860. Charles Dickens' Christmas Ghost Story (Learn English with a Short Story)

Hello listeners welcome back to Luke's English podcast here is yet another episode for you that's right another one this month um I've just thrown like tons of episodes at you this month haven't I I really have um I wonder if everyone's able to keep up I expect that in fact a lot of people are probably far too busy to be listening to podcasts at this time of year there is a thing actually in podcasting called the December dip um Which unless you're in podcasts you probably don't know about that but that's basically because most podcasters

notice that their listening numbers drop a little bit at this time of year because everyone out there in the world or at least not everyone but a lot of people in the world are at this time of you're rushing around trying to get Christmas presents uh trying to book uh train tickets um and wrapping presents and Going to Christmas parties and going to Carol singing events at school or whatever it is now obviously not everyone one listening to this podcast celebrates Christmas in the same way um and a lot of you out there for you

Christmas is not such a big deal which is you know totally fine I guess it means your December is a little bit more a little bit quieter um obviously I'm from England and in my country uh Christmas is a traditional thing um you Know it's arguably it's it's a Christian Festival I mean I'm not particularly religious person really although I do come from a Christian background you know the UK um Christianity is the predominant religion although I would actually say that um uh people are not that religious these days I think probably uh most people

aren't like most people don't really go to church or or um you know um follow uh Christianity that closely really uh but Nevertheless Christmas is still a big celebration for some people it's definitely a a Christian thing and it's it's time to go to church and and do all those things but I think for a lot of people uh Christmas is essentially like this sort of midw midwinter festival and it's really a time of spending um you know days with your family um celebrating giving gifts it's peace and love basically it's a time of peace

and love and it's the season of Goodwill That's the idea um the season of being friendly and generous and basically wishing peace and love um for everyone you know and that's the that's that's that's nice isn't it and that's the spirit with which I am providing you with um yet another episode Peace and Love in the world and uh I hope that uh you know you are managing to have a reasonable time this year basically um so new episode and in this one I'm going to tell you a story and I'm going to Tell you

the story soon okay um we're going to get into that as soon as possible but you know I need to lead you into the story a little bit um so this is the second kind of Christmas related episode I've done the other one was a rambling episode which I uploaded a few days ago and if you're watching the video version of this episode then you might notice that I've made a little bit of an effort uh in this one in in the sense that I've Got I do have at least one sort of poor excuse

admittedly a poor excuse for a Christmas decoration if you're just listening to the audio version which I think most people are then you can't actually see this but I'll describe it to you so I was on my way to my pod room this morning thinking right I'm going to record Another Kind of christmy episode and I don't I still don't have any Christmas decorations in my podcasting room at all it's really not very festive In here so I was on the way down after dropping off my took my daughter to school took my son to

his his crash and then on my way back here I was like right I'll get something I'll get like a little Christmas tree or maybe some fancy lights or something like that and literally everywhere I went I couldn't find anything uh that was good enough and the best thing I could get was in my local supermarket was a chocolate Father Christmas a chocolate Santa it's it's a Chocolate Santa wrapped up in shiny um uh sort of shiny tin foil or aluminium foil with a picture of Santa on it and he's he's it's you know it's

a he's a very happy looking Father Christmas with a big smile on his face big bushy white beard he's holding a candle and some gifts and um standing at his feet are two very happy looking children um and if I W if I unwrap this it will be chocolate right it's made of chocolate it's kind of like a hollow plastic Father Christmas chocolate I mean a Holo chocolate uh Father Christmas not a hollow plastic one you can't eat plastic well you could eat plastic but you shouldn't anyway it's a hollow chocolate Father Christmas so Merry

Christmas everyone this is the effort that I've made and um yeah so I'm just going to I'm I mean I'm I'm will I eat this later I don't know I might do uh although I'm not sure this is the best quality chocolate although having said that on The back of the um on the back of this Father Christmas um it does say uh this is superior milk Superior milk chocolate now this is in French cuz obviously I live in France so um this is all written in French chakola Superior Olay so this is superior milk

chocolate I wonder I doubt that I doubt I mean what does superior mean Superior to what Superior to like the worst chocolate which is that chocolate that you get from vent calendars or the chocolate that you get In chocolate money which is like borderline chocolate it's not even you know I'm not even sure you could legally you could probably legally call it chocolate but I don't know if it really tastes like chocolate but anyway this is apparently Superior milk chocolate but what are the ingredients well the ingred first ingredient is what sugar yeah first ingredient

is sugar um and then they've got uh cacao uh uh butter right cocoa butter burer caca cocoa butter um So anyway there you go I might eat it later I might not I might give it to my daughter although I'm sure that she's going to have plenty of chocolate to eat or I might give it away to someone um I might give it away to someone who actually will want to eat it but anyway I'm going to let um Father Christmas sit there on my table he's just going to he's going to stand there on

the table and he can watch me uh record an episode he's just going to stand there watching Me judging me probably like come on Luke get on with it that's what Santa's saying just get on with it all right so so so let's get started properly and I'm going to start reading from text on uh a PDF here okay uh there's a PDF for this episode so let me just get stuck into this episode all right then Merry Christmas everyone this time I'm going to read you a classic Christmas ghost story woo written by Charles

Dickens called a Christmas Carol now I have read this story on the podcast before in episode 320 back in 2015 okay some of you might remember that long-term listeners but I expect a lot of you listening haven't heard that episode so I thought I would read it again here also I just love reading this story I like the spirit of the story I mean the message right um it has a good message for us all to remember and just love telling stories and acting out the Characters so I I'm going to enjoy this and I

hope you do too also there's a video version this time um episode 320 was Audio Only and it's not going to be exactly the same as before I've adapted the story a little bit more than I did last time to modernize the English slightly the original text was written in 1843 and naturally the English is a bit old-fashioned by today's standards so I've gone through the story and adapt Ed it slightly to make the English a bit More up todate and hopefully a little bit more appropriate for Learners of English hoping to learn the kind

of English that everyone uses today so I have adapted it slightly I said slightly it's still very similar to the original version to be honest although I've tried to modernize it a bit it's hard to rewrite the work of Charles Dickens and so much of the text is still the same so this is slightly modernized but still quite old-fashioned English but that's Interesting to explore and it's it's a lovely story very well- written story now although this is described as a short story it'll probably take about 45 minutes for me to read you the whole

thing right for me to read the whole thing to you so I'm not going to explain all the vocabulary like I do in some episodes the story is just the story is too long for me to do that if I explain to all the vocabulary the episode would end up being way too long so I'm just Going to read the story to you I'm going to try to make it entertaining and clear and I'll pause at certain moments to sum up what has happened in order to help you understand the main story line however if

you really feel that you need to understand certain vocabulary that you notice just use one of the many online dictionaries that are available including the ones that I usually recommend the Oxford Advanced Learners dictionary dictionary. cambridge.org Collinsdictionary.com the Longman dictionary of contemporary English online all great dictionaries and you can just use them freely uh find a word that you know if you notice a word that you don't know you can just copy and paste it into one of those dictionaries to kind of do some research and and get to know the the the vocabulary okay

or you could even use chat GPT which can also be a useful tool for exploring vocabulary definitions and examples Especially examples but for this episode all you have to do is listen and enjoy this classic ghost story in English and Father Christmas is going come on Luke get on with it if you don't hurry up then I'm not going to give you any presents this year okay I will I promise I'm going to we're going to get there very soon PDF there's a PDF available you'll find the full text for this story on the page

for this episode and there there'll be a link in the Description for it um the PDF link is in the description you can just download it directly in that description also you'll find the PDF on the page for this episode on my website with the PDF you can take your time and read the story at your own pace if you like and you can copy and paste words or phrases into an online dictionary okay so if you want to do your studying there you go to help you understand what you're about to hear Let me

give you a very quick overview of The story and the main characters this is important because I don't want uh you to get lost in the story okay okay so the story A Christmas Carol that's the name of the story a Carol is actually a a type of song okay um A Christmas Carol is about a horrible man called Ebenezer Scrooge who only cares about money and is very mean and rude with everyone including the people who work for him and indeed members of his family the the the this Well member there's only one member

of his family left he's rude to everyone at Christmas scrooge is visited by ghosts that show him visions of the past the present and the future the ghosts show Scrooge the truth about himself and he learns the real meaning of Christmas he goes through a sort of transformation the characters so the the main character is Ebenezer Scrooge what a great name Ebenezer Scrooge he cruel mean selfish Tightfisted which means he keeps his money to himself he's stingy which is another word for tightfisted I mean he's not generous he likes to keep his own money he

only cares about money he mainly just works on his business a small money lending company so his business is to lend money to people you know and they people who need money they come to him he they borrow money from him and then obviously they have to pay money back to him with interest Right we you know we all have to borrow money sometimes and it's it seems so unfair to have to give it back with so much interest added but you know that's his business that's Scrooge then you've got Scrooge's nephew Fred Fred is

Scrooge's only remaining family the only family he has left in the world that's Fred his nephew then there's Jacob Marley Jacob Marley is or was uh Scrooge's business partner so Marley is Scrooge's former business partner he Used to be his business partner but he died seven years earlier okay uh Bob cratchet is Scrooge's Clark that's his employee someone who works for Scrooge and uh Bob cratchet does office work for Scrooge and Scrooge pays him the minimum possible wage so he doesn't pay him very much money by the way a clerk is an office worker an

accountant someone who does basic office admin right and yeah so Scrooge Doesn't pay him very much money he makes him work really hard all the time and makes him work in a very cold office with a very small fire yes Bob cret has a very large family and they're living on the poverty line right so they're they're pretty much almost living in poverty they don't have enough money and the you know his children are sort of suffering as a result Bob's youngest son is called Tiny Tim Tiny Tim is sick and disabled he has A

problem with his legs or one of his legs and he has to walk with a crutch a crutch is a wooden thing that you hold under your arm that helps you to walk okay uh Bob has hardly any money but his family is close and loving then there are the three ghosts in fact there are four ghosts in this story but I'm going to tell you about three of those ghosts now so Scrooge is visited by three ghosts and they are called The Ghost of Christmas Past the Ghost of Christmas present and the Ghost of

Christmas future and they show Scrooge Christmases from the past the present and the future then there's the phrase ba humbug bar hug so this is just a final thing um you you'll notice that Scrooge often says ba humbug and you might wonder what that means so the ba part of it is just an expression of disdain or contempt it's kind of a noise that Scrooge makes to show that he dislikes something like Ba okay humbug this is an oldfashioned word which Scrooge uses to say that he thinks Christmas is all just a big it's all

a big joke it's a sham it's a load of nonsense he doesn't believe in it so it's all humbug like all just nonsense really he doesn't believe in the whole idea of Christmas so when someone mentions it when he says Merry Christmas he goes B humbug it's all a it's all a humbug it's all a load of nonsense These Days bar hug is an Expression which people do actually use at Christmas it has become an expression which is associated with someone not enjoying Christmas but it's a negative expression it means so if someone says b

hug to you it means that you're being grumpy and you're not enjoying the festive season like do you want to come to the Christmas party n no it's all a load of nonsense isn't it Christmas oh bloody Christmas oh B hug you know it's an expression that is used to refer to Someone not enjoying Christmas or someone being grumpy it can be used as a criticism of someone or an expression of your dislike of the Christmas period so if you say ah bar humbug you know that you're being grumpy but you're saying it as an

expression of you know your dislike of the Christmas period all right then that's that let's get into the story okay here we go A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and first we have the preface by Charles Dickens the Little paragraph that he wrote uh and just at the beginning of the story so this is these are Charles dickens's words I've tried in this ghostly little book to raise the ghost of an idea which will not put my readers in a bad mood in any any way I hope it haunts their houses pleasantly and that no

one wishes to put it down their faithful friend and servant Charles Dickens December 1843 okay so here we go after 18 minutes sorry for the wait everyone um after About 18 minutes or so let's begin the story are you ready are you sitting comfortably okay let's begin part one Marley's ghost Mar was dead to begin with this must be understood or this story will mean nothing to anybody so we start with the fact that Scrooge's business partner Marley had died and Scrooge now carried on the money lending business alone he never removed old Marley's name

from the door of the office even though his old Partner was definitely dead the company was known still as Scrooge and Marley sometimes people call called Scrooge Scrooge and sometimes they got his name wrong and called him Marley but he answered to both names it was all the same to him oh Scrooge was a selfish old git he was as cold as a freezing winter night and he didn't thw one degree at Christmas he hated Christmas and everything it stood for no season of Goodwill for him it was just another excuse to Grumble and moan

and stay at home counting his money one dark Christmas Eve old Scrooge sat busy in his Counting house counting out his money it was freezing foggy weather outside Scrooge had a very small fire in his office but next door in his Clark's office the poor fire was even smaller and hardly even warm at all his poor clerk called Bob cratchet had worked for Scrooge for years and yet had Never once received a pay rise Merry Christmas uncle said Scrooge's nephew Fred coming into the room ba said Scrooge hug Christmas a humbug Uncle he said you

don't mean that do you if it was up to me said Scrooge indignantly every idiot who goes about with merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of Holly through his heart the nephew answered don't be angry Uncle come to our place for Christmas tomorrow ba humbug Christmas don't talk to me about Christmas it's all just a big jumped up shopping spree invented by the Americans the whole thing is just a scam to get the money out of your pocket well not mine I'm keeping mine you

do Christmas your way and I'll do it my way here on my own just like every other day thank you very much SU yourself uncle but we'll miss you this year again said Scrooge's Nephew Merry Christmas Uncle good afternoon said Scrooge his nephew even stopped to wish Merry Christmas to the Clark the poor cold Clark Bob cratchet managed a thin smile and a weak Merry Christmas in return as Scrooge's nephew left as he left Fred let two other people in they ENT Ed and bowed to Scrooge Mr Scrooge or Mr Marley said one of the

gentlemen Mr Marley Scrooge replied died s years ago this very night oh sorry for your Loss said one of the men what do you want snapped Scrooge Mr Scrooge said the gentleman it looks like it's going to be an especially freezing winter this year a few of us are going to buy some meat and drink for the poor and some blankets to keep keep them warm this Christmas what would you like to give nothing said Scrooge if they've got no money they can borrow it or failing that go to the detor Prisons many would rather

die than do that if they would rather die said Scrooge they'd better do it and decrease the Surplus population good afternoon gentlemen Scrooge went back to his work meanwhile it got even foggier darker and colder outside some Carol Singers walked by Scrooge's office one cold young boy stooped down at Scrooge's Keyhole to sing A Christmas Carol God bless you Merry Gentlemen May nothing you dismay as soon as he heard it Scrooge jumped up so that the singer fled in Terror leaving the keyhole to the fog eventually Closing Time arrived Scrooge nodded to the clerk Mr

cratchet who instantly snuffed his candle out and put on his hat you'll want all day off tomorrow I suppose said Scrooge yes please Mr Scrooge Christmas day you know it's only once a year after all a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every 25th of December said Scrooge no day off for you I expect you to be here extra early next morning cret just looked at him Scrooge went home to his gloomy house the yard outside was dark and the fog and frost hung about the place as he approached his door something strange happened

now the knocker the knocker on his door was very large and ordinary but tonight it looked Looked like well it looked like Marley's face Marley's face the eyes were wide open and its grayish color made it horrible in the halflight as Scrooge looked more closely it became a knocker again he did look carefully but the knocker was still a knocker load of old nonsense said Scrooge to himself he closed his door and double locked himself in he walked through his rooms to see that everything was all right and Then sat by the fire hug he

said stupid Christmas I'll be glad when it's all over and people start acting normally again and then he heard it a clanking noise from The Cellar as if some person were dragging a heavy chain sounded kind of like like this H Scrooge tried to ignore it and opened his paper listeners this is you can hear the clanking of Chains and the sort of scraping sounds this is what suddenly Scrooge could hear he tried to ignore it and opened his paper then he heard the sound again the noise of heavy chains being dragged and a faint

sound of Moaning Scrooge suddenly sat upright in his chair the noise was real and it was getting louder suddenly the Cellar Door flew open with a booming sound and then he Heard the noise coming up the stairs then straight towards his door quickly it came on through the heavy heavy door and passed into the room right in front of his eyes it was Jacob Marley back from the dead the chain Marley pulled was long and made of cash boxes Keys padlocks and purses his body was transparent so that Scrooge could see the buttons on his

coat hanging on the door behind what do you want with me said Scrooge Who are you in life I was your partner Jacob Marley humbug I tell you humbug at this the spirit rised a frightful cry and shook its chain Scrooge fell upon his knees the ghost asked do you believe in me or not I do said Scrooge I do but why do spirits walk the earth and why do they come to me it is required of every man the ghost Returned that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow men and if

that Spirit does not go forth in life it is condemned to do so after death what what do you mean said Scrooge failing to understand your spirit it does not walk with his fellow men and will be condemned to walk the earth after your death do you understand Scrooge Scrooge just continued to stare trembling but but you are chained he said tell me why I wear the chain I Forged in life and by the very work I did with you replied the ghost I made it link by link and yard by yard and of my

own free will I wore it Scrooge trembled more and more do you know pursued the ghost your chain was as heavy as this seven Christmas EES ago you have made it longer since then but you were always a good man of business Jacob faltered Scrooge business cried the ghost ringing its Hands mankind was my business greed was my business I spent my life on this Earth obsessing over money and mistreat eating the poor and the needy to fill my pocket old Scrooge I am condemned to walk the earth for eternity never to find rest or

peace I am here tonight to warn you continued the ghost you will be haunted by three Spirits I I think I'd rather not said Scrooge they will come to teach you a Lesson expect the first tomorrow said the ghost when the bell TOS one expect the second on the next night at the same hour the third upon the next night at the last stroke of 12 when it had said these words the Spectre floated out upon the Bleak Dark Night the air was filled with moaning Phantoms and every one of them wore chains like Marley's

ghost they faded away Scrooge closed the window and examined the door by which The ghost had entered it was still double locked as he' done with his own hands he tried to say humbug but stopped and he went straight to bed and fell asleep instantly okay that's part one woo scary stuff I I I wonder if I need to explain much really um I don't think this necessary to explain a lot except to say that so uh Scrooge um is obviously a very grumpy and very rude person uh he's when his Nephew wishes him happy

Christmas he just says it's a humbug it's a load of nonsense uh he demands that his poor uh Clark uh Bob cratchet comes first thing in the morning he demands that he comes to the office first thing in the morning even though tomorrow it's Christmas day um normally that should be a public holiday but he demands that he comes I mean these days that's a public holiday it's illegal for an employer to actually make someone work on that day but um you Know many years ago that was not illegal and employers like Scrooge could just

do whatever they wanted you know they could force their staff to come to work even on a day like Christmas day uh and you know unless they are a very kind-hearted boss you know that they they were able to do that um some some charity workers come to visit um Scrooge and uh they ask him to give money to charity because they're going To give money to the poor they're going to help the poor give them food and shelter and Scrooge basically says no if they need money they can borrow it right so it's not

very nice is it and uh Scrooge goes home and when he approaches his door he notices that the knocker on the door so a knocker is a metal thing which is used to knock the door right instead of you know these days obviously we have um doorbells dingdong but in those days it was a Metal knocker knock knock knock on the door he notices that the metal knocker looks strange and for a moment it looks like the face of his old partner Jacob Marley right um which is disturbing but he kind of ignores it and

Carries On and he goes into his home locks the door you know double locks the door and then the ghost visits him and uh he hears the sound of chains being dragged in the distance and the the sound gets closer and closer and suddenly the the ghost is There in the room with him and it's the ghost of his old business partner Jacob Marley um and Scrooge is frightened and Marley tells him that he is essentially condemned to walk the earth meaning that he uh as a sort of punishment um he has to haunt the

Earth walk the earth as a ghost so he's kind of stuck in limbo um and um because he was selfish in his life because he you know um was mean-spirited with other people and only um did business with other people for His own selfish um um reasons uh and so because of that uh he was condemned to to haunt the Earth as a ghost and warn other people not to to do the same thing so that's why he's there to tell Scrooge be careful cuz if you carry on like this then um you'll end up

like me and uh it's been you know seven years ago the the your chains were as long as mine and you've added seven more years since then so change your ways or you will end up like me a spirit stuck In limbo um haunting um you know haunting the Earth never able to rest and you know carrying these chains um okay so uh the spirit also says that Scrooge is going to be visited by three uh the three spirits who are going to show him different Visions okay all right so let's carry on then all

right so here we go with part two uh the first of the spirits when Scrooge woke up it was dark the Chimes of a neighboring Church struck the hour With a single deep Melancholy note light flashed up in the room and the curtains of his bed were drawn aside by a hand and Scrooge found himself face to face with the unearthly visitor who drew them right in front of his face it was a strange figure like a child or an old man its white hair hung about its neck and down its back and yet the

face had no wrinkles in it at all its legs and feet were bare it wore a white tunic with a shining belt it held a branch of Fresh green Holly in its hand and had its dress trimmed with summer flowers are you the spirit whose coming was foretold to me asked Scrooge the voice was soft and gentle I am the Ghost of Christmas Past long past in quired Scrooge no your past it put out its strong hand and clasped him gently by the arm rise and walk with me they passed through the wall and stood

on an open country road now it was A clear cold winter day with snow on the ground good Heavens said Scrooge recognizing the place where they were standing I was a boy in this place he wiped a tear and begged the ghost to lead him you remember the way inquired the spirit remember it cried Scrooge I could walk it blindfolded they walked along the road Scrooge recognizing every gate and tree until a little town appeared in the distance some Shaggy ponies trotted Towards them with boys of upon their backs all these boys shouted to each

other merrily Scrooge knew them all they were his old schoolmates he called out to them by name but the boys didn't respond these are but Shadows of the things that have been said the ghost they do not see us Scrooge was filled with happiness when he heard them tell each other merry Christmas as they parted but why What was Merry Christmas to Scrooge what good had it ever done to him the school is not quite deserted said the ghost a lonely child neglected and ignored by his friends is there still Scrooge said he knew it

and he cried they soon approached a large house its Windows broken and the many rooms cold C with no food in them they went The Ghost and Scrooge to the back of the house to a room with desks at one of these a lonely boy was reading near a Feeble little fire and Scrooge sat down beside his poor forgotten self as he used to be he said poor boy and cried again I wish Scrooge muttered after drying his eyes with his cuff I wish but it's too late now what is the matter asked the spirit

nothing said Scrooge nothing there was a boy singing A Christmas Carol at my door last night I should have given him something that's all the ghost smiled thoughtfully and Waved its hand saying as it did so let us see another Christmas and there he was alone again when all the other boys had gone home for the holidays the door opened a little girl rushed in and put her arms around his neck I've come to bring you home dear brother said the child we're going to be together all Christmas long and have the best time in

the world your sister said the ghost always A delicate creature but she had a large heart so she had cried Scrooge you're right spirit she died when she was a woman said The Ghost and had I think one child your nephew Scrooge answered sadly yes suddenly they were in a busy City here too it was Christmas time again but it was evening and the streets were decorated with Christmas lights the ghost stopped at a warehouse door and asked Scrooge if he knew it know it said Scrooge I was apprenticed here this is where I did

my training when he saw an Old Gentleman behind a high desk Scrooge cried in great excitement look it's fezy wig alive again my old boss Scrooge's former self now a young man came in beside his fellow Apprentice a young man called Dick old fezy wig laid down his pen and looked up at the clock he rubbed his hands and called out in a rich voice no more work tonight my Boys said fezy wig Christmas Eve dick Christmas ebeneser clear everything away Lads it was done in a minute the floor was swept the tables were cleared

away fuel was heaped onto the fire and the warehouse became a snug warm and bright Ballroom in came a fiddler with a music book in came Mrs fezy wig and the three Miss fezy wigs in came all the young men and women employed in the business the housemade the baker The Cook the Milkman and the party Started there were dances and games there was cake and roast beef and mince pies and plenty of Ale during all this time Scrooge has had acted like a man out of his mind he enjoyed everything now that he remembered

the ghost he became conscious that it was looking full upon him a small matter said the ghost for fezy Wig to make these silly folks so full of gratitude and Happiness small echoed Scrooge it isn't that Spirit he has the power to make our work a pleasure or a pain the happiness he gives it it's so big as if it cost a fortune and he stopped what is the matter asked the ghost um nothing in particular said Scrooge something I think the ghost insisted no said Scrooge no it it's just that I would like to

be able to say a word or two to my clerk just now that's all Scrooge and the ghost again stood in The open air I'm running out of time observed the spirit quick again Scrooge saw himself he was older now he was not alone but sat next to a pretty young girl in her eyes there were tears it matters little to you she said softly another Idol has taken my place it is the Love of Money goodbye may you be happy in the life you have chosen Spirit cried Scrooge show me no More I cannot

bear it leave me take me back haunt me no longer he was conscious of being exhausted and of being in his own bedroom he had barely time to fall onto bed before he sank into a heavy sleep okay all right so what happened in part two the spirit of Christmas Past past visited him this strange Spirit who's kind of Otherworldly and um is both very old and very young at the same time this Kind of weird timeless creepy spirit with this smooth voice um bring takes Scrooge to and takes Scrooge and shows him uh different

moments from his past the first one is um first they visit a place where Scrooge was a little boy and it sounds like it seems like Scrooge was an orphan or something there's no sign of his parents so maybe he was an orphan he lived in an orphanage it seems and there were the other boys there uh who he was delighted To see but apparently the other boys all went home for the holidays the Christmas holidays but poor little Scrooge had to stay in this house all on his own and it was very cold and

so clearly Scrooge started uh life very poor and on his own it's a sad story um then what happens then we see um yeah then we see Scrooge has a sister and his sister is obviously very very lovely and she has a big heart but the the Ghost Says that the sister she was delicate um so now it seems that the sister she died at some point but she did have a child um and you know the the point here is that this is the only person who with who showed any warmth to Scrooge was

his lovely sister sadly she died but she did leave um a nephew so this is you know Scrooge's only family probably the only person who again shows him any sense of emotional warmth or care but as we noticed at the beginning of the story Scrooge is just rude and dismissive to him and refuses to accept his invitation to spend Christmas with him um and then the uh the ghost uh shows uh Scrooge another scene and this is Scrooge later in life with a girl a girl who probably he maybe he was engaged to be married

to her or he was you know possibly going to get married to this girl you know his girlfriend or something I suppose uh but the girl is basically saying goodbye to him so they're splitting up because she Has decided that you know he only cares about money so he's Scrooge is alone because he maybe he there was a um a girl who he could have been in love with who he could have married but the relationship didn't work because apparently Scrooge um was emotionally cold and only cared about money and this shows you the direction

that his life took where he became a cold emotionless greedy person focused on Money and it was at the cost of a loving relationship with a with a woman Scrooge is very upset to see all these things and he's feeling a lot of regret he wishes that he could have gone back to the car singer who visited his his door uh the night before he wished that he could say some nice things to his um his clerk oh yeah the other thing he also visits uh a place where he used to work as an apprentice

so where he did his his professional training um with his old Boss called fezy wig and fezy wig apparently was a great boss uh someone who was generous with his staff and his trainees and his family at Christmas time and so someone who was a boss who was warm and generous generous enough to put on a big party at Christmas time and Scrooge noticed that his boss had this power this responsibility to make the lives of his staff wonderful or Terrible by his you know with his decisions so again this makes Scrooge reflect on how

He treats his uh his staff namely Bob cratchet okay the spirit takes Scrooge back to his bed Scrooge falls asleep again so we continue part three okay so here we go part three the second of the three Spirits Scrooge waited again lying in his bed in the darkness now when the bell struck one he saw a ghostly light coming from the next room he shuffled to the door a strange voice called him by his name and told him to enter the room Was hung with Holly and mistletoe and a huge fire went roaring up the

chimney heaped up like a throne were geese pies Plum puddings chestnuts oranges pears cakes and punch upon this food couch there sat a jolly giant who held a glowing torch high up to shed its light on Scrooge come in exclaimed The Ghost and know me better man Scrooge entered timidly and hung his head I am the Ghost of Christmas present said the spirit look upon Me Scrooge reverently did so the ghost was wearing a green robe bordered with white fur its feet were bare and on its head it wore a holly wreath set here and

there with shining icicles you've never seen the like of me before exclaimed the spirit Spirit said Scrooge take me where you want I went out last night and I learned a lesson which is working now tonight if you have anything to teach me Let me profit by it here touch my robe Feast fire room all vanished instantly and they stood in the city streets on a snowy Christmas morning the sky was gloomy and yet there was an air of cheerfulness like a summer day soon the bells called the people to church and out they came

flocking through the streets in their best clothes and with their happiest faces the good spirit led him straight to Scrooge's Clark's house Bob ket's house And at the door the spirit smiled and stopped to bless Bob crit's dwelling think think of that Bob had only £50 a week himself and yet the Ghost of Christmas present blessed his little house then up Rose Mrs cratchet dressed poorly in A Worn out dress where's your precious father then said Mrs cratchet to the little crets and your brother Tiny Tim in came Bob the father in his worn out

clothes and Tiny Tim upon his Shoulder sadly Tiny Tim held a little crutch which he needed to help him walk and how did Little Tim behave asked Mrs cratchet as good as gold said Bob at last the dishes were set on the table and Grace was said Bob said he didn't believe that a better Goose had ever been cooked Mrs cret brought in the pudding like a speckled Cannonball blazing with brandy and with Christmas holly stuck into the top a wonderful pudding Bob proposed a Toast a Merry Christmas to us all my dears God bless

us God bless us everyone said Tiny Tim the last of all he sat very close to his father's side upon his little stool Bob held his withered little hand in his as he loved the child and wished to keep him by his side and dreaded that he might be taken from him spirit said Scrooge with an interest he'd never felt before tell me if Tiny Tim will live I see a vacant seat replied the ghost in the corner and a crutch without an owner if these Shadows remain unaltered by the future the child will die

no no said Scrooge oh no kind Spirits say that he will be spared if these Shadows remain unaltered by the future he will die this year repeated The Ghost and and decrease the Surplus population Scrooge hung his head ashamed to hear his own words man said the ghost are you the one to decide who should live and who should die it may be that in the sight of Heaven you are more worthless and less fit to live than Millions like this poor man's child but now Scrooge heard his own name Mr Scrooge toasted Bob I'll

give you Mr Scrooge the founder of the feast the founder of the feast indeed cried Mrs cratchet reading my dear was Bob's mild answer Christmas day I'll drink to his health for your sake and the days said Mrs cret long life to him a merry Christmas and a happy New Year the children drank the toast after her but they didn't care for it Scrooge was the ogre of the family monster the Mention of his name cast a dark shadow on the Party by and by they had a song from Tiny Tim who had a sweet

little voice and sang it very well indeed they were not a handsome family they were not well-dressed but they were happy grateful pleased with one another and contented with the time that they had Scrooge watched them and especially Tiny Tim until the end and now they traveled through coal Miners homes past ships on the the dark sea and everywhere they went no matter how poor every person hummed a Christmas tune or had a Christmas thought and every person good or bad had a kind word for another on that day Scrooge heard a hearty laugh and

recognized it as his own nephews he found himself in a bright gleaming room with the spirit standing smiling by his side laughed Scrooge's NE he said that Christmas was a humbug a Load of nonsense and he believed it too more shame for him Fred said Scrooge's niece indignantly he's a comical old fellow said Scrooge's nephew and not as pleasant as he could be however his offenses carry their own punishment and I'm sorry for him who is it that suffers from his ill temper himself always they had some music and played some games because it's good

to be children sometimes and never better than At Christmas they all played and sang and so did Scrooge singing quite loud he begged like a boy to be allowed to stay until the guests departed but this the spirit said could not be done they saw many things and went to many places and everywhere the spirit went he left his Blessing it was a long night and Scrooge noticed that the the ghost Grew Older and he noticed that its hair was Gray are spirits lives so short asked Scrooge my life upon this globe is very brief

replied the ghost It Ends Tonight at midnight listen the time is Drawing Near The Bell struck 12 and the spirit disappeared as the last stroke ceased to vibrate he remembered the prediction of old Jacob Marley and lifting up his eyes he beheld a solemn Phantom draped and hooded coming like a Mist along the ground towards him okay so that's the end of part Three what's happened there basically the Ghost of Christmas present is showing him Christmases you know that are happening today right including the home of Bob cratchet who is uh Scrooge's Clark who he

doesn't pay very much money and so on right and uh Scrooge's family um cratchit's family are very poor but they're happy it's a loving family the little boy the youngest of the family Tiny Tim he's sick um uh and you know His his his parents adore him um and they want to protect him um basically they're poor but they're happy and they love each other and they're happy with what they've got and even though Scrooge is such a nasty horrible uh mean boss they even raise a toast they even raise their glasses to him to

his name um at Christmas um you know they're they're good people you know basically and the spirit shows Scrooge other Christmases all all over the place and people are Also having a similar time except Scrooge himself okay right let's move on part four the last of the spirits the Phantom approached in deep black robes which left nothing of it visible except for one bony hand so this spirit is like some kind of skeleton or something but it's covered in dark robes like a dementor or something from Harry Potter you know um in dark robes with

a bony hand am I in the presence of the Ghost Of Christmas Yet to Come said Scrooge you are about to show me Shadows of the things that will happen is that so spirit Scrooge's legs trembled beneath him ghost of the future he exclaimed I fear you more than any Spector I have seen but I know your purpose is to do me good and I'm prepared to Bear your company and do it with a thankful heart will you not speak to me it gave him no reply the hand was pointed straight Ahead lead on said

Scrooge lead on the night is precious to me I know lead Fe on Spirit the Phantom moved away they were in the Heart of the City amongst the merchants who hurried up and down and chinked the money in their pockets as Scrooge had often seen them do the spirit stopped beside one little knot of businessmen a group of businessmen pointing to them Scrooge Advanced to listen to their talk no said one of the men I don't know Much about it it I only know he's dead when did he die inquired another last night I believe

what's he done with all his money I haven't heard said the first man yawning it's likely to be a very cheap funeral I don't know anybody who would go to it I don't mind going if a lunch is provided laughed one gentleman Scrooge knew the men and looked towards the spirit for an Explanation Scrooge felt that the Unseen eyes of the ghost were looking at him closely it made him shudder and feel very cold they went into a dirty part of town where the shops and houses red with filth and misery there was a shop

where greasy old junk was bought Scrooge and the Phantom came into this shop called Old Joe's just as two women and a man carried in several bags of stuff laughing the man produced his takings First a pencil case and a brooch were all he had old Joe added up his prices upon the wall I know these things said Scrooge they're just like mine and they're worth much more money than this man is paying who's next said Joe Mrs dilbur was next sheets and towels two old oldfashioned silver teaspoons a pair of sugar tongs and a

few boots her account was stated on the wall in the same manner I paid 2 Shillings 10 for Teaspoons just like those Scrooge objected and now open up my bag Joe said the next woman Joe dragged out a large and heavy roll of some dark stuff the same fabric and color as Scrooge's bed curtains bed curtains said Joe you don't mean to say you took them down rings and all with him lying there dead yes I do replied the woman why not what his blankets too who's else do you think replied the Woman and that's

the best shirt he had and a fine one too they'd have wasted it if it hadn't been for me putting it on him to be buried in they were she laughed but I took it off again Scrooge looked at a shirt just like his own shirt and listened in horror ha laughed the same woman when old Joe paid out the money in return for the shirt and the other things this is the end of it you see he frightened everyone away from him when He was alive to profit us when he was dead spirit said

Scrooge shuddering from head to foot I see I see the case of this unhappy man might be my own merciful Heaven what is this he recoiled in Terror for the scene had changed and now he almost touched a bed a bare uncurtained bed on which beneath a ragged sheet there lay the body of this man he lay in the dark empty house with no one to tell his story or mourn his Death Spirit Scrooge said this is a fearful place let us go the ghost led him to poor Bob ket's house and found the mother

and the children seated around the fire very quiet the little crotchets were as still as statues in one corner with Peter who had a book in front of him the mother and her daughters were sewing but certainly they were very quiet the mother laid her work upon the Table and put her hand up to her face oh your father should have been home by now she said Peter said shutting up his book but I think he's walked a little slower than he used to these last few evenings mother at last she said he used to

walk with Tiny Tim upon his shoulder very fast indeed but he was very light to carry and his father loved him so ah there's your father at the door she hurried out to meet him Bob broke down all at once and cried he Couldn't help it they gathered in front of the fire and talked Bob told them of the extraordinary kindness of Mr Scrooge's nephew whom he had scarcely seen but once I'm terribly sorry about this Mr cratchet Fred had said and sorry for your good wife I'm sure that none of us will forget poor

Tiny Tim shall we never father they all cried Spectre said Scrooge tell me what man that was Whom we saw lying dead the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come did not answer but led him straight on until they reached an iron gate a churchyard here then The Wretched Man whose name he had now to learn lay underneath the ground answer me one question said Scrooge are these the Shadows of the things that will be or are they Shadows of things that may be only the spirit stood among the graves And pointed down to one of

them Scrooge followed the finger and read upon the stone of the Grave his own name Ebenezer Scrooge the finger pointed from the grave to him and back again no Spirit no oh no no the finger was still there Spirit he cried tightly clutching at its robe hear me I am not the man I was I've changed why show me this if I am past all Hope For The First Time The Hand Appeared to shake good spirit he pursued I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year I will live

in the past the present and the future the spirits of all three shall strive within me I will not shut out the lessons that they have taught me oh tell me I can remove the writing on this Stone in his Agony he caught the spectral hand the Phantom's hood and dress shrunk collapsed and dwindled down into a bed Post okay that's the end of part four what happened gosh what actually happened I can't quite remember I was a bit too involved in the story there um it's the spirit of Christmas Yet to Come so this

is the spirit of the future okay and okay so basically what Scrooge is seeing what this spirit is showing him is that Scrooge has died and um people are talking about him people don't care that he died people are only Wondering about his belongings about his money who's going to get the money who's going to get his stuff no one actually cares about him his body is left lying on the bed then his body is buried in the cemetery no one is there to mourn his death um even people are bringing his belongings like his

clothes and his like silver spoons and stuff from his kitchen the curtains from the wall even the shirt that he was wearing has been removed From his his dead body and this is being uh sold uh in some terrible horrible shop in a bad part of town uh all his belongings are being sold there by people who don't care about him um so this is this is tragic stuff right this is really really tragic stuff and Scrooge can't bear to see it he can't bear the idea that he's he's just lying there dead um you

know with with people just taking his belongings um you know the this is his legacy right um okay so Then let's move on to part five then so here we are part five the end of it yes so the at the end the spirit he's you know imploring the spirit like asking the spirit to to give him a chance because he's learned his lesson and he's going going to change his ways and he he's desperate you know for the spirit to to understand that he's he's definitely going to be different he's going to live um

with the spirit of Christmas in his Heart right he's going to change his ways and he grabs the hand of the spirit the Bony hand and as he does so the spirit sort of disappears and instead there's a bed post the the the wooden post of one of the wooden post one of the wooden posts of his bed is just there in front of him so part five the end of it yes and the bed post was his own the bed was his own the room was his own best and happiest of all the time

before him was his own time to make Amends to make changes to fix things I will live in the past the present and the future Scrooge repeated as he scrambled out of bed the spirits of all three shall strive within me oh Jacob Marley Christmas time be praised for this I say it on my knees old Jacob on my knees his face was wet with tears they are not torn down cried Scrooge folding one of his bed curtains in his arms they are not torn down rings And all they are here I am here the

Shadows of the things that would have been may be dispelled they will be I know they will I can change the future I don't know what to do cried Scrooge laughing and crying in the same breath I'm as light as a feather I'm as happy as an angel I'm as merry as a school boy I'm as giddy as a as a drunken man a Merry Christmas to everybody a Happy New Year to all the world he'd hurried into the sitting room And was now standing there there's the door by which the ghost of Jacob Marley

entered cried Scrooge starting off again and going around the fireplace there's the corner where the Ghost of Christmas present sat there's the window where I saw the wandering Spirits it's all right it's all true it all happened really for a man who'd been out of practice for so many years it was a splendid Laugh I don't know what day of the month it is cried Scrooge I don't know how long I've been among the spirits I don't know anything never mind I don't care the churches began ringing out louder and clearer than he'd ever heard

Clash clang Hammer ding dong bell what a glorious glorious sound running to the window he opened it and put out his head no fog no mist just clear bright cold golden sunlight Heavenly Sky Sweet fresh air merry Bells what a glorious Glorious Day what day is it today cried Scrooge calling downward to a boy in Sunday clothes he returned the boy what day is it my fine fellow said Scrooge today replied the boy why it's it's Christmas day sir it's Christmas Day said Scrooge to himself I haven't missed it the spirits have done it all

in one night they can do anything they like of course they can of course they can hello my fine fellow hello hello returned the boy do you know the butcher's shop in The next street at the corner Scrooge inquired I certainly do replied the lad an intelligent boy said Scrooge a remarkable boy do you know whether they've sold the prize turkey that was hanging up there not the little turkey the big one what the one as big as me returned the boy what a delightful boy said Scrooge yes yes well it's hanging there now replied

the boy is it said Scrooge go and buy It what exclaimed the boy seriously said Scrooge go and tell them to bring it here so that I can give them the directions where to take it come back with the man and I'll give you a tener come back with him in less than 5 minutes and I'll give you 20 the boy was off like a shot I'll send it to Bob crets whispered Scrooge rubbing his hands laughing he won't know who sent it it's twice the size of Tiny Tim he wrote down the address somehow

and went downstairs to open the street door ready for the coming of the butcher's man as he stood there waiting for him to arrive the door knocker caught his eye the one that had appeared to him as the face of old Jacob Marley the night before I shall love it as long as I live cried Scrooge patting it with his hand It's a Wonderful knocker ah here's the turkey hello again Merry Christmas it was a turkey why it's impossible to carry that to Camden Town said Scrooge I'll get you a cab the chuckle with which

he said this and the chuckle with which he paid for the turkey and the chuckle with which he paid for the cab and the chuckle little laugh which he paid which he paid the boy were only to be exceeded by the chuckle with which he sat down breathless in his chair again and chuckled until he Cried he dressed himself up in his best clothes and at last got out into the streets the people were by this time all pouring out of their homes as he'd seen them with the Ghost of Christmas present and Scrooge looked

at every one of them with a delighted smile three or four goodh humored people said good morning sir Merry Christmas to you and Scrooge said often afterwards that of all the happy sounds he'd ever heard those were the happiest in his ears he'd not gone Far when coming towards him he saw the gentleman who' walked into his Counting house the day before it sent a Pang across his heart to think how this Old Gentleman would look upon him when they met but he knew what path lay straight before him and he took it uh excuse

me said Scrooge quickening his pace and putting his hand on the gentleman's shoulder how do you do I I hope you succeeded yesterday it was very kind of you to collect things for the poor a Merry Christmas to you sir allow me to ask ask your pardon and will you have the goodness to allow me to give you here Scrooge whispered in his ear Goodness Me cried the gentleman as if his breath were taken away My Dear Mr Scrooge are you serious if you please said Scrooge not a penny less a great many back payments

are included in it I assure you will you do me that favor my dear sir said the other shaking Hands with him I don't know what to say don't say anything please retorted Scrooge will you come and see me I will cried the Old Gentleman and it was clear he meant to do it thank you said Scrooge I am much obliged to you I thank you so much and God bless you he went to church and walked about the streets and watched the people hurrying to and fro and patted children on the head and found

that everything gave him pleasure he'd never dreamed That anything could give him so much happiness in the afternoon he turned his steps towards his nephew's house he passed the door a dozen times before he had the courage to go up and knock but he made a dash and he did it knock knock knock is your master at home my dear said Scrooge to the girl uh yes sir where is he my love said Scrooge he's in the dining room sir along with his sister uh I'll show you upstairs if you'd like he knows me they

both do said Scrooge with his hand already on the dining room lock I'll go in here myself my dear Fred said Scrooge why bless my soul cried Fred who's that it's me it's your Uncle Scrooge I've come to dinner will you let me in Fred let him in he's lucky Fred didn't shake his arm off he was made to feel welcome and at home in 5 minutes nothing could be heartier wonderful party wonderful games wonderful Happiness but he was early at the office the next morning if he could only be there first and catch Bob

cratchet coming late that was the thing he had set his heart upon and he did it yes he did the Clock Struck N9 no Bob a quarter past no Bob he was a full 18 and 1 half minutes late Scrooge sat with his door wide open so he could see him come into the office his hat was off before he opened the door he was on his stool in a jiffy Working away with his pen as if he were trying to make up for his lateness hello growled Scrooge in his accustomed voice as near as

he could feain it what do you mean by coming in here at this time of day I'm very sorry sir said Bob I'm late I know you are repeated Scrooge yes I think you are step this way sir if you please uh it's only once a year sir pleaded Bob I won't do it again we had a Bit of a party yesterday sir I've got a bit of a hangover to be honest but I'm good for work I promise now now I'll tell you what my friend said Scrooge I'm not going to stand this sort

of thing any longer and therefore he continued and therefore I am about to raise your salary Bob trembled he had a momentary idea of knocking Scrooge down holding him and calling to the people in the hospital For help and a straight jacket like there's something wrong with him and Merry Christmas Bob said Scrooge with an earnestness that could not be mistaken as he clapped him on the back a merrier Christmas Bob my good fellow than I have given you for many a year I'll raise your salary and try to help your struggling family and we

will discuss your Affairs this very afternoon Bob come on let's get a good warm fire going in the Fireplace Scrooge was better than his word he did it all and infinitely more and to Tiny Tim who did not die he was like a second father he became as good a friend as good a master as good a man as the good old city knew or any other good old city town or burough in the good old world some people laughed to see the change in him but he let them laugh his own heart laughed and

that was quite enough for him he had no no further meetings with Spirits ever again and people always said about him that he knew how to do Christmas properly If any man alive possessed the knowledge may that be truly said of us and all of us and so as Tiny Tim observed God bless us everyone so there you go that is the end of the story I really hope you enjoyed that it's a good story isn't it don't you think think it is a good story it's got a good message and so on I think

you Understood that at the end of the story Scrooge was a a reformed man a changed man and he goes out and he's super generous with everyone and he reconnects with his nephew Fred and they have a wonderful dinner together and then he's kind to Bob cratchet and he raises his salary and in fact looks after him and his family and becomes the good boss like Mr fezziwig um was to him previously uh so a heartwarming story at the end um so a bit scary a bit chilling At some moments that story but ultimately it's

a heartwarming tale and I hope you enjoyed it okay what do you think um supermarket Santa what did you think oh ho ho ho I really enjoyed it Luke ho ho Merry Christmas wow what a sort of Jolly uh Super Market Santa you really are um and uh listeners I don't know if you could hear the noises in the corridor outside my room you may have been able to hear banging and crashing sounds that's not a ghost as far as I Know hopefully not I don't think I'm being haunted by any kind of spirits uh

but there is a guy who's doing work uh in the corridor and hopefully that didn't disturb uh your enjoyment of the story um I think that he probably overheard a lot of those lot of he probably overheard me telling that story he's probably wondering to himself what is going on in that room what is this guy doing in there um being haunted by spirits and stuff I don't know what he Thinks uh I'll when I leave to go and have my lunch in a minute I'll just be like bonjour like that as and he'll be

like uh bonjour anyway maybe he listens to Luke's English podcast who knows well he does now he did today anyway without even realizing it thank you very much for listening to this episode I really hope you've enjoyed it um Merry Christmas Happy New Year seasons greetings if you don't celebrate Christmas just you know happy um happy time I guess thank you from thank you for listening to my podcast um yeah there's going to be like one more double episode before the end of the year okay uh so that will come soon and then um well

I'm going to be on holiday and I'll be back doing podcast again in the New Year okay everyone uh so until then until next time anyway I will now wish you a very very very festive goodbye wherever you are in the world Whatever you're doing whether it's morning afternoon evening or night thank you take care be good to each other and goodbye bye bye bye bye bye