Clarence Hawkes 作者：克拉伦斯·霍克斯

Clarence Hawkes, the author of this story, has been blind for many years, yet boys and girls in all parts of our country have seen nature through his unseeing eyes. 这个故事的作者克拉伦斯·霍克斯已经失明多年，然而我们国家各地的男孩和女孩都是通过他那看不见的眼睛看到大自然的。

While he was a boy, he learned to know and love the wild things of the out-of- doors. 当他还是个孩子的时候，他就学会了解和热爱户外的野生动物。

When he became blind, he began to write stories of the animals and birds he had known. 他失明后，开始写他认识的动物和鸟类的故事。

Here he tells us of the beaver—the first American woodcutter. 在这里，下面要讲的是海狸——美国第一个伐木工人。

The beaver is the first American woodcutter; he is also a famous dam builder. 海狸是美国第一个伐木工；他也是一位著名的水坝工程师。

He cuts the wood both for food and building material for his dam. 他砍伐木材既是为了食物，也是为了建造水坝。

He builds the dam in order to flood the country around his house, and thus protect himself from his many enemies. 他建造大坝是为了淹没他房子周围的国家，从而保护自己免受许多敌人的伤害。

The bear, the wildcat, the wolverine, all love beaver meat; 熊，野猫，狼獾，都喜欢海狸肉；

so he has to look to it that his house is well protected. 所以他必须确保他的房子得到很好的保护。

The beaver is a wonderful builder. 海狸是一个出色的建筑者。

Not only does he select with great care the place where he will build his dam, but he also builds it most skillfully. 他不仅小心翼翼地选择要建水坝的地方，而且建得非常巧妙。

He usually selects a spot in a valley which has steep hills or banks on each side at the lower end. 他通常选择在山谷中有陡峭的小山或两岸在较低的一端的地点。

There the dam will be placed. 大坝将建在那里。

Then, if luck is with him, there will be a large tree standing on either side of the stream. 然后，如果运气好的话，小溪的两边都会有一棵大树。