Bird of Happiness
Long time ago in the Russian Northern houses one could often see floating 1. … birds at the ceiling, who were turning and moving as the 2.... air was moving along the house. They could be found almost in every house, 3.... it from evil and keeping its 4..... Then they disappeared – their chips were successfully burnt in 5..... There is a 6.... legend, where these birds came from 7..... “From the earliest times in the North people were fond of producing 8.... articles from wood and twigs of willow. When iron axe and knife appeared, people began to make shingles out of wood, making 9.... and bast baskets from shingles”. At that time houses (Russian izba) were covered with clay both outside and inside, with a single pitch roof and one window. So once upon a time in one family, living in this kind of house, a child fell sick with a serious 10.... so that no one could cure him. In the end of winter, he was lying in bed, covered with 11...., and his father was making shingles for a basket. Tired of lying in bed the child asked his father: “Daddy, when will summer come? ”. “Soon, very soon, my darling” – replied the man, and suddenly an idea came to his 12..... He decided to hang a bird at the ceiling in order to make the son think that birds had already come. “I will create summer for you now” – he said, and made a bird out of The child laughed and started getting well very fast. The neighbours were 15.... how they made it possible to cure the boy. After they learned about the bird, they started to ask the man to do the same bird for them, too. So, from that time, the bird was considered to be a 16...., children’s custodian, a symbol of happiness, and called it “a Holy Spirit”. One could now often see this bird at the entrance in Russian izba. Everyone entering the house touched the bird with his head, giving it all the 17.... energy. In a year, “the bird of happiness” became 18.... because of bad energy and was burnt. It was replaced with a new one then. So, it protected the house and its 19.... from the evil. The wings and tail of a real Bird of Happiness are not made separately, but from one piece, feathers should lie one on the another, and then the bird is dried so that wings and tail are flat. In fact, there should not be any 20.... parts and connections. A real bird is produced with 52 21.... of a knife or an axe – not less, not more – right the number of 22.... in a year. Otherwise the Bird won’t be 23..... That’s why this kind of article will look like quite rough; nice, smooth souvenirs are only for fun. A special 24.... was read, and the bird was turning from wood to kind 25..... Seven mysterious words and seven touches were needed for success.
1. a. metal b. silver c. wooden d. wood 2. a. warmth b. cold c. heat d. warm 3. a. protecting b.protected c.defending d. defend 4. a. world b.peace c. spirit d.comfort 5. a. pots b. stoves c. bonfire d. heaps 6. a. northern b. southern c. western d. eastern 7. a. primarilly b. originally c. oficially d. originately 8. a. self-made b. man-made c. artificial d. hand-made 9. a. baskets b. dishes c. pottery d. items 10. a. sick b. illness c. disease n. weakness 11. a. animal-skins b. rags c. linen d. feathers 12. a. head b. thought c. mind d. thinking 13. a. twigs b. branches c. shingles d. tin 14. a. irreal b. imagined c. invented d. real 15. a. interesting b.wondering c. suspicious d. surprising 16. a. miracle b. wonder c. surprise d. secret 17. a. positive b. natural c. magical d. negative 18. a. white b. dirty c. black d. harmful 19. a. tenants b. guests c. generations d. hosts 20. a. wooden b. metal c. clay d. wood 21. a. joints b. touch c. touches d. cut 22. a. days b. months c. weeks d. decades 23. a. alive b. lively c. gay d. happy 24. a. word b. song c. charm d. spell 25. a. spirit b. dweller c. creature d. bird
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13....: a head, a tail, wings – everything was quite 14..... He hanged it and the bird became actually alive: her wings began to move because of the air movement.
