第 26 节
作者:沸点123      更新:2021-02-27 02:03      字数:9322
  the pine…tree kept the wind off his house; then the juniper…tree saw what
  was going on; and said that she would give the little bird his dinner all the
  winter; from her branches。 Juniper berries are very good for little birds。
  The little bird was very comfortable in his warm nest sheltered from
  the wind; with juniper berries to eat。
  The trees at the edge of the forest remarked upon it to each other:
  〃I wouldn't take care of a strange bird;〃 said the birch。
  〃I wouldn't risk my acorns;〃 said the oak。
  〃I would not speak to strangers;〃 said the willow。 And the three trees
  stood up very tall and proud。
  That night the North Wind came to the woods to play。 He puffed at the
  leaves with his icy breath; and every leaf he touched fell to the ground。 He
  wanted to touch every leaf in the forest; for he loved to see the trees bare。
  〃May I touch every leaf?〃 he said to his father; the Frost King。
  〃No;〃 said the Frost King; 〃the trees which were kind to the bird with
  the broken wing may keep their leaves。〃
  So North Wind had to leave them alone; and the spruce; the pine; and
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  the   juniper…tree   kept   their   leaves   through   all   the   winter。  And   they   have
  done so ever since。
  THE STAR DOLLARS'1'
  '1' Adapted from Grimms' Fairy Tales。
  There was once a little girl who was very; very poor。 Her father and
  mother had died; and at last she had no little room to stay in; and no little
  bed to sleep in; and nothing more to eat except one piece of bread。 So she
  said a prayer; put on her little jacket and her hood; and took her piece of
  bread in her hand; and went out into the world。
  When she had walked a little way; she met an old man; bent and thin。
  He looked at the piece of bread in her hand; and said; 〃Will you give me
  your bread; little girl? I am very hungry。〃 The little girl said; 〃Yes;〃 and
  gave him her piece of bread。
  When she had walked a little farther she came upon a child; sitting by
  the path; crying。 〃I am so cold!〃 said the child。 〃Won't you give me your
  little hood; to keep my head warm?〃 The little girl took off her hood and
  tied it on the child's head。 Then she went on her way。
  After   a   time;   as   she   went;   she   met   another   child。   This   one   shivered
  with the cold; and she said to the little girl; 〃Won't you give me your jacket;
  little girl?〃 And the little girl gave her her jacket。 Then she went on again。
  By…and…by      she   saw   another    child;  crouching     almost   naked    by   the
  wayside。 〃O little girl;〃 said the child; 〃won't you give me your dress? I
  have nothing to keep me warm。〃 So the little girl took off her dress and
  gave it to the other child。 And now she had nothing left but her little shirt。
  It grew dark; and the wind was cold; and the little girl crept into the woods;
  to sleep for the night。 But in the woods a child stood; weeping and naked。
  〃I am cold;〃 she said; 〃give me your little shirt!〃 And the little girl thought;
  〃It is dark; and the woods will shelter me; I will give her my little shirt〃;
  so she did; and now she had nothing left in all the world。
  She stood looking up at the sky; to say her night…time prayer。 As she
  looked up; the whole skyful of stars fell in a shower round her feet。 There
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  they were; on the ground; shining bright; and round。 The little girl saw that
  they were silver dollars。 And in the midst of them was the finest little shirt;
  all woven out of silk! The little girl put on the little silk shirt; and gathered
  the star dollars; and she was rich; all the days of her life。
  THE LION AND THE GNAT'1'
  '1' This story has been told by the Rev。 Albert E。 Sims to children in
  many parts of England。 On one occasion it was told to an audience of over
  three thousand children in the Great Assembly Hall; Mile End; London。
  Far   away   in   Central Africa;   that   vast   land   where   dense   forests   and
  wild    beasts   abound;     the  shades    of   night   were   once    more    descending;
  warning all creatures that it was time to seek repose。
  All day long the sun had been like a great burning eye; but now; after
  painting     the   western    sky   with   crimson     and   scarlet   and   gold;   he   had
  disappeared   into   his   fleecy   bed;   the   various   creatures   of   the   forest   had
  sought     their   holes   and   resting…places;     the  last  sound     had   rumbled     its
  rumble;   the   last   bee   had   mumbled   his   mumble;   and   the   last   bear   had
  grumbled   his   grumble;   even   the   grasshoppers   that   had   been   chirruping;
  chirruping;   through       all  the   long   hours   without   a   pause;   at   length  had
  ceased their shrill music; tucked up their long legs; and given themselves
  to slumber。
  There   on   a   nodding   grass…blade;   a   tiny   Gnat   had   made   a   swinging
  couch; and he too had folded his wings; closed his tiny eyes; and was fast
  asleep。  Darker;   darker; darker   became  the   night   until   the  darkness   could
  almost     be   felt;  and   over   all  was    a  solemn     stillness  as   though    some
  powerful   finger   had   been   raised;   and   some   potent   voice   had   whispered;
  〃HUSH!〃
  Just   when   all   was   perfectly   still;   there   came   suddenly   from   the   far
  away depths of the forest; like the roll of thunder; a mighty ROARRR
  R!
  In a moment all the beasts and birds were wide awake; and the poor
  little Gnat was nearly frightened out of his little senses; and his little heart
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  went pit…a…pat。 He rubbed his little eyes with his feelers; and then peered
  all around trying to penetrate the deep gloom as he whispered in terror
  〃WHATWASTHAT?〃
  What do YOU think it was? 。 。 。 Yes; a LION! A great; big lion who;
  while most other denizens of the forest slept; was out hunting for prey。 He
  came   rushing   and   crashing   through   the   thick   undergrowth   of   the   forest;
  swirling his long tail and opening wide his great jaws; and as he rushed he
  RO…AR…R…R…ED!
  Presently he reached the spot where the little Gnat hung panting at the
  tip of the waving grass…blade。 Now the little Gnat was not afraid of lions;
  so when he saw it was only a lion; he cried out
  〃Hi; stop; stop! What are you making that horrible noise about?〃
  The   Lion   stopped   short;   then   backed   slowly   and   regarded   the   Gnat
  with scorn。
  〃Why;   you   tiny;   little;   mean;   insignificant   creature   you;   how   DARE
  you speak to ME?〃 he raged。
  〃How dare I speak to you?〃 repeated the Gnat quietly。 〃By the virtue
  of RIGHT; which is always greater than MIGHT。 Why don't you keep to
  your   own part of   the   forest? What   right have   you   to   be here;   disturbing
  folks at this time of night?〃
  By   a   mighty   effort   the   Lion   restrained   his   angerhe   knew   that   to
  obtain mastery over others one must be master over oneself。
  〃What     RIGHT?〃       he  repeated    in  dignified   tones。   〃BECAUSE         I'M
  KING OF THE FOREST。 That's why。 I can do no wrong; for all the other
  creatures of the forest are afraid of me。 I DO what I please; I SAY what I
  please;   I   EAT  whom  I   please;   I   GO   where   I   pleasesimply  because   I'm
  King of the Forest。〃
  〃But who told you you were King?〃 demanded the Gnat。 〃Just answer
  me that!〃
  〃Who told ME?〃 roared the Lion。 〃Why; everyone acknowledges it
  don't I tell you that everyone is afraid of me?〃
  〃Indeed!〃 cried the Gnat disdainfully。 〃Pray don't say ALL; for I'm not
  afraid of you。 And further; I deny your right to be King。〃
  This was too much for the Lion。 He now worked himself into a perfect
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  fury。
  〃YouyouYOU deny my right as King?〃
  〃I   DO;   and;   what   is   more;   you   shall   never   be   King   until   you   have
  fought and conquered me。〃
  The   Lion     laughed    a  great   lion   laugh;   and   a  lion  laugh    cannot    be
  laughed at like a cat laugh; as everyone ought to know。
  〃Fightdid      you   say   fight?〃   he   asked。   〃Who     ever   heard    of  a  lion
  fighting a gnat? Here; out of my way; you atom of nothing! I'll blow you
  to the o