Tom Looks for the Pot of Gold 汤姆寻找一罐金子

　　Many, many years ago, a boy said to his mother, "I am going to catch the Fairy Shoemaker, so that we will be rich. 很多很多年以前，一个男孩对他妈妈说：“我要抓到鞋匠精灵，这样我们就发财了。

　　People say that he knows where there is a pot of gold in the woods. 人们说它知道树林里的那罐金子在哪儿。

　　He will tell where it is if you catch him." 如果你抓住了它，它就会告诉你。”

　　"I have heard of the Fairy Shoemaker, Tom," said his mother. “汤姆，我听说过鞋匠精灵，”他的妈妈说，

　　"People often try to catch him. But they can't keep their eyes on him, and he always gets away." “人们总想抓住它，但做不到一直盯着它，所以它总能逃脱。”

　　Tom said, "If I find him, he will tell me where the gold is. Then we shall be rich." 汤姆说：“如果我找到它，它会告诉我金子在哪儿。这样我们就富了。”

　　"I hope you can catch him," said Tom's mother. “我希望你能抓住它，”他妈妈说，

　　"But I think you will get rich sooner if you work for your gold." “但我想，你工作赚钱会富得更快。”

　　Every day Tom went to look for the Fairy Shoemaker. 汤姆每天都去找鞋匠精灵。

　　He looked in the woods and meadows, but he did not see the elf anywhere. 他在树林和草地里找，但在哪儿都没看到它。

　　One day when he was walking in the woods, Tom heard a strange little noise. 一天，汤姆在树林里走时，听到了奇怪的小声音。

　　"That must be the Fairy Shoemaker's hammer," he said to himself. “这一定是鞋匠精灵锤子的声音，”他自言自语地说。

　　He ran as quickly as he could toward the noise, but he did not see anyone. 他朝着声音尽快跑去，但没看到任何人。

　　Another day when Tom was walking in the woods, he grew very tired and lay down to rest. 又一天，汤姆在树林里走着，他很累，躺下来休息。

　　All at once he heard, "Tick-tack, tick-tack, Tick-tack, tick-tack." 突然，他听到“叮当叮当，叮当叮当，叮当叮当”的声音。

　　It was the little hammer of the Fairy Shoemaker! 它是鞋匠精灵小锤子的声音！

　　Tom listened and heard a tiny voice singing very softly,  汤姆听了听，听到一个声音小声唱着

　　"This way, that way, so we make a shoe. Tack a toe, tack a heel, Tick-a-tack-too." “这样缝，那样缝，我们做成了鞋子。钉一个鞋头，钉一个鞋跟，再钉一颗钉子。”

　　Tom went creeping toward the tiny voice, taking care not to make a sound. 汤姆蹑手蹑脚地向那小声音的源处走去，小心翼翼地不发出声音。

　　All at once he saw a wee man sitting beneath a tree, just a few steps away. 忽然，他看见一个小男人坐在树下，只有几步远。

　　The strange little fellow was hard at work, making a tiny shoe. 这个奇怪的小家伙正在努力工作，做一只小鞋子。

　　"Tick-tack, tick-tack, Tick-a-tack-too," went the little hammer. Yes, it was the Fairy Shoemaker! “叮当叮当，叮当叮当”随着小锤子发出来。是的，它就是鞋匠精灵。

　　How glad Tom was. 汤姆好高兴！

　　He would keep his eyes on the sly little elf every minute until he found the pot of gold. 他会每分每秒都盯着那个狡猾的小精灵，直到他找到那罐金子。

　　"Good morning," said Tom. The Fairy Shoemaker didn't say a word. “早上好，”汤姆说。鞋匠精灵没说话。

　　Tom went very close to him and asked, "Aren't you the Fairy Shoemaker?" 汤姆走近它问道：”你是鞋匠精灵吗？”

　　The elf did not answer him. 精灵没回答他。

　　Tom went closer still. "Where is the pot of gold?" he cried. "Show it to me!" 汤姆仍在靠近。“那罐金子在哪儿？”他喊道，“给我交出来！”

　　"Wait a minute," said the tiny elf. “等一下，”小精灵说道，

　　"I just dropped a tack on the ground. Help me find my tack, and then I will see what I can do for you." “我刚在地上掉了一颗钉子。帮我找到钉子，我就帮你。”

　　"He is trying to make me look away," thought Tom “它在试图转移我的视线，”汤姆想，

　　"But I will keep my eyes on this sly fellow." “但我会一直盯着这个狡猾的家伙。”

　　He got down on the ground with the Fairy Shoemaker as if to help him look for the tack. 他和鞋匠精灵站在地上，好像要帮他找钉子。

　　Puff! The sly elf blew dust into Tom's eyes, nose, and mouth. 呼！狡猾的小精灵把灰尘吹进汤姆的眼睛、鼻子和嘴巴里。

　　"Ker-choo!" went Tom. "KER-CHOO!" “阿嚏，阿——嚏！”汤姆打着喷嚏。

　　He had to shut his eyes, and when he opened them, the elf was gone. 他不得不闭上眼睛，当他睁开时，精灵离开了。

　　When Tom got home, his mother said, "What did I tell you? See how red your eyes are! 汤姆回到家，他的妈妈说：“我说过什么？看看你的眼睛多红！

　　The Fairy Shoemaker knows many sly tricks.  鞋匠精灵知道很多狡猾的把戏。

　　You had better work for your money instead of hunting for a pot of gold." 你最好自己工作赚钱，别去找那罐金子了。”

　　Tom Tries Again 汤姆再试

　　But Tom would not give up. He went on hunting for the Fairy Shoemaker. 但汤姆不会放弃。他又去找鞋匠精灵了。

　　He still hoped to find the pot of gold. 他仍希望找到那罐金子。

　　"I found the Fairy Shoemaker once," he said, "and I will find him again." 他说：“我发现过一次鞋匠精灵，就能再次找到它。”

　　So every day Tom looked for him on the hill, in the meadow, and in the woods. 所以汤姆每天都去山上、草地和树林里找它。

　　And one day he heard the elf again, near the pond in the meadow. "Tick-tack, tick-tack, Tick-a-tack-too." 一天，他在草地的池塘旁边又听到了精灵的声音。“叮当叮当，叮当叮当。”

　　The boy listened. Yes! It was the Fairy Shoemaker's hammer. 男孩听着。对了！这是鞋匠精灵锤子的声音。

　　As Tom listened, he could hear a little voice singing, 汤姆听到一个声音小声唱着

　　"This way, that way, so we make a shoe. Tack a toe, tack a heel, tick-a-tack-too." “这样缝，那样缝，我们做成了鞋子。钉一个鞋头，钉一个鞋跟，再钉一颗钉子。”

　　Tom walked quietly to the pond. The wee elf was sitting on a stone. 他悄悄地走向池塘。那个小精灵正坐在一块石头上。

　　He was holding a little shoe and hammering tacks into it. 它拿着一只小鞋，正往上面钉钉子。

　　His tiny hammer went "Tick-tack, tick-tack, tick-a-tack-too." 它的小锤子发出“叮当叮当，叮当叮当，叮当叮当”的声音。

　　Tom crept up softly. He was very, very close before the Fairy Shoemaker saw him. 汤姆蹑手蹑脚地走过去。小精灵看到他时已近在咫尺。

　　"That's a fine shoe," said the boy. The strange little fellow looked up in surprise. “鞋子很漂亮，”男孩说。这个奇怪的小家伙惊奇地抬起头来。

　　"Thank you, sir," he answered. 它说：“先生，谢谢夸奖。”

　　"How very small it is!" said Tom. "It's for a fairy, isn't it?" “它好小啊！”汤姆说，“这是为仙女准备的，是吗？”

　　"That's a secret," said the elf. “这是秘密，”小精灵说。

　　Tom crept closer and closer, keeping his eyes on the elf. "Why do you work so hard?" 汤姆眼睛盯着它，悄悄靠近。“你为什么这么努力地工作？”

　　"We should all work," answered the elf. "You should do a little work yourself.  “我们都应该工作。”小精灵回答，“你应该自己干点儿活。

　　Look, look! The cows have broken down the fence. They are in the cornfield!" 快看，快看！牛弄坏了篱笆。它们在稻田里！”

　　Tom had not seen any cows, and was so surprised that he almost turned to look. 汤姆没看牛，他惊讶得几乎要转身去看了。

　　Then he thought, "That's another trick to make me look away!" So he kept his eyes on the wee man. 随后他想，“这是让我看别处的另一个诡计！”

　　He went closer, and then, JUMP! Tom caught the tiny elf in his hand. 他靠近，然后跳了起来！汤姆把小精灵抓在手里。

　　Another Trick 另一个诡计

　　"Now I have you," said Tom. “现在我抓到你了，”汤姆说，

　　"Where is the pot of gold? I won't let you go until you show me where it is." “那罐金子在哪儿？你告诉我在哪儿，我才会放了你。”

　　"Come on, then," said the elf. "It is in the woods. I will show you." “那么来吧，”小精灵说，“它在树林里。我会告诉你。”

　　Tom started for the woods, holding the elf in his hand. 汤姆动身去森林，手里抓着小精灵。

　　After they had gone a short way among the trees, the wee man cried, "Stop! Do you see that large tree?" 他们在树林里没走多远，小精灵就喊道：“停下！你看到那棵大树了吗？”

　　"Yes," answered Tom. "But where is the pot of gold?" “看到了，”汤姆回答，“但那罐金子在哪儿？”

　　"It is under that tree," said the Fairy Shoemaker, "You must dig for it." “在树下，”鞋匠精灵说，“你必须挖它。”

　　"Well," said Tom, "I shall have to run home for a spade. 汤姆说：“好吧，我会跑回家拿铲子。

　　But first I'll put my tie around this tree. Then I'll remember where to dig when I come back." 但我先在这棵树上系上带子。这样回来时就记得在哪儿了。”

　　He held the elf under his arm while he put his yellow tie around the tree. 他在系黄带子时用胳膊夹着小精灵。

　　"Now aren't you going to let me go?" asked the Fairy Shoemaker. “现在可以让我走了吗？”鞋匠精灵问。

　　"I will let you go," said Tom. "But you must promise not to take my tie off the tree while I am gone for the spade." “我会放你离开，”汤姆说，“但你要承诺在我离开拿铲子时，不能拿走我树上的带子。”

　　"I promise," said the Fairy Shoemaker. "I will not touch it while you are away. Now put me down." “我保证，”鞋匠精灵说，“我在你离开时不会碰它。现在放我下来。”

　　Tom put the elf down. "All right," he said. "Thank you for the pot of gold." 汤姆放下小精灵。他说：“好了。感谢你的那罐金子。”

　　"Good-by!" said the Fairy Shoemaker. "Much good may the pot of gold do you when you get it." “再见！”小精灵说，“希望你能得到那罐金子。”

　　And suddenly he was gone. 然后它就突然消失了。

　　Tom hurried home as fast as he could run. 汤姆急急忙忙地跑回家。

　　He found the spade and carried it back into the woods where he had left his tie. 他找到铲子，带着它回到树林系带子的地方。

　　When he got there, what do you think he saw? 当他到这里时，你猜他看到了什么？

　　Every tree in the woods had a yellow tie around it! 树林里的每棵树上都系着黄带子！

　　The elf had kept his promise. He had not touched the boy's tie! But where was the pot of gold? 小精灵履行了诺言。它没有碰男孩的带子！但那罐金子在哪儿？

　　There were so many, many trees in the woods that Tom could not dig under every one of them. 树林里的树这么多，汤姆不可能每棵树都挖。

　　He was so surprised that he dropped his spade. He rubbed his eyes. 他惊讶地扔掉了铲子，揉着眼睛。

　　For a long time he stood looking at the trees with their yellow ties. 他很长一段时间都站着，看那系着黄带子的树。

　　Then he picked up his spade and walked slowly home. 随后，他捡起铲子，缓缓地回家了。

　　The fairy Shoemaker had been too sly for him a second time. 鞋匠精灵又耍了他一次。

　　"Mother is right," thought Tom."The Fairy Shoemaker knows too many tricks. “妈妈是对的，”汤姆想，“鞋匠精灵知道太多诡计。

　　I shall get rich sooner if I work for my gold instead of trying to get it from that sly old elf." 我工作赚钱都会比从那个狡猾的老精灵手里得到金子快得多。”