首发:~第6章 丑小鸭 The Ugly Duckling
它又大又丑。
it was very large and ugly
母鸭盯着它惊叫道:“它好大呀,而且一点也不像其他的小鸭子。
the duck stared at it and exclaimed, “it is very large and not at all like the others
我怀疑它是不是真的是只火鸡。不过等我们到水里去就知道了。
i wonder if it really is a turkey we shall soon find it out, however when we go to the water
如果必要的话,我得亲自把它推下去。”
it must go in, if i have to push it myself”
第二天天气很好,阳光灿烂地照在绿色的牛蒡叶上,于是鸭妈妈带着她的小鸭子们下到水里,扑通一声跳了进去。
on the next day the weather was delightful, and the sun shone brightly on the green burdock leaves, so the mother duck took her young brood down to the water, and jumped in with a splash
“嘎嘎,嘎嘎。” 她叫着,小鸭子们一只接一只地跳进水里。
“quack, quack,” cried she, and one after another the little ducklings jumped in
水没过了它们的头顶,但它们立刻又浮了上来,用腿在水下尽可能轻松地划动着,游得非常漂亮,丑小鸭也在水里和它们一起游着。
the water closed over their heads, but they came up again in an instant, and swam about quite prettily with their legs paddling under them as easily as possible, and the ugly duckling was also in the water swimming with them
“哦,” 鸭妈妈说,“那不是火鸡;
“oh,” said the mother, “that is not a turkey;
他的腿用得多好啊,站得多直啊!他是我的亲生孩子,要是你好好看看他,他其实也不是那么丑。
how well he uses his legs, and how upright he holds himself! he is my own child, and he is not so very ugly after all if you look at him properly
嘎嘎,嘎嘎!现在跟我来,我要带你们进入上流社会,把你们介绍到农家院子里,但你们必须紧跟着我,不然可能会被踩到;
quack, quack! e with me now, i will take you into grand society, and introduce you to the farmyard, but you must keep close to me or you may be trodden upon;
而且,最重要的是,要小心猫。”
and, above all, beware of the cat”
当它们到达农家院子时,一阵大乱,两家人正在为一个鳗鱼头争斗,最后鳗鱼头被猫抢走了。
when they reached the farmyard, there was a great disturbance, two families were fighting for an eel’s head, which, after all, was carried off by the cat
“看,孩子们,这就是世道。” 鸭妈妈磨着嘴说道,因为她自己也很想要那个鳗鱼头。
“see, children, that is the way of the world,” said the mother duck, whetting her beak, for she would have liked the eel’s head herself
“来吧,现在,动一动你们的腿,让我看看你们表现得有多好。
“e, now, use your legs, and let me see how well you can behave
你们必须很有礼貌地向那边的老鸭鞠躬;
you must bow your heads prettily to that old duck yonder;
她是这里出身最高贵的,有西班牙血统,所以她很富有。
she is the highest born of them all, and has spanish blood, therefore, she is well off
你们没看到她腿上系着一面红旗吗,这是非常了不起的东西,对一只鸭子来说是极大的荣耀;
don’t you see she has a red flag tied to her leg, which is something very grand, and a great honor for a duck;
这表明每个人都很担心失去她,因为人和动物都能认出她来。
it shows that every one is anxious not to lose her, as she can be recognized both by man and beast
来吧,现在,不要把脚趾向内弯,一只有教养的小鸭子要像他的爸爸妈妈那样把脚张得大大的;
e, now, don’t turn your toes, a well - bred duckling spreads his feet wide apart, just like his father and mother, in this way;
现在弯下你们的脖子,说‘嘎嘎’。”
now bend your neck, and say ‘quack’”
小鸭子们照吩咐做了,但另一只鸭子盯着它们说:“看,又来了一窝,好像我们已经够多的了!而且其中一个长得多奇怪啊;
the ducklings did as they were bid, but the other duck stared, and said, “look, here es another brood, as if there were not enough of us already! and what a queer looking object one of them is;
我们不想让他待在这里,” 然后一只鸭子飞出来咬他的脖子。
we don’t want him here,” and then one flew out and bit him in the neck
“别管他,” 鸭妈妈说;
“let him alone,” said the mother;
“他又没做什么坏事。”
“he is not doing any harm”
“是的,但是他又大又丑,” 那只恶毒的鸭子说,“所以必须把他赶走。”
“yes, but he is so big and ugly,” said the spiteful duck “and therefore he must be turned out”
“其他的都是非常可爱的孩子,” 腿上系着破布的老鸭说,“除了那一个;
“the others are very pretty children,” said the old duck, with the rag on her leg, “all but that one;
我希望他妈妈能把他改造得好一点。”
i wish his mother could improve him a little”