Fred liked playing tricks on others.One afternoon he went to a shop and bought some bread.On his way home he saw Johnson, an old man about sixty riding a donkey(驴).The boy walked to the old man and decided to play a trick on him.He thought for a moment and then he had an idea.
“Hello, my friend,” Fred said in a loud voice.“Please come and have a piece of bread.”
“Thank you very much.” Johnson got off the donkey and said gladly.” “But I have already had lunch.”
“I'm sorry.I'm talking to your donkey, not to you.” Fred said with a smile.
Johnson understood at once that the boy was playing a trick on him.He became angry, but he didn't show his anger.He just turned quickly to his donkey, held up the lash(鞭子)and hit it on the back.
“Before we set off, I asked if you had fiends in the town.You said again and again that you hadn't.Can you explain why the young man asked you to have the bread, then?”
The more the old man said, the less he could control his anger.He finally shouted, “I'll beat you to death if you dare fool me again!”
Hearing this, Fred's face turned red and he left away quickly.