美國(guó)語(yǔ)文第三冊(cè) 第38期：蝙蝠

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Bats are very strange little animals, having hair like mice,and wings like birds.

蝙蝠是很奇怪的動(dòng)物，有著像老鼠一樣的毛發(fā)和像小鳥(niǎo)一樣的翅膀。

During the day, they live in crevices of rocks, in caves, and in other dark places.

白天，它們都待在巖石裂縫、洞穴以及其他黑暗的地方。

At night, they go forth in search of food; and, no doubt, you have seen them flying about, catching such insects as happen to be out rather late at night.

它們經(jīng)常在夜里出來(lái)覓食，毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)，你可能曾經(jīng)看見(jiàn)過(guò)它們飛來(lái)飛去地捕捉那些偶爾在深夜出沒(méi)的昆蟲(chóng)。

The wings of a bat have no quills.

蝙蝠的翅膀并沒(méi)有羽毛，

They are only thin pieces of skin stretched upon a framework of bones.

只有薄薄的皮掛在骨架上。

Besides this, it may be said that while he is a quadruped, he can rise into the air and fly from place to place like a bird.

除此之外，據(jù)說(shuō)蝙蝠還有兩只腳，它也能像小鳥(niǎo)那樣在空中飛來(lái)飛去。

There is a funny fable about the bat, founded upon this double character of beast and bird, which I will tell you.

基于蝙蝠的這種鳥(niǎo)獸雙重特性，還有一個(gè)有趣的寓言，我會(huì)慢慢告訴你。

An owl was once prowling about, when he came across a bat.

有一次，一只貓頭鷹在空中徘徊，這時(shí)，它看見(jiàn)了一只蝙蝠。

So he caught him in his claws, and was about to devour him.

于是，它就用爪子抓住了蝙蝠，準(zhǔn)備要吞下去。

Upon this, the bat began to squeal terribly; and he said to the owl, "Pray, what do you take me for, that you use me thus?"

就在這時(shí)，蝙蝠可憐巴巴地啼哭著對(duì)貓頭鷹說(shuō)：“求求你告訴我，你以為我是誰(shuí)，為什么抓我呢？”

"Why, you are a bird, to be sure," said the owl, "and I am fond of birds."

“為什么，你是一只鳥(niǎo)，千真萬(wàn)確，”貓頭鷹說(shuō)，“我很喜歡鳥(niǎo)類。”

I love dearly to break their little bones.

我最愛(ài)做的就是弄斷它們的小骨頭。

"Well," said the bat, "I thought there was some mistake."

蝙蝠說(shuō)：“好吧，我想你可能真弄錯(cuò)了。”

I am no bird.

我不是鳥(niǎo)。

Don't you see, Mr. Owl, that I have no feathers, and that I am covered with hair like a mouse?

貓頭鷹先生，我并沒(méi)有羽毛，而且我身上的毛很像老鼠，你沒(méi)看到嗎？

"Sure enough," said the owl, in great surprise; "I see it now."

“的確如此，”貓頭鷹驚訝地說(shuō)道，“我現(xiàn)在看清楚了。”

Really, I took you for a bird, but it appears you are only a kind of mouse.

真的，我以為你是一只鳥(niǎo)呢，但是，從外表看來(lái)，你就是一只老鼠。

I ate a mouse last night, and it gave me the night mare.

我昨天晚上剛吃了一只老鼠，還讓我做了一場(chǎng)噩夢(mèng)。

I can't bear mice! Bah! it makes me sick to think of it.

我再也不吃老鼠了！呸，真讓我惡心！

So the owl let the bat go.

于是，貓頭鷹就放走了蝙蝠。

The very next night, the bat encountered another danger.

到了第二天，這只蝙蝠又遇到了危險(xiǎn)。

He was snapped up by puss, who took him for a mouse, and immediately prepared to eat him.

它被一只花貓逮住了，小花貓把它當(dāng)成了老鼠，正準(zhǔn)備要吃掉它。

"I beg you to stop one moment," said the bat. "Pray, Miss Puss, what do you suppose I am?"

“求求你，等一下，”這只蝙蝠說(shuō)，“拜托你告訴我，花貓小姐，你把我當(dāng)成什么了？”

"A mouse, to be sure!"said the cat. "Not at all," said the bat, spreading his long wings.

“一只老鼠，千真萬(wàn)確！”花貓說(shuō)。“根本不是。”蝙蝠說(shuō)著，立刻伸展開(kāi)它的翅膀。

"Sure enough," said the cat: "you seem to be a bird,though your feathers are not very fine."

“果真不是呀，”花貓說(shuō)，“盡管你的翅膀不那么漂亮，但你看上去真像小鳥(niǎo)。”

I eat birds sometimes, but I am tired of them just now, having lately devoured four young robins; so you may go.

我有時(shí)也吃小鳥(niǎo)，但我厭倦小鳥(niǎo)，最近已經(jīng)吃了四只小知更鳥(niǎo)了；所以，你可以走了。

But, bird or mouse, it will be your best policy to keep out of my way here after.

但是，不管你是小鳥(niǎo)，還是老鼠，為了保險(xiǎn)起見(jiàn)，從今往后最好別再出現(xiàn)在我面前。

The meaning of this fable is, that a person playing a double part may sometimes escape danger;

這則寓言故事的意義是，一個(gè)兩面玲瓏的人有時(shí)可能會(huì)逃脫危險(xiǎn)，

but he is always,like the bat, a creature that is disgusting to everybody, and shunned by all.

但他卻會(huì)像蝙蝠那樣遭人厭惡和唾棄。