017 篮筐和背篓

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The months passed quickly

几个月很快就过去了。

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Lightfoot, our wild donkey, produced a foal that we named Swift

我们的野驴轻脚产下了一头小驴，我们给它取名飞毛腿。

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We built a porch across the front of Rockburg

我们在岩堡前面搭了个门廊。

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Aside from those events, all was quiet until Jack had a misadventure one afternoon

除了这些事，一切都很平静，直到一天下午杰克出了个小意外。

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He often went off by himself and came back with new things to show us

他常常独自外出，然后带回些新奇的东西给我们看。

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But this time he reappeared covered with mud and almost in tears

可这次他回来时浑身是泥，差点儿就要哭出来了。

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" What happened?" I said." Where have you been?"

“怎么了？”我问，“你到哪儿去了？”

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" I went to get reeds to make baskets, and I fell into the swamp

“我去割些芦苇做篮子，结果掉进了沼泽。

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I called and called for help. But nobody came and I kept sinking."

我拼命喊救命，可没人过来，我越陷越深。”

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He had finally managed to cut some reeds and fasten them into a bundle

他最后总算割了些芦苇，把它们捆成了一束。

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Meanwhile Fangs, his jackal, had run back and forth at the edge of the swamp

与此同时，他的胡狼方斯一直在沼泽边来回奔跑。

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" I used the reeds like a raft to keep from sinking," said Jack

“我把芦苇当筏子用，才没有沉下去。”杰克说。

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" When I finally freed my legs from the swamp, I caught hold of Fangs

当我终于把腿从沼泽里拔出来，就抓住了方斯。

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He pulled me to dry land!"

他把我拖到了干地上！”

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" Fangs is truly a hero," I said

“方斯真是个英雄。”我说。

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" But next time take one of your brothers along."

“不过下次，带个兄弟一起去。”

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We wanted to make baskets because we needed something for gathering and storing fruits and root vegetables

我们想做篮子，因为需要东西来收集和存放水果和根茎蔬菜。

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After some trial and effort, we produced a good supply of baskets

经过一些尝试和努力，我们做出了足够用的篮子。

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One basket was especially large

有一只篮子特别大。

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While weaving it, I left holes so that a strong stick could be passed through the holes

编的时候，我留了孔，好让一根结实的棍子能穿过去。

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In that way two people could carry the basket when it was full and heavy

那样的话，篮子装满变重时，两个人就能抬着走了。

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" Do you see how this will work?" I asked the boys

“你们明白这个的用处了吗？”我问孩子们。

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" Oh, yes!" Jack's eyes lit up with fun

“哦，明白！”杰克的眼睛亮了起来，满是兴奋。

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He and Ernest ran a sturdy piece of bamboo through the holes

他和欧内斯特把一根结实的竹竿穿过了那些孔洞。

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Then Fritz popped little Franz into the basket

然后弗里茨把小弗朗茨轻轻放进了篮子里。

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The boys took turns carrying Franz around while he whooped with delight

孩子们轮流抬着弗朗茨到处走，他开心得叫了起来。

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" Oh, Father!" cried Fritz

“噢，爸爸！”弗里茨叫道。

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" Don't you think we could make something like this for Mother?

“您觉得我们能不能给妈妈也做一个这样的东西？

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It would be more comfortable for her than jolting along in our cart."

这比坐咱们的牛车那样颠簸要舒服得多。”

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The boys shouted with glee at the proposal

听到这个提议，孩子们都高兴得喊了起来。

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" What do you think, Mother?" asked Ernest

“您觉得怎么样，母亲？”欧内斯特问道。

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" Well, I think you could make it, but..." She hesitated

“嗯，我觉得你们能做出来，但是……”她犹豫了一下。

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" I'm not sure I'd like sitting in the middle of a big basket, peering over the rim."

“我不太确定自己会喜欢坐在一个大篮子中间，从边沿上探出头看外面。”

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" We wouldn't make you sit on the bottom of a basket." I laughed

“我们不会让您坐在篮底的。”我笑了。

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" We'd make you a comfortable seat."

“我们会给您做个舒舒服服的座位。”

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" It would be a bit like a sedan chair," explained Ernest

“那会有点像轿子，”欧内斯特解释道。

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" I've seen pictures of those in books."

“我在书上见过那种图片。”

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" Yes," I replied," but who would carry this chair?"

“是啊，”我答道，“但是谁来抬这个轿子呢？”

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I worried that the boys would grow tired or stumble, and then the chair would fall

我担心孩子们会累着或绊倒，那样轿子就会摔下来。

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" The bull and the buffalo!" cried Jack

“公牛和水牛！”杰克喊道。

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" Why not use them? Let's try them now!"

“为什么不用它们呢？我们现在就试试！”

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Off ran the boys, and in a short time the basket was securely hung between the two animals

男孩们跑开了，不一会儿，篮子就稳稳地挂在了两头牛之间。

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Fritz and Jack sprang into their saddles, and Ernest very carefully deposited himself in the basket

弗里茨和杰克跳上了鞍座，欧内斯特则小心翼翼地坐进了篮子里。

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They set forth at a slow, steady pace

他们以缓慢、平稳的步伐出发了。

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The animals, who were quite docile, appeared only a little surprised at their new task

这两头非常温顺的动物，似乎只是对新任务感到一点点惊讶。

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" Oh, it's so pleasant, Mother!" called out Ernest as they passed us

“哦，太舒服了，妈妈！”他们经过我们时，欧内斯特喊道。

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" The basket rocks as gently as a cradle. Faster, Fritz, faster!"

“篮子像摇篮一样轻柔地摇晃。快点，弗里茨，再快点！”

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Fritz and Jack urged their animals to trot, and Ernest liked that ride too

弗里茨和杰克催赶着牛小跑起来，欧内斯特也挺喜欢这种感觉。

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But then the pace quickened, making the basket shake violently

但随后速度加快了，篮子开始剧烈摇晃。

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" Stop, Fritz!" yelled Ernest." Halt, Jack! Stop now! Can anybody hear me?"

“停下，弗里茨！”欧内斯特大喊。“停下，杰克！快停下！有人听见我说话吗？”

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But Fritz and Jack thought it was great fun to shake up their brother

但弗里茨和杰克觉得把哥哥颠得七摇八晃是件大乐事。

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" What's the matter, professor?" called Jack

“怎么了，教授先生？”杰克喊道。

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" Didn't sedan chairs go this fast in those books you read?"

“你读的那些书里，轿子难道不是走这么快的吗？”

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The boys made a circuit of the level ground in front of Rockburg

孩子们绕着岩堡前那块平地跑了一圈。

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They finally pulled up in front of us like performers awaiting applause

他们最终停在我们面前，如同谢幕的演员等待掌声。

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It was hard not to laugh, but Ernest was very angry with them

让人很难忍住不笑，但欧内斯特却气坏了。

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" You could have killed me!" he cried angrily

“你们差点害死我了！”他气冲冲地喊道。

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" Don't be ridiculous," said Fritz." You're acting like — "

“别大惊小怪的，”弗里茨说，“你这样子简直像个——”

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" Quiet, everyone," I said for I could see an argument building up

“安静，都别说了，”我看一场争吵一触即发，便连忙说到。

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" Taking a joke too far can only lead to bad feelings

“玩笑开得太过头，只会伤了和气。”

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If we're going to survive, we need to keep peace among ourselves."

想要生存下去，咱们就必须彼此和睦。”

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Fritz and Jack apologized, and Ernest helped them to unharness the bull and buffalo

弗里茨和杰克道了歉，欧内斯特帮他们把公牛和水牛从挽具上解下来。

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Then Fritz joined my wife and me on the front porch while the other boys played below

然后，弗里茨到前廊来陪我和妻子，其他孩子则在下面玩耍。

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We were chatting pleasantly when Fritz suddenly stood up and stared off into the distance

我们正愉快地聊着天，弗里茨突然站起身，凝视着远方。

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" Something strange is coming toward the bridge," he said

“有个奇怪的东西正朝桥这边过来，”他说。

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" First it was coiled up on the ground like a hose

“起初它像根软管似的盘在地上。”

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Now it's rising up and sinking back again."

现在它又是在一起一伏地向前移动。”

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" Take the other boys inside at once," I told my wife." Close the door."

“马上带其他孩子进去，”我对妻子说，“把门关好。”

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Fritz stayed by my side while I examined the object through my telescope

我拿起望远镜观察那东西时，弗里茨一直守在我身边。

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" It's just as I feared," I said, laying down the telescope

“正如我所担心的，”我放下望远镜说道。

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" A giant snake is advancing toward us!"

“一条巨蟒正朝我们逼近！”