The country Maid and Her Milk Can

 　　A country maid was walking along with a can of milk upon her head,when she fell into the following train of reflections."The money for which I shall sell this milk will enable me to increase my stock of eggs to three hundred,These eggs,allowing for what may prove addle,and what may be destroyed by vermin,will produce at least two hundred and fifty chickens.The chickens will be fit to carry to market just at the time when poultry¹ is always dear;so that by the new year I cannot fail of having money enough to purchase a new gown.Green-let me consider-yes,green becomes my complexion² best .and green it shall be, In this dress I will go to the fair,where all young fellows will strive to have me for a parter;but no-I shall refuse every one of them,and with a disdainful toss turn from them."

　　Transported with this idea,she could not forbear acting³ with her head the thought that passed in her mind,when down came the can of milk!And all her imaginary happiness vanished in a moment.

　　一个村姑头上顶着一罐牛奶在路上行走。走着走着，她的脑子里浮现出一连串的幻想：“我卖了这罐牛奶后，用这笔钱买鸡蛋，这样我有的鸡蛋可以增加到300个。用这300个鸡蛋孵小鸡，这就算有坏的、生虫的，至少也能孵出250只小鸡。等小鸡长大后，正好能赶上卖个好市价；那么到了新年，我就能有钱买一件新晚装。买一件绿色的——让我好好想想——对，绿色与我的肤色最相衬。我穿上这件衣服去赶集，所有的年轻小伙子都会抢着邀请我做舞伴；但是不行——我要轻蔑地把头一扬，转身过去不理他们，让他们人人都碰个钉子。

　　她想得得意忘形，情不自禁地把头一扬，刹那间，牛奶罐跌了下来！她幻想的一切幸福间破灭了。

1 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

2 complexion   

n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格

参考例句：

• Red does not suit with her complexion.红色与她的肤色不协调。
• Her resignation puts a different complexion on things.她一辞职局面就全变了。

3 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。