100个儿童英语小故事: Benu and Glenu Benu和Glenu

 

056 Benu and Glenu

There were two islands called Benu and Glenu around Holstein Castle located next to the Zeeland coast. On these two islands, there were forests, ranches¹, fields, churches and towns. These two islands were located close to each other side by side.

One night, there was a big rainstorm. The earth and sky were shaking and the ground seemed to crack, the church bells swayed and tolled² by themselves, sea waves roared higher than ever before.

The next morning, Benu completely disappeared as if it had never existed before. Even now, on quiet summer evenings, some fishermen say they saw the white church tower of Benu under the sea, and others say they heard the church bell.

The legend, 'Benu is laying down deep under the sea waiting for Glenu', spread across the whole town, and when rainstorms rose up, the children of Glenu shivered and heard the sound of waves with fear.

"Is Benu going to take Glenu away under the sea tonight?" The children used to be terrified with this thought and muttered prayers, and went to bed. But the next morning, Glenu was still there. Forests, fields full of fully³ ripened⁴ grains, and picturesque⁵ farmhouses⁶ are all still there.

But Glenu was looking forward to the day. Even though it does not know how many days it has to wait, Glenu knows that someday it will disappear before anyone is aware of it.

Suddenly one morning, the Glenu that was there had vanished. Even the day before yesterday, wild swans were swimming through the sea between Zeeland and Glenu, sailing boats were passing by smoothly⁷, people were riding horse carriages which splashed water and went to Glenu, but one day Glenu vanished forever.

When you travel far away from Holstein for 10 years and come back, forests may be surrounded by an open and green plain, and you may smell the hay. You may doubt your eyes looking at where you are and the houses that you've never seen before.

Holstein castle will still be glittering its golden spire⁸, but the castle will look as if it moved 1 mile to the inland. You will reach the shore crossing forests and fields, but there is no island in your sight but a boundless⁹ ocean, you will ask yourself this,

"Did Benu finally take Glenu? One night, did the rainstorm that shakes the sky and earth really move Holstein castle 1 mile inland?" However, the rainstorms will never arise, and this will happen at noon in bright sunlight.

It will be men who will build banks around Glenu, linking Glenu and Zeeland draining the sea. And then, they will turn the place into a rich plain

As the legend says, even though Glenu will vanish, Zeeland will be broader. It is not Benu that will take Glenu away, but it is Zeeland that will hold Glenu with its long and wide bank.

1 ranches   

大农场， （兼种果树，养鸡等的）大牧场( ranch的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They hauled feedlot manure from the ranches to fertilize their fields. 他们从牧场的饲养场拖走肥料去肥田。
• Many abandoned ranches are purchased or leased by other poultrymen. 许多被放弃的牧场会由其他家禽监主收买或租用。

2 tolled   

鸣钟（toll的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Bells were tolled all over the country at the King's death. 全国为国王之死而鸣钟。
• The church bell tolled the hour. 教堂的钟声报时。

3 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

4 ripened   

v.成熟，使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They're collecting the ripened reddish berries. 他们正采集熟了的淡红草莓。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The branches bent low with ripened fruits. 成熟的果实压弯了树枝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 picturesque   

adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的

参考例句：

• You can see the picturesque shores beside the river.在河边你可以看到景色如画的两岸。
• That was a picturesque phrase.那是一个形象化的说法。

6 farmhouses   

n.农舍，农场的主要住房( farmhouse的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Then perhaps she is staying at one of cottages or farmhouses? 那么也许她现在住在某个农舍或哪个农场的房子里吧？ 来自辞典例句
• The countryside was sprinkled with farmhouses. 乡间到处可见农家的房舍。 来自辞典例句

7 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

8 spire   

n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点

参考例句：

• The church spire was struck by lightning.教堂的尖顶遭到了雷击。
• They could just make out the spire of the church in the distance.他们只能辨认出远处教堂的尖塔。

9 boundless   

adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的

参考例句：

• The boundless woods were sleeping in the deep repose of nature.无边无际的森林在大自然静寂的怀抱中酣睡着。
• His gratitude and devotion to the Party was boundless.他对党无限感激、无限忠诚。