THE TIN SOLDIER
Ⅱ
drain grabbed sailed
showed kitch-en si-lent
snapped cast-le through
greed-y paint dan-gers
STOP THAT TIN SOLDIER!
1. As he sailed along in the dark drain, a big rat called out, "What are you doing here?" But the tin soldier was silent, and held his gun with a still firmer grasp.
2. On rushed the paper boat and the rat after it. "Stop that tin soldier! stop him! he is running away from the army," cried the rat. This was not true, and it made the little tin soldier very angry when he heard it.
3. The rat showed its teeth, and tried hard to overtake the boat. But the stream now ran faster and faster, and the rat was soon left far behind.
4. On, on, went the boat, till it came to the end of the drain, where the water fell over some rocks into a large river.
5. In going over these rocks the boat was filled to the brim 〔1〕 with water. It must sink. The tin soldier stood up to his neck in water. Deeper and deeper sank the boat, softer and softer grew the paper.
6. Still he kept a stout heart, and was not the least afraid. But he soon fell through the soft paper, and a hungry fish, thinking he was good to eat, snapped him up.
7. Oh, how dark it was! worse even than the drain, and so narrow, too! But the tin soldier felt no fear, and lay quite still holding his gun.
8. That same day the greedy fish grabbed at 〔2〕 something else he saw in the river. But a hook caught him in the mouth this time, and a man then pulled him out of the river, and took him to the market to be sold.
9. The cook of the house, in which the little boy lived, bought the fish, and, when she was cutting it up, she found the little tin soldier inside.
10. The boy came into the kitchen just at that moment, and he cried out, "Hullo! That's my one-legged soldier."
11. The boy took the tin soldier upstairs, and set him on the table in the very same room in which he had been before. The little soldier was very glad to be at home once more.
12. He saw the same children, the same playthings stood on the table, and among them the castle which he had guarded all night.
13. Every one in the house wanted to see the little man who had lived inside a fish, and had gone through so many dangers.
14. The boy picked up the tin soldier, and said, "Your paint is washed off, and you are bent in the back; but you are a brave little fellow, all the same. I shall give you a medal 〔3〕 , and you shall be captain of the castle."
15. Then the little soldier's heart jumped for joy, and his eyes filled with tears. Through all his dangers he had tried to be brave, and to do his duty, and at last he had won his reward.
—HANS ANDERSEN
注釋
〔1〕 filled to the brim: As full as possible.
〔2〕 grabbed at: Snatched at.
〔3〕 medal: Token for merit or bravery.
瘋狂英語 英語語法 新概念英語 走遍美國 四級聽力 英語音標(biāo) 英語入門 發(fā)音 美語 四級 新東方 七年級 賴世雄 zero是什么意思贛州市福榮香格里拉(金蘭路)英語學(xué)習(xí)交流群