Quick Check 3 in English 5

Long, long ago, the eel, the bee and the catfish were great friends. They all met one day at the crossroads, each looking for a place to stay.

The three friends walked down the road together. Soon they came upon a thatched house where an old man and his wife lived. The house was just right for the three friends. The only hitch to owning the house was how to send the couple away.

"The only way to make this couple leave this house is to frighten them away," the bee said. The three friends thought of a strategy.

When night fell, the friends crept into their beds. The eel slept on the ladder. The catfish went inside the water jar. The bee crept inside the bamboo-blower. Each was ready to perform the task assigned to him.

Early the next morning the old man went down to sweep the yard. As he went down the ladder the old man stepped on the eel and fell to the ground.

The wife rushed down to help her husband and said, "I told you to be careful. It's still dark."

"Someone pushed me," the old man said haltingly.

"Sit on the bamboo bench while I boil some water," the wife said. The wife went to the kitchen. She took the coconut dipper from where it hung and dipped it into the water jar.

The catfish, who was ready to attack, struck her with his head spikes.

"Ouch! What is that?" cried the old woman in pain. But this did not deter her from boiling coffee for her husband. She took the bamboo-blower to fan the fire. The bee stung her as she blew the fire.

The old man saw his wife's lips and her ring finger. They decided to leave the house. They thought evil spirits lived there.

The three friends watched the couple leave the house. When they were left by themselves, the bee asked the others, "Do you think we will be happy in this house?"