The barn was very large. It was very old. It smelled of hay and it smelled of manure. It smelled of the perspiration of tired horses and the wonderful sweet breath of patient cows. It often had a sort of peaceful smell -- as though nothing bad could happen ever again in the world. It smelled of grain and of harness dressing and of axle grease and of rubber boots and of new rope. And whenever the cat was given a fish-head to eat, the barn would smell of fish. But mostly it smelled of hay, for there was always hay in the great loft up overhead. And there was always hay being pitched down to the cows and the horses and the sheep.
谷倉(cāng)很大,也很舊。里面全是干草和糞肥的氣味。還有種跑累了的馬身上的汗味兒與好脾氣的母牛噴出的奇妙的香甜味道??諝庵谐qv的,是一種和平的氣息——好像這個(gè)世界上再不會(huì)有壞事情發(fā)生了。這里偶爾還會(huì)有谷粒的香味,馬具上的草料味,車子上的潤(rùn)滑油味,橡膠靴子味,或是新扎的草繩味兒。如果貓兒叼著人們?nèi)咏o他的魚頭到這里來(lái)享受時(shí),谷倉(cāng)里就會(huì)多了股魚腥味兒。不過,這里面最濃的味道卻是干草味兒,因?yàn)楣葌}(cāng)上面的大閣樓里總是堆滿了干草。這些干草被不斷的扔給下面的母牛、馬、綿羊們吃。
The barn was pleasantly warm in winter when the animals spent most of their time indoors, and it was pleasantly cool in summer when the big doors stood wide open to the breeze. The barn had stalls on the main floor for the work hourses, tie-ups on the main floor for the cows, a sheepfold down below for the sheep, a pigpen down below for Wilbur, and it was full of all sorts of things that you find in barns: ladders, grindsones, pitch forks, monkey wrenches, scythes, lawn mowers, snow shovels, ax handles, milk pails, water buckets, empty grain sacks, and rusty rat traps. It was the kind of barn that swallows like to build their nests in. It was the kind of barn that children like to play in. And the whole thing was owned by Fern's uncle, Mr. Homer L. Zuckerman.
冬天,當(dāng)動(dòng)物們?cè)谕饷娲艟昧?,回?lái)后會(huì)覺得這個(gè)谷倉(cāng)格外的溫暖;而夏天呢,當(dāng)谷倉(cāng)的門大大敞開著,微風(fēng)吹進(jìn)來(lái),這里又變得說(shuō)不出的涼爽。谷倉(cāng)上層面有馬廄、牛棚,下層的地窖里是羊圈、威伯住的豬圈;里面還堆著你能從谷倉(cāng)里找到的各類的器具:梯子,磨石,長(zhǎng)柄草叉,活手搬子,大號(hào)的鐮刀,割草機(jī),清雪鏟,斧子柄兒,牛奶桶,水桶,空糧食袋子,生銹的捕鼠夾等等。這是燕子們喜歡來(lái)筑巢的谷倉(cāng)。這里的一切都是屬于芬的舅舅,霍默·L·祖克曼先生的。
Wilbur's new home was in the lower part of the barn, directly underneath the cows. Mr. Zuckerman knew that a manure pile is a good place to keep a young pig. Pigs need warmth, and it was warm and comfortable down there in the barn cellar on the south side.
威伯的新家在谷倉(cāng)的下層,正好在牛棚底下。祖克曼先生知道牛糞堆是養(yǎng)小豬的好地方。豬喜歡溫暖,而谷倉(cāng)下朝南的地窖正是溫暖而又舒適的地方。
Fern came almost every day to visit him. She found an old milking stool that had been discarded, and she placed the stool in the sheepfold next to Wilbur's pen. Here she sat quietly during the long afternoon, thinking and listening and watching Wilbur. The sheep soon got to know her and trust her. So did the geese, who lived with the sheep. All the animals trusted her, she was so quiet and friendly. Mr. Zuckerman did not allow her to take Wilbur out, and he did not allow to git into the pigpen. But he told Fern that she could sit on the stool and watch Wilbur as long as she wanted to. It made her happy just to be near the pig, and it made her happy just to be near the pig, and it made Wilbur happy to know that she was sitting there, right outside his pen. But he never had any fun--no walks, no redes, no swims.
芬差不多每天都來(lái)看威伯。她找到一張沒人要的擠奶凳,于是便把凳子搬到緊挨著威伯的豬圈的羊圈旁。整個(gè)漫長(zhǎng)的下午,她就這么靜靜地坐在那里,望著威伯,想著,聽著。綿羊不久便認(rèn)識(shí)她,并信任她了。和羊住在一起的母鵝也是。所有的動(dòng)物都信任她,因?yàn)樗悄敲吹奈撵o、和善。祖克曼先生不讓她把威伯帶出去,也不讓她進(jìn)豬圈。不過,他告訴芬,如果她愿意,她坐在凳子上看威伯多久都行。能靠近威伯她就感到很幸福了;知道芬就坐在他家的外面,威伯也感到無(wú)比的快活。只是他卻再不能做從前的樂事了——不能再散步,不能再坐嬰兒車,也不能再去游泳了。
One afternoon in June, when Wilbur was almost two months old, he wandered out into his smalll yard outside the barn. Fern had not arrived for her usual visit. Wilbur stood in the sun feeling lonely and bored.
六月的一個(gè)下午,差不多兩個(gè)月大的威伯游蕩到他在谷倉(cāng)外的院子里。那天芬沒像往常一樣來(lái)看他。站在陽(yáng)光下的威伯,覺得孤單而又無(wú)聊。
"There's never anything to do around here," he thought. He walked slowly to his food trough and sniffed to see if anything had been overlooked at lunch. He found a small strip of potato skin and ate it. His back itched, so he leaned against the fence and rubbed against the boards. When he tired of this, he walked indoors, climbed to the top of the manured pile , and sat down. He didn't feel like going to sleep, he didn't feel like digging, he was tired of standing still, tired of lying down. "I'm less than two months old and I'm tired of living," he said. He walked out to the yard again.
“在這里從沒任何事兒可做,”他想。他慢慢地走到食槽前,用鼻子搜尋著,想找找是否有忘了吃的午餐。他發(fā)現(xiàn)了一小截土豆皮,就把它吃了下去。他感到背有點(diǎn)兒癢,就斜靠到柵欄上,在木板上使勁的蹭著。當(dāng)他蹭膩了,便走回他的家門口,爬到牛糞堆頂上,坐了下來(lái)。他不想睡,也不想再亂拱了,他厭倦了再這么靜靜的傻站著,也厭倦了睡覺。”我才活了不到兩個(gè)月,就對(duì)生活厭煩了,”他說(shuō)。他又往院子里去了。
"When I'm out here," he said, "there's no place to go but in. When I'm indoors, there's no place to go but out in the yard."
“當(dāng)我來(lái)到這兒,”他說(shuō),“除了回家沒別的地方可去。當(dāng)我進(jìn)了家,除了院子也沒別的地方可逛。”
"That's where you're wrong, my friend, my friend," said a voice.
“你錯(cuò)了,我的朋友,我的朋友。”一個(gè)聲音說(shuō)。
Wilbur looked through the fence and saw the goose standing there.
威伯往柵欄那邊看去,發(fā)現(xiàn)一只母鵝就站在那里。
"You don't have to stay in that dirty-little dirty-little dirty-little yard," said the goose, who talked rather fast."One of the boards is loose. Push on it, push-push-push on it, and come on out!"
“你不用老呆在那個(gè)骯臟的-小 骯臟的-小 骯臟的-小院子里,”母鵝說(shuō)得相當(dāng)?shù)目臁?ldquo;這兒有一塊木板松了。推開它,推-推-推開它,就能夠出去!”
"What?" said Wilbur. "Say it slower!"
“什么?”威伯說(shuō)。“說(shuō)慢一點(diǎn)兒!”
"At-at-at, at the risk of repeating myself," said the goose, "I suggest that you come on out. It's wonderful out here."
“讓-讓-讓,讓我冒險(xiǎn)重復(fù)一遍,”母鵝說(shuō),“我的意思是,建議你跑出去。這外面的世界精彩極了。”
"Did you say a board was loose?"
“你是說(shuō)有塊木板松了?”
"That I did, that I did," said the goose.
“那就是我要說(shuō)的,那就是。”母鵝說(shuō)。
Wilbur walked up to the fence and saw that the goose was right--one board was loose. He put his head sown, shut his eyes, and pushed. The board gave way. In a minute he had squeezed through the fence and was standing in the long grass outside his yard. The goose chuckled.
威伯走到柵欄旁,發(fā)現(xiàn)母鵝說(shuō)得對(duì)——真的有一塊木板松了。他低下頭,閉起眼,用力撞過去。木板松開了。沒用一分鐘,他就擠過了柵欄,來(lái)到院子外的長(zhǎng)草叢中了。母鵝嘎嘎大笑起來(lái)。
"How does it feel to be free?" she asked.
“自由的滋味如何?”她問。
"I like it ," said Wilbur. "That is, I guess I like it."
“我喜歡,”威伯說(shuō)。“我的意思是說(shuō),我想我喜歡這感覺。”
Actually, Wilbur felt queer to be out side his fence, with nothing between him and the big world.
實(shí)際上,當(dāng)威伯站在柵欄外,望著這個(gè)與自己毫無(wú)阻隔的大大的世界的時(shí)候,他只有種夢(mèng)幻般的,說(shuō)不清的感覺。
"Where do you think I'd better go?"
“你說(shuō)我去哪兒比較好?”
"Anywhere you like, anywhere you like," said the goose. "Go down through the orchard, root up the sod! Go down through the garden, dig up the radishes! Root up everything! Eat grass! Look for corn! Look for oats! Run all over! Skip and dance, jump and prance! Go down through the orchard and stroll in the woods! The world is a wonderful place when you're young."
“你喜歡的任何地方,你喜歡的任何地方,”母鵝說(shuō)。“到果園那里去,把路上的草皮翻出來(lái)!到花園去,把蘿卜拱出來(lái)!拱開一切!吃草!找玉米粒兒!尋找燕麥!把一切都?jí)旱?蹦高和跳舞,后腳立地跳起來(lái)!走過果園,去樹林里漫步!在你年輕時(shí)世界是多么美妙。”
"I can see that," replied Wilbur. He gave a jump in the air, twirled, ran a few steps, stopped, looked all around, sniffed the smells of afternoon, and then set off walking down through the orchard. Pausing in the shade of an apple tree, he put his strong snout into the ground and began pushing, digging, and rooting. He felt very happy. He had plowed up quite a piece of ground before anyone noticed him. Mrs. Zuckerman was the first to see him. She saw him from the kitchen window, and she immediately shouted for the men.
“我明白你的意思,”威伯回答。他在空氣中跳躍著,轉(zhuǎn)了幾個(gè)圈兒,又跑了幾步,才停了下來(lái),四處搜尋著,嗅著午后的氣息,不久,他向果園走去。他停到一棵蘋果樹蔭下,把他強(qiáng)壯的鼻子插進(jìn)土里,開始盡情地拱、挖、掘。他感到非常的快活。在有人注意到他之前,他已經(jīng)掘起很多土了。祖克曼太太是第一個(gè)看見他的。她從廚房的窗子里望見了他,便開始喊人。
"Ho-mer!" she cried. "Pig's out! Lurvy! Pig's out! Homer! Lurvy! Pig's out. He's down there under that apple tree."
“霍——默!”她喊。“豬跑出來(lái)了!魯維!豬跑了!霍默!魯維!豬跑了。他在那棵蘋果樹下面呢。”
"Now the trouble starts," thought Wilbur." Now I'll catch it."
“現(xiàn)在麻煩來(lái)了,”威伯想。“現(xiàn)在我要被抓住了。”
The goose heard the racket and she, too, started hollering. "Run-run-run downhill, make for the woods, the woods!" she shouted to Wilbur. "They'll never-never-never catch you in the woods."
母鵝也聽見了她的吵嚷,便對(duì)威伯大喊。“跑-跑-跑到下坡去,往樹林里跑,樹林!”她拼命地嚷。“他們?cè)跇淞掷镉肋h(yuǎn)-永遠(yuǎn)-永遠(yuǎn)抓不住你。”
The cocker spaniel heard the commotion and he ran out from the barn to join the chase. Mr. Zuckerman heard, and he came out of the machine shed where he was mending a tool. Lurvy, the hired man, heard the noise and came up from the asparagus patch where he was pulling weeds. Everybody walked toward Wilbur and Wilbur didn't know what to do. The woods seemed a long way off, and anyway, he had never been down there in the woods and wasn't sure he would like it.
聽到這場(chǎng)騷動(dòng)的長(zhǎng)毛狗從谷倉(cāng)里跑出去追。祖克曼先生聽到喊聲,忙從工作間里跑出來(lái),放下了手中正在修理的農(nóng)具。在龍須菜地里拔草的雇工魯維,聽到喊聲,也趕緊跑了出來(lái)。每個(gè)人都在朝威伯逼近!威伯不知所措了。到樹林的路似乎是那么遠(yuǎn),而且,他還從沒進(jìn)過樹林,也不知道是否會(huì)喜歡呆在樹林里呢。
"Get around behind him, Lurvy," said Mr. Zuckerman, "and drive him toward the barn! And take it easy-don't rush him! I'll go and get a bucket of slops."
“繞到他身后去,魯維,”祖克曼先生說(shuō),“把他朝谷倉(cāng)這邊趕!小心點(diǎn)兒——別嚇壞他!我去拿一桶豬食來(lái)。”
The news of Wilbur's escape spread rapidly among the animals on the place. Whenever any creature broke loose on Zuckerman's farm, the event was of great interest to the others. The goose shouted to the nearest cow that Wilbur was free, and soon all the cows knew. Then one of the cows told one of the sheep, and soon all the sheep knew. The lambs learned about it from their mothers. The horses, in their stalls in the barn, pricked up their ears when they heard the goose hollering; and soon the horses had caught on to what was happening. "Wilbur's out," they said. Every animal stirred and lifted its head and became excited to know that one of his friends had got free and was no longer penned up or tied fast.
威伯逃跑的消息在這里的動(dòng)物中間迅速傳開了。以前從沒有任何一只動(dòng)物能逃離祖克曼先生的農(nóng)場(chǎng)呢,因此這事情引起了大家極大的興趣。母鵝對(duì)離她最近的母牛嚷道,威伯自由了,不久所有的母牛都知道了這個(gè)新聞。然后一頭母牛把這消息告訴了一只綿羊,不久所有的綿羊也知道了。羊羔們又從他們的母親那里了解了一切。谷倉(cāng)的馬廄里的馬們,豎起的耳朵也聽到了母鵝的喊叫,因此不久所有的馬也明白發(fā)生了什么事兒。“威伯逃了,”他們說(shuō)。每一個(gè)動(dòng)物都興奮地抬起頭,變得分外的激動(dòng),因?yàn)樗麄冎浪麄兊囊粋€(gè)朋友已經(jīng)獲得了自由,再不用被緊緊的關(guān)在圈里了。
Wilbur didn't know what to do or which way to run. It seemed as through everybody was after him." If this is what it's like to be free," he thought," I believe I'd rather be penned up in my own yard."
威伯不知該怎么做,往哪里跑??雌饋?lái)好像每個(gè)人都在追他。“如果這就是美好的自由,”他想,“我還不如被關(guān)在我自己的院子里呢。”
The cocker spaniel was sneaking up on him from one side. Lurvy the hired man was sneaking up on him from the other side. Mrs. Zuckerman stood ready to head him off if he started for the garden, and now Mr. Zuckerman was coming down toward him carrying a pail." This is really awful," thought Wilbur. "Why doesn't Fern come?" He began to cry.
長(zhǎng)毛狗從一邊悄悄地靠過來(lái),雇工魯維也正從另一邊漸漸逼近。祖克曼太太擺出了一副準(zhǔn)備攔截的架勢(shì)——如果威伯要往花園里跑的話?,F(xiàn)在,祖克曼先生拎著桶正朝威伯走過來(lái)。“這真太可怕了,”威伯想。“為什么芬還不來(lái)?”他開始哭了。
The goose took command and began to give orders.
母鵝給威伯發(fā)出一個(gè)又一個(gè)指令。
"Don't just stand there, Wilbur! Dodge about, dodge about!" cried the goose." Skip around, run toward me, slip in and out, in and out, in and out! Make for the woods! Twist and turn!"
“別傻站著,威伯!快逃,快逃!”母鵝大叫。“轉(zhuǎn)圈跳,往我這邊兒跳,溜過來(lái)沖出去,過來(lái)出去,過來(lái)出去!往樹林跑!迂回前進(jìn)!”
The cocker spaniel sprang for Wilbur's hind leg. Wilbur jumped and ran. Lurvy reached out and grabbed. Mrs. Zuckerman screamed at Lurvy. The goose cheered for Wilbur. Wilbur dodged between Lurvy's legs. Lurvy missed Wilbur and grabbed the spaniel instead. "Nicely done, nicely done!" cried the goose." Try it again, try it again!"
長(zhǎng)毛狗猛地躥起來(lái)咬向威伯的后腿。威伯蹦著高兒跑開。魯維沖上前去抓威伯。祖克曼太太對(duì)魯維尖叫起來(lái)。母鵝還在為威伯加油。威伯從魯維的雙腿間逃了出去,魯維沒有抓到威伯,反一把摟住了長(zhǎng)毛狗。“干得好,干得好!”母鵝叫道。“再來(lái)一個(gè),再來(lái)一個(gè)!”
"Run downhill!" suggested the cows.
“往下坡跑!”母牛們出主意。
"Run toward me!" yelled the gander.
“向我這里跑!”公鵝尖叫。
"Run uphill!" cried the sheep.
“往上坡跑!”綿羊大喊。
"Turn and twist!" honked the goose.
“迂回前進(jìn)!”母鵝嘎嘎地叫著。
"Jump and dance!" said the rooster.
“跳,蹦高兒!”公雞叫。
"Look out for Lurvy!" called the cows.
“小心魯維!”母牛提醒。
"Look out for Zuckerman!" yelled the gander.
“小心祖克曼!”公鵝扯著嗓子喊。
"Watch out for the dog!" cried the sheep.
“小心那條狗!”綿羊大叫。
"Listen to me, listen to me!" screamed the goose.
“聽我的,聽我的!”母鵝尖叫。
Poor Wilbur was dazed and frightened by this hullabaloo. He didn't like being the center of all this fuss. He tried to follow the instructions his friends were giving him, but he couldn't run downhill and uphill at the same time, and he couldn't turn and twist when he was jumping and dancing, and he was crying so hard he could barely see anything that was happening. After all, Wilbur was a very young pig-not much more than a baby, really. He wished Fern were there to take him in his arms and comfort him. When he looked up and saw Mr. Zuckerman standing quite close to him, holding a pail of warm slops, he felt relieved. He lifted his nose and sniffed. The smell was delicious-warm milk, potato skins, wheat middlings, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, and a popover left from the Zuckermans' breakfast.
可憐的威伯被他們的亂叫弄得又暈又怕。他可不喜歡成為這些亂子的焦點(diǎn)。他本想試著聽從朋友們給他的建議,可他不能同時(shí)既往上坡跑,又往下坡跑,而且,他也不能一邊蹦起來(lái)一邊迂回前進(jìn),更何況他哭喊得這么厲害,幾乎弄不清周圍都發(fā)生了什么事。真的,威伯畢竟只不過是一頭比嬰兒大不多少的小豬罷了。他只希望芬此刻在場(chǎng),能把自己抱起來(lái)安慰一番。當(dāng)他抬頭看到祖克曼先生就靜靜地站在身旁,手里拎著盛滿熱乎乎的稀飯的食桶時(shí),才稍稍寬了心。他聳起鼻子使勁兒聞著。那些味道多鮮美呀——有熱牛奶,土豆皮,粗麥粉,凱洛格牌玉米片,還有祖克曼先生早餐吃剩的酥餅?zāi)亍?/p>
"Come, pig!" said Mr. Zuckerman, tapping the pail. "Come pig!"
“來(lái)呀,小豬!”祖克曼先生說(shuō)著,敲了敲食桶。“來(lái)呀,小豬!”
Wilbur took a step toward the pail.
威伯朝那只桶走了一步。
"No-no-no!" said the goose. "It's the old pail trick, Wilbur. Don't fall for it, don't fall for it ! He's trying to lure you back into captivity. He's appealing to your stomach."
“不——不——不!”母鵝說(shuō)。“這桶是個(gè)并不新鮮的騙局,威伯。別上套兒!別上套兒!他是想以此誘捕你。他正在用好吃的誘惑你的肚子。”
Wilbur didn't care. The food smelled appetizing. He took another step toward the pail.
威伯不在乎。這食物聞起來(lái)太開胃了。他又朝食桶走了一步。
"Pig, pig!" said Mr. Zuckerman in a kind voice, and began walking slowly toward the barnyard, looking all about him innocently, as if he didn't know that a little white pig was following along behind him.
“小豬,小豬!”祖克曼先生甜蜜地叫著,開始慢慢地往谷倉(cāng)方向走,同時(shí)弄出一副純真的表情回頭看著,好像他不知道這頭小白豬正跟在他后面走一樣。
"You'll be sorry-sorry-sorry," called the goose.
“你會(huì)后悔-后悔-后悔的。”母鵝叫道。
Wilbur didn't care. He kept walking toward the pail of slops.
威伯不在乎。他還在朝食桶走。
"You'll miss your freedom," honked the goose. "An hour of freedom is worth a barrel of slops."
“你會(huì)失去你的自由的,”母鵝大喊。“一小時(shí)的自由要比一大桶豬食更可貴!”
Wilbur didn't care.
威伯還是不在乎。
When Mr. Zuckerman reached the pigpen, he climbed over the fence and poured the slops into the trough. Then he pulled the loose board away from the fence, so that there was a wide hole for Wilbur to walk through.
祖克曼先生走到豬圈附近,便爬過柵欄,把豬食倒進(jìn)了豬食槽。然后他把那塊松動(dòng)的木板從柵欄上全拽下來(lái),好讓威伯能很容易的進(jìn)去。
"Reconsider, reconsider!" cried the goose.
“再想想,再想想!”母鵝提醒道。
Wilbur paid no attention. He stepped through the fence into his yard. He walked to the trough and took a long drink of slops, sucking in the milk hungrily and chewing the popover. It was good to be home again.
威伯什么別的也沒想。他一步步走進(jìn)柵欄,到了他的院子里。他走向食槽,吸食了半天,大口大口地喝著牛奶,嚼著酥餅。能再回家真是太好了。
While Wilbur ate, Lurvy fetched a hammer and some 8-penny nails and nailed the board in place. Then he and Mr. Zuckerman leaned lazily on the fence and Mr. Zuckerman scratched Wilbur's back with a stick.
就在威伯飽餐之際,魯維取了把錘子和一些八分長(zhǎng)的釘子來(lái),把那塊板子釘了回去。然后,他和祖克曼先生懶洋洋地倚在柵欄旁。祖克曼先生用一根柴枝搔著威伯的后背。
"He's quite a pig," said Lurvy.
“他真是一頭豬,”魯維說(shuō)。
"Yes, he'll make a good pig," said Mr. Zuckerman.
“是的,他會(huì)成為一頭好豬的,”祖克曼先生說(shuō)。
Wilbur heard the words of praise. He felt the warm milk inside his stomach. He felt the pleasant rubbing of the stick along his itchy back. He felt peaceful and happy and sleepy. This had been a tiring afternoon. It was still only about four o'clock but Wilbur was ready for bed.
威伯聽到了對(duì)他的贊揚(yáng)。他感到肚子里的牛奶暖暖的。他也很愿意在那根柴枝上蹭癢。他既幸福又滿足,想去睡一覺了。這真是一個(gè)令人疲倦的下午。雖然此刻只不過才四點(diǎn)鐘,威伯卻準(zhǔn)備上床就寢了。
"I'm really too young to go out into the world alone," he thought as he lay down.
“我真的太年輕,還不適合一個(gè)人在這世上闖,” 躺下時(shí)他這么想。
The barn was very large. It was very old. It smelled of hay and it smelled of manure. It smelled of the perspiration of tired horses and the wonderful sweet breath of patient cows. It often had a sort of peaceful smell -- as though nothing bad could happen ever again in the world. It smelled of grain and of harness dressing and of axle grease and of rubber boots and of new rope. And whenever the cat was given a fish-head to eat, the barn would smell of fish. But mostly it smelled of hay, for there was always hay in the great loft up overhead. And there was always hay being pitched down to the cows and the horses and the sheep.
The barn was pleasantly warm in winter when the animals spent most of their time indoors, and it was pleasantly cool in summer when the big doors stood wide open to the breeze. The barn had stalls on the main floor for the work hours es, tie-ups on the main floor for the cows, a sheepfold down below for the sheep, a pigpen down below for Wilbur, and it was full of all sorts of things that you find in barns: ladders, grinds ones, pitch forks, monkey wrenches, scythes, lawn mowers, snow shovels, ax handles, milk pails, water buckets, empty grain sacks, and rusty rat traps. It was the kind of barn that swallows like to build their nests in. It was the kind of barn that children like to play in. And the whole thing was owned by Fern's uncle, Mr. Homer L. Zuckerman.
Wilbur's new home was in the lower part of the barn, directly underneath the cows. Mr. Zuckerman knew that a manure pile is a good place to keep a young pig. Pigs need warmth, and it was warm and comfortable down there in the barn cellar on the south side.
Fern came almost every day to visit him. She found an old milking stool that had been discarded, and she placed the stool in the sheepfold next to Wilbur's pen. Here she sat quietly during the long afternoon, thinking and listening and watching Wilbur. The sheep soon got to know her and trust her. So did the geese, who lived with the sheep. All the animals trusted her, she was so quiet and friendly. Mr. Zuckerman did not allow her to take Wilbur out, and he did not allow to git into the pigpen. But he told Fern that she could sit on the stool and watch Wilbur as long as she wanted to. It made her happy just to be near the pig, and it made her happy just to be near the pig, and it made Wilbur happy to know that she was sitting there, right outside his pen. But he never had any fun--no walks, no redes, no swims.
One afternoon in June, when Wilbur was almost two months old, he wandered out into his small yard outside the barn. Fern had not arrived for her usual visit. Wilbur stood in the sun feeling lonely and bored.
"There's never anything to do around here," he thought. He walked slowly to his food trough and sniffed to see if anything had been overlooked at lunch. He found a small strip of potato skin and ate it. His back itched, so he leaned against the fence and rubbed against the boards. When he tired of this, he walked indoors, climbed to the top of the manured pile , and sat down. He didn't feel like going to sleep, he didn't feel like digging, he was tired of standing still, tired of lying down. "I'm less than two months old and I'm tired of living," he said. He walked out to the yard again.
"When I'm out here," he said, "there's no place to go but in. When I'm indoors, there's no place to go but out in the yard."
"That's where you're wrong, my friend, my friend," said a voice.
Wilbur looked through the fence and saw the goose standing there.
"You don't have to stay in that dirty-little dirty-little dirty-little yard," said the goose, who talked rather fast."One of the boards is loose. Push on it, push-push-push on it, and come on out!"
"What?" said Wilbur. "Say it slower!"
“什么?”威伯說(shuō)。“說(shuō)慢一點(diǎn)兒!”
"At-at-at, at the risk of repeating myself," said the goose, "I suggest that you come on out. It's wonderful out here."
"Did you say a board was loose?"
"That I did, that I did," said the goose.
Wilbur walked up to the fence and saw that the goose was right--one board was loose. He put his head sown, shut his eyes, and pushed. The board gave way. In a minute he had squeezed through the fence and was standing in the long grass outside his yard. The goose chuckled.
"How does it feel to be free?" she asked.
"I like it ," said Wilbur. "That is, I guess I like it."
Actually, Wilbur felt queer to be out side his fence, with nothing between him and the big world.
"Where do you think I'd better go?"
"Anywhere you like, anywhere you like," said the goose. "Go down through the orchard, root up the sod! Go down through the garden, dig up the radishes! Root up everything! Eat grass! Look for corn! Look for oats! Run all over! Skip and dance, jump and prance! Go down through the orchard and stroll in the woods! The world is a wonderful place when you're young."
"I can see that," replied Wilbur. He gave a jump in the air, twirled, ran a few steps, stopped, looked all around, sniffed the smells of afternoon, and then set off walking down through the orchard. Pausing in the shade of an apple tree, he put his strong snout into the ground and began pushing, digging, and rooting. He felt very happy. He had plowed up quite a piece of ground before anyone noticed him. Mrs. Zuckerman was the first to see him. She saw him from the kitchen window, and she immediately shouted for the men.
"Ho-mer!" she cried. "Pig's out! Lurvy! Pig's out! Homer! Lurvy! Pig's out. He's down there under that apple tree."
"Now the trouble starts," thought Wilbur." Now I'll catch it."
The goose heard the racket and she, too, started hollering. "Run-run-run downhill, make for the woods, the woods!" she shouted to Wilbur. "They'll never-never-never catch you in the woods."
The cocker spaniel heard the commotion and he ran out from the barn to join the chase. Mr. Zuckerman heard, and he came out of the machine shed where he was mending a tool. Lurvy, the hired man, heard the noise and came up from the asparagus patch where he was pulling weeds. Everybody walked toward Wilbur and Wilbur didn't know what to do. The woods seemed a long way off, and anyway, he had never been down there in the woods and wasn't sure he would like it.
"Get around behind him, Lurvy," said Mr. Zuckerman, "and drive him toward the barn! And take it easy-don't rush him! I'll go and get a bucket of slops."
The news of Wilbur's escape spread rapidly among the animals on the place. Whenever any creature broke loose on Zuckerman's farm, the event was of great interest to the others. The goose shouted to the nearest cow that Wilbur was free, and soon all the cows knew. Then one of the cows told one of the sheep, and soon all the sheep knew. The lambs learned about it from their mothers. The horses, in their stalls in the barn, pricked up their ears when they heard the goose hollering; and soon the horses had caught on to what was happening. "Wilbur's out," they said. Every animal stirred and lifted its head and became excited to know that one of his friends had got free and was no longer penned up or tied fast.
Wilbur didn't know what to do or which way to run. It seemed as through everybody was after him." If this is what it's like to be free," he thought," I believe I'd rather be penned up in my own yard."
The cocker spaniel was sneaking up on him from one side. Lurvy the hired man was sneaking up on him from the other side. Mrs. Zuckerman stood ready to head him off if he started for the garden, and now Mr. Zuckerman was coming down toward him carrying a pail." This is really awful," thought Wilbur. "Why doesn't Fern come?" He began to cry.
The goose took command and began to give orders.
"Don't just stand there, Wilbur! Dodge about, dodge about!" cried the goose." Skip around, run toward me, slip in and out, in and out, in and out! Make for the woods! Twist and turn!"
The cocker spaniel sprang for Wilbur's hind leg. Wilbur jumped and ran. Lurvy reached out and grabbed. Mrs. Zuckerman screamed at Lurvy. The goose cheered for Wilbur. Wilbur dodged between Lurvy's legs. Lurvy missed Wilbur and grabbed the spaniel instead. "Nicely done, nicely done!" cried the goose." Try it again, try it again!"
"Run downhill!" suggested the cows.
"Run toward me!" yelled the gander.
"Run uphill!" cried the sheep.
"Turn and twist!" honked the goose.
"Jump and dance!" said the rooster.
"Look out for Lurvy!" called the cows.
"Look out for Zuckerman!" yelled the gander.
"Watch out for the dog!" cried the sheep.
"Listen to me, listen to me!" screamed the goose.
Poor Wilbur was dazed and frightened by this hullabaloo. He didn't like being the center of all this fuss. He tried to follow the instructions his friends were giving him, but he couldn't run downhill and uphill at the same time, and he couldn't turn and twist when he was jumping and dancing, and he was crying so hard he could barely see anything that was happening. After all, Wilbur was a very young pig-not much more than a baby, really. He wished Fern were there to take him in his arms and comfort him. When he looked up and saw Mr. Zuckerman standing quite close to him, holding a pail of warm slops, he felt relieved. He lifted his nose and sniffed. The smell was delicious-warm milk, potato skins, wheat middlings, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, and a popover left from the Zuckermans' breakfast.
"Come, pig!" said Mr. Zuckerman, tapping the pail. "Come pig!"
Wilbur took a step toward the pail.
"No-no-no!" said the goose. "It's the old pail trick, Wilbur. Don't fall for it, don't fall for it ! He's trying to lure you back into captivity. He's appealing to your stomach."
Wilbur didn't care. The food smelled appetizing. He took another step toward the pail.
"Pig, pig!" said Mr. Zuckerman in a kind voice, and began walking slowly toward the barnyard, looking all about him innocently, as if he didn't know that a little white pig was following along behind him.
"You'll be sorry-sorry-sorry," called the goose.
Wilbur didn't care. He kept walking toward the pail of slops.
"You'll miss your freedom," honked the goose. "An hour of freedom is worth a barrel of slops."
Wilbur didn't care.
When Mr. Zuckerman reached the pigpen, he climbed over the fence and poured the slops into the trough. Then he pulled the loose board away from the fence, so that there was a wide hole for Wilbur to walk through.
"Reconsider, reconsider!" cried the goose.
Wilbur paid no attention. He stepped through the fence into his yard. He walked to the trough and took a long drink of slops, sucking in the milk hungrily and chewing the popover. It was good to be home again.
While Wilbur ate, Lurvy fetched a hammer and some 8-penny nails and nailed the board in place. Then he and Mr. Zuckerman leaned lazily on the fence and Mr. Zuckerman scratched Wilbur's back with a stick.
"He's quite a pig," said Lurvy.
"Yes, he'll make a good pig," said Mr. Zuckerman.
Wilbur heard the words of praise. He felt the warm milk inside his stomach. He felt the pleasant rubbing of the stick along his itchy back. He felt peaceful and happy and sleepy. This had been a tiring afternoon. It was still only about four o'clock but Wilbur was ready for bed.
"I'm really too young to go out into the world alone," he thought as he lay down.
?谷倉(cāng)很大,也很舊。里面全是干草和糞肥的氣味。還有種跑累了的馬身上的汗味兒與好脾氣的母牛噴出的奇妙的香甜味道??諝庵谐qv的,是一種和平的氣息——好像這個(gè)世界上再不會(huì)有壞事情發(fā)生了。這里偶爾還會(huì)有谷粒的香味,馬具上的草料味,車子上的潤(rùn)滑油味,橡膠靴子味,或是新扎的草繩味兒。如果貓兒叼著人們?nèi)咏o他的魚頭到這里來(lái)享受時(shí),谷倉(cāng)里就會(huì)多了股魚腥味兒。不過,這里面最濃的味道卻是干草味兒,因?yàn)楣葌}(cāng)上面的大閣樓里總是堆滿了干草。這些干草被不斷的扔給下面的母牛、馬、綿羊們吃。
冬天,當(dāng)動(dòng)物們?cè)谕饷娲艟昧耍貋?lái)后會(huì)覺得這個(gè)谷倉(cāng)格外的溫暖;而夏天呢,當(dāng)谷倉(cāng)的門大大敞開著,微風(fēng)吹進(jìn)來(lái),這里又變得說(shuō)不出的涼爽。谷倉(cāng)上層面有馬廄、牛棚,下層的地窖里是羊圈、威伯住的豬圈;里面還堆著你能從谷倉(cāng)里找到的各類的器具:梯子,磨石,長(zhǎng)柄草叉,活手搬子,大號(hào)的鐮刀,割草機(jī),清雪鏟,斧子柄兒,牛奶桶,水桶,空糧食袋子,生銹的捕鼠夾等等。這是燕子們喜歡來(lái)筑巢的谷倉(cāng)。這里的一切都是屬于芬的舅舅,霍默·L·祖克曼先生的。
威伯的新家在谷倉(cāng)的下層,正好在牛棚底下。祖克曼先生知道牛糞堆是養(yǎng)小豬的好地方。豬喜歡溫暖,而谷倉(cāng)下朝南的地窖正是溫暖而又舒適的地方。
芬差不多每天都來(lái)看威伯。她找到一張沒人要的擠奶凳,于是便把凳子搬到緊挨著威伯的豬圈的羊圈旁。整個(gè)漫長(zhǎng)的下午,她就這么靜靜地坐在那里,望著威伯,想著,聽著。綿羊不久便認(rèn)識(shí)她,并信任她了。和羊住在一起的母鵝也是。所有的動(dòng)物都信任她,因?yàn)樗悄敲吹奈撵o、和善。祖克曼先生不讓她把威伯帶出去,也不讓她進(jìn)豬圈。不過,他告訴芬,如果她愿意,她坐在凳子上看威伯多久都行。能靠近威伯她就感到很幸福了;知道芬就坐在他家的外面,威伯也感到無(wú)比的快活。只是他卻再不能做從前的樂事了——不能再散步,不能再坐嬰兒車,也不能再去游泳了。
六月的一個(gè)下午,差不多兩個(gè)月大的威伯游蕩到他在谷倉(cāng)外的院子里。那天芬沒像往常一樣來(lái)看他。站在陽(yáng)光下的威伯,覺得孤單而又無(wú)聊。
“在這里從沒任何事兒可做,”他想。他慢慢地走到食槽前,用鼻子搜尋著,想找找是否有忘了吃的午餐。他發(fā)現(xiàn)了一小截土豆皮,就把它吃了下去。他感到背有點(diǎn)兒癢,就斜靠到柵欄上,在木板上使勁的蹭著。當(dāng)他蹭膩了,便走回他的家門口,爬到牛糞堆頂上,坐了下來(lái)。他不想睡,也不想再亂拱了,他厭倦了再這么靜靜的傻站著,也厭倦了睡覺。”我才活了不到兩個(gè)月,就對(duì)生活厭煩了,”他說(shuō)。他又往院子里去了。
“當(dāng)我來(lái)到這兒,”他說(shuō),“除了回家沒別的地方可去。當(dāng)我進(jìn)了家,除了院子也沒別的地方可逛。”
“你錯(cuò)了,我的朋友,我的朋友。”一個(gè)聲音說(shuō)。
威伯往柵欄那邊看去,發(fā)現(xiàn)一只母鵝就站在那里。
“你不用老呆在那個(gè)骯臟的-小 骯臟的-小 骯臟的-小院子里,”母鵝說(shuō)得相當(dāng)?shù)目臁?ldquo;這兒有一塊木板松了。推開它,推-推-推開它,就能夠出去!”
“什么?”威伯說(shuō)。“說(shuō)慢一點(diǎn)兒!”
“讓-讓-讓,讓我冒險(xiǎn)重復(fù)一遍,”母鵝說(shuō),“我的意思是,建議你跑出去。這外面的世界精彩極了。”
“你是說(shuō)有塊木板松了?”
“那就是我要說(shuō)的,那就是。”母鵝說(shuō)。
威伯走到柵欄旁,發(fā)現(xiàn)母鵝說(shuō)得對(duì)——真的有一塊木板松了。他低下頭,閉起眼,用力撞過去。木板松開了。沒用一分鐘,他就擠過了柵欄,來(lái)到院子外的長(zhǎng)草叢中了。母鵝嘎嘎大笑起來(lái)。
“自由的滋味如何?”她問。
“我喜歡,”威伯說(shuō)。“我的意思是說(shuō),我想我喜歡這感覺。”
實(shí)際上,當(dāng)威伯站在柵欄外,望著這個(gè)與自己毫無(wú)阻隔的大大的世界的時(shí)候,他只有種夢(mèng)幻般的,說(shuō)不清的感覺。
“你說(shuō)我去哪兒比較好?”
“你喜歡的任何地方,你喜歡的任何地方,”母鵝說(shuō)。“到果園那里去,把路上的草皮翻出來(lái)!到花園去,把蘿卜拱出來(lái)!拱開一切!吃草!找玉米粒兒!尋找燕麥!把一切都?jí)旱?蹦高和跳舞,后腳立地跳起來(lái)!走過果園,去樹林里漫步!在你年輕時(shí)世界是多么美妙。”
“我明白你的意思,”威伯回答。他在空氣中跳躍著,轉(zhuǎn)了幾個(gè)圈兒,又跑了幾步,才停了下來(lái),四處搜尋著,嗅著午后的氣息,不久,他向果園走去。他停到一棵蘋果樹蔭下,把他強(qiáng)壯的鼻子插進(jìn)土里,開始盡情地拱、挖、掘。他感到非常的快活。在有人注意到他之前,他已經(jīng)掘起很多土了。祖克曼太太是第一個(gè)看見他的。她從廚房的窗子里望見了他,便開始喊人。
“霍——默!”她喊。“豬跑出來(lái)了!魯維!豬跑了!霍默!魯維!豬跑了。他在那棵蘋果樹下面呢。”
“現(xiàn)在麻煩來(lái)了,”威伯想。“現(xiàn)在我要被抓住了。”
母鵝也聽見了她的吵嚷,便對(duì)威伯大喊。“跑-跑-跑到下坡去,往樹林里跑,樹林!”她拼命地嚷。“他們?cè)跇淞掷镉肋h(yuǎn)-永遠(yuǎn)-永遠(yuǎn)抓不住你。”
聽到這場(chǎng)騷動(dòng)的長(zhǎng)毛狗從谷倉(cāng)里跑出去追。祖克曼先生聽到喊聲,忙從工作間里跑出來(lái),放下了手中正在修理的農(nóng)具。在龍須菜地里拔草的雇工魯維,聽到喊聲,也趕緊跑了出來(lái)。每個(gè)人都在朝威伯逼近!威伯不知所措了。到樹林的路似乎是那么遠(yuǎn),而且,他還從沒進(jìn)過樹林,也不知道是否會(huì)喜歡呆在樹林里呢。
“繞到他身后去,魯維,”祖克曼先生說(shuō),“把他朝谷倉(cāng)這邊趕!小心點(diǎn)兒——別嚇壞他!我去拿一桶豬食來(lái)。”
威伯逃跑的消息在這里的動(dòng)物中間迅速傳開了。以前從沒有任何一只動(dòng)物能逃離祖克曼先生的農(nóng)場(chǎng)呢,因此這事情引起了大家極大的興趣。母鵝對(duì)離她最近的母牛嚷道,威伯自由了,不久所有的母牛都知道了這個(gè)新聞。然后一頭母牛把這消息告訴了一只綿羊,不久所有的綿羊也知道了。羊羔們又從他們的母親那里了解了一切。谷倉(cāng)的馬廄里的馬們,豎起的耳朵也聽到了母鵝的喊叫,因此不久所有的馬也明白發(fā)生了什么事兒。“威伯逃了,”他們說(shuō)。每一個(gè)動(dòng)物都興奮地抬起頭,變得分外的激動(dòng),因?yàn)樗麄冎浪麄兊囊粋€(gè)朋友已經(jīng)獲得了自由,再不用被緊緊的關(guān)在圈里了。
威伯不知該怎么做,往哪里跑。看起來(lái)好像每個(gè)人都在追他。“如果這就是美好的自由,”他想,“我還不如被關(guān)在我自己的院子里呢。”
長(zhǎng)毛狗從一邊悄悄地靠過來(lái),雇工魯維也正從另一邊漸漸逼近。祖克曼太太擺出了一副準(zhǔn)備攔截的架勢(shì)——如果威伯要往花園里跑的話?,F(xiàn)在,祖克曼先生拎著桶正朝威伯走過來(lái)。“這真太可怕了,”威伯想。“為什么芬還不來(lái)?”他開始哭了。
母鵝給威伯發(fā)出一個(gè)又一個(gè)指令。
“別傻站著,威伯!快逃,快逃!”母鵝大叫。“轉(zhuǎn)圈跳,往我這邊兒跳,溜過來(lái)沖出去,過來(lái)出去,過來(lái)出去!往樹林跑!迂回前進(jìn)!”
長(zhǎng)毛狗猛地躥起來(lái)咬向威伯的后腿。威伯蹦著高兒跑開。魯維沖上前去抓威伯。祖克曼太太對(duì)魯維尖叫起來(lái)。母鵝還在為威伯加油。威伯從魯維的雙腿間逃了出去,魯維沒有抓到威伯,反一把摟住了長(zhǎng)毛狗。“干得好,干得好!”母鵝叫道。“再來(lái)一個(gè),再來(lái)一個(gè)!”
“往下坡跑!”母牛們出主意。
“向我這里跑!”公鵝尖叫。
“往上坡跑!”綿羊大喊。
“迂回前進(jìn)!”母鵝嘎嘎地叫著。
“跳,蹦高兒!”公雞叫。
“小心魯維!”母牛提醒。
“小心祖克曼!”公鵝扯著嗓子喊。
“小心那條狗!”綿羊大叫。
“聽我的,聽我的!”母鵝尖叫。
可憐的威伯被他們的亂叫弄得又暈又怕。他可不喜歡成為這些亂子的焦點(diǎn)。他本想試著聽從朋友們給他的建議,可他不能同時(shí)既往上坡跑,又往下坡跑,而且,他也不能一邊蹦起來(lái)一邊迂回前進(jìn),更何況他哭喊得這么厲害,幾乎弄不清周圍都發(fā)生了什么事。真的,威伯畢竟只不過是一頭比嬰兒大不多少的小豬罷了。他只希望芬此刻在場(chǎng),能把自己抱起來(lái)安慰一番。當(dāng)他抬頭看到祖克曼先生就靜靜地站在身旁,手里拎著盛滿熱乎乎的稀飯的食桶時(shí),才稍稍寬了心。他聳起鼻子使勁兒聞著。那些味道多鮮美呀——有熱牛奶,土豆皮,粗麥粉,凱洛格牌玉米片,還有祖克曼先生早餐吃剩的酥餅?zāi)亍?/p>
“來(lái)呀,小豬!”祖克曼先生說(shuō)著,敲了敲食桶。“來(lái)呀,小豬!”
威伯朝那只桶走了一步。
“不——不——不!”母鵝說(shuō)。“這桶是個(gè)并不新鮮的騙局,威伯。別上套兒!別上套兒!他是想以此誘捕你。他正在用好吃的誘惑你的肚子。”
威伯不在乎。這食物聞起來(lái)太開胃了。他又朝食桶走了一步。
“小豬,小豬!”祖克曼先生甜蜜地叫著,開始慢慢地往谷倉(cāng)方向走,同時(shí)弄出一副純真的表情回頭看著,好像他不知道這頭小白豬正跟在他后面走一樣。
“你會(huì)后悔-后悔-后悔的。”母鵝叫道。
威伯不在乎。他還在朝食桶走。
“你會(huì)失去你的自由的,”母鵝大喊。“一小時(shí)的自由要比一大桶豬食更可貴!”
威伯還是不在乎。
祖克曼先生走到豬圈附近,便爬過柵欄,把豬食倒進(jìn)了豬食槽。然后他把那塊松動(dòng)的木板從柵欄上全拽下來(lái),好讓威伯能很容易的進(jìn)去。
“再想想,再想想!”母鵝提醒道。
威伯什么別的也沒想。他一步步走進(jìn)柵欄,到了他的院子里。他走向食槽,吸食了半天,大口大口地喝著牛奶,嚼著酥餅。能再回家真是太好了。
就在威伯飽餐之際,魯維取了把錘子和一些八分長(zhǎng)的釘子來(lái),把那塊板子釘了回去。然后,他和祖克曼先生懶洋洋地倚在柵欄旁。祖克曼先生用一根柴枝搔著威伯的后背。
“他真是一頭豬,”魯維說(shuō)。
“是的,他會(huì)成為一頭好豬的,”祖克曼先生說(shuō)。
威伯聽到了對(duì)他的贊揚(yáng)。他感到肚子里的牛奶暖暖的。他也很愿意在那根柴枝上蹭癢。他既幸福又滿足,想去睡一覺了。這真是一個(gè)令人疲倦的下午。雖然此刻只不過才四點(diǎn)鐘,威伯卻準(zhǔn)備上床就寢了。
“我真的太年輕,還不適合一個(gè)人在這世上闖,” 躺下時(shí)他這么想。