为您找到与小猫钓鱼的英文故事幼儿版相关的共200个结果:
孟姜女哭长城的故事相信大家都是很熟悉的,那么你看过英文版的孟姜女哭长城吗,今天读文网小编在这里为大家分享孟姜女哭长城经典故事,欢迎大家阅读!
seeking her husband at the great wall
a han folktale
a little over two hundred years before our era, the first emperor of the chin dynasty ascended the throne under the name of shih huang. this emperor was very cruel towards his subjects, forcing people from every part of the country to come and build the great wall to protect his empire. work never stopped, day or night, with the people carrying heavy loads of earth and bricks under the overseers' whips, lashes, and curses. they received very little food; the clothes they wore were threadbare. so it was scarcely to be wondered at that large numbers of them died every day.
there was a young man, named wan hsi-liang, among those who had been pressed into the service of building emperor shih huang's great wall. this wan hsi-liang had a beautiful and virtuous wife, whose name was meng chiang-nu. for a long, long time after her husband was forced to leave her, meng chiang-nu had no news of him, and it saddened her to think what he must be suffering, toiling for the accursed emperor. her hatred of the wicked ruler grew apace with her longing for the husband he had torn from her side. one spring, when the flowers were in bloom and the trees budding, when the grass was a lush green, and the swallows were flying in pairs in the sky, her sorrow seemed to deepen as she walked in the fields, so she sang:
in march the peach is blossom-dressed;
swallows, mating, build their nest.
two by two they gaily fly....
left all alone, how sad am i!
but even when autumn came round, there still was no news about wan hsi-liang. it was rumored that the great wall was in building somewhere way up north where it was so cold that one would hardly dare stick one's hands out of one's sleeves. when meng chiang-nu heard this, she hurriedly made cotton-padded clothes and shoes for her husband. but who should take these to him when it was such a long way to the great wall? pondering the matter over and over, she finally decided she would take the clothes and shoes to wan hsi-liang herself.
it was rather cold when she started out. the leaves had fallen from the trees and, as the harvest had been gathered in, the fields were empty and forlornly dismal. it was very lonely for meng chiang-nu to walk all by herself, especially since she had never been away from home in her life, and did not know the way and had to ask for directions every now and then.
one evening she failed to reach a town she was going to, so she put up for the night in a little temple in a grove beside the road. having walked the whole day, she was very tired and fell asleep as soon as she lay down on a stone table. she dreamed her husband was coming towards her, and a feeling of great happiness enveloped her. but then he told her that he had died, and she cried bitterly. when she woke up in the morning, she was overwhelmed by doubts and sadness as she remembered this dream. with curses on the emperor who had torn so many families asunder, meng chiang-nu continued on her way.
one day, she came to a small inn by the side of the hilly road. the inn was kept by an old woman who, when she saw meng chiang-nu's hot face and dusty clothes, asked where she was going. when meng chiang-nu told her, she was deeply moved.
"aya!" she sighed, "the great wall is still far away from here, there are mountains and rivers to cross before you. how can a weak young woman like yourself get there?" but meng chiang-nu told the old woman she was determined to get the clothes and shoes to her husband, no matter what the difficulty. the old woman was as much touched by the younger one's willpower as she was concerned about her safety. the next day she accompanied meng chiang-nu over a distance to show her sympathy.
and so, meng chiang-nu walked on and on and on till, one day, she came to a deep valley between the mountains. the sky was overcast with gray clouds, a strong wind was blowing that chilled the air. she walked quite a long time through the valley without, however, finding a single house. all she could see were weeds, brambles and rocks. it was getting so dark that she could no longer see the road. at the foot of the mountains there was a river, running with water of a murky color. where should she go? being at her wit's end, she decided to spend the night among some bushes. as she had not eaten anything for the whole day, she shivered all the more violently in the cold. thinking of how her husband must be suffering in this icy cold weather, her heart contracted with a pain as sharp as a knife. when meng chiang-nu opened her eyes the next morning, she found to her amazement the whole valley and her own body covered with a blanket of snow. how was she to continue her travel?
while she was still quite at a loss as to what to do, a crow suddenly alighted before her. it cawed twice and flew on a short distance, then sat down again in front of her and cawed again twice. meng chiang-nu decided that the bird was inviting her to follow its direction and so she resumed her travel, a little cheered because of the company of this living thing, and she began to sing as she walked along:
thick and fast swirl round the winter snows:
i, meng chiang-nu, trudge, bearing winter clothes,
a starveling crow, alas, my only guide,
the great wall far, and i far from his side!
thus she walked past mountain ranges, crossing big rivers as well as small streams.
and thus many a dreary day had passed before she at last reached the great wall. how excited she was when she caught sight of it, meandering like a huge serpent over the mountains before her. the wind was piercingly cold and the bare mountains were covered with dry grass only, without a single tree anywhere. clusters of people were huddling against the great wall; these were the people who had been driven here to build it.
meng chiang-nu walked along the great wall, trying to find her husband among those who were toiling here. she asked after her husband, but nobody knew anything about him, so she had to go on and on inquiring.... she saw what sallow faces the toilers had, their cheekbones protruding through the skin, and she saw many dead lying about, without anybody paying any attention. her anguish over her husband's unknown fate increased, so that she shed many bitter tears as she continued her search.
at last she learned the sad truth. her husband had died long ago because of the unbearably hard toil, and his body had been put underground where he fell, under the great wall. hearing this tragic news, meng chiang-nu fell into a swoon. some of the builders tried to revive her, but it was a long while before she regained consciousness. when she did, she burst into a flood of tears, for several days on end, so that many of the toilers wept with her. so bitter was her lament that, suddenly, a length of over two hundred miles of the great wall came crumbling down, while a violent storm made the sand and bricks whirl about in the air.
"it was meng chiang-nu who, by her tears, caused the great wall to crumble!" the people along the edifice told one another with amazement, at the same time filled with hatred of the cruel emperor, who caused nothing but misery to his subjects.
when the emperor heard how meng chiang-nu had brought part of his great wall down, he immediately went to see for himself what sort of person she was. he found that she was as beautiful as a fairy, so he asked her to become his concubine. meng chiang-nu who hated him so deeply for his cruel ways would, of course, not consent to this. but she felt a ruse would serve her purpose better than frankness, so she answered amiably: "yes, i will, if you do three things for me." the emperor then asked what these three things were and meng chiang-nu said: "the first is that you bury my husband in a golden coffin with a silver lid on it; the second is that all your ministers and generals go into mourning for my husband and attend his funeral; the third is that you attend his funeral yourself, wearing deep mourning as his son would do." being so taken with her beauty, the emperor consented to her requests at once. everything was, therefore, arranged accordingly. in funeral procession, emperor shih huang walked closely behind the coffin, while a cortege of all his courtiers and generals followed him. the emperor anticipated happily the enjoyment the beautiful, new concubine would give him.
but meng chiang-nu, when she saw her husband properly buried, kowtowed before his tomb in homage to the deceased, crying bitterly for a long time. then, all of a sudden, she jumped into the river that flowed close by the tomb. the emperor was infuriated at being thwarted in his desires. he ordered his attendants to pull her out of the water again. but before they could seize her, meng chiang-nu had turned into a beautiful, silvery fish and swam gracefully out of sight, deep down into the green-blue water.
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百顺孝为先,这是中国的传统美德之一,而中国民间有着二十四孝经典故事,今天读文网小编在这里为大家分享一些二十四孝经典民间故事,欢迎大家阅读!
Shun, a legendary ancient emperor and one of the Five Emperors, had a surname of Yao and a last name of Chonghua. He was also known as Yushi or called as Yushun in Chinese history.
舜,传说中的远古帝王,五帝之一,姓姚,名重华,号有虞氏,史称虞舜。
According to the legend, his father Gusou (literally the blind old-man), stepmother and half brother Xiang plotted to kill him for many times:
相传他的父亲瞽叟及继母、异母弟象,多次想害死他:
They let Shun revamp the roof of granary and set fire under the barn, Shun jumped to escape with two bamboo hats in hand; they also let Shun dig a well, but Gusou and Xiang filled soil to the well while the digging, Shun then dug underground tunnel to escape.
让舜修补谷仓仓顶时,从谷仓下纵火,舜手持两个斗笠跳下逃脱;让舜掘井时,瞽叟与象却下土填井,舜掘地道逃脱。
Afterwards, Shun didn't resent and was still humble to his father and loved his younger brother.
事后舜毫不嫉恨,仍对父亲恭顺,对弟弟慈爱。
His conducts of filial piety moved the King of Heaven. When Shun cultivated in Mount Li, elephants ploughed for him while birds weeded for him.
他的孝行感动了天帝。舜在厉山耕种,大象替他耕地,鸟代他锄草。
Emperor Yao heard that Shun was a filial son with the talents of dealing with political affairs, and married off his two daughters, Ehuang and Nvying, to Shun.
帝尧听说舜非常孝顺,有处理政事的才干,把两个女儿娥皇和女英嫁给他
Through years of observation and tests, Emperor Yao selected Shun as his successor. After Shun ascended the throne as the Son of Heaven, he still called on his father respectfully, and granted the leud title to Xiang.
经过多年观察和考验,选定舜做他的继承人。舜登天子位后,去看望父亲,仍然恭恭敬敬,并封象为诸侯。
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幼儿英语的目的是:在幼儿语言“布罗卡斯”区发育的关键期内(3~12岁),充分的给予刺激,使其得到全面发展。这个阶段是人类固定的比较容易习得语言的阶段,只有这个阶段吸收的语言,才能被大脑认为是“母语”。
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猫咪是人们最常饲养的宠物之一,猫的种类有很多,你知道小猫咪的英文怎么说吗?现在跟读文网小编一起学习关于猫咪的英语知识吧。
网 络pussy cat;kitty;The pussycat dolls;pussy
1. Why can't they leave my pussy alone? 为什么他们就不能离我小猫咪远一点?
2. Humph! That makes me so upset! The kitten is so mean! 狐狸:哼! 真气死我啦! 小猫咪真是个坏东西!
3. Dudu bear and Maomao cat are playing with some kittens together. 嘟嘟熊和毛毛球和小猫咪在一起玩.
4. Anderson was in a snit when she lost her kitten. 当安德森的小猫咪不见了的时候,她显得十分不安.
5. She took the little stray kitten to her heart immediately. 她很快就喜欢上了那只迷途的小猫咪.
6. A three - year - old went with his dad to see a litter of kittens. 一个三 岁 的小孩跟着爸爸去看一窝刚刚出生的小猫咪.
7. I have mixed feelings whenever I see these kittens. 每次看到小猫咪,心里都会有喜忧参半的感觉.
8. Not here, whiskers. Daddy will discuss it later. 现在还不行, 小猫咪, 待会爸爸会和我们讨论这件事的.
9. Third picture: The kitten and her older brother. 第三张: 小猫咪和它的大哥.
10. Little kitten would like a prom date. 小猫咪想参加舞会.
11. Raindrops on roses. And whiskers on kittens. 玫瑰花上的雨珠,小猫咪的胡须.
12. He treated the kitten cruelly. 他残忍地对待那小猫咪.
13. She nursed her kitten all evening. 整个晚上她一直抱着她的小猫咪.
14. It was tragic when my kitten was run over by the big truck. 我的小猫咪被大卡车轧死了,真是太惨了.
15. Windsor Castle has been the victim of cat burglar every day for the past fouryears. 过去四年来,一只小猫咪每天都会溜进温莎堡去蹭饭.
16. After I'd mourned for several months, he encouraged me to adopt a kitten. 在我悲伤数月之后, 他怂恿我领养了一只小猫咪.
17. It is a lovely fat snow leopard, not an owl, or a small cat! 它是一只可爱的胖胖的雪豹, 不是猫头鹰, 或者小猫咪!
18. The kitten wormed its way through the just-open door. 小猫缩着身子从刚开了一点儿的门中挤过来。
19. The kitten was curled on a cushion on the sofa. 那只小猫在沙发垫子上蜷缩成了一团。
20. I've got a wee kitten in the flat. 我在公寓里养了一只小猫。
Research from the University of Edinburgh and the Bronx Zoo suggests that cats have personalities similar to those of African lions. Some suggest this means your cat wants to be rid of you.
爱登堡大学和布朗科斯动物园的研究表明,猫和非洲狮有相似的个性。有人据此推断,你的宠物猫正想要摆脱你呢。
I fear that cat research has been heading in a disturbing direction for some time. Last year, a wise anthrozoologist declared that your feline thinks you're just one big, stupid cat. Earlier this year, researchers in the UK said cats really don't need their owners at all. And now this.
近些年来,关于猫的研究结果都很令人担忧。去年,一个“机智的”人类学家声称,猫咪认为主人只是一只又大又蠢的猫而已。再早些年,英国的一些研究人员表示,猫咪根本不需要主人。现在,我们又有了以下实验。
Some have interpreted a study from the Bronx Zoo and the University of Edinburgh in Scotland as saying that your cat might be trying to bump you off. Yes, kill you, eat you, that sort of thing. The study is entitled "Personality Structure in the Domestic Cat, Scottish Wildcat, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard, and African Lion". Truly, I love these academic titles.
有人将爱登堡大学和布朗科斯动物园的研究翻译过来,称你的宠物猫可能正想要杀了你呢。对,杀了你,吃掉你,或其他类似的想法。这个研究的名子是“家猫、苏格兰野猫、云豹、雪豹、非洲狮的个性结构”。说实话,我喜欢这些学术名称。
The researchers set out to discover whether there were any consistent similarities in personality between these disparate types of felines. What they found was that each had three dominant personality types. The Scottish wildcat, for example, had at its core dominance, agreeableness and self-control. Which is not dissimilar to many of my Scottish friends. As for domestic cats: Dominance, impulsiveness and neuroticism. I can see how living with humans makes you neurotic. I have experienced this. However, what the researchers further discovered was that these three were the same personality traits prevalent in African lions. And we all know that these lions, especially when they feel threatened, tend not to disappear into their manes
研究人员从这些不同猫科动物的个性相同点着手,发现每种都有三个类型的主要个性。比如苏格兰野猫的支配性、亲和性和自我控制性,这和我苏格兰朋友们的个性很相似。而家猫的个性是:控制、冲动和神经质。我知道,和人相处久了,是会变得神经质些,因为我就有这样的经历。但是,研究人员还发现,家猫的这三种个性和非洲狮的很相像。并且,我们都知道,这些狮子不会选择退让,特别是它们受到威胁的时候。
The researchers studied the animals' behaviors along a popular test of the "Big Five" human personality aspects: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion/Introversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. When it comes to domestic cats, the research report said of their neuroticism that it had " the highest loadings on anxious, insecure, and tense, suspicious, and fearful of people."
这些研究人员通过人类的“五大”个性特征来研究动物的行为:经验开放性、自觉性、外向性/内向型、随和性/神经质。他们的报告表明,家猫比较神经质,“对人类感到极为焦虑、不安、紧张、多疑和害怕。”
What are we doing to these animals? Or have they always been this way? The mere thought that cats are fearful of us and might, therefore, want to take us out is chilling. But still less chilling, perhaps, than knowing and seeing what humans do to each other.
我们对这些动物都做了些什么?或者说,它们一直都是这样的吗?猫咪们对我们感到很恐惧,还可能希望杀了我们这一想法让人心寒。但是,人类对自己同胞所做的事可能更让人心寒。
Marieke Gartner, one of the researchers involved in the study, told me that it was "a pretty far stretch" to suggest that your cat actually wants to kill you. She said: "Cats have different personalities, and they ended up living with us because it was a mutually beneficial situation. Some cats are more independent, some are quite loving. It just depends on the individual. It's not that cats are self centered. It's that they are a more solitary or semisolitary species." Yes, but are they secretly harboring ill-feeling toward us? Gartner explained: "Cats don't want to bump you off, but people often don't know how to treat them and then are surprised by their behavior."
这项研究中的一个研究员高德纳告诉我说,研究结果几乎足够表明,你的猫其实很想杀了你。她说到:“不同的猫也有不同的个性,有些之所以和我们人类住在一起是因为这是一个双赢的选择。有些猫比较独立,有些猫很亲和,这取决于猫自身。并不是说猫都以自我为中心,只是它们是更喜欢独居的物种。”但是它们对我们心怀不满吗?高德纳解释到:“猫并不是想杀了你,只是人们不知道应该怎么对待猫,所以很容易对它们的行为感到惊讶。”
A hundred cats from Scottish shelters were examined. The researchers observed the wilder animals in various zoos and wildlife parks across the UK and the US. Even though the scientists concede that their work is by its very nature imperfect and more research is required, they concluded: "Across the five felid species we assessed, personality structure was strikingly similar."
研究人员对苏格兰庇护所的一百只猫都进行了实验,还观察了英国和美国的不同动物园和野生动物园里的比较野生的动物,他们承认自身的研究本身并不完美,并且须要进行更多的实验。但他们还是总结到:“我们所研究的这五种动物的个性是非常相似的。”
Yes, you've got a little lioness in your house. She's not your friend.
是的,这就是说你家里养了一只小狮子,她不是你的朋友!
Please remember, therefore, the three main personality traits of your cat: Dominance, Impulsiveness and Neuroticism. And tread very carefully.
所以,记好你家猫咪的个性:控制、冲动和神经质!小心地对待她!
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钓鱼是捕捉鱼类的一种方法。钓鱼的主要工具有钓杆,鱼饵。钓杆一般由竹子或塑料轻而有力的杆状物质制成,钓杆和鱼饵用丝线联接。那么,你知道钓鱼的英语单词怎么说吗?
他问我明天是否和他一起去钓鱼。
He asked me if I would go fishing with him tomorrow.
渡假者租了一艘船去钓鱼。
The holiday-makers chartered a boat to go fishing.
我的钓鱼线同杂草纠缠在一起。
My fishing line got entangled in some weeds.
钓鱼的英文单词
我们发现他极其喜欢钓鱼。
We found out that he was exceedingly fond of fishing.
我曾想带他去钓鱼,但我不好意思对他开口。
I wanted to take him fishing but I was too timid to ask him.
他们宁愿去钓鱼,也不愿待在家里。
They would rather go fishing than stay at home.
两个殷切的钓鱼爱好者要进行一次钓鱼之旅。
Two avid fishermen go on a fishing trip.
一些旅馆甚至设有池塘,里面装满了鱼以供喜欢钓鱼的旅客钓鱼。
Some hotels even have ponds filled with fish for guests who enjoy fishing.
唐纳德喜欢去海边钓鱼,他钓鱼常常足够他饱餐一顿。
Donald enjoys sea fishing and more often than not he catches enough for dinner.
下雨后最好钓鱼。
Fish always take best after rain.
钓鱼的人噗地一声把鱼饵扔进河里。
The fisherman plopped the bait into the river
他每天傍晚在湖边钓鱼。
He cast his fishing line into the lake every evening.
我酷爱钓鱼。
I am dead keen on fishing.
你喜欢钓鱼吗?
Do you like fishing?
你能和我一起去钓鱼吗?
Will you go fishing with me?
钓鱼最让你喜欢的是什么?
What do you like most about fishing?
那么,你觉得我们去那里钓鱼怎么样?
So, What do you think of going fishing there?
喜欢钓鱼吗?
Like to fish?
你们去哪里钓鱼了?
Where did you go fishing?
我喜欢和我爸爸一起去钓鱼。
I loved to go fishing with my dad.
钓鱼去吧。
Go fishing.
哈维:如果您愿意的话,我可以为您收集一些有关钓鱼旅行团的资讯。
Harvey: If you like, I can get you some information about those fishing tours.
他在我们家附近的小河里钓鱼。
He fishes in the river near our house.
他钓鱼去了。
He went fishing.
你们在那里除了钓鱼之外还干什么?
What did you do there besides fishing?
我租了一条船,为的是可以去钓鱼。(目的状语)
I hired a boat so that I could go fishing.
如果有时间的话,我们就一起去钓鱼。
If time permits, we'll go fishing together.
有一些学生钓鱼去了,其余的去了少年宫。
Some students go fishing , the rest go to Palace.
我的父亲过去常去钓鱼。
My father used to go fishing.
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下面是读文网小编整理的11则英文爆笑故事,希望大家喜欢!
Three turtles decided to have a cup of coffee. Just as they got into the cafe, it started to rain.
The biggest turtle said to the smallest one, " Go home and get the umbrella."
The little turtle replied, "I will, if you don't drink my offee."
"We won't," the other two promised.
Two years later the big turtle said to the middle turtle, "Well, I guess he isn't coming back, so we might as well drink his coffee."
Just then a voice called from outside the door, "If you do, I won't go."
三只乌龟决定去喝咖啡。它们刚到咖啡店的门口,就下起雨来。于是最大的那只乌龟对最小的乌龟说,“回家去取伞吧。”
最小的乌龟说,“如果你们不把我的咖啡喝了,我就去。”
“我们不喝,”另外两只乌龟答应说。
两年后,大乌龟对中乌龟说,“好吧,我猜他肯定不回来了,我们可以把它的咖啡喝掉了。”
正在这时,一个声音从门外传来,“你们要是喝了,我就不去。”
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龟兔赛跑,是一则寓言故事,相信大家从小就很熟悉了。下面是读文网小编整理的英语版龟兔赛跑小故事,希望大家会喜欢这些英文版的龟兔赛跑!
The Rabbit and the Tortoise 龟兔赛跑
It is a bright spring morning. A Tortoise walks by and meets a Rabbit.
Tortoise: Hi there, Mr. Rabbit. Beautiful day, isn’t it?
Rabbit: Aren’t you “the Slow Tortoise”?
The Tortoise is a little mad, but he doesn’t show it. The Tortoise still tries to be nice to the Rabbit.
Tortoise: Yes, I’m Mr. Tortoise. I’m happy to meet you. Let’s be friends.
Rabbit: No, thank you. I don’t want to be your friend.
Tortoise: How come?
Rabbit: Your legs are too short. You can’t jump. And you are too slow.
Tortoise: My legs may be short. And I may be slow. But I can still beat you in a race.
Rabbit: Ha!Ha!Ha! That’s funny! How can you beat me? I am much faster.
Tortoise: I can beat you for sure.
Rabbit: No, you can’t!
Tortoise: Yes, I can!
Rabbit: No, you can’t!
Tortoise: Yes, I can! Let’s have a race now. Then you’ll see.
Rabbit: Now? Okay! Why not? I will win for sure.
Tortoise: Let’s make a bet. If I win, you must carry me on your back.
Rabbit: I promise. But if I win, you must carry me.
Tortoise: Fine.
The other animals in the forest hear about the race and gather to see the Tortoise and the Rabbit run. The race is about to start.
Tortoise: See the mountain top?
Rabbit: Yes.
Tortoise: The first one to reach there, wins. Okay?
Rabbit: Okay.
The Fox is the starter.
Fox: Stand behind this line. Are you both ready?
Tortoise: Yes
Rabbit: Me too.
Fox: Okay. I’ll start the race. One! Two! Three! Go!
The Fox drops the white handkerchief and the race starts.The Rabbit is very fast and is already way ahead. The tortoise walks very slowly. The other animals are all cheering for the Tortoise. The Fox is worried about the Tortoise.
Fox: Poor Mr. Tortoise. He will lose for sure.
Goat: How do you know? Maybe he will win.
The Rabbit is already half way up the mountain. He is out of breath. He stops to look behind.
Rabbit: Where is the Tortoise? I can’t even see him. He is too slow for me. This is too easy.
The Rabbit decides to take a nap before the Tortoise comes.
Rabbit: I am a little tired. And I have a lot of time. So, I will take a nap here.
The Rabbit takes a nap. Even though the Tortoise is still far behind, he doesn’t stop or give up. He just walks and walks and walks.
Tortoise: I am tired, but I must go on. I must win the race. One, two. One, two.
The Rabbit falls asleep and continues to sleep for hours. The Tortoise is now at the middle of the mountain. He sees the Rabbit sleeping.
Tortoise: It’s Mr. Rabbit! Why is he sleeping here? He must be very tired. I am tired, too. But I must go on. One, two. One, two.
The mountain top is not too far away. The Tortoise is almost at the finish line. All the other animals are surprised.
Goat: Look! It’s the Tortoise!
Fox: Where’s the Rabbit?
Goat: Who knows? Come on, Mr. Tortoise! Go! Go! Go!
The tortoise takes one step, and another step, and another.
Tortoise: One, two. One, two. I’m almost there.
Just then, the Rabbit wakes up from his nap and is surprised. He realizes that he has slept too long. He sees the Tortoise near the mountain top. He runs, and runs, and runs, but it’s no use.
Rabbit: Faster! Faster! I must run faster!
Finally, the Tortoise reaches the mountain top first and wins the race.
Goat: Hooray! Hooray for Mr. Tortoise!
Fox: Congratulations, Mr. Tortoise! You won the race!
Tortoise: Thank you, thank you, everyone!
The Rabbit is too late. He feels ashamed.
Rabbit: Oh, no! I lost. Now I have to carry the Tortoise on my back.
The Rabbit goes to shake hands with the Tortoise.
Rabbit: Good race. Congratulations, Mr. Tortoise. You won the race.
Tortoise: I told you, I would win.
Rabbit: But how did you do it?
Tortoise: It wasn’t too hard. Just take one step after another. It may be slow, but you will get there for sure.
Rabbit: Oh…Now, I will keep my promise. Climb up on my back.
Tortoise: That’s okay. Let’s just be friends.
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许多人从幼儿园就开始接触英语,这个时候多阅读一些英语故事是很有好处的,今天读文网小编在这里为大家分享一些幼儿园英语故事,欢迎大家阅读!
A Clever Panda
聪明的熊猫
A little panda picks up a pumpkin and wants to take it home. But the pumpkin is too big. The panda can’t take it home.
一只小熊猫摘了一只大南瓜,想把它拿回家。但是这只南瓜太大了,她没有办法把这么大的南瓜带回家。
Suddenly she sees a bear riding a bike toward her. She watches the bike. “I know! I have a good idea.” she jumps and shouts happily, “I can roll a pumpkin. It’s like awheel.”
突然她看见一只狗熊骑着一辆自行车朝她这边来。她看着自行车,跳着说:“有了!我有办法了。我可以把南瓜滚回家去。南瓜好像车轮。
So she rolls the pumpkin to her home. When her mother sees the big pumpkin, she is surprised, “Oh, my God! How can you carry it home?” the little panda answers proudly, “I can’t lift it, but I can roll it.” Her mother smiled and says,“What a clever girl!”
于是她把那瓜滚回家。当她妈妈看到这只大南瓜的时候,很惊讶:“天啊!这么食的南瓜!你是怎么把它带回家来的?”小熊猫自豪地说;“我拎不动它,可是我能滚动它啊!”她妈妈微笑着说:“真聪明啊!”
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中国神话故事是中国古代人们经过长期的社会实践,在劳动生活的过程中创造出来的一种文学样式,神话故事在民间口耳相传,它的神奇、瑰丽,反映出无穷的艺术魅力。下面读文网小编为大家带来英文中国神话故事,欢迎大家阅读!
in the han dynasty in qiancheng lived a man by the name of dong yong. his mother died when he was a child. while living with his father, he worked hard in the fields. each time they went out, he would put his old father on a small cart and follow it on foot. when his father died, he was willing to sell himself into slavery for a little money for the funeral. knowing that he was a virtuous man, his master gave him ten thousand coins and allowed him to go home.
dong was in mourning for three years. when it was over, he decided to return to his master to work as a slave. on his way he met a woman who said to him, "i am willing to marry you." so they went together to his master. "i have given you money," the master said to him. "thanks to your generous help," dong said, "i was able to bury my father. although i am a man of low birth, i know i ought to work for you to repay your kindness." then the master asked, "what is your wife good at?" "she can weave," dong answered. "if you insist on doing something for me," said the master. "please ask your wife to weave a hundred bolts of fine silk for me." dong's wife set to work in the master's house. ten days later the hundred bolts were ready.
when she came out, she said to dong, "i am a weaver in heaven. the emperor of heaven ordered me to help you pay your debt because he was moved by your filial piety." after saying these words she flew into the sky and vanished.
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你知道10本故事书的英文怎么写吗?一起来学习一下吧!
10本故事书的英文:10 story books
1. An English book a chinese book a math book a notebook and 10 story - books.
一本英语书,一本中文图书、数学书,笔记本和10本故事书.
1. a picture in a storybook
故事书中的插图
2. Her storybook is just out.
她的故事书刚出版.
3. Yes, I'd like to borrow an English storybook, please.
是的, 我想借一本英语故事书.
4. I like to curl up with a story book.
我喜欢蜷曲而卧着看故事书.
5. You shouldn't read a storybook in a maths class.
你不应该在数学课上看故事书.
10本故事书的英文例句:
6. She went to the library to borrow some storybooks.
她去图书馆借一些故事书.
7. The boy sitting on the grass is reading a storybook.
坐在草地上的那个男孩正在看一本故事书.
8. I have some books such as English books and story books.
我有一些书如英语书和故事书.
9. Well, there are a lot of storybooks upstairs in our children's section.
嗯, 楼上儿童部门有很多故事书.
10. I am reading an interesting story.
我在读一本有趣的故事书.
11. I want to get a storybook.
我想得到一本故事书.
12. I'd like to read the storybook.
我想要读故事书.
13. Here is a storybook for you.
这里有一本给你的故事书.
14. Susan is reading a storybook now.
苏珊正在看一本故事书.
15. I'm reading my storybook.
我正在看我的故事书.
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一些幽默的英语故事,能提高我们阅读英语的兴趣,从而提高英语的阅读能力,今天读文网小编在这里为大家分享一些初中英文幽默小故事带翻译,欢迎大家阅读!
In the traffic court of a large mid-western city, a young lady was brought before the judge to answer a ticket given her for driving through a red light. She explained to his honor that she was a school teacher and requested an immediate disposal of her case in order that she might hasten on to her classes. A wild gleam came into the judge's eye. "You are a school teacher, eh?" said he. "Madam, I shall realize my lifelong ambition. Sit down at that table and write 'I went through a red light' five hundred times."
在中西部一个大城市的交通法庭里,一位年轻女士被带到法官面前,她由于开车闯红灯被开了罚单。女士向法官解释,她是一名学校老师,请求法官马上处理她的案子,以便可以赶回去上课。法官眼中闪过一丝狡黠,说道:“你是学校的老师,对吗?女士,我马上要实现我毕生的愿望了。在那张桌子旁坐下,写‘我开车闯了红灯’500遍。”
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“哪里有人,哪里就有笑声。”从古到今,笑话是人们生活中不可缺少的“调剂品”。笑话使人们在刻板的生活中感到一丝快意和放松,在人们的日常生活中起着重要调剂作用。下面读文网小编为大家带来英文幽默故事带翻译,欢迎大家阅读!
"Daddy, can I learn to play the violin?" young Sarah asked her father. She was always asking for things and her father was not very pleased.
"You cost me a lot of money, Sarah," he said. "First you wanted to learn horse riding, then dancing, then swimming. Now it's the violin.
"I'll play every day, Daddy." Sarah said. "I'll try very hard.
"All right," her father said. "This is what I'll do. I'll pay for you to have lessons for six weeks. At the end of six weeks you must play something for me. If you play well, you can have more lessons. If you play badly, I will stop the lessons."
"0. K. Daddy," Sarah said. "That is fair.
He soon found a good violin teacher and Sarah began her lessons. The teacher was very expensive, but her father kept his promise.
The six weeks passed quickly. The time came for Sarah to play for her father.
She went to the living room and said, "I'm ready to play for you, Daddy.
"Fine, Sarah," her father said. "Begin.
She began to play. She played very badly. She made a terrible noise.
Her father had one of his friends with him, and the friend put his hands over his ears.
When Sarah finished, her father said, "Well done, Sarah. You can have more lessons."
Sarah ran happily out of the room. Her father's friend turned to him. "You've spent a lot of money, but she still plays very badly. he said.
"Well, that's true," her father said. "But since she started learning the violin I've been able to buy five apartments in this build very cheaply. In another six weeks I'll own the whole building!"
“爸爸,我能学拉小提琴吗?”小莎拉问她的父亲.她总是要东西,因此她爸爸很不高兴.
“你花了我很多钱,莎拉,”他说,“开始你想学骑马,然后想学跳舞,然后是游泳.现在又想学拉小提琴.”
“我会每天都拉的,爸爸,”莎拉说,“我会认真练的.”
“好吧,”她爸爸说.“下面是我要做的:我会为你付六个星期的小提琴课的钱,六个星期后你必须拉首曲子给我听.如果你拉得很好,你可以继续上小提琴课,要是你拉得很差,你就不要再学了.”
“行.爸爸,”莎拉说,“这很公平.”
他很快就找到了一个好的小提琴老师,莎拉就开始学拉提琴了.尽管学费很高,但她爸爸遵守了诺言.
六个星期很快就过去了.该莎拉拉提琴给爸爸听了.
她走进起居室说:“我准备好拉提琴给你听了.”
“好哇,莎拉,”她爸爸说.“开始吧.”
她开始拉了.她拉得很差,发出了可怕的嗓音.她爸爸身旁有位朋友,朋友用手捂着耳朵.
莎拉拉完一曲,她父亲说:“拉得好,莎拉.你可以继续学琴了.”
莎拉高兴地跑出门去.她父亲的朋友对他说:“你已经花了不少钱了,但她还是拉得很差.”
“噢,的确如此,”她爸爸说,“但自从她开始学小提琴,我就可以很便宜地买下这幢楼的五个公寓.再过六周,我就可以拥有整幢楼啦!”
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从古到今,笑话是人们生活中不可缺少的“调剂品”。笑话使人们在刻板的生活中感到一丝快意和放松,在人们的日常生活中起着重要调剂作用。下面读文网小编为大家带来幽默英文小故事精选,欢迎大家阅读!
young man saw Edison, said : “I wanna develop a sort of all-purpose dissolvent, by which can dissolve(溶解) all materials.”
Edison asked a question in reply : “ In that case, what container shall you hold it with?”
一个后生找到爱迪生,说:“我准备研制一种万能溶剂,它能溶解一切物质。”
爱迪生反问:“那你用什么来盛它呢?”
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从古到今,笑话是人们生活中不可缺少的“调剂品”。笑话使人们在刻板的生活中感到一丝快意和放松,在人们的日常生活中起着重要调剂作用。下面读文网小编为大家带来幽默英文小故事,欢迎大家阅读!
"Mommy, my turtle is dead," the little boy, Myrddin, sorrowfully told his mother, holding the turtle out to her in his hand.
"妈妈,我的乌龟死了,"小男孩默丁伸出手里的乌龟给妈妈看,悲伤地对她说.
The mother kissed him on the head, then said," That's all right. We'll wrap him in tissue paper, put him in a little box, then have a nice burial ceremony in the back yard. After that, we'll go out for an ice cream soda, and then get you a new pet.
妈妈亲了一下他的头,说:"没关系.我们用纸巾把它包起来,放到小盒子里,再到后院举行一个小葬礼.然后我们就去吃冰激凌,再买给你一个新宠物."
I don't want you...." Her voice trailed off as she noticed the turtle move. "Myrddin, your turtle is not dead after all."
"我不希望你..."妈妈的声音变小了,因为她发现乌龟在动."默丁, 你的乌龟根本没死."
"Oh," the disappointed boy, wanting ice cream and a new pet, said. "Can I kill it?".
"哦,"想着冰激凌和新宠物的男孩失望起来,"我能弄死它吗?"
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小红帽是德国童话作家格林的童话《小红帽》中的人物,故事版本多达一百多个,是如今家户喻晓的经典童话故事,成了不少小朋友最喜欢的睡前故事之一。下面读文网小编为大家带来小红帽童话故事双语版,欢迎大家阅读。
Once upon a time there was a sweet little girl. Everyone who saw her liked her, but most of all her grandmother, who did not know what to give the child next. Once she gave her a little cap made of red velvet. Because it suited her so well, and she wanted to wear it all the time, she came to be known as Little Red Cap.
One day her mother said to her, "Come Little Red Cap. Here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother. She is sick and weak, and they will do her well. Mind your manners and give her my greetings. Behave yourself on the way, and do not leave the path, or you might fall down and break the glass, and then there will be nothing for your grandmother. And when you enter her parlor, don't forget to say 'Good morning,' and don't peer into all the corners first."
"I'll do everything just right," said Little Red Cap, shaking her mother's hand.
The grandmother lived out in the woods, a half hour from the village. When Little Red Cap entered the woods a wolf came up to her. She did not know what a wicked animal he was, and was not afraid of him.
"Good day to you, Little Red Cap."
"Thank you, wolf."
"Where are you going so early, Little Red Cap?"
"To grandmother's."
"And what are you carrying under your apron?"
"Grandmother is sick and weak, and I am taking her some cake and wine. We baked yesterday, and they should be good for her and give her strength."
"Little Red Cap, just where does your grandmother live?"
"Her house is good quarter hour from here in the woods, under the three large oak trees. There's a hedge of hazel bushes there. You must know the place," said Little Red Cap.
The wolf thought to himself, "Now that sweet young thing is a tasty bite for me. She will taste even better than the old woman. You must be sly, and you can catch them both."
He walked along a little while with Little Red Cap, then he said, "Little Red Cap, just look at the beautiful flowers that are all around us. Why don't you go and take a look? And I don't believe you can hear how beautifully the birds are singing. You are walking along as though you were on your way to school. It is very beautiful in the woods."
Little Red Cap opened her eyes and when she saw the sunbeams dancing to and fro through the trees and how the ground was covered with beautiful flowers, she thought, "If a take a fresh bouquet to grandmother, she will be very pleased. Anyway, it is still early, and I'll be home on time." And she ran off the path into the woods looking for flowers. Each time she picked one she thought that she could see an even more beautiful one a little way off, and she ran after it, going further and further into the woods. But the wolf ran straight to the grandmother's house and knocked on the door.
"Who's there?"
"Little Red Cap. I'm bringing you some cake and wine. Open the door."
"Just press the latch," called out the grandmother. "I'm too weak to get up."
The wolf pressed the latch, and the door opened. He stepped inside, went straight to the grandmother's bed, and ate her up. Then he put on her clothes, put her cap on his head, got into her bed, and pulled the curtains shut.
Little Red Cap had run after the flowers. After she had gathered so many that she could not carry any more, she remembered her grandmother, and then continued on her way to her house. She found, to her surprise, that the door was open. She walked into the parlor, and everything looked so strange that she thought, "Oh, my God, why am I so afraid? I usually like it at grandmother's."
She called out, "Good morning!" but received no answer.
Then she went to the bed and pulled back the curtains. Grandmother was lying there with her cap pulled down over her face and looking very strange.
"Oh, grandmother, what big ears you have!"
"All the better to hear you with."
"Oh, grandmother, what big eyes you have!"
"All the better to see you with."
"Oh, grandmother, what big hands you have!"
"All the better to grab you with!"
"Oh, grandmother, what a horribly big mouth you have!"
"All the better to eat you with!"
The wolf had scarcely finished speaking when he jumped from the bed with a single leap and ate up poor Little Red Cap. As soon as the wolf had satisfied his desires, he climbed back into bed, fell asleep, and began to snore very loudly.
A huntsman was just passing by. He thought, "The old woman is snoring so loudly. You had better see if something is wrong with her."
He stepped into the parlor, and when he approached the bed, he saw the wolf lying there. "So here I find you, you old sinner," he said. "I have been hunting for you a long time."
He was about to aim his rifle when it occurred to him that the wolf might have eaten the grandmother, and that she still might be rescued. So instead of shooting, he took a pair of scissors and began to cut open the wolf's belly. After a few cuts he saw the red cap shining through., and after a few more cuts the girl jumped out, crying, "Oh, I was so frightened! It was so dark inside the wolf's body!"
And then the grandmother came out as well, alive but hardly able to breathe. Then Little Red Cap fetched some large stones. She filled the wolf's body with them, and when he woke up and tried to run away, the stones were so heavy that he immediately fell down dead.
The three of them were happy. The huntsman skinned the wolf and went home with the pelt. The grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine that Little Red Cap had brought. And Little Red Cap thought, "As long as I live, I will never leave the path and run off into the woods by myself if mother tells me not to."
They also tell how Little Red Cap was taking some baked things to her grandmother another time, when another wolf spoke to her and wanted her to leave the path. But Little Red Cap took care and went straight to grandmother's. She told her that she had seen the wolf, and that he had wished her a good day, but had stared at her in a wicked manner. "If we hadn't been on a public road, he would have eaten me up," she said.
"Come," said the grandmother. "Let's lock the door, so he can't get in."
Soon afterward the wolf knocked on the door and called out, "Open up, grandmother. It's Little Red Cap, and I'm bringing you some baked things."
They remained silent, and did not open the door. Gray-Head crept around the house several times, and finally jumped onto the roof. He wanted to wait until Little Red Cap went home that evening, then follow her and eat her up in the darkness. But the grandmother saw what he was up to. There was a large stone trough in front of the house.
"Fetch a bucket, Little Red Cap," she said to the child. "Yesterday I cooked some sausage. Carry the water that I boiled them with to the trough." Little Red Cap carried water until the large, large trough was clear full. The smell of sausage arose into the wolf's nose. He sniffed and looked down, stretching his neck so long that he could no longer hold himself, and he began to slide. He slid off the roof, fell into the trough, and drowned. And Little Red Cap returned home happily, and no one harmed her.
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《丑小鸭》是安徒生的经典童话故事之一,写了一只天鹅蛋在鸭群中破壳后,因相貌怪异,让同类鄙弃,历经千辛万苦、重重磨难之后长成了白天鹅。下面读文网小编为大家带来丑小鸭童话故事英文版及翻译,欢迎大家阅读欣赏!
It was so beautiful out on the country, it was summer- the wheat fields were golden, the oats were green, and down among the green meadows the hay was stacked. There the stork minced about on his red legs, clacking away in Egyptian, which was the language his mother had taught him. Round about the field and meadow lands rose vast forests, in which deep lakes lay hidden. Yes, it was indeed lovely out there in the country.
In the midst of the sunshine there stood an old manor house that had a deep moat around it. From the walls of the manor right down to the water's edge great burdock leaves grew, and there were some so tall that little children could stand upright beneath the biggest of them. In this wilderness of leaves, which was as dense as the forests itself, a duck sat on her nest, hatching her ducklings. She was becoming somewhat weary, because sitting is such a dull business and scarcely anyone came to see her. The other ducks would much rather swim in the moat than waddle out and squat under the burdock leaf to gossip with her.
But at last the eggshells began to crack, one after another. "Peep, peep!" said the little things, as they came to life and poked out their heads.
"Quack, quack!" said the duck, and quick as quick can be they all waddled out to have a look at the green world under the leaves. Their mother let them look as much as they pleased, because green is good for the eyes.
"How wide the world is," said all the young ducks, for they certainly had much more room now than they had when they were in their eggshells.
"Do you think this is the whole world?" their mother asked. "Why it extends on and on, clear across to the other side of the garden and right on into the parson's field, though that is further than I have ever been. I do hope you are all hatched," she said as she got up. "No, not quite all. The biggest egg still lies here. How much longer is this going to take? I am really rather tired of it all," she said, but she settled back on her nest.
"Well, how goes it?" asked an old duck who came to pay her a call.
"It takes a long time with that one egg," said the duck on the nest. "It won't crack, but look at the others. They are the cutest little ducklings I've ever seen. They look exactly like their father, the wretch! He hasn't come to see me at all."
"Let's have a look at the egg that won't crack," the old duck said. "It's a turkey egg, and you can take my word for it. I was fooled like that once myself. What trouble and care I had with those turkey children, for I may as well tell you, they are afraid of the water. I simply could not get them into it. I quacked and snapped at them, but it wasn't a bit of use. Let me see the egg. Certainly, it's a turkey egg. Let it lie, and go teach your other children to swim."
"Oh, I'll sit a little longer. I've been at it so long already that I may as well sit here half the summer."
"Suit yourself," said the old duck, and away she waddled.
At last the big egg did crack. "Peep," said the young one, and out he tumbled, but he was so big and ugly.
The duck took a look at him. "That's a frightfully big duckling," she said. "He doesn't look the least like the others. Can he really be a turkey baby? Well, well! I'll soon find out. Into the water he shall go, even if I have to shove him in myself."
Next day the weather was perfectly splendid, and the sun shone down on all the green burdock leaves. The mother duck led her whole family down to the moat. Splash! she took to the water. "Quack, quack," said she, and one duckling after another plunged in. The water went over their heads, but they came up in a flash, and floated to perfection. Their legs worked automatically, and they were all there in the water. Even the big, ugly gray one was swimming along.
"Why, that's no turkey," she said. "See how nicely he uses his legs, and how straight he holds himself. He's my very own son after all, and quite good-looking if you look at him properly. Quack, quack come with me. I'll lead you out into the world and introduce you to the duck yard. But keep close to me so that you won't get stepped on, and watch out for the cat!"
Thus they sallied into the duck yard, where all was in an uproar because two families were fighting over the head of an eel. But the cat got it, after all.
"You see, that's the way of the world." The mother duck licked her bill because she wanted the eel's head for herself. "Stir your legs. Bustle about, and mind that you bend your necks to that old duck over there. She's the noblest of us all, and has Spanish blood in her. That's why she's so fat. See that red rag around her leg? That's a wonderful thing, and the highest distinction a duck can get. It shows that they don't want to lose her, and that she's to have special attention from man and beast. Shake yourselves! Don't turn your toes in. A well-bred duckling turns his toes way out, just as his father and mother do-this way. So then! Now duck your necks and say quack!"
They did as she told them, but the other ducks around them looked on and said right out loud, "See here! Must we have this brood too, just as if there weren't enough of us already? And-fie! what an ugly-looking fellow that duckling is! We won't stand for him." One duck charged up and bit his neck.
"Let him alone," his mother said. "He isn't doing any harm."
"Possibly not," said the duck who bit him, "but he's too big and strange, and therefore he needs a good whacking."
"What nice-looking children you have, Mother," said the old duck with the rag around her leg. "They are all pretty except that one. He didn't come out so well. It's a pity you can't hatch him again."
"That can't be managed, your ladyship," said the mother. "He isn't so handsome, but he's as good as can be, and he swims just as well as the rest, or, I should say, even a little better than they do. I hope his looks will improve with age, and after a while he won't seem so big. He took too long in the egg, and that's why his figure isn't all that it should be." She pinched his neck and preened his feathers. "Moreover, he's a drake, so it won't matter so much. I think he will be quite strong, and I'm sure he will amount to something."
"The other ducklings are pretty enough," said the old duck. "Now make yourselves right at home, and if you find an eel's head you may bring it to me."
So they felt quite at home. But the poor duckling who had been the last one out of his egg, and who looked so ugly, was pecked and pushed about and made fun of by the ducks, and the chickens as well. "He's too big," said they all. The turkey gobbler, who thought himself an emperor because he was born wearing spurs, puffed up like a ship under full sail and bore down upon him, gobbling and gobbling until he was red in the face. The poor duckling did not know where he dared stand or where he dared walk. He was so sad because he was so desperately ugly, and because he was the laughing stock of the whole barnyard.
So it went on the first day, and after that things went from bad to worse. The poor duckling was chased and buffeted about by everyone. Even his own brothers and sisters abused him. "Oh," they would always say, "how we wish the cat would catch you, you ugly thing." And his mother said, "How I do wish you were miles away." The ducks nipped him, and the hens pecked him, and the girl who fed them kicked him with her foot.
So he ran away; and he flew over the fence. The little birds in the bushes darted up in a fright. "That's because I'm so ugly," he thought, and closed his eyes, but he ran on just the same until he reached the great marsh where the wild ducks lived. There he lay all night long, weary and disheartened.
When morning came, the wild ducks flew up to have a look at their new companion. "What sort of creature are you?" they asked, as the duckling turned in all directions, bowing his best to them all. "You are terribly ugly," they told him, "but that's nothing to us so long as you don't marry into our family."
Poor duckling! Marriage certainly had never entered his mind. All he wanted was for them to let him lie among the reeds and drink a little water from the marsh.
There he stayed for two whole days. Then he met two wild geese, or rather wild ganders-for they were males. They had not been out of the shell very long, and that's what made them so sure of themselves.
"Say there, comrade," they said, "you're so ugly that we have taken a fancy to you. Come with us and be a bird of passage. In another marsh near-by, there are some fetching wild geese, all nice young ladies who know how to quack. You are so ugly that you'll completely turn their heads."
Bing! Bang! Shots rang in the air, and these two ganders fell dead among the reeds. The water was red with their blood. Bing! Bang! the shots rang, and as whole flocks of wild geese flew up from the reeds another volley crashed. A great hunt was in progress. The hunters lay under cover all around the marsh, and some even perched on branches of trees that overhung the reeds. Blue smoke rose like clouds from the shade of the trees, and drifted far out over the water.
The bird dogs came splash, splash! through the swamp, bending down the reeds and the rushes on every side. This gave the poor duckling such a fright that he twisted his head about to hide it under his wing. But at that very moment a fearfully big dog appeared right beside him. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and his wicked eyes glared horribly. He opened his wide jaws, flashed his sharp teeth, and - splash, splash - on he went without touching the duckling.
"Thank heavens," he sighed, "I'm so ugly that the dog won't even bother to bite me."
He lay perfectly still, while the bullets splattered through the reeds as shot after shot was fired. It was late in the day before things became quiet again, and even then the poor duckling didn't dare move. He waited several hours before he ventured to look about him, and then he scurried away from that marsh as fast as he could go. He ran across field and meadows. The wind was so strong that he had to struggle to keep his feet.
Late in the evening he came to a miserable little hovel, so ramshackle that it did not know which way to tumble, and that was the only reason it still stood. The wind struck the duckling so hard that the poor little fellow had to sit down on his tail to withstand it. The storm blew stronger and stronger, but the duckling noticed that one hinge had come loose and the door hung so crooked that he could squeeze through the crack into the room, and that's just what he did.
Here lived an old woman with her cat and her hen. The cat, whom she called "Sonny," could arch his back, purr, and even make sparks, though for that you had to stroke his fur the wrong way. The hen had short little legs, so she was called "Chickey Shortleg." She laid good eggs, and the old woman loved her as if she had been her own child.
In the morning they were quick to notice the strange duckling. The cat began to purr, and the hen began to cluck.
"What on earth!" The old woman looked around, but she was short-sighted, and she mistook the duckling for a fat duck that had lost its way. "That was a good catch," she said. "Now I shall have duck eggs-unless it's a drake. We must try it out." So the duckling was tried out for three weeks, but not one egg did he lay.
In this house the cat was master and the hen was mistress. They always said, "We and the world," for they thought themselves half of the world, and much the better half at that. The duckling thought that there might be more than one way of thinking, but the hen would not hear of it.
"Can you lay eggs?" she asked
"No."
"Then be so good as to hold your tongue."
The cat asked, "Can you arch your back, purr, or make sparks?"
"No."
"Then keep your opinion to yourself when sensible people are talking."
The duckling sat in a corner, feeling most despondent. Then he remembered the fresh air and the sunlight. Such a desire to go swimming on the water possessed him that he could not help telling the hen about it.
"What on earth has come over you?" the hen cried. "You haven't a thing to do, and that's why you get such silly notions. Lay us an egg, or learn to purr, and you'll get over it."
"But it's so refreshing to float on the water," said the duckling, "so refreshing to feel it rise over your head as you dive to the bottom."
"Yes, it must be a great pleasure!" said the hen. "I think you must have gone crazy. Ask the cat, who's the wisest fellow I know, whether he likes to swim or dive down in the water. Of myself I say nothing. But ask the old woman, our mistress. There's no one on earth wiser than she is. Do you imagine she wants to go swimming and feel the water rise over her head?"
"You don't understand me," said the duckling.
"Well, if we don't, who would? Surely you don't think you are cleverer than the cat and the old woman-to say nothing of myself. Don't be so conceited, child. Just thank your Maker for all the kindness we have shown you. Didn't you get into this snug room, and fall in with people who can tell you what's what? But you are such a numbskull that it's no pleasure to have you around. Believe me, I tell you this for your own good. I say unpleasant truths, but that's the only way you can know who are your friends. Be sure now that you lay some eggs. See to it that you learn to purr or to make sparks."
"I think I'd better go out into the wide world," said the duckling.
"Suit yourself," said the hen.
So off went the duckling. He swam on the water, and dived down in it, but still he was slighted by every living creature because of his ugliness.
Autumn came on. The leaves in the forest turned yellow and brown. The wind took them and whirled them about. The heavens looked cold as the low clouds hung heavy with snow and hail. Perched on the fence, the raven screamed, "Caw, caw!" and trembled with cold. It made one shiver to think of it. Pity the poor little duckling!
One evening, just as the sun was setting in splendor, a great flock of large, handsome birds appeared out of the reeds. The duckling had never seen birds so beautiful. They were dazzling white, with long graceful necks. They were swans. They uttered a very strange cry as they unfurled their magnificent wings to fly from this cold land, away to warmer countries and to open waters. They went up so high, so very high, that the ugly little duckling felt a strange uneasiness come over him as he watched them. He went around and round in the water, like a wheel. He craned his neck to follow their course, and gave a cry so shrill and strange that he frightened himself. Oh! He could not forget them-those splendid, happy birds. When he could no longer see them he dived to the very bottom. and when he came up again he was quite beside himself. He did not know what birds they were or whither they were bound, yet he loved them more than anything he had ever loved before. It was not that he envied them, for how could he ever dare dream of wanting their marvelous beauty for himself? He would have been grateful if only the ducks would have tolerated him-the poor ugly creature.
The winter grew cold - so bitterly cold that the duckling had to swim to and fro in the water to keep it from freezing over. But every night the hole in which he swam kept getting smaller and smaller. Then it froze so hard that the duckling had to paddle continuously to keep the crackling ice from closing in upon him. At last, too tired to move, he was frozen fast in the ice.
Early that morning a farmer came by, and when he saw how things were he went out on the pond, broke away the ice with his wooden shoe, and carried the duckling home to his wife. There the duckling revived, but when the children wished to play with him he thought they meant to hurt him. Terrified, he fluttered into the milk pail, splashing the whole room with milk. The woman shrieked and threw up her hands as he flew into the butter tub, and then in and out of the meal barrel. Imagine what he looked like now! The woman screamed and lashed out at him with the fire tongs. The children tumbled over each other as they tried to catch him, and they laughed and they shouted. Luckily the door was open, and the duckling escaped through it into the bushes, where he lay down, in the newly fallen snow, as if in a daze.
But it would be too sad to tell of all the hardships and wretchedness he had to endure during this cruel winter. When the warm sun shone once more, the duckling was still alive among the reeds of the marsh. The larks began to sing again. It was beautiful springtime.
Then, quite suddenly, he lifted his wings. They swept through the air much more strongly than before, and their powerful strokes carried him far. Before he quite knew what was happening, he found himself in a great garden where apple trees bloomed. The lilacs filled the air with sweet scent and hung in clusters from long, green branches that bent over a winding stream. Oh, but it was lovely here in the freshness of spring!
From the thicket before him came three lovely white swans. They ruffled their feathers and swam lightly in the stream. The duckling recognized these noble creatures, and a strange feeling of sadness came upon him.
"I shall fly near these royal birds, and they will peck me to bits because I, who am so very ugly, dare to go near them. But I don't care. Better be killed by them than to be nipped by the ducks, pecked by the hens, kicked about by the hen-yard girl, or suffer such misery in winter."
So he flew into the water and swam toward the splendid swans. They saw him, and swept down upon him with their rustling feathers raised. "Kill me!" said the poor creature, and he bowed his head down over the water to wait for death. But what did he see there, mirrored in the clear stream? He beheld his own image, and it was no longer the reflection of a clumsy, dirty, gray bird, ugly and offensive. He himself was a swan! Being born in a duck yard does not matter, if only you are hatched from a swan's egg.
He felt quite glad that he had come through so much trouble and misfortune, for now he had a fuller understanding of his own good fortune, and of beauty when he met with it. The great swans swam all around him and stroked him with their bills.
Several little children came into the garden to throw grain and bits of bread upon the water. The smallest child cried, "Here's a new one," and the others rejoiced, "yes, a new one has come." They clapped their hands, danced around, and ran to bring their father and mother.
And they threw bread and cake upon the water, while they all agreed, "The new one is the most handsome of all. He's so young and so good-looking." The old swans bowed in his honor.
Then he felt very bashful, and tucked his head under his wing. He did not know what this was all about. He felt so very happy, but he wasn't at all proud, for a good heart never grows proud. He thought about how he had been persecuted and scorned, and now he heard them all call him the most beautiful of all beautiful birds. The lilacs dipped their clusters into the stream before him, and the sun shone so warm and so heartening. He rustled his feathers and held his slender neck high, as he cried out with full heart: "I never dreamed there could be so much happiness, when I was the ugly duckling."#p#副标题#e#
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