Just a Little Thistle?

Just a Little Thistle¹?

Have you ever² wondered³ why such unattractive plant like prickly⁵ thistle is the national emblem for Scotland?

Well⁶, there is a legend, coming from many centuries⁷ ago, of a  great army, invading⁸ Scotland. At night, they went silently⁹, close to Scottish camp¹⁰ and prepared to make  surprise attack. The Scots were sleeping, not knowing about the great danger¹¹ so near¹².

The enemies¹³, to make their advance¹⁴ even more noiseless¹⁵, went forward¹⁶ barefooted¹⁷

. But as they neared¹⁸, one unlucky guy stepped with his broad¹⁹ foot  squarely²⁰ on a thistle. A roar of pain²¹, sounded²² like a trumpet blast²³ through the sleeping camp. In a moment each Scottish soldier had grasped²⁴ his weapon²⁵, and the enemy has lost the battle²⁶.

So, if you are feeling too little and unimportant, to accomplish²⁷ anything significant²⁸ in life, think about that tiny thistle who played it’s own part²⁹ in saving³⁰ a whole nation.

1.       thistle – чертополох

2.       have you ever – вы когда нибудь… (+verb in past participle. Other examples: Have you ever seen a movie with Charlie Chaplin?; Have you ever won a loto?)

3.       wondered – задумывались, удивлялись

4.       unattractive (un + attractive) – непривлекательный, невзрачный (Other examples with un+: unpleasant – неприятный, unlucky – неудачный)

5.       prickly – колючий

6.       well – (in the beginning of a sentence) что ж.., ну…

7.       centuries (century) - век

8.       invading (to invade) – захватывать, вторгаться

9.       silently (silent) –тихо

10.    camp – лагерь

11.    danger – опасность

12.    so near – так близко

13.    enemies (enemy) – враги

14.    advance – наступление, продвижение

15.    noiseless (noisy + less) – бесшумный (Other examples with less: sleepless – бессонный; motionless – неподвижный)

16.    forward – вперед

17.    barefooted – на босую ногу

18.    neared – приближались

19.    broad – широкий, обширный

20.    squarely – прямо

21.    roar of pain – рев боли

22.    sounded (to sound) – прозвучал

23.    trumpet blast – звук трубы

24.    grasped (to grasp) – схватил

25.    weapon – оружие

26.    lost the battle – проиграть битву

27.    accomplish – достигать, свершать

28.    significant – значительное, важное

29.    own part – свою роль

30.    saving (to save) - спасать