6.骑鹅旅行记（节选）（4830）

6骑鹅旅行记（节选）

1.男孩简直不敢相信他会变成小狐仙。

2.“这大概是一场梦，一种幻觉吧！”

3.他想，“过一会儿我肯定还会再变成一个人。”

4.他站在镜子前面闭上眼睛，过了好几分钟才睁开。

5.当时他估计怪样子肯定消失了。

6.可是怪样子并没有消失，他仍然像刚才一样小。

7.从别的方面看，他和以前完全一样。

8.他那淡黄的头发、鼻子上的雀斑、皮裤和袜子上的补丁都和过去一模一样，只不过变得很小很小罢了。

9.他发现，光那样站着等待是无济于事的，一定得想别的办法。

10.他觉得最聪明的做法就是去找小狐仙讲和。

11.他忽然想起，曾听母亲讲过，小狐仙平时都是住在牛棚里的。

12.他立刻决定到那里去看看是否能找到小狐仙。

13.幸好房门半开着，不然他还够不到锁，无法开门呢，而现在他没碰到任何障碍就跑了出去。

14.门廊外面的地板上有一只麻雀在跳来跳去。

15.他一看见男孩就叫了起来：“叽叽，叽叽，快看放鹅娃尼尔斯！

16.快看拇指大的小人儿！

17.快看拇指大的小人儿尼尔斯·豪尔耶松！”

18.院子里的鹅和鸡立即掉过头来盯着男孩，并发出了一阵使人无法忍受的咯咯声。

19.“咯咯里咕，”公鸡叫道，“他活该，咯咯里咕，他扯过我的鸡冠！”

20.然而最奇怪的是，男孩竟听懂了他们说的话。

21.他大为吃惊，就一动不动地站在台阶上听了起来。

22.“这可能是因为我变成了小狐仙的缘故吧

23.他自语着，“肯定是由于这个原因，我才听懂了禽兽说的话。”

24.那些鸡没完没了地叫着：“他活该！他活该……”他实在无法忍受，捡起一块石头朝他们扔了过去，并骂道：“住嘴！

25.你们这群乌合可是他没有想到，他已不再是原来的样子，鸡 咕咕，你活该！咕咕咕，你活该!

26.男孩想摆脱他们，但是那些鸡在他后面追着叫着，都快把他的耳朵吵聋了。

27.如果不是家里养的那只猫走了出来，他是怎么也溜不掉的。

28.那些鸡一看见猫便住了嘴,装着聚精会神的样子在地上刨虫子吃。

29.跑到猫跟前。

30.“亲爱的猫咪，”他说，“院子里各个角落和暗洞你不是都很熟悉吗？

31.请你告诉我，在哪里能找到小狐仙？

32.猫没有立刻回坐下来，把尾巴精心地在腿前盘成了一个圆圈,两眼盯着男孩。

33.那是一只大黑猫，脖子下面有个白斑点。

34.他的皮毛平滑，在阳光下闪闪发亮。

35.他的爪子收缩着，灰白的眼睛眯成了一条H缝，样子十分温柔。

36.“我知道小狐仙住在什么地方，”他低声说，“但是这并不等于说我愿意告诉你。”

37.“亲爱的猫咪，你可得帮我的忙啊！”

38.男孩说，“你没看见他把我变成什么样子了吗？”

39.猫稍稍睁了睁眼睛，里面射出了一道寒光。

40.他先得意扬扬地念了一阵经，然后才说：“要我帮你的忙？

41.是不是因为你经常揪我的尾巴？”

42.这时男孩恼怒了。

43.他已经完全忘了他现在是多么弱小无力。

44.“怎么着？

45.我还要揪你的尾巴！”

46.他说着便向猫扑了过去。

47.转眼间，猫摇身一变，男孩几乎不敢相信他还是刚才那个动物。

48.他全身的毛都竖了起来，拱起腰，伸直了腿，四脚抓地，尾巴变得粗而短，两耳朝后，嘴里嘶叫着，瞪大的眼睛冒着火星。

49.男孩对猫并不示弱，反而向前逼近了一步。

50.这时猫突然一跃径直朝他扑了过去，把他摔倒在地，跳到他身上，前爪按住他的胸口，对着他的咽喉张开了大嘴。

51.男孩感觉到猫的爪子穿过他的背心和衬衣，刺进了他的皮肤，锋利的犬牙触到了他的咽喉。

52.他拼命地喊着救命。

53.可是一个人也没有来。他断定，他死亡的时刻到了。

54.正在这时，他又觉得猫把爪子收了回去，松开了他的喉咙。

55.“好了”猫说，“这回够了，看在女主人的面子上，这次我饶了你。

56.我只想让你知道，咱们俩现在究竟谁厉害。”

57.说着，猫就走开了，看上去像他来的时候一样温柔和善。58.男孩羞得连一句话也说不出来，赶紧溜到牛棚里去找小狐仙了。

59.牛棚里只有三头牛。但男孩进去的时候，却是吼声四起，一片混乱，听起来至少是三十头。

60.你过来，”名叫五月玫瑰的牛说，“我给你一蹄子，让你永远不能忘记！

61.“你过来，”名叫金百合的牛说，“我要让你在我的角上跳舞。”

62.“你过来，我也叫你尝尝去年夏天你经常用木鞋打我的滋味！”

63.名叫星星的牛吼道。

64.“你过来，你曾经把马蜂放进我的耳朵，现在我要报仇！”

65.金百合叫着。

66.五月玫瑰在她们中间年纪最大、最聪明，现在也最生气。67.“你过来，”她说，“你做的事都应该遭报应了。

68.你曾多次从你母亲腿下抽走她挤奶时坐的小凳，你多次在你母亲提着奶桶走过时伸脚绊倒她，你多次气得她站在这里流眼泪！

69.男孩想对她们说，过去他对她们不好，现在后悔了，只要告诉他小狐仙在哪里，以后他就再也不捣蛋了。

70.但是牛都不听他说话。

71.她们吵闹得非常凶，他真担心哪头牛会挣断缰绳，所以他觉得还是趁早溜掉为妙。

72.他垂头丧气地从牛棚里走了出来。

73.院子里不会有人帮他寻找小狐仙，这他是能够理解的。74.在这种情况下，即使找到小狐仙，可能也没有多大用处。

75.他爬到了长满荆棘和黑莓藤蔓攀缘的厚石头围墙上，坐在那里环顾着自己的家。

76.那是一座用石头砌墙、木头作支架的白色小房子。

77.其他附属的房屋也很小，耕地窄得几乎连马都无法在上面打滚。

78.可是这地方无论怎么小怎么穷，对他来说已经够好的了。79.他现在除了在牛棚的地上找个洞以外，再也不能要求更好的住所了。

80.这天天气好极了。水渠里流水潺潺，树上嫩芽满枝，小鸟在耳边欢唱。

81.而他却坐在那里十分难过，再也没有什么东西能引起他的兴致。

82.他从来没有见过天空像这样蓝。

83.候鸟都回来了。

84.他们从海外飞来，越过了波罗的海直奔斯密格虎克，正向北飞行。

85.鸟的种类很多，但是别的鸟他都不认识，只认识那些排成“人”字形的大雁。

86.有几群大雁已经飞了过去。

87.他们飞得很高，但是仍然能够听见他们的叫声：“现在飞向高山，现在飞向高山。”

88.当大雁们看到在院子里漫游的家鹅时，就一边朝大地低飞边喊着：“跟我们来吧！

89.跟我们来吧！

90.现在飞向高山。”

91.家鹅不由得抬起头，听着大雁的叫声。

92.他们回答说：“我们在这里生活得很好！

93.我们在这里生活得很好！”

94.如前所说，这天天气格外晴朗，空气清新，春风拂面，这时飞行真是一种享受。

95.随着一群一群的大雁飞过，家鹅越来越动心了。

96.他们中间有几只扇着翅膀跃跃欲试，但是一只老母鹅总是说：“别犯傻！

97.你们一定会受冻挨饿的。

98.大雁的呼叫却使一只年轻的雄鹅真的动了心。

99.“再过来一联我就跟着他们飞走。

99.”他说。

100.真的又过来一群大雁，他们照样呼唤。

101.那只年轻的雄鹅答道“等一等！

102.等一等！

103.我就来。”

104.他张开翅膀朝天空飞去。

105.但是他没有飞行的习惯，于是又落到了地上。

106.大雁们还是听到了他的叫声。

107.他们掉过头来慢慢地朝回飞，看他是不是真要跟着去。

108.“等一等！

109.等一等！”

110.他一面叫着一面进行新的尝试。

111.男孩坐在围墙上，这一切都听得一清二楚。

112.“如果这只大雄鹅飞走，可是一个很大的损失，”他想，113.“父母从教堂回来时，发现雄鹅不见了，他们会伤心的。”

114.当他这样想的时候，他又忘记了他是多么弱小无力。

115.他一下子从墙上跳下来，跑进鹅群里，用双臂抱住了雄鹅的脖子。

116.“你可千万不要飞走啊！”

117.他喊道。

118.恰恰就在这一瞬间，雄鹅学会了怎样腾空而起。

119.他来不及抖掉男孩就飞向了天空。

120.雄鹅飞得那么快，男孩都感到头晕目眩了。

121.等他想到应该放开雄鹅的脖子时，已经到了高空。

122.如果他现在一松手，肯定会掉到地上摔死。

123.要想舒服一点儿，他唯一能做的就是设法爬到鹅背上去。124.他费了九牛二虎之力总算爬了上去。

125.然而要在翅膀中间光滑的脊背上坐稳，也不是一件容易的事，何况翅膀还在不停地扇动。

126.为了不滑下去，他不得不用两只手紧紧地抓住雄鹅的羽毛。

The Wonderful Adventures of Nils (Excerpt)

1. The boy could hardly believe he had turned into a little elf.

2. “This must be a dream, an illusion!” he thought.

3. “In a little while, I’ll surely turn back into a person.”

4. He stood in front of the mirror, closed his eyes, and waited for several minutes before opening them.

5. He expected the strange appearance to disappear by then.

6. But the strange appearance did not disappear; he was still as small as before.

7. In other ways, he looked exactly the same as before.

8. His light yellow hair, freckles on his nose, patches on his leather pants, and socks were all just the same, only much smaller.

9. He realized that just standing there and waiting wouldn’t help; he had to think of another solution.

10. He thought the smartest thing to do was to find the little elf and make peace with him.

11. He suddenly remembered hearing his mother say that the little elf usually lived in the cowshed.

12. He immediately decided to go there and see if he could find the elf.

13. Fortunately, the door was half open; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to reach the lock to open it. Now he encountered no obstacles and ran outside.

14. A sparrow was hopping around on the porch floor.

15. When it saw the boy, it chirped, “Chirp, chirp, look at Nils, the goose boy!

16. Look at the thumb-sized little man!

17. Look at thumb-sized Nils Holgersson!”

18. The geese and chickens in the yard immediately turned to look at the boy and started making an unbearable clucking noise.

19. “Cluck, cluck,” the rooster crowed, “serves him right, cluck, cluck, he pulled my comb!”

20. The strangest thing was that the boy could understand what they were saying.

21. He was so surprised that he stood still on the steps and listened.

22. “This might be because I’ve turned into a little elf,” he muttered to himself.

23. “That must be why I can understand what the animals are saying.”

24. The chickens kept clucking, “Serves him right! Serves him right...”

25. He couldn’t stand it anymore, so he picked up a stone and threw it at them, shouting, “Shut up!

26. You bunch of rascals!”

27. But he didn’t realize he was no longer his old self.

28. The chickens chased after him, clucking so loudly that his ears almost went deaf.

29. If it hadn’t been for the family cat walking out, he wouldn’t have been able to escape.

30. As soon as the chickens saw the cat, they quieted down and pretended to be busy scratching the ground for insects.

31. The boy ran up to the cat.

32. “Dear kitty,” he said, “you know every corner and hidden spot in the yard, don’t you?

33. Please tell me where I can find the little elf.”

34. The cat didn’t respond immediately. It sat down, curling its tail neatly around its legs, and stared at the boy with its eyes half-closed.

35. It was a large black cat with a white spot on its neck.

36. Its fur was smooth and shiny in the sunlight.

37. Its claws were retracted, and its pale eyes were narrowed to slits, looking very gentle.

38. “I know where the little elf lives,” it said softly, “but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to tell you.”

39. “Dear kitty, you must help me!” the boy pleaded.

40. “Didn’t you see what he turned me into?”

41. The cat opened its eyes slightly, a cold glint flashing in them.

42. It recited a chant proudly, then said, “You want my help?

43. Is it because you often pulled my tail?”

44. The boy got angry.

45. He had completely forgotten how small and weak he was now.

46. “What’s that?

47. I’ll still pull your tail!” he said and pounced on the cat.

48. In an instant, the cat transformed.

49. The boy could hardly believe it was the same animal.

50. All its fur stood on end, it arched its back, stretched out its legs, dug its claws into the ground, its tail became thick and short, its ears went back, it hissed, and its eyes flashed with fire.

51. The boy didn’t back down.

52. Instead, he took a step forward.

53. The cat suddenly leaped at him, knocked him to the ground, jumped on top of him, pinned his chest with its front paws, and opened its mouth wide at his throat.

54. The boy felt the cat’s claws pierce through his vest and shirt, pricking his skin, and its sharp teeth touched his throat.

55. He screamed for help.

56. But no one came.

57. He thought his time had come.

58. At that moment, he felt the cat retract its claws and release his throat.

59. “Alright,” the cat said, “that’s enough.

60. For the sake of our mistress, I’ll spare you this time.

61. I just wanted to show you who’s in charge now.”

62. With that, the cat walked away, looking as gentle and kind as when it had arrived.

63. The boy was too ashamed to say a word and quickly ran to the cowshed to look for the little elf.

64. There were only three cows in the cowshed.

65. But when the boy entered, it was full of roaring and chaos, as if there were at least thirty cows.

66. “Come here,” said a cow named Mayrose.

67. “I’ll give you a kick you’ll never forget!”

68. “Come here,” said a cow named Golden Lily.

69. “I’ll make you dance on my horns.”

70. “Come here,” roared a cow named Star.

71. “I’ll make you taste the wooden shoes you used to hit me with last summer!”

72. “Come here,” shouted Golden Lily.

73. “You put wasps in my ears; now I’ll take revenge!”

74. Mayrose, the oldest and wisest of them, was also the angriest.

75. “Come here,” she said, “you deserve to pay for all the things you’ve done.

76. You’ve often pulled away the stool your mother sat on to milk us.

77. You’ve tripped her when she carried the milk buckets, and you’ve made her cry right here many times!”

78. The boy wanted to tell them that he regretted treating them badly in the past and that if they told him where the little elf was, he would never misbehave again.

79. But the cows wouldn’t listen to him.

80. They were so noisy that he was afraid one of them might break its tether, so he thought it best to slip away quickly.

81. He walked out of the cowshed, feeling dejected.

82. He understood that no one in the yard would help him find the little elf.

83. Even if he found the elf under these circumstances, it might not be much use.

84. He climbed onto the thick stone wall covered in brambles and blackberry vines and sat there, looking around at his home.

85. It was a small white house with stone walls and wooden supports.

86. The other buildings were also small, and the farmland was so narrow that even a horse could hardly roll on it.

87. But no matter how small and poor this place was, it was good enough for him.

88. Now, he could not ask for a better home than a hole in the ground in the cowshed.

89. The weather was beautiful that day.

90. Water was flowing in the ditches, buds were sprouting on the trees, and birds were singing all around.

91. But he sat there feeling very sad, with nothing that could cheer him up.

92. He had never seen the sky so blue.

93. The migratory birds had returned.

94. They flew from overseas, crossing the Baltic Sea straight to Smygehamn, heading north.

95. There were many kinds of birds, but he only recognized the geese flying in a V-formation.

96. Several flocks of geese had already flown by.

97. They flew high, but their calls could still be heard: “Now fly to the mountains, now fly to the mountains.”

98. When the geese saw the domestic geese wandering in the yard, they called down, “Come with us!

99. Come with us!

100. Now fly to the mountains.”

101. The domestic geese lifted their heads, listening to the wild geese.

102. They answered, “We live well here!

103. We live well here!”

104. As mentioned before, the weather was exceptionally clear that day, the air was fresh, and the spring breeze was gentle.

105. Flying in such weather was a delight.

106. With each flock of geese passing by, the domestic geese became more tempted.

107. Some of them flapped their wings, ready to take off, but an old mother goose always said, “Don’t be foolish!

108. You’ll freeze and starve.”

109. But the wild geese’s call deeply moved a young male goose.

110. “One more flock, and I’m flying with them,” he said.

111. Sure enough, another flock of wild geese came, calling as usual.

112. The young male goose replied, “Wait!

113. Wait!

114. I’m coming.”

115. He spread his wings and took off.

116. But he wasn’t used to flying, so he landed again.

117. The wild geese heard his call.

118. They turned back, slowly flying towards him, to see if he really meant to follow.

119. “Wait!

120. Wait!” he called, trying again.

121. The boy, sitting on the wall, heard everything clearly.

122. “If this young male goose flies away, it’ll be a great loss,” he thought.

123. “When my parents return from church and find the gander gone, they’ll be heartbroken.”

124. Thinking this, he forgot how small and weak he was now.

125. He jumped down from the wall, ran into the flock of geese, and wrapped his arms around the gander’s neck.

126. “You mustn’t fly away!” he shouted.