嘎嘎鴨

Origin: France Joyce譯

寓言·童話

嘎嘎鴨

Quackling

Origin: France Joyce譯

once there was a very small duck with a very loud1)quack. So they called him Quackling.

Now, Quackling was clever and he worked hard, so he saved up a good deal of money. In fact, he saved up so much that the King himself came to borrow some.

Quackling was proud to loan his money to the King. But a year went by, then two, then three, and the King never paid him back.

從前有一只鴨子，他個(gè)子很小，叫聲卻很大，所以大家都叫他嘎嘎鴨。

如今，嘎嘎鴨頭腦聰明，工作努力，因而攢起巨資。事實(shí)上，他攢的錢多到連國王都來向他借。

有幸借錢給國王，嘎嘎鴨感到很自豪。然而，一年過去了，兩年過去了，三年過去了，國王卻依然沒有還他錢。

1) quack [kw?k] v. (指鴨)嘎嘎地叫

“I’ve waited long enough,” said Quackling. So he took a sack for the money, and he started for the castle, calling, “Quack! Quack! Quack! I want my money back!”

Before long, he came upon a ladder leaning against a wall.

“Where are you going, Quackling?” said Ladder.

“To the King for my money,” said Quackling.

“To the King!” said Ladder. “How wonderful! Will you take me with you?”

“Why not?” said Quackling. “One can never have too many friends.” And he called out, “Quack! Quack! Quack! Ladder into sack!”

Quick as you can blink, Ladder was in the sack. Then Quackling walked on, calling, “Quack! Quack! Quack! I want my money back!”

Not much later, he came upon a river flowing through a wood.

“Where are you going, Quackling?” said River.

“To the King for my money,” said Quackling.

“To the King!” said River. “How splendid! Will you take me with you?”

“Why not?” said Quackling. “One can never have too many friends.” And he called out, “Quack! Quack! Quack! River into sack!”

Quick as you can wink, River was in the sack. Then Quackling walked on, calling, “Quack! Quack! Quack! I want my money back!”

In a little while, he came upon a2)beehive hanging from a tree.

“我已經(jīng)等得夠久了?！备赂馒喺f。于是，他就帶著一個(gè)麻袋，準(zhǔn)備去把錢要回來。他出發(fā)前往城堡，嘴里喊著:“嘎！嘎！嘎！我想要回我的錢！”

不久，他遇到一把倚靠在墻上的梯子。

“你要去哪里，嘎嘎鴨？”梯子問道。

“我要去找國王把我的錢要回來?！备赂馒喺f。

“去找國王！”梯子驚嘆?！罢姘?！你能把我也帶上嗎？”

“為什么不呢？”嘎嘎鴨說?！芭笥旬?dāng)然是越多越好。”然后他叫道：“嘎！嘎！嘎！梯子進(jìn)來袋子里！”

一眨眼功夫，梯子就在袋子里了。嘎嘎鴨繼續(xù)上路，嘴里叫著：“嘎！嘎！嘎！我想要回我的錢！”

不久，他遇到了一條流經(jīng)樹林的小河。

“你要去哪里，嘎嘎鴨？”小河問道。

“我要去找國王把我的錢要回來?！备赂馒喺f。

“去找國王！”小河驚嘆。“真棒！你能把我也帶上嗎？”

“為什么不呢？”嘎嘎鴨說?！芭笥旬?dāng)然是越多越好。”他叫道：“嘎！嘎！嘎！小河進(jìn)來袋子里！”

一眨眼功夫，小河就在袋子里了。嘎嘎鴨繼續(xù)上路，嘴里叫著：“嘎！嘎！嘎！我想要回我的錢！”

走了一段時(shí)間后，他遇到了一個(gè)掛在樹上的蜂窩。

2) beehive ['bi?ha?v] n. 蜂窩，蜂箱

“Where are you going, Quackling?” said Beehive.

“To the King for my money,” said Quackling.

“To the King!” said Beehive. “How marvelous! Will you take me with you?”

Now, Quackling’s sack was getting full, but he thought there might be just enough room.

“Why not?” said Quackling. “One can never have too many friends.” And he called out, “Quack! Quack! Quack! Beehive into sack!”

Quick as you can think, Beehive was in the sack. Then Quackling walked on, calling, “Quack! Quack! Quack! I want my money back!”

Soon after, Quackling arrived at the King’s castle. He marched right up to the guards and told them, “I’ve come for my money!”

The guards went inside and told the prime minister. The prime minister told the King.

“Who does that Quackling think he is?” said the King. “Never mind. Just put him in the pit!”

So they put Quackling in the pit and left him there.

“Help!” cried Quackling. “I’ll never get out!”

Then he remembered Ladder. So he called out,“Quack! Quack! Quack! Ladder out of sack!”

“你要去哪里，嘎嘎鴨？”蜂窩問道。

“我要去找國王把我的錢要回來。”嘎嘎鴨說。

“去找國王！”蜂窩驚嘆?！罢姘?！你能把我也帶上嗎？”

現(xiàn)在，嘎嘎鴨的袋子快裝滿了，但他想也許袋子還能裝得下?！?br>