What ails you, lad?" said Dame Bell to a little boy, who sat near a wall at the back of her house. 小伙子, 你怎么了?”Dame Bell对一个小男孩说, 他坐在在她家附近的一堵墙旁。

　　He had a book in his hand, and tears were in his eyes. 手里拿着一本书, 眼里噙着泪水。

　　We have all got a poem called Little Jim to learn, " said the boy, whose name was Tom Blair; 我们都要学习Little Jim , ”男孩说, 他的名字是 Tom Blair;”

　　"and the one who says it best is to get a prize from the master. But I don't think I can learn it." 说最好是尽力去师傅那里得奖。但我认为我不可以。

　　Why not?" said the dame. 为什么不呢?”dame说。

　　The boys say that I can't, and that I need not try, "said Tom in a sad tone. 男孩说, 我不能, 我不需要尝试, ”Tom 悲伤的说。

　　Don't mind what the boys say. Let them see that you can learn it, " said his friend. 不介意其他人说什么。让他们看到, 你可以学习它, ”他的朋友说。

　　But I don't think I can, "said Tom;"it is so long, and some of the words are so hard. 但我不认为我可以, ”Tom 说, “它太长, 一些单词是如此困难。

　　I know I need not try for the prize. 我知道我不需要争取奖。

　　But I should like to learn the poem as well as I can; for the boys laugh at me, and call me 'Slow Tom.' 但是我想要学习这首诗以及我可以, 男孩子们嘲笑我, 叫我拖油瓶。”

　　Well, dear, " said the dame, in a kind voice, "if you are slow, and can't help it, try to be 'slow and sure, ' as they say. 好吧, 亲爱的, ”dame和蔼地说, , “如果你拖后腿, 并且无能为力, 试着去像他们说的慢和肯定。

　　Look at that snail on the wall; how slow it is! 看看墙上的蜗牛, 是多么的慢!

　　And yet, if you watch it, you will see it will get to the top in time. 然而, 如果你看着它, 你会看到它会去争第一。

　　So just try to learn a few lines each day, and you may gain the prize in the end. 所以就试着每天学习几行, 最后, 你可能会获得奖品。

　　And when you are like to lose heart, think of the snail on the wall." 当你失去信心, 想想墙上的蜗牛。

　　When Dame Bell had said this, she went on her way. 当Dame Bell说完这个, 她只顾走自己的路。

　　And Tom thought that (though he could not keep up with the boys) he might run a race with the snail. 和Tom认为(尽管他不能跟上男孩们)他可能与蜗牛赛跑。

　　So he resolved to try to learn his task, by the time the snail got to the top of the wall. 所以他下定决心要学习任务, 当蜗牛爬到墙顶。

　　At last, the day came on which the master was to give the prize, and he called up the boys to repeat the poem. 最后, 老师发奖的日子到了, 他打电话给男孩们背诵这首诗。

　　When five or six had recited, it came to Tom's turn. 当五六个背完, 轮到Tom。

　　There was a laugh when he got up; for most of the boys thought he would fail. 他起身笑声一片，, 对大多数男孩以为他会失败。

　　But he did not miss a word; and his heart was full of joy when the master said, "Well done. Tom Blair!" 但他没有错过一个字, 他的心充满了喜悦, 老师说:“做得好。Tom Blair!”

　　When the rest of the class had tried, the master said Tom had done best; and he gave him the prize. 当其他同学试过, 老师说汤姆做的是最好的, 他给了他奖。

　　And now tell me, "said the master, "how you learned the poem so well." 现在告诉我, ”老师说, “你怎么学这首诗这么好。”

　　Please, sir, it was the snail on the wall that taught me how to do it, "said Tom. 先生, 是墙上的蜗牛教我如何做, ”Tom说。

　　There was a loud laugh when Tom said this. Tom 说完，又是笑声一片。

　　But the master said, "You need not laugh, boys; for we may learn much from such things as snails. 但是老师说, “你们别笑, 孩子们, 我们能从中学到许多诸如蜗牛。

　　How did the snail teach you, Tom?" 蜗牛怎么教你, Tom?”

　　Please, sir, I saw it crawl up the wall bit by bit. 对不起, 先生, 我看到它一点点地爬墙。

　　It did not stop, nor turn back, but went on, and on. 并没有停止, 也没有回头, 但接着, 。

　　And I thought I would do the same with my task. 我想和我的任务我会做同样的事情。

　　So I learned it bit by bit, and did not give up. 所以我学会了一点点, 不放弃。

　　And by the time the snail had got to the top of the wall, I had learned it all." 蜗牛和次墙的顶部, 我所学到的一切。”

　　Well done, Tom!" said the master."Now, boys, let us give a good cheer for Tom Blair and the snail on the wall. 干得好, Tom!”老师说。--“现在, 让我们为Tom Blair和墙上的蜗牛欢呼。

　　"And the old house rang with a loud, long cheer. For all were glad that "Slow Tom" had got a prize at last. “老房子欢呼声持续很久。大家都很高兴, “这个拖油瓶终于得到了一个奖。