(原版)澳大利亞語文第二冊 LESSON 2
LESSON 2 DAME DUCK'S FIRST LESSONS
DAME DUCK'S FIRST LESSONS
be-neath duck-lings ex-plain
quack with-ered scram-bled
straight poul-try wad-dling
1. Close by a cool and shady creek
An old duck made her nest
Of straw, and leaves, and withered grass,
And down from her own breast.
2. And there she sat for four long weeks,
In rainy days and fine,
Until the ducklings all came out—
Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.
3. One peeped out from beneath her wing,
One scrambled on her back;
"That's very rude," said old Dame Duck,
"Get off! quack, quack, quack, quack!"
4. "'Tis close," said Dame Duck, pushing out
The egg-shells with her bill;
"Besides, it never suits young ducks
To keep them sitting still."
5. So, rising from her nest, she said,
"Now, children, look at me;
A well-bred duck should waddle so,
From side to side—you see!"
6. "Yes," said the little ones, and then
She went on to explain—
"A well-bred duck turns in its toes
As I do—try again."
7. "Yes," said the ducklings, waddling on;
"That's better," said their mother,
"But well-bred ducks walk in a row,
Straight one behind another."
8. "Yes," said the little ducks again,
All waddling in a row;
"Now to the pond," said old Dame Duck—
Splash, splash, and in they go.
9. "Let me swim first," said old Dame Duck,
"To this side, now to that;
There, snap at those great brown-winged flies,
That make young ducklings fat.
10. "Now when you reach the poultry-yard,"
Dame Duck then wisely said,
"They'll feed you, with the other fowls,
On bran and mashed-up bread.
11. "The hens will peck and fight, but mind,
I hope that all of you
Will gobble up the food in baste
As well-bred ducks should do.
12. "You'd 'better get into the dish,
Unless it is too small;
In that case I should use my feet,
And overturn it all."
13. The ducklings did as they were bid,
And found the plan so good,
That, from that day, the other fowls
Got hardly any food.
