第 30 节
作者:沸点123      更新:2021-02-27 02:03      字数:9322
  just a pet dog。 She seemed very happy and she was always good。
  But after a while; the family noticed something odd; something very
  strange   indeed;   about   their   pet。   Every   single   Tuesday   night;   about   nine
  o'clock;   Wylie   DISAPPEARED。   They   would   look   for   her;   call   her;no;
  she   was   gone。 And   she   would   be   gone   all   night。   But   every   Wednesday
  morning; there she was at the door; waiting to be let in。 Her silky coat was
  all sweaty and muddy  and her feet heavy  with weariness; but her   bright
  eyes looked up at her masters as if she were trying to explain where she
  had been。
  Week   after   week   the   same   thing   happened。   Nobody   could   imagine
  where Wylie went every Tuesday night。 They tried to follow her to   find
  out; but she always slipped away; they tried to shut her in; but she always
  found   a   way   out。   It   grew   to   be   a   real   mystery。   Where   in   the   world   did
  Wylie go?
  You never could guess; so I am going to tell you。
  In the city near the town where the kind young men lived was a big
  market like (naming one in the neighbourhood)。 Every sort of thing was
  sold   there;   even   live   cows   and   sheep   and   hens。   On   Tuesday   nights;   the
  farmers   used   to   come   down   from   the   hills   with   their   sheep   to   sell;   and
  drive     them    through    the   city  streets   into   the  pens;    ready   to   sell  on
  Wednesday morning; that was the day they sold them。
  The sheep weren't used to the city noises and sights; and they always
  grew afraid and wild; and gave the farmers and the sheepdogs a great deal
  of trouble。 They broke away and ran about; in everybody's way。
  But just as the trouble was worst; about sunrise; the farmers would see
  a little silky; sharp… eared dog come trotting all alone down the road; into
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  the midst of them。
  And then!
  In and out the little dog ran like the wind; round and about; always in
  the right place; drivingcoaxingpushingmaking the sheep mind like a
  good school…teacher; and never frightening them; till they were all safely
  in! All the other dogs together could not do as much as the little strange
  dog。 She was a perfect wonder。 And no one knew whose dog she was or
  where she came from。 The farmers grew to watch for her; every week; and
  they called her 〃the wee fell yin〃 which is Scots for 〃the little terror〃; they
  used   to   say  when   they  saw   her   coming;   〃There's   the   wee   fell   yin!   Now
  we'll get them in。〃
  Every farmer would have liked to keep her; but she let no one catch
  her。 As soon as her work was done she was off and away like a fairy dog;
  no   one   knew   where。   Week   after   week   this   happened;   and   nobody   knew
  who the little strange dog was。
  But   one    day   Wylie   went    to  walk   with   her   two   masters;    and   they
  happened to   meet   some   sheep   farmers。 The   sheep   farmers   stopped short
  and stared at Wylie; and then they cried out; 〃Why; THAT'S THE DOG!
  That's the wee fell yin!〃 And so it was。 The little strange dog who helped
  with the sheep was Wylie。
  Her masters; of course; didn't know what the farmers meant; till they
  were   told   all   about   what   I   have   been   telling   you。   But   when   they   heard
  about the pretty strange dog who came to market all alone; they knew at
  last   where   Wylie   went;   every   Tuesday   night。 And   they   loved   her   better
  than ever
  Wasn't it wise of the dear little dog to go and work for other people
  when   her   own   work   was   taken   away?   I   fancy   she   knew   that   the   best
  people and the best dogs always work hard at something。 Any way she did
  that same thing as long as she lived; and she was always just as gentle; and
  silky…haired; and loving as at first。
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  LITTLE DAYLIGHT'1'
  '1'   Adapted     from    At   the   Back    of  the   North    Wind;    by   George
  Macdonald。
  Once   there   was   a   beautiful   palace;   which   had   a   great   wood   at   one
  side。 The king and his courtiers hunted in the wood near the palace; and
  there   it   was   kept   open;   free   from   underbrush。   But   farther   away   it   grew
  wilder and wilder; till at last it was so thick that nobody knew what was
  there。 It was a very great wood indeed。
  In the wood lived eight fairies。 Seven of them were good fairies; who
  had lived there always; the eighth was a bad fairy; who had just come。 And
  the worst of it was that nobody but the other fairies knew she WAS a fairy;
  people thought she was just an ugly old witch。 The good fairies lived in
  the dearest little houses! One lived in a hollow silver birch; one in a little
  moss cottage; and so on。 But the bad fairy lived in a horrid mud house in
  the middle of a dark swamp。
  Now when the first baby was born to the king and queen; her father
  and mother decided to name her 〃Daylight;〃 because she was so bright and
  sweet。 And of course they had a christening party。 And of COURSE they
  invited    the   fairies;  because    the  good    fairies   had   always    been   at  the
  christening party when a princess was born in the palace; and everybody
  knew that they brought good gifts。
  But;   alas;  no   one   knew    about    the  swamp     fairy;  and   she   was   not
  invited;which really pleased her; because it gave her an excuse for doing
  something mean。
  The good fairies came to the christening party; and; one after another;
  five of them gave little Daylight good gifts。 The other two stood among
  the  guests;   so   that   no   one   noticed   them。 The   swamp   fairy  thought   there
  were no more of them; so she stepped forward; just as the archbishop was
  handing the baby back to the lady…in…waiting。
  〃I am just a little deaf;〃 she said; mumbling a laugh with her toothless
  gums。 〃Will your reverence tell me the baby's name again?〃
  〃Certainly;   my   good     woman;〃   said     the   bishop;   〃the  infant   is  little
  Daylight。〃
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  〃And little Daylight it shall be; forsooth;〃 cried the bad fairy。 〃I decree
  that   she shall   sleep   all  day。〃 Then   she   laughed   a horrid   shrieking   laugh;
  〃He; he; hi; hi!〃
  Everyone looked at everyone else in despair; but out stepped the sixth
  good   fairy;    who   by   arrangement   with         her   sisters   had   remained     in  the
  background to undo what she could of any evil that the swamp fairy might
  decree。
  〃Then at least she shall wake all night;〃 she said; sadly。
  〃Ah!〃   screamed   the   swamp   fairy;   〃you   spoke   before   I   had   finished;
  which   is   against   the   law;   and   gives   me   another   chance。〃 All   the   fairies
  started at once to say; 〃I beg your pardon!〃 But the bad fairy said; 〃I had
  only   laughed   ‘he;   he!'   and   ‘hi;   hi!'   I   had   still   ‘ho;   ho!'   and   ‘hu;   hu!'   to
  laugh。〃
  The   fairies   could   not   gainsay   this;   and   the   bad   fairy   had   her   other
  chance。 She said;
  〃Since she is to wake all night; I decree that she shall wax and wane
  with the moon! Ho; ho; hu; hu!〃
  Out   stepped   the   seventh   good   fairy。   〃Until   a   prince   shall   kiss   her
  without knowing who she is;〃 she said; quickly。
  The swamp fairy had been prepared for the trick of keeping back one
  good fairy; but she had not suspected it of two; and she could not say a
  word; for she had laughed 〃ho; ho!〃 and 〃hu; hu!〃
  The   poor   king   and   queen   looked   sad   enough。   〃We   don't   know   what
  you mean;〃 they said to the good fairy who had spoken last。 But the good
  fairy   smiled。   〃The   meaning   of   the   thing   will   come   with   the   thing;〃   she
  said。
  That   was   the   end   of   the   party;   but   it   was   only   the   beginning   of   the
  trouble。 Can you imagine what a queer household it would be; where the
  baby laughed and crowed all night; and slept all day? Little Daylight was
  as merry and bright all night as any baby in the world; but with the first
  sign   of   dawn   she   fell   asleep;   and   slept   like   a   little   dormouse   till   dark。
  Nothing could waken her while day lasted。 Still; the royal family got used
  to   this;   but   the   rest   of   the   bad   fairy's   gift   was   a   great   deal   worse;that
  about waxing and waning