THE OLD MAN AND THE LITTLE CAT by Aesop

Read the story and decide whether the verbs in brackets should be in the past
simple, or in the past continuous tense. Write them in! And enjoy the story.

One day an old man ____________ (have) a stroll in the woods when he __________ (hear) a
mewing sound. He _________ (look) around and he __________ (see) a cat stuck in a hole.
The poor animal _________ (struggle) to get out. The old man ______________ (go) over to
it, and __________ (give) the cat his hand to help it get out. However, the cat was terrified
and it __________ (scratch) him. The man _________ (pull) his hand away and ________
(scream)in pain. But he __________ (not stop). Once again, he __________ (offer) his hand
to the cat, who ____________ (scratch) furiously at the side of
the hole. This time, the cat __________ (bite) him. Still, the old
man ____________ (keep trying) and he ___________ (hold) out
his hand to the cat time and time again.
From a distance, a young man ____________ (watch) the scene
and he ___________ (cry) out, ‘For heaven’s sake, leave that cat
alone! It will injure you!’
But the old man __________ (pay) no attention and he ____________ (continue) trying until
finally, he __________ (get) the cat out of the hole. Happily, it was OK and it ___________
(run) off and ___________ (sit) beside a tree. Then the old man __________ (walk) over to
the bystander, who, feeling happy at the successful outcome, ___________ (smile). Our hero
__________ (say): ‘Son, it’s the cat’s instincts that make him bite and scratch, but it is my
job to help whenever I can.’ By now, the cat ____________ (lick) itself and soon, it
____________ (purr) contentedly. Then it ____________ (wander) over to the old man and
he___________ (give) it a tickle.

Now, say whether the sentences are true or false. Correct the false sentences.

1) An old man was walking along the beach.

2) Suddenly, the old man spied a snake in a tree.

3) He tried to help a cat, but the cat was so frightened that it attacked him.

4) The cat hissed but it did not bite the old man.
This is not the end! The next
5) The old man did not stop until he had succeeded. morning, the cat was on the
old man’s doorstep. Write a
6) A young man was a witness to the event. paragraph about what
7) The young man encouraged the old man to assist the cat. happened.

8) The old man approached the young man and explained his actions.

9) When the old man spoke to the young man, the young man was angry and scowling.

10) The cat was fine and the old man tickled it.

All of Aesop’s tales have a moral, that is, something to teach us. The moral of this tale is: treat
everyone around you according to your own ethics, not theirs.