第1章 早饭前

"Where's Papa going with that axe?" said Fern to her mother

“爸爸拿着那把斧子上哪儿去？”弗恩问她妈妈，

as they were setting the table for breakfast.

摆桌子吃早饭的时候。

"Out to the hog house," replied Mrs. Arable.

“上猪圈去，”阿拉布尔太太回答说，

"Some pigs were born last night."

“昨天夜里下小猪了。”

"I don't see why he needs an ax,"

“我不明白，他干吗要拿着把斧子去，”

continued Fern, who was only eight.

只有八岁的弗恩又说。

"Well," said her mother,

“这个嘛，”她妈妈说，

"one of the pigs is a runt.

“有一只小猪是落脚猪。

It's very small and weak,

它太小太弱，

and it will never amount to anything.

不会有出息。

So your father has decided to do away with it."

因此你爸爸拿定主意不要它。”