shame…”- she murmured, and they both left the restaurant.

On their way home Pierre noticed a field full of big, red strawberries. Having come to the conclusion that they hadn’t had any dessert after their meal, they decided to help themselves to the mouth-watering fruit. But a moment later Jane saw a big shadow behind her back. When she turned around, she saw a middle-aged fellow holding a thick stick in his right hand! The guy, who was a bit overweight, had a long beard and curly fair hair. He wore baggy dirty trousers and something like a beige coat. He also wore dark glasses. When the man saw the youngsters stealing his beautiful fruit he quickly began to chase the two.

-          “Jane, this way, let’s escape or he’ll use the stick! Don’t kill us, don’t kill us”- he begged.

Suddenly, frightened friends found themselves in the middle of a big meadow (or something that resembled a meadow) full of high grass and weeds, where they had the opportunity to lie down and rest. Pierre noticed the man had disappeared.

-          “We are criminals” – complained Jane – “we must pay for our sin, let’s apologise to him, shall we?”

-          “Don’t exaggerate”– the boy tried to console Jane – “we are not criminals, let’s get out of here”

-          “You’re right” – replied the girl – “I’m fed up with adventures!”

When they eventually returned home, they were certain that nothing bad was going to happen. But not on that day. When the children opened the door of Pierre’s house, they noticed a human being … with a stick in his left (this time) hand and some familiar looking clothes… 

-          “Didn’t you recognize me then, Pierre?” – the man asked the boy in French - “oh, maybe it was because of my new glasses…”

-          “Yyyy, I don’t know what you are talking about. There must be some misunderstanding. I don’t get it… what do you want from me?”

-          “Why did you two steal strawberries from my field? Why??”

-          “What? Strawberries? What strawberries? No, that’s not true” – explained the boy

-          “You’re an incorrigible liar!!! Mrs Dubois, please pay more attention to what your son is doing because next time we’ll meet in court! Good bye!” – he said and left angrily.

Pierre was trying to explain everything to mum when she interrupted:

-          “Where have you been and what did you do?”

-          “You see, mummy, we were going back home form the restaurant we usually dine out when we noticed a beautiful strawberry field and we couldn’t resist the temptation, you know, when all of a sudden me and Jane… Jane… Jane!!! Where is she?”

-          “She must be in her room. Where else could she be?”

Indeed, she was crying in her new room.

-          “This is all my fault” – she murmured – “I should have eaten those stupid frogs, then I wouldn’t have been hungry and we wouldn’t have picked the strawberries.”

-          “No, don’t blame yourself for this situation, it’s not your fault. We were both willing to help ourselves” – the lad consoled Jane again.

-          “By the way, who is that strange guy? Do you know him? Does he come here often?” – asked the curious girl.

-          “Yea, he’s my neighbour but I didn’t recognize him then due to his dark glasses. He’s a really quarrelsome person. Nobody in the area likes him. He never helps anyone in need. What a selfish man.”

The following day Jane was on the point of going to French school with her French mate when finally he came up with a brilliant idea. Here, there must be a few words mentioned about the very companion of the girl. Well, he was a talkative, lively and easy-going youngster, a bit troublesome even. Naughty. The first one to tell jokes and to laugh at everything. He was an average student, who could, in fact, be the best one in the class but he liked playing truant and that’s why his marks weren’t as good as his classmates’. Laziness was the characteristic feature of the boy. But his peers trusted him as he never gave them away…

-          “Hey, Jane, why don’t we play truant today? There are so many things to do in France! Who knows? Maybe you’ll never have the opportunity to arrive in our gorgeous country again. Let’s not waste our time at school. Come with me” – offered the boy.

-          “No, no, I can’t. I’ve never missed school for no reason. I don’t want to let my mum down. Sorry, but I can’t go with you…”

-          “Oh, stop it, she won’t find out, nobody’s going to tell her about it. Let’s go” – insisted Pierre.

Jane was at first hesitating but in the end she agreed to listen to her acquaintance. Pierre brought the girl to the heart of the capital where his favourite band from Canada was giving a concert. Charity concert, the money from which was to be donated to children in need who were placed in hospital in the suburbs of Paris. The musicians performed the most famous songs to please the audience, especially some of the young patients of the aforementioned hospital who were also present at their show. Somewhere at the end of the performance, the main singer of the band announced a competition for the children from the hospital who gathered there. They had to provide the right titles of the songs sung by the pop group. For one of them, the winner, there was an interesting prize waiting. However, the name of the award was not to be mentioned.

-          “Jane, I’ve got an idea. I shall enter the competition. I know all their songs!” – said Pierre

-          “No, you mustn’t do that. The contest isn’t for you, but for the disabled, ill children!”

-          “Oh, not again! Stop complaining! They don’t know whether I am a kid from the hospital or not! I must win! I wonder what the main prize is… maybe a modern laptop, or perhaps a trip abroad???”

-          “Ok, deal. I will also take part in it, because I love the band too. If they happen to ask us who we are, we’ll tell them we are the patients of this hospital, right?”

The boy nodded and smiled.

A couple of minutes later the winner, who gave the most right titles, was chosen. It was… Jane.

- “Come here, a little girl. You’ve won! Congratulations” – the guitarist of the band said. – “Here I’ve got the most valuable thing in my life. Now this is yours. This is the book given to me by my great-grandmother, who told me that every person who reads this magic instructive story finds there some true elements that seem to be taken from their own life. And then this person can stop for a while and think… think about life…” – he added and gave Jane the book.

When the girl showed her prize to Pierre, he began laughing at this situation.

-          “What a piece of rubbish, this is to be the award? This is ridiculous! Fortunately, I didn’t win. Oh, if I were you I would throw this useless old book away”- he said.

Having come back Pierre’s home, Jane opened the book and saw its title: “REFLECTIONS”.

-          “Boring” – she thought and closed it.

Days were passing and in the meantime the two teenagers did various things, and unfortunately, not necessarily good ones. They missed school quite often and they didn’t say anything to Pierre’s parents who were certain their child was an angel on Earth. Once upon a time, Jane, assisted by Pierre, pilfered some candies from the grocery store. However, what they did on the last day of Jane’s stay in France was a total misunderstanding. Pierre found the so called victim. It was a beggar who was sleeping on the pavement and in front of him there was his black hat with money from good people who wanted to share. Right after Jane noticed the hat, she told her companion about her cunning plan to take all its contents.

-          ‘Got it”- he said – “nobody saw me, I hope.”

-          “Good job, let’s get out of here” - answered the scared girl.

-           “Wait a moment. Wait. Look at me.”

He came up to the sleeping man and woke him up saying:

-          “Excuse me, wake up quickly, there were some evil men here and they stole all your money from the hat. They ran away this way.”

-          “Yes, this way” – Jane added to make the story more realistic – “we were doing our best to convince them to return the money but in vain. Although we saw them, they pleaded not guilty and escaped.”

-          “Let’s catch them, Joanna”- Pierre shouted without revealing the true name of the girl - “before it’s too late. We’ll come back as soon as we catch the thieves. We’ll come back with your money. We promise”

They both ran leaving the homeless man stranded. In fact they didn’t appear there any more.

In the evening Jane had to pack her suitcase because she was forced to leave her new friend and France. She was sad due to this fact, but she had no choice. The following day, in the morning, all the French family brought Jane to the airport and said good-bye.

-          “These were the funniest two weeks in my life. Never have I realized how crazy it is to live here. My village is so dull and gloomy that I don’t feel like coming back. Our adventures were really unforgettable; we’ll keep in touch, won’t we?” – she asked.

-          “Yes, obviously” – the boy assured – “I made you a cool girl here, owing to me you know what true life means. Now you can have money but you don’t have to work to earn it like your mother. Maybe some people cried because of us, but we were happy and had fun and that’s the most important. This is so easy… hope you won’t change”

They all said good-bye once again and the girl entered the plane. She found the seat near the window and she took it. After a while she had a strange feeling.

-          “What is it, this strange feeling?”- she thought and reached for the book she had received at the concert.

She, again, looked at the title and opened the paperback. She started reading… then closing it immediately, then again reading and closing and reading… and crying… […]And Andie didn’t realize that by his wrong behaviour he made another person cry and suffer. Don’t be like him, don’t hurt anyone because you don’t want to be hurt, either, do you?- she read sadly in the book. From now on she was lost in reflection… deep reflection about HER life… life spent in France… 

Gorgeous -piękny

Inhabitants-mieszkańcy

Leadàledàled-prowadzić

Since-ponieważ

Due to=because of (+ing)-z powodu

Immerse in-zatopić się w…

Solitude-samotność

Breathtaking=stunning-piękne

Views-widoki

Landscapes-krajobrazy

Depict-przedstawić,pokazać

Surrounded by-otoczony przez…

Stream-strumyk

Attract-przyciągać

Foreigners-obcokrajowcy

Refuse to-odmówić

Love at first sight-miłość od 1-ego wejrzenia

The heart of the (city)-centrum miasta

Poor-biedny;słaby

Forced to-zmuszony…

Erect-wybudować

Struggle with-zmagać się z…

Abandoned-porzucony,opuszczony

Forlorn- porzucony,opuszczony

Poverty-bieda

Dwellàdweltàdwelt-zamieszkiwać

Undoubtedly-niewątpliwie,z pewnością

Regarded as-postrzegany jako…;uważany za…

half-orphan-półsierota

Siblings-rodzeństwo

Attached to-przywiązany do

Swallow-połykać

No wonder-nic dziwnego

Rough-wzburzone

Drown-utonąć

Work part-time-pracować na pół etatu

A servant-służąca

Earn-zarabiać

Make ends meet-wiązać koniec z końcem

On the contrary-wręcz przeciwnie…

Appreciate-doceniać

Rescue-uratować

Precious-cenny

I am keen on (+ing)-lubię

Obviously-oczywiście

Trifling matters-błahostki

We became reconciled-pogodziliśmy się

Obedient towards-posłuszny wobec

Contrary to-w przeciewieństwie do…

Shy-nieśmiały

Calm-spokojny

Lad-chłopiec

I am glad-cieszę się,że

Deepen my knowledge-pogłębiać wiedzę

Improve-poprawić,polepszyć

Simultaneously-jednocześnie,równocześnie

Skills-umiejętności

Put sb up-przenocować kogoś

Acquaintance-znajomy

Dejected-przygnębiony

Enter-wejść do…

Get used to (+ing)-przyzwyczaić się do…

Frogs-żaby

Desire to-pragnąć

Stone-kamień

Realize-zdać sobie sprawę

Otherwise-w pzeciwnym razie…

Miss our plane-przegapić samolot

What’s worse-co gorsza…

Lead a debauched life-prowadzić rozpustne życie

I can’t afford-nie stać mnie na…

Nod (nodded)-przytaknąć

When we finally reached our destination

Enormous-wielki

Express my astonishment-wyrazić zdumienie

Show sb round-oprowadzić kogoś

Illuminated-oświetlony

Ravenous-głodny

My stomach is rumbling-burczy mi w brzuchu

There is no point in (+ing)-nie ma sensu…

Vomit-wymiotować

Gather-gromadzić się

Notice-spostrzec

Strawberries-truskawki

Come to the conclusion-dojść do wniosku,że…

Help yourself (themselves) to-poczęstuj się

Mouth-watering-pyszny

Shadow-cień

Fellow=guy-facet

Thick stick-gruby kij

Baggy-workowate,luźne

Chase-ścigać,gonić

Beg (begged)-żebrać;błagać

Frightened-przerażony

Meadow-łąka

Resemble-przypominać (Take after)

Weeds-chwasty

Opportunity-okazja

Sin-grzech

Exaggerate-przesadzać,wyolbrzymiać

Console-pocieszyć

I’m fed up with (+ing)-mam dosyć…

Eventually-w końcu

Certain-pewien

Recognize-rozpoznać

Misunderstanding-nieporozumienie

Explain - wyjaśnić

Liar-kłamca

Pay attention to+ing-zwracać uwagę na…

Court-sąd

Interrupt-przerywać

Resist the temptation-oprzeć sie pokusie

This is my fault-to moja wina

Pick-podnieść,zerwać

Blame sb for (+ing)-winić kogoś za

Quarrelsome-kłótliwy

Selfish-samolubny

Come up with an idea (to)-wpaść na pomysł,żeby

Companion-towarzysz,kolega

Troublesome-kłótliwy

Naughty-niegrzeczny

Play truant-iść na wagary

Characteristic feature (of)-cecha charakterystyczna

Peers-rówieśnicy

Trust-zaufać

Give sb away-wydać kogoś

Waste our time-marnować czas

For no reason-bez powodu

Insist on- nalegać na

Hesitate- wahać się

Donate money to-przeznaczyć pieniądze na…

In need-w potrzebie

In the suburbs of-na przedmieściach

Please – zadowolić      ASK-POPROSIĆ

The audience-publiczność

Announce-ogłosić

Title of-tytuł

Award-nagroda

Enter a competition-wziąć udział w zawodach

Disabled-niepełnosprawny

Whether=if-czy

Valuable-cenny

Great-grandmother-prababcia

Instructive-pouczający

For a while-na chwilę

Ridiculous-niedorzeczny, głupi

Once upon a time-pewnego razu…

Pilfer-podkradać

A grocery store-spożywczak

Beggar-żebrak

Victim-ofiara

Pavement-chodnik

Contest-konkurs

In vain-na darmo,na próżno

Convince sb to…-przekonać kogoś żeby…

Reveal a secret-wyjawić sekret

Homeless-bezdomny

Content-zawartośc

The following day-następnego dnia

Dull-nudny

Gloomy-ponury

I feel like (+ing)-mam ochotę…

Assure-zapewnić

Owing to-dzięki…

Behaviour - zachowanie

Suffer (from)-cierpieć na

Deep-głęboki