英国语文第二册 第20期:一条狗的故事

 　　LESSON 20 Story of a dog 第二十课 一条狗的故事

　　Some years ago, a little boy, not more than eight years old, was sent on an errand¹. 若干年前，一个不到八岁的小男孩，得到了一个差事。

　　As he was going home, a lame² dog, rough and dirty, came limping³ after him. 他回家时，一条又丑又脏的跛脚狗一直跟在他身后。

　　A bad boy would have thrown stones at the poor dog; but the little boy of whom I am telling you, had been taught to be gentle and kind. 一个坏男孩肯定会朝这条可怜的狗扔石头；但我正在讲的这个小男孩，已经学会要礼貌、宽容。

　　He saw that the dog had been ill used, and that it wanted a friend. So he let it follow him home. 他认为这条狗被欺侮了，它想要个朋友。所以他让它跟着他回家了。

　　When the little boy asked his mother if she would let the dog come into the house, the poor dog seemed to know what was said. 当这个小男孩问他妈妈，她是否能让狗进来家里，这条可怜的狗似乎知道他妈妈说了什么。

　　It looked, oh, so sad!And the children almost cried when they saw its large bright eyes looking up to them for pity. 它看起来如此悲伤！当他们看见狗狗又大又亮的眼睛盯着他们求同情时，这个孩子几乎哭了。

　　The mother, who had taught her children to be kind and gentle, did not turn the poor, hungry, lame dog away. 这个教导她孩子要宽容、温和的妈妈，没有把这条可怜的、饥饿的、跛脚的狗赶走。

　　She let it go into the wash-house; and the children gave it some food, and some water to drink, and some clean straw to lie on. 她让狗进了洗衣房；小孩给了它一些食物吃，一些水喝，还有一些干净的稻草来躺在上面。

　　After a few days it was well again. It soon made itself clean, and began to show how pleased it was with its new home. 几天之后，它又变舒服了。不久它把自己弄干净了，开始表达自己对这个新家有多满足。

　　It did all that a dog could do to show how thankful it was for the kindness shown to it. 它做了所有一条狗能做的，来对他们给自己的仁爱表示感激。

　　Instead of crouching,as if it were afraid of being beaten, it would frisk about, and jump up to lick⁴ the hands of its little friends. 它不会蜷缩，好像它怕被打一样，他会摇摆着，跳着去舔它这个小朋友的手。

　　The children gave the dog the name of Elf, and it was their friend as well as their pet. 这个孩子给狗取了一个名字，叫Elf，它既是他们的宠物也是他们的朋友。

　　I shall tell you how it was their friend.  我会告诉你它怎样做他们朋友的。

　　It used to go with them to school, and drive away any bad boys who tried to tease⁵ or to hurt them. 它常常和他们一起去学校，赶走所有想戏弄或伤害他们的坏男孩。

　　Then, when they went into school, Elf walked back to the house, and stayed in the yard with the fowls⁶.  然后，当他们走进学校后，Elf就走回家，待在有家禽的院子里。

　　It watched that they did not stray⁷, and that no one stole them.  它看守家禽不会走失，也不会有人偷家禽。

　　No bad boys dared to throw stones at them when Elf was near. 当Elf在旁边时，没有坏男孩敢朝他们扔石子。

　　When it was time for the children to leave school, their mother would say,Elf, it is time to bring the children home. 到了孩子们放学时，他们的妈妈就会说：“Elf，把孩子们接回家了的时间到了。”

　　It was long before Elf could be taught what she meant.  Elf领会她的意思花了很长时间。

　　But at last it came to know it; and no sooner were the words said, than off it ran to the school. 但最后它懂了；一旦这个话一说，它立马就跑去学校。

　　Yes, and more than that; Elf at last became so clever a dog, that on a wet day it would carry an umbrella in its mouth when it went for the children! 是的，不止那些；Elf最后变成了一条非常聪明的狗，雨天它去找孩子们时，会在嘴里叼着一把伞。

　　Look at the picture, and you will see Elf all ready to start for school. 看这幅图，你会看见Elf准备好去学校了。

　　Sometimes boys in the street tried to take the umbrella from it; but Elf was too quick for them.  有时候街上的男孩们想拿走伞，但对他们来说，Elf太快了。

　　It would run past them at full speed, and it always got safely away. 它会全速从他们身边跑过，安全跑开。

　　Thus did this once poor lame dog in many ways repay⁸ the kindness of its little friends. 这个曾经可怜的坡脚狗就这样用许多方式回报它的小朋友的友爱。

1 errand   

n.差使（如送信，买东西等），（短程）差事

参考例句：

• I've come on a special errand.我是专程来办一件差事的。
• This is a formidable errand for me.这对我来说是个太艰巨的任务。

2 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

3 limping   

一瘸一拐地走( limp的现在分词 )； 困难地航行； 磕磕绊绊； 跛行

参考例句：

• We were off before sunrise, Sandy riding and I limping along behind. 还没出太阳，我们就动身了，桑弟骑马，我一瘸一点的在后边跟着。
• The young surgeon lifted up the limping General, and offered to conduct him to his home. 青年外科医生把瘫软无力的将军扶起来，要送他回家。

4 lick   

vt.舔（吃），打败，轻拍，吞卷；n.舔，少许

参考例句：

• I think we could lick the best teams there.我想我们能打败那儿最好的队。
• The house would look better with a lick of paint.这房子稍加颜色就好看了。

5 tease   

vt.戏弄，取笑，挑逗，撩拨；n.戏弄人者

参考例句：

• The other boys tease him because he is fat.因为他很胖，所以其他男生都取笑他。
• His friends used to tease him about his tatty clothes.他的朋友过去常常笑话他破旧的衣服。

6 fowls   

鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马

参考例句：

• A great number of water fowls dwell on the island. 许多水鸟在岛上栖息。
• We keep a few fowls and some goats. 我们养了几只鸡和一些山羊。

7 stray   

n.走失的家畜，浪子；adj.迷途的，偶然的；vi.迷路，彷徨

参考例句：

• We couldn't identify the stray child.我们不能辨认出这个迷途孩子的身份。
• Please don't stray from the subject.请不要离开本题。

8 repay   

v.偿还，报答，还钱给

参考例句：

• I feel honor bound to repay the money I borrowed.我觉得有责任归还我借的钱。
• I must repay her for her kindness.我必须报答她的恩惠。