A Christmas Carol

   A Christmas Carol ( İngilizce Çocuk Hikayeleri )
 

A young man walked into an office in London. Over the door were the words SCROOGE AND MARLEY. Mr. Scrooge was the young man's uncle. Everybody in London knew Mr. Scrooge. He was very rich but also very mean. The most important thing in his life was money! Mr. Marley was dead. "Good moming Uncle. Merry Christmas." "Pardon? Did you say Merry Christmas?" "Yes, Uncle, I did. Tomorrow is Christmas Day." "I don't like Christmas'' said SCROOGE, "people spend money at Christmas. I hate spending money!"

1.    everybody: ali the people.
2.    mean: a mean person is never kind.
3.    merry: happy.
4.    hate: is the opposite of love.
5.    to spend: spent: to pay to buy things.

''Come and have dinner with us tomorrow'' said Scrooge's nephew. "No," Scrooge answered. ''But it's Christmas'' insisted the young man. "No. I will not pass the day singing and dancing like an idiot," said Scrooge. "Very well, Uncle," and the young man went out. In the comer of the office there was a man working. This was Bob * Cratchit, Mr. Scrooge's clerk. Bob Cratchit was a very nice person. He had a big family and he worked very hard for Mr. Scrooge, for little money. He was very cold because old Scrooge never bought much wood for the fire. He was wearing a coat, a scarf and a pair of gloves!

1.    nephew: a brother’s son.
2.    a clerk: a person who works in an office.
3.    nice: pleasant, good.
4.    to work hard: to work a lot.
5.    coat, scarf, gloves: clothes.

At six o'clock Bob Cratchit went to Mr. Scrooge. "Excuse me, sir. Tomorrow is Christmas Day, can I stay at home?" "Stay at home," shouted Scrooge. "I don't pay you to stay at home!" "But it is Christmas'' said Cratchit. "Very well," said Scrooge, "but you must work double hours on Boxing Day!" "Yes sir, certainly sir, Merry Christmas, sir." "Get out," shouted Scrooge. "Christmas! Everybody talks about Christmas!" said Scrooge. "It's just an excuse not to work. People want money too. Always money! For doing nothing!" Scrooge put on his hat and coat and left the office.

1.    to pay, paid: to give money for working.
2.    Boxing Day: 26th of December.
3.    to get out: to go out of the office.
4.    just: only.

It was Christmas Eve and everyone was shopping. They bought decorations1 for the tree and things to eat.
On his way home, Scrooge met two men. "Good evening, Mr. Scrooge. Can you give some money for the poor people?" "No'' said Scrooge.
"But it's Christmas'' said the men.
"I ha ve no money to give people, who don't want to work," said Scrooge. "At Christmas or at any other time. Good evening, gentlemen."
They watched Scrooge walk away.
"It's terrible," said the men "Scrooge has so much money but he never helps the poor."

1.    decorations: pretty things to put on the Christmas tree.
2.    to meet, met: to see and speak to someone..
3.    poor: people with no money.

It was snowing and almost dark when Scrooge arrived home. He took his key out of his pocket to open the door, and stopped! On the door was a face. It was Marley's face! The man who worked with him and now was dead. The face was very white and the eyes stared at Scrooge, then it disappeared.
"Oh dear," thought Scrooge.
"I am very tired."
In the house Scrooge locked the door once, twice, three times! Scrooge kept ali his money in the house. Under the mattress. He didn't believe in banks.

1.    snow: it snows when it’s very cold.
2.    dark: no light.
3.    tired: you want to sleep.
4.    to lock: to close a door with a key.

Mr . Scrooge sat down to eat his soup. Then, he heard a noise. A terrible noise! The door opened. Scrooge was petrified. There was Marley! He had chains on his feet and on his arms.
"Is that you Marley?" asked Scrooge. "What do you want? Why are you here?" "I want to help you'' said Marley.
"I need no help from you'' answered Scrooge.
"You must do as I say'' said the ghost.
"I visit many people I knew when I was alive.I must help them or I will have these chains for eternity.
Three Spirits will visit you tonight.
The first one will come at one o'clock. You must be ready!"
Marley's ghost went out of the window.

1.    noise: sound.
2.    to be petrified: to be afraid.
3.    alive: is the opposite of dead.
4.    eternity: time without end.
5.    to be ready: to be prepared.

Scrooge went to sleep, but at one o'clock he woke up. Near the end of the bed was a man! Scrooge was very frightened. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"I am the Spirit of Christmas Past. YOUR past, Scrooge. Now come with me." "No thank you'' said Scrooge. "It's very cold outside."
"Do you remember your friend Marley?" asked the Spirit. "Of course, I do. He was here a few hours ago."
"Well, if you don't come with me you will be like him when you are dead'' said the Spirit. "Close your eyes."
"I am dreaming," said Scrooge and closed his eyes.

1.    to wake, woke: to stop sleeping.
2.    a few: a small number, 3 or 4.

''Open your eyes," said the Spirit.
"Oh dear," said Scrooge, "are you stili here?"
"Do you know this town?" asked the Spirit.
"Of course,11 do, I lived here. Look, there's the butcher. It's Christmas.
Look at ali those turkeys. And there's Mr. Brown the baker."
"Yes," said the Spirit. "It's another Christmas." Now they were in a school room. In a corner there was one boy alone. Ali the other children were at home for Christmas. "Do you know that boy over there with no friends?"
"Yes, that was me. I was always alone."

1.    of course: naturally.
2.    a butcher: selis meat.
3.    turkey: a bird we eat at Christmas.
4.    a baker: selis bread.
5.    alone: no other person present.

''There is my sister," said Scrooge. "She was the only person who visited me or loved me. She's dead. I have no family no w."
"You have your sister's son, your nephew," said the Spirit.
Scrooge didn't answer.
The Spirit took Scrooge to a party in a different town.
"I worked here, look, there's my dear friend Dick. We shared a flat.
Hello, Dick, Hello, Mr. Fezziwig, it's me Ebenezer."
"They can't hear or see you," said the Spirit. "They are ali very happy, aren't they?" said Scrooge. "We ali loved Mr. Fezziwig."
"It's nice to be loved, isn't it?" said the Spirit.

1.    to take, took: to go with.
2.    to share: to divide/to live in the same flat.
3.    nice: pleasant.

Ding, dong, ding, dong.
"What' s that?" cried Scrooge. 'The clock, it's the clock. I'm in bed. It was a dream. No, a nightmare!" "No," said a voice, "not a dream." "Not again'' said Scrooge."Who are you?" "I am the Spirit of Christmas Present. Come with me." The spirit took Scrooge to a house. "This is Bob Cratchit's house'' said Scrooge. "What a lot of children he has! That little boy is lame. You are a Spirit, can't you do something?" "I can do nothing," said the Spirit. "And he wül die because they haven't got enough money to pay a doctor." "I pay him a good salary," said Scrooge, "He can pay a doctor, can't he?" "Doctors are not expensive for you, but they are for him," answered the Spirit.

1.    nightmare: a very bad dream.
2.    again: another time.
3.    lame: a person who can’t walk very well.
4.    enough: sufficient.

Mrs. Cratchit was laying the table and the cMdren were helping. The little boy was at the window. "Here's daddy'' he cried. The door opened and Bob Cratchit came in and picked the little boy up. "Hello Tmy Tim, and how are you?"
Tm fine, daddy." "Dinnef s ready," called Mrs. Cratchit. "What a terrific turkey," said Tiny Tim. "That's not a turkey," said Scrooge, "It' s a pigeon! Look how small it is!" "They have no money for a bigger turkey," said the Spirit. "Oh look," said a little girl, "Christmas pudding! Is there a surprise inside?" "Of course, there is," answered her mother.

1.     terrific: fantastic.
2.    pigeon: a small type of bird.

''All the family sat down to dinner. The children were chatting''
"What a gorgeous dinner," they said. "Can we start?"
"First, we will drink a toast to everyone," said Bob Cratchit.
"Yes," shouted ali the family.
"Including Mr. Scrooge."
"No, never," said Mrs. Cratchit. "He's horrible and unkind," shouted the children. "Come, come," said Bob Cratchit, "It's Christmas." "Very well," said the family. "Merry Christmas to everyone including miserable

The Spirit took Scrooge to another house. "This is my nephew's house and thaf s his wife. Pretty woman isn't she?" "You don't know her, do you?" asked the Spirit? "No, I never go to their house for dinner." "Listen to them," said the Spirit. "I asked my uncle to come to dinner but as usual he said he was busy. Busy on Christmas Day. Ridiculous," said Fred, Scrooge's nephew. "I'm sorry for Uncle Scrooge," said Fred's wife. "Ali that money and no friends. Nobody loves him."
The Spirit and Scrooge visited many houses. Big and small houses. Rich and poor families. But in every house the people were happy!. "Stop, Stop," cried Scrooge. 'Tm tired, I want to go to bed. I give my word I will think about Christmas next year. Please, take me home now. Spirit, Spirit, where are you."
The Spirit wasn't there.

1.    another: not the same - different.
2.    to be busy: to have a lot of work to do.
3.    ridiculous: stupid.

It was dark and Scrooge was alone.
He saw a person dressed in black.
"Are you the Spirit of Christmas to come?" asked Scrooge. The Spirit didn't speak. It pointed to a group of people. The people were talking. "Is he dead?" asked one man. "Yes. No-one will cry for him," said another. "He was a horrible, unkind man. He never gave money to us poor people. He wasn't a happy man." "Who is dead?" asked Scrooge. The Spirit pointed down. It was a grave. There were no flowers and no people there. "Who is it?" asked Scrooge nervously. The Spirit pointed again. "No, I don't want to look, I want to go home." But the Spirit didn't move. Very slowly Scrooge rubbed the snow away. On the grave were the words EBENEZER SCROOGE.

1.    dressed in black: wearing black clothes.
2.    grave: tomb where dead people are putz.
3.    to rub: to cancel/to take away.

It was morning. Christmas morning. Scrooge was in bed! 'Im alive, I'm alive how wonderful!" He jumped out of bed, singing and dancing he went around the room. "What a beautiful day it is. I love Christmas. I love everybody."
He went to the butcher's and said, "Take the biggest turkey you ha ve to Bob Cratchit's house."
He went to the florist's and said, "Take these beautiful flowers to my nephew's house. They are for his wife!"
Scrooge met the two men collecting money for the poor. "Please take this," said Scrooge to the men and gave them a big sum of money for the poor. From that Christmas Scrooge was a new man. He helped the poor and was kind to everyone. Bob Cratchit's son didn't die. Scrooge paid for the doctors. Scrooge was a happy man and everybody loved him.

1.    alive: not dead.
2.    florist: selis flowers.
3.    a new man: a different man.