(原版)澳大利亞語(yǔ)文第二冊(cè) LESSON 45

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LESSON 45 THE GOBURRA

THE GOBURRA

ri-sing yes-ter-day cous-ins

break-fast laugh-ing gob-ble

grass-hop-per jack-ass go-bur-ra

1. Ko! Ko! Koo! Koo! Koo! Ha! Ha! Ha! It is time that you young people were astir. Get up! get up! The sun is just rising.

2. "Men call me 'The Settler's Clock,' because I call them early in the morning. I have to look for my breakfast. Get up and work for yours.

3. "Ha! Ha! Ha! there is a fine fat grub. That was a titbit 〔1〕 ! A grasshopper, too! I am doing well! I had a mouse before you were up. You had better look after your young chicks, or I may eat one of them, if I feel hungry.

4. "White men call me a laughing jackass, because I make such a noise, but I am sure my laugh is not like a donkey's bray.

5. "What do you think of my beak? Is it not large and strong? I caught a young snake with it yesterday. I killed the snake by hitting its head upon a rail.

6. "When I find one too large to kill in that way, I fly up high with it and drop it on the hard ground. I am down on the ground almost as soon as the snake is, and I take it up and drop it again till the falls kill it.

7. "Yes, my eyes are bright brown. What colour are yours? I can see well with mine. When I sit on the branch of a tree, I can see anything that moves for yards round. If it is good to eat, I drop on it and gobble 〔2〕 it up.

8. "I have some cousins who live near the creek. They are showy birds, with red breasts, blue wings and white markings. You call them king-fishers because they catch fish.

9. "I am a king-fisher too. Some folks call me the giant king-fisher, but the blacks call me goburra. I like grubs and young mice better than fish. I have not got bright feathers. Mine are brown and grey, but they keep me warm, and suit me well.

10. "I do good to the farmers because I gobble up so many grubs, and keep down the number of snakes. For this reason people are not allowed to shoot me.

11. "Would you like to see my nest? It is in a hole in the branch of a hollow tree. There my mate lays her eggs and rears the young ones.

12. "She will be looking for her breakfast. Ah, there is a fat grub. I will take that to her. Good-bye."

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I really believe, in the night-time

When I am asleep in my bed,

That my toys get out of their boxes,

And dance on the carpet instead;

For when I get up in the morning,

They're not where I put them at night;

I'm sure that the pistol goes popping—

I'm certain the soldier-boys fight!

注釋

〔1〕 titbit: A tasty bit of food.

〔2〕 gobble: Eat quickly.