100个儿童英语小故事: The Old Man and His Grandson 老人和他的孙子

（单词翻译）

077 The Old Man and His Grandson

A long time ago there lived a very old man. He was so old that he could not see or hear very well. He also could not walk very well, or eat very well for his hand shook. The old man's son and daughter in law thought he was a nuisance¹. So, they had him to eat his meals squatted² in the corner, behind the stove.

They gave him very little to eat. The old man would have sad look on his face as he looked at his son and daughter in law's dinner table. One day the old man's hand shook so terribly that he dropped his dish on the floor. The daughter in law started lecturing and scolding. And from that day, his meals were served in a shabby dish.

Not long afterwards, the family was sitting having their dinner. When, their four year old grandson was sitting on the floor carefully laying out and checking each of branches. The father asked, "What are you doing?" "I am making a small barrel³."

"Why are you making it?" The son answered, "So that I can fill it with yours and mother's portion⁴ of food, when I grow up."

The old man's son and daughter in law looked at one another and without saying a word started weeping. The two quickly brought their old father to their dinner table. From that day on, the old man sat with the family when they had their meals. Even when the old man spilt his food here and there, the son and the daughter in law did not say a word.