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The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden
ISBN 978-1-4082-0952-3
(* Secret Garden
I to (l()s o n B u r n e t t
Activities 1
5 Mary is going to change in this story. How will she change, do you think?
CHAPTER
‘Where is Everybody?’
A t the age o f six, Mary was not a nice child.
Nobody loved Mary and Mary loved nobody.
M
ary Lennox had a thin little face
and always looked cross. N obody
liked her and she was often ill. M ary’s
parents were English, but they lived in
India. M r Lennox worked there. Mrs
I .ennox was very beautiful and had many
friends. But she did not like children. So
when she had a baby, M ary, she was not
interested in her. M r Lennox had a lot
of work and was not at home very often.
Mrs Lennox gave the baby to an Indian
servant.
‘You take the child,’ she said to the
servant. ‘I don’t want to see it or hear it.’
T h e thin, ugly baby grew into a thin,
ugly little girl. W hen the little girl wanted something, the servants gave
it to her. T h ey never said ‘no’ because they didn’t want her to cry. W hen
she cried, M rs Lennox was angry.
So, at the age o f six, M ary was not a nice child. N ob ody loved M ary
and M ary loved nobody.
O ne hot m orning, when M ary was nine years old, a new servant woke
her. ‘W here’s my servant?’ M ary shouted.
T h e woman looked afraid. ‘She can’t com e,’ she said.
She left the room, and nobody came into M ary’s room all morning. It
was very strange.
1
The Secret Garden
M ary did not know it, but people in the house were very ill. T hat day,
her servant died, and three more servants died the next day. M ary stayed
in her room and everybody forgot about her. Sometimes she cried, and
sometimes she slept. She went into the dining-room and ate some food.
Then she found some wine and drank it. It made her sleepy.
She went to her room again and slept for a long time. W hen she
woke, the house was very quiet. ‘W hy doesn’t anybody come and see
me?’ thought M ary.
But nobody came. Then she heard voices outside. ‘ It’s very sad,’ a
man said. ‘T hat pretty woman! A nd the child too!
A man and a woman came into M ary’s room. She was near the
w indow and she looked sad and ugly.
‘T here’s a child here! W ho is she?’ cried the man.
‘I ’m M ary Lennox,’ the little girl said angrily. ‘I was asleep and I woke
up. W here is everybody? W here’s m y servant?’
T h e man looked at her sadly. ‘Little girl,’ he said, ‘your parents died
two days ago. A nd the servants ran away.’
‘Everybody forgot m e,’ thought M ary. ‘Everybody.’
voice /vdis/ (n) You hear somebody's voice w hen they speak,
ago /э'дэо/ (adv) A g o means 'before that tim e'.
2
CHAPTER
F
or a short time, M ary stayed with friends o f her parents, M r and M rs
Crawford. T heir children did not like her.
‘Y ou ’re going to go to England,’ the oldest boy said to M ary. ‘M y
parents told me. Y o u ’re going to live with your uncle. H e lives in a house
in the country. H e’s a hunchback.’
M ary felt afraid when she heard this. T hat evening, M rs Crawford
i.ilked to her. ‘Y o u ’re going to go to England, m y dear,’ she said. ‘Y o u ’re
going to live with your uncle, M r Archibald Craven, in Yorkshire.’
‘W here’s Yorkshire?’ asked Mary.
‘In the north-east o f England,’ answered M rs Crawford.
She went to M ary and put her arms round her. But the child pulled
■iway from her. ‘She’s an ugly little thing,’ M rs C raw ford thought.
hunchback /'liAntJbaek/ (n) H u n ch b a ck s have a problem w ith their back, so they can't w alk
with their head high.
3
The Secret Garden
N obody said to M ary, ‘People don’t like you because you aren’t nice.’
So she didn’t understand.
It was a long journey to Yorkshire. M rs M edlock got bored and
started to talk. ‘M r C raven’s house in Yorkshire is a strange place,’ she
said. ‘It’s 600 years old and it’s in the middle o f the country. There are
100 rooms, but we don’t use m any o f them. There are big gardens round
the house and tall old trees.’
M ary said nothing.
M rs M edlock tried again. ‘M r Craven w on ’t see you much. H e’s a
strange man. H e’s not interested in anybody. H e’s a hunchback. W hen
he was young, he was very unhappy. Then he married and he changed.’
M ary started to feel interested, and M rs M edlock saw this. ‘M r
C raven’s wife was a kind, pretty w om an,’ she said. ‘H e loved her very
much. W hen she died—’
‘Oh! D id she die?’ M ary asked.
‘Yes,’ M rs M edlock answered. ‘And M r Craven got stranger and
stranger. H e’s often away now. H e doesn’t see people. W hen he’s at
the house, he stays in his rooms. So you w o n ’t see him. W hen yo u ’re
in the house, you 7/ have to stay in you r rooms. But you can play in the
gardens.’
4
C hapter 2 - M ary Goes to England
M ary turned her face to the w indow and did not speak. After some
lime, she slept.
W hen she woke, it was dark. T he train was at a station.
‘ Let’s go!’ cried M rs M edlock. ‘W e’re here. Be quick! W e have to
drive to the house.’
T h ey drove through a small town, then out into the country. It was
dark and M ary could not see much.
‘W e’re going to drive across the moor,’ said M rs Medlock.
‘W hat’s a “ m oor” ?’ asked Mary.
‘W e’ll be on the m oor in a minute, and then you’ll see.’
The horses started to climb higher. N o w there were no trees and it
was very dark. ‘N othing grows on the moor, only grass and flowers,’ said
Mrs Medlock.
.« я и ц .
moor /пшэ/ (n) A m o o r is open ground in the country. There aren't many trees on a moor,
and they are small.
grass /grass/ (n) Children play on grass in parks and gardens. It is green in w e t countries, and
I » own w hen it dies.
The Secret Garden
After some time, they stopped in front o f a very large house. T hey
went inside into a big, dark room with pictures o f people on the walls.
M ary looked very small in her black coat. A thin, old man came and
spoke to them. H e was M r C raven’s servant.
‘M r Craven doesn’t want to see her,’ he said. ‘H e’s going to London
in the m orning.’
‘All right, M r Pitcher,’ Mrs
M edlock said. ‘C om e with me,
child.’
She took M ary to her bedroom.
There was a fire in the room and
dinner on the table.
‘Here you are,’ M rs M edlock
said. ‘T his room and the next
room are yours. Y ou have to stay
in them. D o n ’t forget that!’
Then she left. T h e little girl sat
down and ate. She felt unhappy
and very afraid.
6
CHAPTER
Martha
She began tofeel interested in Dickon. This was very strange.
Mary was never interested in other people.
hen M ary woke the next m orning, there was a servant in the
W room. T he child sat up and looked out o f the window. It was
very strange. There were no trees, only red-blue grass.
‘W hat’s that?’ she asked the servant.
‘T h at’s the m oor,’ answered the girl. ‘D o you like it?’
‘ N o ,’ said M ary. ‘I hate it.’
‘T h at’s because you don’t know it,’ the servant girl answered. ‘I love
и. In the spring and summer there are flowers everywhere. It’s very
beautiful.’
‘W hat’s your name?’ asked Mary.
‘ Martha Sowerby,’ said the girl.
‘You’re a strange servant,’ M ary said. M artha was very different from
the servants in India. Indian servants did not speak much.
Martha laughed. She had a round face and she looked kind.
‘Are you going to be m y servant?’ M ary asked.
‘ I’ll help you sometimes,’ said Martha.
‘W ho’s going to dress me?’ asked M ary.
Martha opened her eyes very wide. ‘C an ’t you put your clothes on?’
.lie asked.
‘ N o ,’ said M ary crossly. ‘M y Indian servant always dressed m e.’
‘You’ll have to learn,’ said Martha.
M ary suddenly felt very angry and unhappy. She started to cry.
‘ D on ’t cry!’ M artha said. ‘Please don’t cry.’ Her voice was kind and
M ary stopped crying.
‘ I’ll bring you your clothes and help you with them ,’ M artha said. She
went to a cupboard and took some clothes out. There was a white dress
and a white coat.
7
The Secret Garden
k e y /ki:/ (n) You turn a k e y in a door w hen you don't w a n t people to go through it.
9
Activities 2
10
The Secret Garden
i Language in use
The woman looked afraid.
I ook at the sentences on the right. Then
finish the sentences below with the She felt unhappy.
adjectives in the box.
5
3 Mrs Medlock 7 her uncle,
jc" ' f a ! 1; ® . V Mr Craven
6
4 Martha
11
CHAPTER
M
ary went outside and started walking through the gardens. T hey
were very big and there were m any trees and plants. But it was
winter and there were no flowers. T h e place did not look very pretty.
T he child thought about M artha’s words. ‘M r Craven loved his w ife,’
she thought. ‘So w hy did he throw away the key to his w ife’s garden?
W h y can’t people go in there? It’s very strange. It’s a secret garden. I’d
like to find it!’
She stopped and looked round. O n the right, there was a high wall.
There was a green door in the wall, and M ary walked through it, into
another garden. T his garden had walls
all round it. There was an old man with
a spade in his hands.
i Jus -
‘W hat is this place?’ M ary asked him.
‘It’s a kitchen garden,’ the gardener
answered. H e did not look very friendly.
‘W hat’s a kitchen garden?’ asked
M ary.
‘A garden with fruit and vegetables
for the kitchen,’ he answered crossly.
‘D o kitchen gardens always have
walls round them?’ asked M ary.
‘Yes,’ said the old man.
M ary walked through three more kitchen gardens. She came out into
the big gardens again and looked round. There was another wall on the
plant /plaint/ (n/v) You find plan ts in gardens. M any plants have flowers,
secret /'siikrit/ (adj/n) You don't w an t other people to know about secret places and things,
spade /speid/ (n) You use a sp a d e in the garden when you w an t to make a place in the
ground for a tree.
12
C hapter 4 —Ben W eatherstaff and the Robin
li ft. ‘Another kitchen garden!’ she thought, and she looked for a door.
Hut long plants grew down the wall and she could not see one.
‘’That’s strange!’ she thought. ‘There are trees on the other side o f the
wall. So there’s a garden there, but no door into it.’
I here was a bird in the tallest tree and he started to sing. M ary
lopped and listened to him. H e was a pretty little red and brown bird,
mil his song was pretty too.
‘ I le’s calling to m e,’ M ary thought. After a short time, the bird flew
.iway. ‘I think the bird was on a tree in the secret garden,’ she thought.
Perhaps he lives there and knows all about it.’
She walked back into the first kitchen garden and found the old man.
There’s one kitchen garden with no door into it,’ M ary said. ‘There
,ue trees on the other side o f the wall, and I saw a little red and brown
Iuni in a tree there. H e sang to m e.’
The old man laughed and looked friendlier. Suddenly, the little red
II id brown bird flew into the garden. H e came and stood on the ground
in .и the old man.
' I Icllo, m y little friend,’ laughed the man. T h e bird put his head on
мне side and looked at them. H e was very pretty.
' What is he?’ M ary asked.
D on’t you know? H e ’s a robin. Robins are the friendliest birds in the
w< и Id. He knows that w e’re talking about him. Look at him .’ T h e old
in.m l.mghed again.
‘W here’s his family?’ M ary asked.
I le hasn’t got a fam ily,’ the man answered.
' / baven’t got a fam ily,’ M ary said quietly.
I In- old gardener looked at her for a minute. ‘Are you the little girl
Irom India?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ M ary answered.
They told me about yo u ,’ he said.
‘W hat’s your name?’ asked Mary.
side .uni/ (n) W alls have tw o sides. Square tables have four
iiililn /'inb 11/ (n) A robin is a small grey and orange garden bird.
The Secret Garden
14
CHAPTER
Somebody is Crying
Mary looked at her and thought, ‘No, it wasn’t the wind.
But who is it? Who’s crying?’
П^ог the first weeks in M ary’s new home, every day was the same. Each
JL morning, M artha made the fire and brought M ary her breakfast. The
( 11ild got bored when she stayed in the house. So she went outside and
played in the gardens every day. She did not know it, but this was the
best thing for her. She began to look stronger.
( )ne morning she felt hungry and ate all her breakfast,
breakfast is nice today,’ she said to Martha.
'Y o u ’re hungry because you play outside,’ said Martha.
' I don’t play in the gardens,’ said M ary. ‘There are only trees and
plants there. I can’t play with them .’
You can look at them ,’ said M artha. ‘M y brothers and sisters look at
filings.’
So M ary looked at the trees and the plants and the birds. She often
went to the wall o f the secret garden.
I’lanis grew all over the wall and she
was interested in them. O ne day she
•.aw the robin again. H e was on top o f
tlit* wall.
< )h,’ she cried, ‘is it you - is it
you?’
I lie robin began to sing. M ary
i bought, ‘ H e’s talking to me. H e’s
•aymg, “ G o o d morning! Isn’t
everything nice?” ’
‘ I like you,’ she cried. Suddenly,
die robin flew away and sat in a tree
on die other side o f the wall.
15
The Secret Garden
T h e next m orning, M ary looked out o f the window. ‘It’s raining,’ she
said. ‘W hat am I going to do? I can’t go out.’
‘W hy don’t you read?’ said Martha.
‘I haven’t got any books,’ M ary answered.
‘T here’s one room in the house with a lot o f books,’ M artha said. ‘I’ll
take you there tom orrow.’
16
Chapter 5 —Som ebody is C rying
M ary didn’t answer. M artha left the room and, after a short time,
M ary left her room too.
I ’m going to find that room now ,’ she thought. ‘M rs M edlock says
ill.u there are 100 rooms. I want to see them!’
She walked through m any large rooms, but she did not see any
hooks. Suddenly she stopped. ‘1 can hear that sound again,’ she thought.
Somebody is crying. It’s com ing from that room there.’
She went to the door and put her hand on it. Suddenly, it opened and
there stood M rs M edlock. ‘W hat are you doing here?’ the servant said
angi ily.
I 'm sorry,’ said M ary. ‘ But som ebody’s crying.’
N obody’s crying,’ said M rs Medlock. ‘G o back to your room !’ She
w ilked with M ary to her room and pushed the child inside. ‘N o w stay
i here, she said. ‘ I’m going to find a teacher for you. /h aven ’t got time
lot you.’
M.try sat down in front o f the fire. She was very angry, but she didn’t
• i\ I was right!’ she thought.
Activities 3
Alter Mrs Craven died went into her garden for years.
Wo-fes
CHAPTER
wo days later, the weather changed. M ary woke up and went to the
T window. ‘Look at the moor!’ she cried to Martha. T he sky was blue,
and the moor looked very beautiful.
‘Yes, it’s nearly spring,’ said Martha.
‘I’d like to see your house, M artha,’ M ary said.
‘ I’ll ask m y m other,’ said M artha. ‘She’d like to meet you.’
‘I don’t know your mother, but I like her,’ M ary said. ‘And I don’t
know Dickon, but I like him too.’
‘Y ou ’ll meet D ickon one day. D o you think he’ll like you?’ Martha
asked.
‘N o ,’ said M ary in a cold, little voice. ‘People never like m e.’
‘And do you like Mary?’ M artha asked.
M ary thought for a minute. ‘N o, I don’t think I do,’ she said.
That morning, M ary felt sad and cross. She went outside and began to feel
better. She went into the first kitchen garden and found Ben Weatherstaff
there. ‘Spring’s com ing,’ he said. ‘Things are growing. You watch!’
‘I w ill,’ said M ary.
She looked round and saw the robin. H e put his head on one side and
looked up at her. ‘D o you think he remembers me?’ she asked.
‘O f course he remembers you!’ cried Ben Weatherstaff. ‘H e wants to
know you.’
‘Are things growing in his garden?’ M ary asked.
‘W hat garden?’ Ben asked crossly.
‘T he garden with the rose-trees,’ M ary answered.
‘Ask him ,’ said Ben. ‘H e knows.’
M ary said goodbye to the old man and walked slowly through the
gardens to the wall o f the secret garden.
20
Chapter 6 - The Secret Garden
I like the secret garden and the robin,’ she thought. ‘A nd I don’t
I now D ickon or his mother, but I like them. And M artha is kind. I
never liked people in India and now I like four people.’ (For M ary, the
robin was a person.)
I hen the most wonderful thing happened - and it was because o f the
mbin. She looked round and there he was on the ground near her. ‘You
Inllowed me!’ she cried. She sat on the ground
uni put her hand out. T he robin did not run
away. T m happy!’ M ary thought.
Suddenly, she saw something on the
ground near the robin. It was an old key.
Perhaps it’s the key to the secret garden!’
■In thought. She took the key back to her
in and looked at it for a long time.
I he next morning, M ary took the key and
m in to the wall o f the secret garden. T he robin was on top o f the wall.
She laughed. ‘Y ou showed me the key yesterday. Perhaps you’ll show
пи i he door today,’ she said.
I hen something magical happened. There was a strong wind that
ilav, and suddenly it moved the plants under the robin to one side.
Mary looked - and there in the wall was a door. ‘T he door to the secret
i' m ien!’ she cried.
She lelt very excited. She took the key from her coat and put it in the
• l<•<и 11 was not easy, but slowly she turned the key. She pushed the door
uni и opened. She walked through and quickly shut the door behind
In i She looked round excitedly. She was inside the secret garden!
It was very early spring, and there were no flowers. But there were rose-
Hia •, everywhere, and rose-plants climbed over the walls and the other trees
in i In garden. ‘It’s the strangest place in the world!’ Mary thought.
I he grass was brown, everything was brown. ‘ Is anything growing
In к I verything looks very dead,’ she thought.
in n|h т . i ll (ik/ (n) Strange things happen w ith m agic, and you can’t understand them.
21
The Secret Garden
M ary walked round the garden. There were little green plants in the
ground. She looked at them carefully. There was grass round them and
the plants couldn’t grow very well. She started to pull up the grass round
the plants. ‘T h at’s better,’ she said.
She worked busily all morning. A t midday, she went back to the
house. ‘I’ll come back this afternoon,’ she thought.
M ary ate a lot o f lunch and she looked well and happy. M artha saw
this and smiled.
After lunch, M ary said, ‘M artha, I’d like a spade.’
‘W hy?’ M artha asked.
‘ I’d like to make a little garden. I want to plant seeds. I want to grow
things. H ow much does a spade cost?’
‘N o t m uch,’ answered M artha.
‘I’ve got some m oney,’ M ary said.
M artha thought for a minute. ‘I know ,’ she said. ‘W hy don’t you
write a letter to Dickon? H e can buy you a spade and some seeds. H e can
bring them to you.’
‘T h at’s a good idea!’ cried M ary.
So that afternoon she wrote a letter to D ickon. She felt very excited.
‘I ’m going to meet D ickon!’ she thought. ‘A nd I ’m going to plant seeds
and they’ll grow. T he secret garden will be green and beautiful again!’
seed /si:d/ (n) You put see d s in the ground when you w a n t flowers or vegetables to come up.
22
CHAPTER
Dickon
‘I ’l l come every day, ’ Dickon answered.
‘Well wake up this garden and make it beautiful!’
i was sunny all week, and M ary went to the secret garden every day.
I
_ She loved being outside in the sun and the wind. She didn’t look ill
iniw she looked well and happy. Every day there were more little green
plains. She pulled up the grass round the plants. ‘ I love doing this!’ she
thought. ‘ I’m happy here!’
She often talked to Ben
\V. atherstaff. H e was friendlier now,
ii id lie Iold her about the plants in
1 1и gardens. O ne day, M ary was in
• т е ol die kitchen gardens. She heard
i м iiind and turned round. There was
i hoy under a tree and round him
iIn re were little birds and animals.
I he hoy smiled at her. ‘I’m
I »n I on,’ he said, ‘and you ’re Miss
I uv He was about twelve years old.
I h had blue eyes and a friendly smile.
I n |■,()I your spade and seeds,’ he said.
I ei \ sit down and look at them ,’ M ary said.
I In i wo children sat down on the grass and D ickon told her about
i Ih seeds. Suddenly he stopped. ‘I can hear a robin,’ he said. ‘H e’s calling
in us Where is he?’
I I t s in that tree,’ M ary answered. ‘H e’s Ben WeatherstafPs robin,
Inn he knows me too.’
I >n I on listened carefully to the robin’s song. ‘Yes, he does,’ he said,
uni he likes you .’
I >o you understand the birds when they sing?’ asked Mary.
23
I
T he Secret Garden
‘/ think I do. And they think I do!’ D ickon said. Then he asked,
‘W here’s your garden? I’ll plant the seeds with you.’
M ary said nothing. Her face went red, then white. After a minute
or two, she said slowly, ‘ I don’t know you. But I ’m going to tell you a
secret. Please don’t tell anybody.’
‘ I never tell secrets,’ said Dickon.
‘Listen!’ M ary said quickly. ‘I found a garden! It isn’t mine. N obody
wants it, nobody goes there —only m e.’
‘W here is it?’ D ickon asked quietly.
‘I’ll show you,’ M ary answered. She got up and he followed her to
the secret garden wall. She put her hand under the plants and there was
the door. ‘T his is it,’ M ary said. ‘It’s a secret garden, and only you and I
know about it.’
D ickon did not speak for two or three minutes. T hen he said quietly,
‘It’s a strange place. But it’s very pretty! The garden’s sleeping. I always
Chapter 7 - Dickon
‘Speak quietly!’ said Dickon. ‘W e don’t want people to hear us. Yes,
Martha told me about it.’
Will there be roses in summer?’ M ary asked. ‘O r are they all dead?’
Yes, there’ll be roses,’ D ickon said. ‘Look!’
I le went to a rose-tree and took a knife from his jacket. H e cut some
wood from the tree and showed it to M ary. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘T his is old
wood here, but this green wood is new.’
Ч )h, good!’ cried M ary. ‘I want everything to be green and beautiful!’
I .el x go round the garden and cut away the old w ood,’ said Dickon.
I hen the new wood can grow.’
I liey worked hard for some time.
1he garden will be fine,’ said Dickon. H e looked at some little green
plains in the ground. ‘W ho pulled up the grass round those plants?’ he
idied.
I diil,’ said M ary. ‘T h ey didn’t look very happy, so I helped them .’
'You were right. T h e y’ll grow beautifully now .’
I love gardening,’ cried M ary. ‘I’m getting stronger and I’m not tired.’
I love gardening too,’ said Dickon. H e stopped and looked round
lum I here’s a lot more w ork here,’ he said.
Will you come again and help me?’ M ary asked him.
I II i ome every day,’ D ickon answered. ‘W e’ll wake up this garden
m<I in.ilie it beautiful!’
I >u kon,’ said M ary, ‘M artha says that you’re nice. A nd you are nice.
1 hi e you. I never liked people before.’
I >i. Ton laughed. ‘People think I ’m strange. But you’re really strange!’
Ik ‘..ml.
M ary was quiet for a minute. Then she asked, ‘D o you like me?’
Л i x, I do, I )ickon answered. ‘And the robin likes you too. W e like
1 1 mi veiу much.
I hey worked in the garden for another hour. M ary felt very, very
Ii ippi Ai lunchtime, she went back to the house, but D ickon stayed in
1 1к у,.mien. I ll come back after lunch,’ M ary said.
25
CHAPTER
26
Chapter 8 - M ary M eets M r Craven
'O h, please, I don’t want a teacher, not now!’ cried M ary. ‘I want to
play outside. But I would like one thing. C an I - can I have a very small
l>.n i of the gardens?’
W hy?’ asked M r Craven.
I want to plant seeds and grow things,’ M ary answered. She felt very
111 .ltd. ‘ Perhaps he’ll say no,’ she thought.
I )o you like gardens very much?’ M r Craven said slowly.
Yes, I d o ,’ said Mary.
Mi Craven got up and walked across the room. ‘Yes, you can have
i .mall part o f the garden,’ he said. ‘M ake it green and beautiful.’ H e
looked very tired now. ‘G o now, child,’ he said. ‘Goodbye. I’ll be away
ill summer.’
27
Activities 4
I want everything to be
I never tell
green and beautiful!
secrets.
bickon isn't
beautiful.
4 I ll 'll be away all
summer.
28
The Secret Garden
I Who is in bed?
t Why Is he in bed?
2V
CHAPTER
T m Colin Craven
There was a boy in the bed. He was about ten years old
and he had a thin, white face and big, grey eyes.
T
hat night, it rained heavily. M ary woke up and could not sleep
again. Suddenly, she sat up in bed. ‘It’s that sound again!’ she
thought.
She left her room and walked through the dark house. Sometimes
she stopped and listened. She came to a door with a light under it. ‘The
sound’s com ing from here,’ she thought. ‘A nd I met M rs M edlock here
before!’
Slow ly she opened the door. She saw a room with a large bed in it.
T here was a boy in the bed. H e was about ten years old and he had a
thin, white face and big, grey eyes. H e did not see M ary and she watched
him for a short time. H e cried and then stopped. Then he cried again.
H e looked tired and ill.
M ary walked into the room. T he boy turned and saw her. ‘W ho are
you?’ he asked. H e looked very afraid.
‘I’m M ary Lennox,’ the little girl answered. ‘M r C raven’s m y uncle.’
‘H e’s m y father,’ said the boy. ‘I ’m C olin Craven.’
‘Your father!’ cried M ary. ‘I didn’t know about you!’
‘C om e here,’ said C olin. M ary went and stood near his bed. ‘W here
did you come from?’ he asked.
‘M y room ,’ said Mary. ‘M y parents died and I live here now. D id n ’t
they tell you about me?’
‘N o ,’ C olin answered. ‘T h ey know that I don’t want to see people.
A nd I don’t like people seeing me.’
‘W hy not?’ asked M ary.
T he boy did not speak for a minute. Then he said, ‘Because I’m going
to be a hunchback. So I don’t want people to see me. I ’m ill and I never
leave this room. I get too tired.’
30
C hapter 9 - ‘I’m C olin Craven
31
T he Secret Garden
wheelchair /'wiilt/еэ/ (n) You move in a w heelch air when you can't walk.
32
CHAPTER
Martha is Afraid
‘Colin liked me. ’
‘Colin doesn’t like anybody!’ Martha cried.
I ^ lie next day, the weather was bad and M ary could not go outside.
1 When M artha came in, M ary said, ‘1 know about C o lin .’
( )h no!’ M artha cried. ‘H ow ?’
I heard sounds in the night. I followed them to C o lin ’s room .’
< )lt, M ary,’ cried M artha. ‘I didn’t tell you about him, but they’ll be
nigiy with me. T h ey’ll send me away!’
No, they w on’t,’ said M ary. ‘C olin liked m e.’
< olin doesn’t like anybody!’ M artha cried.
M.iry laughed. ‘H e wants me to come and talk to him every day. H e’s
mil going to tell M rs M edlock. It will be our secret. H e’ll tell you when
In " inis to see me. But w hat’s wrong with him?’ she asked.
I Johody really knows,’ said Martha. ‘After his wife died, M r Craven
In In i want to see the baby. H e said, “ T he child w on’t live. O r he’ll live,
33
The Secret Garden
34
C hapter 10 —M artha is Afraid
I w ry body. T he servants,
it dot tor.
I ili.it the doctor from London?’
No, my doctor. H e lives near here.’
/ like the doctor from London,’ said M ary. ‘M artha told me about
mu I l< doesn’t think you’re going to die.’
Mv I.it her does,’ said Cohn. ‘H e wants me to die.’
< >li no, he doesn’t,’ said M ary. ‘But let’s not talk about that. Let’s
ill 11нtin nice things.’
иi die iwo children talked about D ickon and the secret garden and
'■ и \Vi itherstaffs robin. Suddenly, M rs M edlock and C olin ’s doctor
till d mm the room.
SVIi.ii are you doing here?’ cried M rs M edlock to M ary.
\ i иI the doctor cried, ‘W hat’s this? Are you all right, C olin?’
Ibii ( olm wasn’t afraid o f them. ‘O f course I’m all right,’ he said.
I 111 г М.иу 1.ennox. N ob ody told her about me. She found me. I want
и i i" i nine and see me every day.’
i olm, I don’t think this is good for you,’ the doctor said,
ь . n is,' said C olin. ‘ I feel better when M ary’s here.’
I In dot tot looked carefully at the boy. ‘All right, but don’t talk for too
niig, in you'll |'ci tired!’ he said. And he left the room with Mrs Medlock.
.is
'
Activities 5
1 Martha takes Mary to Colin when Mary meets him for the first time.
M a ry Lennox
Colin Craven
36
The Secret Garden
I .inguage in use
‘Your father closed it when your
i iMik «it the sentences on the right.
mother died.’
I lion write sentences with when,
liolnw. 'W hen I want something, I get it.’
T m Going to Die!’
‘I m
’ thinking I ’d like to meet Colin. Then we can bring him here.
I think he’l l feel better here. ’
I
t rained all week. M ary couldn’t go outside, so she saw C olin every
day. T h ey talked about m any things. But M ary didn’t tell Colin about
the secret garden. ‘I’ll tell him when 1 know him better,’ she thought.
Then one day she said to him, ‘I know you don’t like meeting people.
But would you like to meet Dickon?’
‘O h yes!’ cried Colin.
T h e next day M ary woke early. T he sky was blue again and it was a
beautiful day. She ran outside, to the secret garden.
D ickon was there before her. ‘Y o u ’re here early!’ M ary cried.
D ickon laughed. ‘I got up before the sun,’ he said.
After a week o f rain, the garden was very green. T he children ran
round the garden and looked at the new plants and flowers. Suddenly,
D ickon said, ‘Look, there’s the robin!’
38
C hapter 11 - T m Going to Die!’
I hey sat on the grass and watched him. There was a very old tree in
I hr garden. It was bigger than the other trees. T h e robin flew to the tree
II id started to sing. ‘T h at’s the tree!’ M ary thought suddenly. ‘D o you
think Mrs Craven fell from that tree?’ she asked.
Yes,’ said Dickon. T he two children were quiet for a time.
Do you know about C olin?’ M ary suddenly asked.
Why? W hat do you know about him?’ asked Dickon.
( olin and I are friends,’ M ary said. ‘H e likes m e.’
Yes, 1 know about C o lin ,’ D ickon said. ‘H e’s a hunchback.’
Ih isn’t,’ said M ary. ‘But he thinks he’s going to be a hunchback. It’s
• i \ ..id. 1le never goes out.’
I I. now,’ said Dickon. ‘Look round the garden, M ary. It’s getting
г and greener.’
Mary looked round slowly. ‘Y o u ’re right!’ she said. ‘It’s beautiful.
W 11 ii are y o u th i n k i n g ? ’
I in thinking I’d like to meet C olin. Then we can bring him here. I
d11111 lie'll leel better here.’
Yes! r l ied Mary. ‘I think he will too. I ’ll tell him about our garden. I
fin i think lie’ll tell anybody.’
I In two children worked in the garden all morning. Then M ary went
nun iln house lor lunch.
• iilm wants to see you,’ M artha told her.
I II set him later this afternoon,’ answered Mary.
II. II In angry with yo u ,’ Martha said.
Ihil Mary ran outside. ‘ D ickon’s waiting for m e,’ she cried.
I I " i i trly evening when she came back inside. M artha did not look
Ii i|.|n ( olin’s very angry because you didn’t go to see him ,’ she said.
I hi Ii Ii i toss. She liked C olin, but he was not as important as the
i udi n hi Dickon. But she went to see him.
II. i . in bed. ‘W hy didn’t you come?’ he asked.
I " i in the garden with D ickon,’ M ary said coldly.
I hat boy isn't going to come here again,’ C olin said angrily.
V)
T he Secret Garden
40
Chapter 11 - ‘I’m Going to Die!’
I
t was a lovely day when M ary woke the next morning. She wanted to
go outside, but she went to C o lin ’s room.
‘You came!’ he cried. H e looked very tired. M ary sat down and they
talked about D ickon and his animals and birds.
‘Can D ickon really talk to animals?’ Colin asked.
‘ /th in k he can,’ M ary answered. ‘H e says everybody can. But you
have to be friends with the animals first.’
‘I’d like to have friends,’ C olin said sadly. ‘ But I don’t like people.’
‘D o n ’t you like me?’ M ary asked him.
‘Yes, I do,’ Colin answered.
‘Ben W eatherstaff says that he and I are the same. W e’re not very
nice to people. Perhaps you’re the same,’ said M ary. She thought for a
minute. ‘But I think I ’m nicer now .’
‘M ary,’ C olin said quietly, ‘I was unkind about D ickon yesterday and
I ’m sorry. I hated him because you liked him. But I was wrong. I want to
meet him .’
‘G o o d ,’ M ary answered, ‘because he wants to meet you. Perhaps he
can come and see you tom orrow.’ She took C olin ’s hands. ‘C o lin ,’ she
said slowly, ‘I’m going to tell you a secret. Please don’t tell anybody.’
‘N o, no, I w on ’t,’ C olin answered.
‘Listen. I found the door to the secret garden - and I found the key
too,’ M ary said quietly.
‘O h, M ary! C an I see it? W ill you take me there?’
‘Yes,’ answered M ary. ‘And D ickon will push your wheelchair.’ She
talked to him about the secret garden for a long time.
Later that day, C o lin ’s doctor visited him with M rs M edlock. ‘So you
were ill last night, m y boy?’ he said.
42
C hapter 12 —M ary Tells C olin the Secret
Yes, but I’m better now ,’ Colin answered. ‘I’m going to go outside
11id see the gardens.’
I lie doctor did not look happy. ‘ Be careful,’ he said.
M ary’s going to come with m e,’ said C olin. ‘And D ickon will push
mi wheelchair.’
( )h, D ickon!’ said the doctor. ‘Y o u ’ll be all right with D ickon .’
I h left the room with M rs M edlock. ‘I saw Susan Sowerby, D ickon ’s
мни her, last week,’ M rs M edlock said. ‘I told her about M ary and Colin.
H iii said, “ Children have to be with other children. M ary will be good
11и ( olin.” Perhaps she’s right.’
\ es, perhaps she is right,’ said the doctor.
< ol in slept well that night. T h e next m orning M ary ran into the
ii I )ickon’s com ing!’ she cried excitedly.
I In door opened and D ickon came in. There was a bird on his arm.
1 *•1111's mouth fell open.
\\ ill и sit on m y arm?’ cried Colin.
I »ii kon laughed. ‘Y ou have to be friends with it,’ he said.
I In i wo boys talked all morning. T h ey looked at pictures o f plants
uni llowcrs.
I In .c Mowers are in the secret garden,’ D ickon said. ‘A nd these.’
I'm going to see them!’ cried C olin. D ickon smiled.
CHAPTER
T
he next day was sunny and warm. C olin spoke to M rs Medlock.
‘I’m going outside. I don’t want to see anybody in the gardens.’
‘Yes, sir,’ M rs M edlock answered.
A servant carried C olin downstairs and put him in his wheelchair
outside the house.
‘You can go now ,’ C olin said.
T h e servant went back inside. D ickon pushed C o lin ’s wheelchair, and
M ary walked next to them. T h ey saw nobody in the gardens. But they
walked round for a long time before they went into the secret garden.
‘T his —this is the door! Push the wheelchair inside quickly, D ickon!’
M ary cried.
C hapter 13 - C olin Sees the Secret Garden
Inside the garden, C olin looked round and said nothing for some
ни . T very thing was green now and there were flowers everywhere.
I In им was warm on C o lin ’s thin face. ‘O h ,’ he cried, ‘it’s beautiful! I’m
i • •и•|’, lo get well!’
I 11 и alicrnoon, C olin laughed and talked. H e began to feel better.
I 'i. I i h i and M ary worked with their spades, and C olin sat under a fruit
!"■ in Ins wheelchair.
I Ii n s a very old tree over there,’ C olin said suddenly,
i . . said I )ickon quietly. H e did not want to talk about it. Suddenly
'I.' ■••Inn flew into the garden. ‘Look, there’s the robin!’ D ickon cried.
■ Inn asked C olin. H e looked up and saw the little bird. Then he
11•11 11• d and (orgot about the tree.
' I и \ looked at the robin and thought, ‘T here’s magic in this garden.
I I iniw then is. The magic sent the robin. Colin w on’t think about the
till now,
I in going 10 i tune here every day,’ Colin said.
45
‘Yes,’ said D ickon. ‘In a short time, you’ll walk and use a spade too.’
‘W alk!’ said C olin. ‘Use a spade! W ill I?’
‘Yes,’ said Dickon. ‘Y o u ’ve got legs. You have to make them strong.’
C olin smiled. M ary thought, ‘I think D ickon makes magic. H e’s
going to make magic for C olin, and C olin will get better.’
It was nearly evening and the garden was very quiet. Suddenly Colin
cried, ‘W h o’s that man?’
M ary and D ickon turned round and there was Ben Weatherstaff.
T h ey could see his head over the top o f the wall. T h e old man looked
very angry. H e could not see C olin and Dickon, only Mary.
‘H ow did you get into the garden, you bad girl?’ he shouted.
‘T h e robin showed me the door,’ M ary answered.
‘Take me there,’ C olin said to Dickon.
D ickon pushed the wheelchair nearer Ben Weatherstaff. W hen Ben
saw C olin, his mouth fell open.
‘D o you know me?’ C olin asked him.
46
C hapter 13 - Colin Sees the Secret Garden
Yes, you’re M r C raven’s son,’ Ben answered slowly. ‘H o w did you get
ii Ik re? Y ou’re a hunchback!’
I Hi not a hunchback!’ Colin said loudly.
No, lie’s not!’ M ary shouted. ‘I saw his back, and it’s fine.’
I lelp me, I want to stand,’ C olin said to Dickon. D ickon took
1 >din's arm, and slowly the boy stood up. H e looked thin but very tall.
' low look at me, Ben W eatherstaff!’ he cried. ‘Am I a hunchback?’
I oi a minute Ben could not speak. Then he said, ‘N o, you’re not a
I hback. Y o u ’re very thin, but you’re fine.’
< ome into the garden,’ C olin cried. ‘M ary will open the door.’
\ i s, sir,’ said Ben, and he climbed down from the wall.
I >i< kon!’ C olin said, ‘ I’m going to walk to that tree.’ W ith his hand
h I »ii kon’s arm, the boy walked slowly to the tree. W hen Ben came
i Ininigh ihe door, C olin cried, ‘Look! A m I a hunchback?’
I Jo, you’re not,’ the old man said again.
I e.ieii!’ the boy said. ‘T his garden’s a secret. D o n ’t tell anybody
■I и 'l ou can come sometimes and help.’
I Link you,’ Ben W eatherstaff said, and he smiled.
47
Activities б
The Secret Garden
1 Dickon tells Mary ... m l lie box below and w rite them in ‘He's crying really loudly.'
a ... Colin doesn't like him.
iIn- sentences.
2 Colin is angry ... b ... when Mary doesn’t come to see
.ueful weak happy busy quiet angry
him.
3 Before he meets Dickon,...
I I Hi kon and Mary s a t........................... and thought about MrsCraven.
с ... when he comes into Colin's roon
4 There is a bird on Dickon's M iry ran ........................... into the garden.
arm ... d ... that he wants to meet Colin, i hi'ii shouted when he saw the children.
5 Dickon is friendly ... e ... on his first afternoon in the gardi I •olln sat .................... in his wheelchair.
' " l. и the pictures in Chapters 14 and 15. How do you think the story
i lining Ю end? W rite your story in five or six sentences.
2 W ork with other students. You are Dickon, Mary and Colin. W h y are
you happy? Tell your friends.
CHAPTER
hen C olin went back into the house, his doctor visited him. ‘You
were outside too long,’ he said.
‘ But I’m not tired,’ answered C olin. ‘I feel better, and tomorrow I’m
going to stay outside all day.’
T h e doctor did not look happy about this.
After he left the room, M ary said, ‘You aren’t very nice to your doctor.’
C olin thought about this. ‘Y o u ’re right,’ he said. ‘I can be very unkind
to people. I ’ll try to be nicer.’
‘G o o d ,’ said M ary. ‘T h e garden will help you. I think there’s magic in
the garden. Y o u ’ll be happy there and you’ll learn to be kind.’
T hat spring and summer there really was magic in the garden. It grew
more and more beautiful. There were flowers o f all colours and the roses
climbed everywhere.
‘You r mother loved those flowers,’ Ben W etherstaff told Colin.
The children went to the garden nearly every
day. Dickon often brought his animals and
birds, and the children played with them. Colin
grew stronger and happier. O ne day he took a
spade and he started to dig. He only worked
for five minutes. But each day he worked for a
longer time. O ne afternoon he walked round
the garden. D ickon and M ary walked next to
him, and the robin sang in a tree.
‘T h e magic is m aking me strong!’ C olin
cried. ‘ I’m not going to tell the doctor,’ he said
dig /dig/ (v) Dogs d ig in the ground because they are looking for something under it.
C hapter 14 T he M agic in the Garden
I'll only tell him when I can run really well. A nd when m y father comes
fom c, I’ll walk into his room. I’ll say, “ Here I am. I’m very well and I’m
m be a strong, happy m an.’”
M ary laughed. ‘I can’t wait!’ she cried.
I here was only one problem. Because C olin was often outside, he was
ilways luingry.
I in eating more now ,’ he told M ary. ‘T h e servants will know I’m
! • о т)', better.’
I »n I o n told his mother about the secret garden and C olin. She was
■ i \ interested and asked a lot o f questions. H e told her about C o lin ’s
I'iolif in with food.
M r. Sowerby laughed. ‘I ’ve got an idea,’ she said. ‘C olin and M ary
i in g ive m e money. Then I’ll give you food for them .’
I I was a wonderful idea. Each day D ickon came with bread, cake and
mill l lie food was good and they all ate it. After that, C olin did not
m r.tt much in the house.
I lr. dm tor could not understand it. ‘It’s strange,’ he said to M rs
M 1 i If ><I I he hoy isn’t eating, but he’s getting fatter!’
^он'ц looking much stronger’, he said to C olin. ‘Your father will be
и 11 Ii ippy when he hears about this,’ said the doctor.
' in. don't tell him!’ cried C olin. ‘I’ll get ill again!’
\ll i if,In. said the doctor quickly. ‘W e w on’t tell him .’
' In n In left, C olin looked at the picture o f his mother.
I in vi i wanted to look at her picture before,’ he told M ary. ‘But now
i lil n I think she wants me to be happy.’
' I 11 \ looked at the picture. ‘Yes, I think she does.’
I In dm e i hildien and Ben were in the secret garden one m orning, when
ml.I. n f tlii door opened. A woman with a very kind face stood there,
if. nidi d at ( l i e с hildren.
'hoi и ( ol i n cried.
51
T he Secret Garden
In the Garden
'I ’m a bad father, ’ he thought. ‘M y son is ten years old.
But is it too late? Can I help him?’
W
hen you think sad or unkind things, it is bad for you. In India,
M ary did not like people —she did not like anything! So she was
II mil cross. T hen she came to Yorkshire. There she thought about secret
miens and robins, about D ickon and the moor. She was a pretty child
now, and she was nicer and happier.
11 was the same with C olin. Before he met M ary, he thought only
..... his back. But now he thought about his new friends and the secret
ml> n I le thought about happy things and so he was a happy person.
< i .1m 's father, Archibald Craven, was away all spring and summer.
II' \ isi ted the most beautiful places in Europe. N othing helped him. H e
• •i• •111•111 only o f his dead wife.
' 'in day, he was in the Austrian mountains. H e was tired and he sat
ilmvn i hi I he grass. There were blue flowers everywhere and it was very
1111 • i I f looked at the flowers for a long, long time. Everything got
I and «|iiietcr. ‘Som ething is happening to m e,’ he thought. ‘W hat
i- и' I In I I leel happy again!’
I h и night, he slept for a long time. In his sleep, he heard his dead
"i i ' ...... Archie, Archie!’ she said.
W In к nc you, my dear?’ he asked.
In iln garden,’ she answered, ‘in the garden.’
W In n In woke the next morning, it was a beautiful day. ‘In the garden,’
In ilit'iigln She said, “ In the garden.” But I threw away the key!’
\ I mi . line in with a letter. It was from Susan Sowerby. She
■" I I г e i ome home, M r Craven. It’s very important. Your wife
■• 'ml'I lil • 1 1 hi to io m e hom e.’
Nl i t м ч и lead the letter carefully. ‘ I will go back,’ he thought. ‘ I’ll
I» e i uni ty
53
The Secret Garden
54
Chapter 15 In the Garden
M i l i.ivcn took his son’s arm. ‘T ake me into the garden,’ he said.
' hi ( ol in mok him in. It was autumn now, and there were autumn
i 'Ii mic. г very where. Roses climbed over the trees and the walls.
11 . beautiful!’ cried M r Craven. ‘ But why? I shut the garden ten years
i|Hi W’liy isn’t everything dead?’
I Iicy s.11 down on the grass, and C olin told his father the story o f
tin 11 ici garden. H e told him about the robin, Ben W eatherstaff, the
•ним if. .md the magic. T hen he said, ‘I don’t want it to be a secret any
пит I'm never going to get into that chair again. I ’ll walk back to the
In h i • w nli you, Father.’
\ml In did. Ben W eatherstaff was at a w indow and he called the
I II In i н е .mis. ‘ Look!’ he said. ‘W ho do you think is com ing across
iIh gl as s ?
I In servants ran to the windows. Mrs M edlock threw up her hands,
t НС sin i lied. ‘ It’s not possible!’
\ till si rone hoy came across the grass. There was a happy smile on
In I.ii i 11 was ( ’.ol in Craven!
55
Talk about it Write about it
W ork w ith another student.The book ends when Colin and his father | ". .ul the page from M ary’s diary.Then w rite a page
talk. Have their conversation. i .h her first day at Mr Craven’s house. W h a t did she
. .md do? W h o did she m eet? How did she feel?
Student В You are Mr Craven. You want to know Colin better. Ask him " •M,,K М-н у better and happier. W rite another diary page.
about his new life. Tell him about your thoughts in the Austrian
mountains. W hy were you a bad father? Tell him that you are
sorry. You are going to be a better father now.
Behind your school, there is a place for a new garden. The school wants
students' ideas for the garden. Work with two or three other students and
discuss your ideas. Who will use the garden? When? What will they do there?
What will they see? Will there be ‘magic’ in it? Then write your ideas, below.
\t< г г ? - / -\ г г У h H
Hid 1 1. ili> и i house*. one of the plans. Which is the best? W hy?
S ‘)
Project Plan a School Carden
Dear All
Yours
60