Aunt Molly told Betty a very interesting story about a strange little friend of hers. 莫莉姨妈给贝蒂讲了一个有趣的故事，是关于一个古怪的小朋友。

As you read the story, see how soon you can guess who this little friend was. 在阅读这则故事的时候，看看你要用多长时间才能猜出这位小朋友是谁。

Aunt Molly's Ltttle Friend 莫莉姨妈的小朋友

One warm day in spring Betty and Aunt Molly were sitting in the little summer-house by the pool. 春天里的一天，天气非常的暖和，贝蒂和莫莉姨妈坐在池塘边的凉亭里。

"I wonder," said Aunt Molly, "how my little friend is, who lives in this pool." 莫莉姨妈说，我在想住在池子里的小朋友，不知道它现在怎么样了。

"Why, who is he, Aunt Molly?" asked Betty in surprise. "And what does he look like?" 咦，莫莉姨妈，它是谁啊？贝蒂好奇地问道。它长什么样子呢？

"The first time I saw him he was very, very small," answered her aunt, "He was as black as coal, and he had no arms or legs. 我第一次看到它的时候，它非常非常小，姨妈回答道，他黑得像煤块一样，没胳膊、没腿，

He had only a big head and a long tail." 只有一个大大的头和长长的尾巴。

"Only a head and a tail!" cried Betty. 最有头跟尾巴！贝蒂嚷道。

Her aunt smiled, as she went on, "But in a few days I saw him again. 姨妈笑了笑，继续说道，但不到几天，我又见到了它。

Then his tail was longer than before and, strange to say, he had two legs. 这个时候它的尾巴比之前的要长，说来奇怪，它还长了两条腿。

The next time we met, he was bigger still and had arms as well as legs, but his long tail was gone. 而下次见到它的时候，它更大了，除了腿之外又长出了胳膊，但是它长长的尾巴不见了。

The last time I saw him, he was more than a hundred times as big as at first, and he wasn't black at all; he was a beautiful green and white." 最后一次见到它的时候，它比最初的时候大了很多倍，而且一点也不黑；它绿白相间非常漂亮。

Betty thought and thought. "Do you really see him in this pool, Aunt Molly?" she asked. 贝蒂想了想问道，莫莉姨妈，你真是在这个池子里看到它的吗？

"All summer long he plays near the summer house," answered her aunt, 整个夏天它都在这个凉亭附近玩耍，姨妈答道，

"But I never see him in the winter time, for then this little friend of mine goes to a warm home under the ground. 但我在冬天就从来没见过它，因为那个时候我的这位小朋友便去了地下的一个温暖的家。

There he stays until days like this come again, because he does not like the cold weather." 它会在那里一直待到像现在这样的日子才会回来，因为它不喜欢寒冷的天气。

"Have you seen him today?" asked Betty. 那你今天看到它了吗？贝蒂问。

"Yes, I saw him just a little while ago. 嗯，刚刚我还看到了他了呢。

He is wearing a bright green coat, and his trousers are as white and clean as if he had never lived under the ground. 它穿了一身鲜亮的绿色外衣，裤子白净的好像从没有住在地下一样。

I call him Brother Green-Coat. There! I can see him now!" 我叫它绿衣兄弟。你瞧！我现在就可以看到它！