"I hope so, for already I have used six pairs of straw sandals and lost them all. “希望如此，因为我已经穿了六双草鞋，全都丢了，

And Mother needs them to burn in the stove." 你母亲需要把这些草鞋放在炉子里烧。”

Chinese ricksha men wear straw sandals on their feet. 中国黄包车夫脚上穿的是草鞋。

In sunny weather, when the sandals get worn out or broken, the ricksha men take them off and leave them in the streets. 在阳光明媚的日子里，当脚上的鞋破旧不堪时，黄包车夫就会把鞋脱下，丢在街上。

Then boys and girls of families who are very poor gather them to take home for fuel. 然后那些家境贫寒的男孩和女孩们就会把这些鞋收集在一起，带回家做燃料。

So Ting Fang said, "Too bad, Father, too bad! If the sun shines tomorrow, 于是方廷说：“太糟糕了，父亲，太糟糕了！如果明天天气好，

I will go out and bring in many of the old sandals that the men have lost. 我要出去，把丢的旧草鞋带回家，

When they are dry, Mother will have plenty of fuel to burn," 鞋干了，母亲就有足够的燃料。”

This is a kind of game that poor children in China play after the rain. 这是中国贫困孩子雨后玩的一种游戏。

They all go out and gather old, wet sandals from the muddy streets and bring them home. 他们都出去，从泥泞的街道上捡起又旧又湿的草鞋带回家。

They have a race, and the boy or girl who brings home the most sandals wins. 他们比赛，草鞋带回家最多的男孩或女孩获胜。

THE RACE STARTS 比赛开始

Early the next morning when the rain had stopped and the sun came out, Mother said to Ting Fang, 第二天一早，雨停了，太阳出来了，妈妈对方廷说:

" You'd better be starting to find sandals for the fire, son. “儿子，你最好开始找草鞋生火，

Take the big rope to string the sandals on and bring many home to Mother. 拿着大绳好把草鞋穿起来，带回家给我，

Be sure to bring some home by noon, so they will have time to dry before supper, 中午一定要带一些草鞋回家，这样晚饭前就有时间晒干了，

for I have nothing to burn tonight for a fire." 因为今晚没有什么东西可烧。”