Words in Context
The Visitor Behind the Curtain
An original Islomjon English Lab story. Highlighted words link back to their learning cards.
On Saturday, Maya and her brother Timur helped with a puppet show at the community garden. Families would arrive at three. There was a lot of work to do: carry chairs, hang a curtain and put paper flowers around the small stage. Maya placed the music box in the middle of a table. Timur checked the bottom of every puppet bag for missing pieces.
The play was about a cruel king who would not share his food. A clever cook planned a trick: an empty pot would look full when a colourful cloth covered it. ‘I agree that the king should learn to share,’ Maya said. ‘But the ending must be kind.’ Behind the stage, the garden keeper put out a small table for the children's lunch. Everyone would eat together after the show.
A moment before the show, Maya heard a soft cry behind the curtain. A young cat was trying to hide inside a cardboard castle. It was afraid of the music and the busy crowd. Timur reached towards it, but Maya stopped him. ‘It may attack if we frighten it,’ she said. ‘Let's give it some space.’
A little boy laughed and wanted to chase the cat. Maya felt angry, but she spoke quietly. ‘Animals hunt when they need food. This one isn't looking for a fight. It needs a safe place.’ She asked the garden keeper for help and waited for him to reply. ‘I can bring a box and call its owner,’ he said.
‘I promise to keep the music off,’ Timur said. The children moved away, and the keeper gently helped the cat into a box. Finally, its owner came through the gate. She was pleased to find it. The show began ten minutes late, but it went well. At the end, the king shared his pretend dinner. Afterwards, the children shared their real sandwiches under the trees, and Maya saved a quiet chair for the tired garden keeper.