《风语河岸柳》第5章 给癞蛤蟆先生的教训(1)

Chapter 5 A lesson for Mr Toad¹

第5章 给癞蛤蟆先生的教训

Winter passed, and spring returned to the river bank.

冬天过去了，春天回到了河岸。

Then came a fine morning in early summer, when the world seemed full of sunlight² and new green leaves.

这是初夏一个晴朗的早上，世界似乎充满了阳光，长满了新叶。

Down by the river bank, the Mole³ and the Water Rat were hard at work, mending and cleaning boats, looking for lost oars⁴, and getting ready for a summer on the river.

下游的河岸边，鼹鼠和水鼠正卖力地干着活，修补着船然后把它清洗干净，又寻找着不知遗落在何处的船桨，为夏天在河上划船做着准备。

Then they went in to breakfast and had nearly finished when they heard a heavy knock on the door.

忙碌了一阵他们便回家吃早餐。快吃完时，他们突然听到重重的敲门声。

The Mole went to see who it was, and came back with a very surprised face. 'Mr Badger⁵' he said.

鼹鼠过去看看是谁，回来时表情非常惊讶。他说，獾先生！

This was a wonderful thing indeed, for the Badger to come and visit them.

獾来拜访他们，的确是不可思议的事。

He came into the room and stood looking at them, very seriously.

他走进屋里，非常严肃地站着看着他们。

The Rat dropped his egg-spoon, and sat open-mouthed.

水鼠坐在那儿张大着嘴巴，手中的汤匙掉在地上。

'The hour has come! 'said the Badger at last.

时辰到了！獾最后说。

'What hour?' asked the Rat worriedly, looking at the clock on the wall.

什么时辰？水鼠担心地问，一边看着墙上的钟。

' Whose hour, you mean, 'replied the Badger.

你是说，谁的时辰？灌回答道。

'Why, Toad's hour! The hour of Toad! I said I would teach him a lesson when the summer came, and I'm going to begin today. '

哎，蛤蟆的时辰！癞蛤蟆的时辰！我说过夏天来了我要教训教训他，今天我就要着手干了。

' Toad's hour, of course! 'cried the Mole. '

癞蛤蟆的时辰，当然！鼹鼠叫道。

I remember now. We'll teach him to be a sensible⁶ Toad! '

我现在想起来了，我们要把他教育成理智的癞蛤蟆！

'I learnt last night, ' continued the Badger, that another new and very fast motor-car has just arrived at Toad Hall.

昨晚我听说，獾继续着，另一辆崭新的、高速的汽车刚刚抵达蛤蟆宅第，

You two must come with me immediately, and we will save Toad from this madness. '

你们俩必须马上跟我走，我们得把癞蛤蟆从疯狂中救醒过来。

1 toad   

n.蟾蜍，癞蛤蟆

参考例句：

• Both the toad and frog are amphibian.蟾蜍和青蛙都是两栖动物。
• Many kinds of toad hibernate in winter.许多种蟾蜍在冬天都会冬眠。

2 sunlight   

n.日光，阳光，日照

参考例句：

• The room was flooded with warm and golden sunlight.房间充满着温暖、金色的阳光。
• In the bright sunlight she had to narrow her eyes.在强烈阳光下她必须眯着双眼。

3 mole   

n.胎块；痣；克分子

参考例句：

• She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。
• The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。

4 oars   

n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He pulled as hard as he could on the oars. 他拼命地划桨。
• The sailors are bending to the oars. 水手们在拼命地划桨。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 badger   

v.一再烦扰，一再要求，纠缠

参考例句：

• Now that our debts are squared.Don't badger me with them any more.我们的债务两清了。从此以后不要再纠缠我了。
• If you badger him long enough,I'm sure he'll agree.只要你天天纠缠他，我相信他会同意。

6 sensible   

adj.可察觉的，意识到的，实用的；n.可感知物

参考例句：

• Are you sensible of the dangers of your position? 你觉察到你处境中的危险了吗？
• He was sensible enough to mind his own business.他颇有见识，不去管闲事。