低幼版请点击：美国幼儿启蒙英语 *、二、三辑套装（共33册）
购买配套点读笔请直接点击： “美语之路”点读笔
本书特色如下：
★美国哥伦比亚大学戏剧系男、女声配音的mp3免费下载。(请登录沧浪文化书馨网-在线课堂-免费音频下载区下载）纯正的美式发音，音质清晰优美，极富表现力。
★立体式学习配套资源，免费微课，图文并茂，生动有趣，在电脑和手机上都可使用，看图，听音同步（电脑请登录沧浪文化书馨网，手机端可直接扫描插图中二维码关注使用）
★配套美语之路点读笔（需另行购买），哪里不会点哪里，妈妈不用教，学习更有效。
★由二十世纪美国*有影响力、*权威的阅读教学专家埃尔松和格莱主编，在美国主流学校使用了近百年
来自美国的经典原版基础英语教材，生动的中英文故事，精美的全彩插图为了便于中国读者学习，书中加了中文翻译，并配有美音朗读。音频下载网址：www.canglangcl.com ( 沧浪文化书馨网)
这是一套完整系统的原版美国小学教材读本，全套教材提供了一系列生动有趣的故事，故事的情节和长度，以及句子的长短表述方式，随着阅读者年龄的增长呈现出一定的梯度。孩子们循序渐进地阅读学习下去，会在不知不觉中大大提高英语水平，同时通过故事增长很多知识，获得许多乐趣，并在潜移默化中滋养了情感。这是一套美国成功教材的典范，曾经在上世纪被长时间广泛使用，影响了几代美国人。作为语言教材，它具有非常严谨的规范性、科学性和系统性，而里面的故事又非常活泼有趣，因此它非常适合孩子们阅读和学习，也很受他们们欢迎。
【内容简介】
★美国哥伦比亚大学戏剧系男、女声配音的mp3免费下载。纯正的美式发音，音质清晰优美，极富表现力。
★立体式学习配套资源，免费微课，图文并茂，生动有趣，在电脑和手机上都可使用，看图，听音同步★配套点读笔（需另行购买），哪里不会点哪里，妈妈不用教，学习更有效。
★由二十世纪美国*有影响力、*权威的阅读教学专家埃尔松和格莱主编，在美国主流学校使用了近百年
★主编首次把“心理数据分析法”应用于教学之中，充分考虑孩子的心理认知特点，既着眼于趣味性和知识性，又注重教学的实用性和学生的接受能力。
我们引入本套教材的初衷，就是让国内的英语学习者，从一开始就接触正宗的美式英语，透过美国原版教材，近距离接触美国原味文化。而且，我们立足自学，在家就可以做到这一切。
全书以精美的插画表现丰富有趣的儿童活动场景，配以简单的儿童语言。图文互释，简单有趣，吸引孩子快乐地投入学习，并从中培养起学习语言的兴趣。在故事情节和句子的复杂程度方面，每一册间的递近梯度科学、自然，非常适合孩子连续学习。经过前面3 个阶段的阅读训练， 孩子们初步培养起了阅读兴趣，并形成了良好的阅读习惯，也有了一定的语言基础。
四年级处于小学低年级和高年级的过渡阶段，因此本级的读本， 一方面继续提供充满幻想和奇妙色彩的故事，另一方面，透过故事丰富孩子们的情感，开阔他们的眼界，增长他们的知识。第四册同样分为A、B 两册，对应两个学期。极具可读性的故事将给孩子们的英语学习和健康成长意想不到的助益。
【作者简介】
埃尔松，美国教育界权威性人物，教育理论家,教育实践家,小学语文教材的主要编写者。
格莱，美国教育理论与实践研究工作者，有丰富的教材编写和出版经验。【目录】
目 录
PART FOUR STORIES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW
第四部分 每个人应该知道的故事................................................... 1
Climbing
攀登........................................................................................................ 2
Everyone Likes A Good Story
每个人都喜欢好故事.................................................................................. 4
THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER
神奇的牛奶罐............................................................................................ 6
RUMPLESTILTSKIN
纺线姑娘.................................................................................................. 48
A DOG OF FLANDERS
弗兰德斯的狗........................................................................................... 74
A Backward Look
内容回顾.................................................................................................. 92
PART FIVE BUSY WORKERS AND THEIR WORK
第五部分 忙碌的劳动者和他们的工作........................................... 93
We Must Wake and Work
我们必须醒来工作..................................................................................... 94
Hundreds of People Work for You
成百上千的人为你工作............................................................................... 95
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S IRON STOVE
本杰明. 富兰克林的铁炉子......................................................................... 97
ORANGES, AMERICA’S GOLDEN HARVEST
橙子，美国金色的收获............................................................................. 113
SHEEP-SHEARING ON NANTUCKET ISLAND
在楠塔基特岛剪羊毛................................................................................ 126
EARNING A PLAYGROUND
获得一个运动场...................................................................................... 143
ROB’S FIRST BLACKFISH DRIVE
罗伯*次围赶黑鲸................................................................................ 153
A Backward Look
内容回顾................................................................................................ 168
PART SIX FAMOUS HEROES OF LONG AGO
第六部分 很久以前的著名英雄.................................................... 171
Long Ago and Far Away
很久以前在很远的地方............................................................................. 172
Every Land Has Its Heroes
每个国家都有自己的英雄.......................................................................... 174
BEOWULF,THE BRAVE PRINCE
英勇的贝奥武夫王子................................................................................ 176
SIGURD, THE YOUNG WARRIOR
年轻的西格德勇士................................................................................... 204
ROLAND, THE NOBLE KNIGHT
高贵的骑士罗兰...................................................................................... 240
A Backward Look
内容回顾................................................................................................ 280
PART SEVEN HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS
第七部分 节假日.............................................................................. 283
Christmas in The Heart
心中的圣诞节.......................................................................................... 284
Holidays Are Remembering Days
节日是纪念日.......................................................................................... 285
HALLOWEEN
万圣节................................................................................................... 287
REMEMBERING DAY
纪念日................................................................................................... 289
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING DAY
*个感恩节.......................................................................................... 290
A SURPRISE CHRISTMAS
意想不到的圣诞节................................................................................... 319
THE CHRISTMAS FAIRY AND SCROOGE
圣诞仙女和斯克鲁奇................................................................................ 333
A NEW YEAR’S LEAF
新年之叶................................................................................................ 365
HEARTS WERE MADE TO GIVE AWAY
心是赠予................................................................................................ 366
WHO SHALL BE MAY QUEEN
谁将成为五月皇后................................................................................... 367
A Backward Look
内容回顾................................................................................................ 375
GLOSSARY
难词表................................................................................................... 377
【前言】
前 言
国内*套来自美国的原版基础英语教材语言的影响力与国力呈正相关。美国英语脱胎于英国英语，但独立趋势日益增强，无论是发音、拼写方式还是用法都逐渐自成一体。美国英语的使用范围日趋广泛，接受程度越来越高。
遗憾的是，现在国内盛行的正式出版且广为使用的基础英语教材要么为国内自编，要么引自英国，来自美国的原版基础英语教材几乎没有。这种状况与国人的实际需求是脱节的。鉴于此，我们特地从曾经在美国广泛使用的教材中精选了一套经典读本，取名为“美国幼儿英语”（原教材为学前部分）、“美国小学英语”（原教材为小学部分），以示区别。我们之所以选中这套教材，主要是因为它具有以下几个鲜明的特点：
一、使用时间长，影响范围广。本套教材的编者埃尔松和格莱为20世纪上半叶美国*影响力、*权威的阅读教学专家，被誉为“对整个美国教育史都有重大影响的人物”。他们编著的这套读本影响了美国几代人，尤其是美国“婴儿潮”那代人，都是读着这套教材长大的。如今，那一代人已成为美国社会各个领域的中坚力量，从当今总统、国会议员等政界领袖，到企业巨子和商业大亨，乃至科技、教育、文化、艺术等专业领域的权威名流，应有尽有。教材中塑造的很多人物或动物形象也已经成为美国家喻户晓的文化标志，频繁出现在电影、动画、绘画和其他文艺作品中。
二、选材广泛，内容经典。编者表示，编选这套读本的首要目的是引导学生成为主动、热心的读者，在愉悦的体验中获取知识，培养情操。为此，编者详细考察了整个儿童文学领域，从浩繁的经典中选取*符合儿童兴趣的内容，然后根据全国各地一线教师的反馈和建议，结合课堂实际需要进行调整、评估和分级，确保*终的选材是经典中的经典，同时容易为孩子所接受。
三、编排严谨，体系科学。教材的编者首次把新的“心理数据分析法”应用于教学之中，成效显著。在为本套书选材并分类时，他们同样采用科学分析的方法，充分考虑孩子的心理认知特点和规律，既着眼于趣味性和知识性，又注重教学的实用性和学生的接受能力。每一篇材料都严格控制生词的数量，并确定生词的*重复率，以减少学生阅读中的障碍，使他们在保持愉悦感的同时自然而然地掌握和巩固词汇。各册之间循序渐进、衔接自然，使孩子的阅读兴趣和阅读能力同步增长。
本套读本*显著的特点是按照儿童认知规律先感性、后理性的特点，采用绘本形式，由图到文逐渐过渡，即从以图带文到图文并重，*后过渡到图弱文强，让孩子逐步提高文字阅读能力。它在美国教材史上是经典，也让我们看到美国教材的活泼；它呈现给我们的英语完全符合我们心中对“美国英语”这个概念的定位。
对于这样一套经典的读本，我们在编辑过程中，对英文原文未作任何改动，完全忠实于它的原貌。一开始，你可能会发现有些表达和国内的用法不太一样，但仅仅是表面的不一样。随着你的阅读渐入佳境，你会进一步发现这里的英语活泼灵动，进而会喜欢上它。
对于国内的英语爱好者来说，这套英语读本是*好的礼物。它的中英双语呈现，也是青少年读者绝佳的语言学习材料和文学读物。全套书共分为《美国幼儿英语》和《美国小学英语》两部分。《美国幼儿英语》分为1～3级，每级1册，共3册，可作为幼儿园英语教材；《美国小学英语》分为1～6级，每级分A、B两册，共12册，可作为中国7～15岁英语学习者的学习教材。
愿读者真正感受到“美国英语”的魅力，享受学习“美国英语”的乐趣。
另外，为使读者充分利用《美国小学英语》，除了美音朗读，我们还开发了文本点读功能和部分阶段在线微课程（1～4级）。
【免费在线读】
PART FOUR STORIES EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW
第四部分 每个人应该知道的故事
Climbing
High up in the apple tree climbing I go,
With the sky above me, the earth below.
Each branch is the step of a wonderful stair
Which leads to the town I see shining up there.
Climbing, climbing, higher and higher,
The branches blow and I see a spire,
The gleam of a turret, the glint of a dome,
All sparkling and bright, like white seafoam.
攀登
我爬到苹果树的高处，
头上是天空，脚下是大地。
每个枝杈都是绝妙的阶梯，
通向我眼中闪闪发光的城镇。
越爬越高，越爬越高，
枝条摇曳，我看见一个尖塔，
一个角楼的闪烁，一个圆穹顶的微光，
都在一闪一闪地发着亮光，像海面上白色的泡沫。
Today to the end of the marvelous stair,
Where those glittering pinnacles flash in the air!
Climbing, climbing, higher I go,
With the sky close above me, the earth far below.
—Amy Lowell
今天，在那个奇妙的阶梯尽头，
那些闪闪发光的尖塔在空中闪现！
我越爬越高，越爬越高，
天空在上方离头顶很近，大地在下方离我很远很远。
——阿米.洛威尔
Everyone Likes A Good Story
Even before you could read, you used to ask your father and mother to tell you stories. Everyone likes a good story. All over our land there are thousands of libraries, and every year millions of people are reading stories—in books, in magazines, and in newspapers.
Now, of course, not everyone likes the same kind of story. You like some better than others. But there are stories that everyone seems to enjoy; the years go by, the stories get older, and yet people go on reading them and enjoying them.
每个人都喜欢好故事
你甚至在能够阅读之前，就经常让你的爸爸和妈妈给你讲故事。每个人都喜欢好故事。全世界有成千上万的图书馆，每年有数百万人都在书籍、杂志和报纸上阅读故事。
现在，当然并不是每个人都喜欢同一种故事。你也有自己比较喜欢的一些故事。但是，有些故事似乎每个人都喜欢；时光流逝，那些故事越来越古老，但是人们还会继续阅读和喜爱它们。
Now your Book Comrade will tell you three stories that millions of people have enjoyed. Two of them are old, written long before you or your parents were born. But people still read them, and probably will do so for many long years to come. No one knows who first made them up. One of them is given here as it was written down by a great American story-teller, another as it was retold by an English writer of today. You could find thousands of boys and girls in lands across the sea who know these stories. The third story is not so old, but people have loved it for many years, and you will love it, too.
After you have read these stories, perhaps you can find others that you will enjoy very much. Then you will be able to tell other people about these stories.
现在你的书伙伴将给你讲述三个数百万人喜欢的故事。其中的两个是古老的故事，
在你或你的父母出生以前很久就有了。但是人们仍在阅读它们，并且可能在未来的
很长时间内还会阅读。没有人知道是谁*个创作了它们。这里叙述的其中一个故
事是由一个伟大的美国故事家写下的，另一个故事是由一个当今的英国作家转述
的。你可以在大洋两岸找到成千上万知道这些故事的男孩和女孩。第三个故事没有
那么古老，但是多年来人们都喜欢它，你也会喜欢它。
读过这些故事后，你或许会找到其他你非常喜欢的故事。然后就可以把这些故事讲
给别人听。
THE MIRACULOUS PITCHER
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of America’s greatest story-tellers. In some of his stories he told of famous wonder-working people who were supposed to live long years ago. They were called gods, and they ruled over the people who lived on earth. The father of all the gods was Zeus. The thunder was his voice, and lightning was his weapon. Quicksilver was the messenger of the gods. In the story you will now read, Hawthorne tells how Zeus and Quicksilver came down to earth, and taught some people a very valuable lesson.
神奇的牛奶罐
纳撒尼尔·霍桑
纳撒尼尔.霍桑是美国*伟大的故事家之一。在他的许多故事里，他讲述了那些被认为是生活在很久以前的创造奇迹的名人。他们被称为神灵，他们主宰着生活在大地上的人们。众神之父是宙斯。雷声是他的嗓音，闪电是他的武器。水银是众神的信使。在你将要读的故事里，霍桑讲述宙斯和水银如何来到人间，并教给一些人非常宝贵的经验教训。
BAUCIS AND PHILEMON
One evening, in times long ago, old Philemon and his wife, Baucis, sat at their cottage door, enjoying the beautiful sunset. They had already eaten their supper, and intended to spend a quiet hour or two before bedtime.
博西斯和菲利蒙
很久以前的一个傍晚，老菲利蒙和他的妻子博西斯坐在他们小屋的门口，享受着美丽的日落时光。他们已经吃过了晚饭，打算在睡觉前安安静静地度过一两个小时。
So they talked together about their garden and their cow and their bees. But the rude shouts of children and the fierce barking of dogs in the village near at hand grew louder and louder, until at last it was hardly possible for Baucis and Philemon to hear each other speak.
“Ah, wife,” cried Philemon, “I fear some poor traveler is seeking hospitality among our neighbors and, instead of giving him food and lodging they have set their dogs at him.”
“Well!” answered old Baucis, “I do wish our neighbors felt a little more kindness for their fellow-creatures. Only think of bringing up their children in this naughty way, and patting them on the head when they fling stones at strangers!”
于是他们一起谈论着他们的花园、奶牛和蜜蜂。但是，旁边村子里的孩子们那粗鲁的喊叫声和凶猛的狗叫声越来越响。*后，博西斯和菲利蒙简直听不见彼此的说话声了。
“哎呀，亲爱的。”菲利蒙喊道，“恐怕某个可怜的旅行者正在我们的邻居那里谋求款待，但是他们没有给他提供食宿而是让他们的狗去攻击他。”
“啊！”老博西斯回答说，“但愿我们的邻居对他们的同胞好一点儿。想一下对孩子这样的顽皮该怎样教养，他们向陌生人扔石头时还轻拍他们的头表示赞许！”
“Those children will never come to any good,” said Philemon, shaking his white head. “To tell you the truth, wife, I should not wonder if some terrible thing were to happen to all the people in the village if they do not learn to behave themselves. But as for you and me, so long as we have a crust of bread, let us be ready to give half to any poor homeless stranger that may come along and need it.”
“That’s right, husband!” said Baucis. “So we will!”
These old folks, you must know, were quite poor, and had to work pretty hard for a living. Their food was usually bread, milk, and vegetables, with sometimes honey from their beehive.
“那些孩子永远不会学好的，”菲利蒙摇着他花白头发的头说，“说实话，亲爱的，我不会怀疑他们是否会遭到报应，如果村子里的人不学着好好做人的话。但是就你和我来说，只要我们有一块面包，我们就把一半分给任何一个可能会来而且需要它的可怜的无家可归的陌生人。”
“是的，亲爱的！”博西斯说，“我们会那样做！”
你肯定知道这些老人们非常贫穷，他们不得不靠辛苦的劳作来谋生。他们的食物通常是面包、牛奶和蔬菜，有时候还有来自他们蜂房里的蜂蜜。
But they were two of the kindest old people in the world. They would cheerfully have gone without their dinners any day, rather than refuse a slice of their brown loaf, a cup of new milk, and a spoonful of honey to the weary traveler who might stop at their door.
Their cottage stood a short distance from the village, which lay in a valley. This valley, when the world was new, had probably been the bed of a lake. There, fishes had glided to and fro in the depths, and the water-weeds had grown along the shore. But it was now a fertile spot of fields and meadows.
但是，他们是世界上*善良的两个老人。他们可以不吃饭而高高兴兴地度过任何一天，而不会拒绝把一片黑面包、一杯新鲜的牛奶和一勺蜂蜜给可能会停在他们家门口的疲倦的旅行者。
他们的小屋在一个山谷里，离那个村庄不远。起初，这个山谷可能是一个湖床。那里曾经有在湖水深处来回游动的鱼儿和沿岸生长的水草。但如今却是一片肥沃的农田和牧场。
Never was there a prettier or more fruitful valley. The very sight of the beautiful fields and orchards with their rich crops should have made the people kind and gentle, and ready to do good to their fellow-men. But, we are sorry to say, the men and women of this lovely valley were very selfish and hardhearted, and had no pity for the poor.
You will hardly believe what I am going to tell you. These naughty people used to clap their hands when they saw the little boys and girls run after some poor stranger, shouting at his heels and pelting him with stones. They kept large and fierce dogs, and whenever a stranger showed himself in the village street, this pack of ugly curs scampered to meet him, barking and snarling.
那里再没有一个更漂亮和多产的山谷了。漂亮的田地和果园以及丰富的农作物应该会使那里的人温和、善良，并愿意帮助他们的同胞。但是，遗憾的是，这个秀丽山谷里的男人和女人却非常自私和冷酷，他们并不同情穷人。
你可能不相信我将要讲述的事情。当看见小男孩和小女孩追赶某个可怜的陌生人，在陌生人身后大喊并向他扔石头时，这些没规矩的人经常会拍手叫好。他们养着又大又凶猛的狗，无论哪一个陌生人任何时候出现在村庄的大街上，这群令人讨厌的恶狗就会狂吠着、咆哮着向他飞奔而去。
THE TWO TRAVELERS
So now you can understand why old Philemon spoke so sorrowfully when he heard the shouts of the children and the barking of the dogs.
“I never heard the dogs so loud!” said the good old man.
“Nor the children so rude!” answered his wife.
They sat shaking their heads one to another, while the noise came nearer and nearer, until they saw two travelers approaching on foot. Close behind them came the fierce dogs, snarling at their very heels. A little farther off ran a crowd of children, who flung stones at the two strangers with all their might.
两个旅行者
所以，现在你能理解为什么当老菲利蒙听见孩子们的喊叫声和狗的狂吠声时，说话那么悲伤了。
“我从来都没有听到过如此大的狗叫声！”那个善良的老人说。
“也没有听到过孩子们会如此无礼！”他的妻子回应道。
他们坐在那里彼此摇着头，这时噪杂声越来越近，直到他们看见两个旅行者走过来。凶猛的狗紧跟在他们的后面，在他们的脚后跟处咆哮着。不远处跑来了一群孩子，他们竭尽全力地向那两个陌生人扔石头。
Both of the travelers were very poorly clad, and looked as if they might not have money enough in their pockets to pay for a night’s lodging.
“Come, wife,” said Philemon to Baucis, “let us go and meet these poor people. No doubt they feel almost too heavy-hearted to climb the hill.”
两个旅行者都衣着寒酸，看起来他们口袋里似乎没有足够的钱来支付一晚的住宿费用。
“嗨，亲爱的，”菲利蒙对博西斯说，“我们去迎接一下这些可怜的人吧。他们很可能感到太悲伤而爬不上小山了。”
“Go you and meet them,” answered Baucis, “while I make haste within doors and see whether we can get them anything for supper.”
And so she hastened to the cottage. Philemon went forward, saying in the heartiest tone: “Welcome, strangers! Welcome!”
“Thank you!” replied the younger of the two. “This is quite another greeting than the one we have met with in the village. Those children—the little rascals!—have spattered us from head to foot with their mud-balls; and one of the curs has torn my cloak, which was ragged enough already.”
“你去接应一下他们吧。”博西斯回答说，“我赶快回屋看一下是否有什么东西拿来给他们当晚餐。”
因此她赶快回到屋里。菲利蒙走上前去，用*热诚的语气说：“欢迎你们，陌生人！欢迎你们！”
“谢谢您！”两个陌生人中较为年轻的人回答说，“这与我们在那个村庄里遇见的问候完全不同。那些孩子——小淘气鬼们——用他们的泥球把我们浑身上下都弄脏了；其中的一只恶狗撕破了我的斗篷，它已经破得不能再破了。”
He was dressed in rather an odd way, with a sort of cap on his head, the brim of which stuck out over both ears. Though it was summer-time, he wore a cloak. Philemon saw, too, that he had on a strange-looking pair of shoes.
THE MARVELOUS STAFF
One thing certainly seemed queer. The traveler was so wonderfully light and active that it appeared as if his feet sometimes rose from the ground of their own accord.
“I used to be light-footed in my youth,” said Philemon to the traveler. “But I always found my feet grow heavier toward night-fall.”
“There is nothing like good staff to help one along,” answered the stranger; “and I happen to have an excellent one, as you see.”
他穿得相当奇怪，头上戴着一种类似帽子的东西，耳朵上面的帽檐往上翘起。虽然正值夏天，他却披着斗篷。菲利蒙还看见他穿着一双样子奇怪的鞋。
不同寻常的手杖
有一件事情看起来确实很奇怪。旅行者很轻快灵活，看起来好像他的脚有时候自动地从地面上升起来一样。
“我年轻时的脚步也很轻快，”菲利蒙对那个旅行者说，“但是我总感觉到了傍晚以后，我的脚就越来越沉重了。”
“什么也比不上一根好手杖可以一直帮助你走路，”那个陌生人回答说，“正如你所见，我恰好有一根非常不错的手杖。”
This staff, in fact, was the oddest-looking staff that Philemon had ever seen. It was made of olive-wood, and had something like a pair of wings near the top. Two snakes carved in the wood were twining themselves about the staff. Old Philemon almost thought them alive, and that he could see them wriggling and twisting.
事实上，这根手杖是菲利蒙见过的样子*奇怪的手杖。它是用橄榄木做的，接近顶部的地方有一双像翅膀的东西。雕刻在木头上的两条蛇缠绕在手杖上。老菲利蒙几乎认为它们是活的，而且他能看见它们正在蠕动盘绕。
“A curious piece of work, sure enough!” said he. “A staff with wings! It would be an excellent kind of stick for a little boy to ride astride of!”
By this time Philemon and his two guests had reached the cottage door.
“Friends,” said the old man, “sit down and rest yourselves here on this bench. My good wife, Baucis, has gone to see what you can have for supper. We are poor folks; but you shall be welcome to whatever we have in the cupboard.”
“果真是一件奇怪的艺术品！”他说，“长着翅膀的手杖！让一个小男孩骑在这根手杖上的话会很好！”
这时，菲利蒙和他的两个客人已经到了小屋门口。
“朋友们，”老人说，“坐在这个板凳上休息一下吧。我善良的妻子博西斯已经去看你们的晚饭有什么能吃的。我们是穷人，但是无论我们食橱里有什么，你们都可以随意吃。”
The younger stranger threw himself carelessly on the bench, letting his staff fall as he did so. And here happened something rather marvelous. The staff seemed to get up from the ground! Spreading its little pair of wings, it half hopped, half flew, and leaned itself against the wall of the cottage. There it stood quite still, except that the snakes continued to wriggle.
Before Philemon could ask any questions, the elder stranger inquired in a deep voice, “Was there not, in very old times, a lake covering the spot where now stands yonder village?”
那个年轻一点儿的陌生人径直坐到板凳上，同时把他的手杖也随意一放。这时发生了非常奇妙的事情。那根手杖好像从地上站起来了！它张开那双小翅膀，半跳半飞地靠在了小屋的墙上。它在那里非常安静地站着，除了那两条蛇在继续蠕动。
菲利蒙还没来得及问问题，那个年长的陌生人用低沉的嗓音问道：“在很早的时候，那边不是有一个湖位于现在那个村庄所在的地方吗？”
“Not in my day, friend,” answered Philemon, “and yet I am an old man, as you see. There were always the fields and meadows, just as now, and doubtless it will be the same when old Philemon shall be gone and forgotten.”
“That is more than can be safely told,” said the stranger; and there was something very stern in his deep voice. He shook his head, too, so that his dark and heavy curls were shaken with the movement. “Since the people of the village are so unkind, it would be better if the lake should ripple over their dwellings again!”
“在我有生之年不是那样的，我的朋友。”菲利蒙回答说，“正如你所见，我已经很老了。那里一直都是田野和草地，像现在一样，而且毫无疑问，即使老菲利蒙不在了、被遗忘了时，它还将会是这样的。”
“那可不好说。”那个陌生人说道，他低沉的嗓音带着一些严厉。他还摇了摇头，他乌黑而浓密的卷发也随着摆动。“既然那个村里的人如此不友善，那么如果湖水再次淹没他们的住处会更好一些。”
The traveler looked so stern that Philemon was almost frightened. But, in a moment, his face became so kindly that the old man quite forgot his terror. Still, he could not help feeling that this elder traveler was not an ordinary person, although he happened to be dressed so humbly.
While Baucis was getting the supper, the travelers both began to talk with Philemon. The younger was so witty that the good old man often burst out laughing, and called him the merriest fellow he had seen for many a day.
那个旅行者看起来如此严厉，以至于菲利蒙有点儿害怕。但是，一会儿，他的脸变得非常和善，使那位老人完全忘记了他的恐惧。尽管如此，菲利蒙还是禁不住感到这个年龄大一点儿的旅行者不是一个普通人，虽然凑巧他的穿着看起来如此卑贱。
当博西斯在准备晚饭时，两个旅行者开始跟菲利蒙交谈。年轻一点儿那位非常诙谐，使那位善良的老人经常忍不住大笑起来，并称菲利蒙为好多日子以来见过的*快乐的人。
“Pray, my young friend,” said he, “what may I call your name?”
“Why, I am very nimble, as you see,” answered the traveler. “So, if you call me Quicksilver, the name will fit well.”
“Quicksilver? Quicksilver?” said Philemon, looking in the traveler’s face to see if he were making fun of him. “It is a very odd name. And your companion there? Has he as strange a one?”
“You must ask the thunder to tell it to you,” replied Quicksilver. “No other voice is loud enough.”
Baucis had now got supper ready, and, coming to the door, began to make apologies for the poor food which she had made ready for her guests.
“请问，我年轻的朋友，”他说，“你叫什么名字？”
“哎呀，我非常的机敏，正如你所见，”那个旅行者回答说，“因此，如果你叫我水银的话，这个名字会非常适合我。”
“水银？水银？”菲利蒙一边说，一边看着那个旅行者的脸，看看他是否在跟他开玩笑，“这个名字很奇怪。那你那边的同伴呢？他的名字也很奇怪吗？”
“你必须让雷来告诉你，”水银回答说，“没有其他更响亮的声音了。”
这时博西斯准备好了晚饭，来到门口，开始为给客人准备的粗劣食物而致歉。
“Had we known you were coming,” said she, “my good man and myself would have gone without a morsel in order that you might have a better supper. But I took the best part of today’s milk to make cheese; and our last loaf is already half eaten.”
“Why, Mother Baucis, whatever you offer us will seem like a feast!” exclaimed Quicksilver, “for I never felt hungrier in my life!”
“Mercy on us!” whispered Baucis to her husband. “If the young man has such a terrible appetite, I am afraid there will not be half enough supper!”
Then they all went into the cottage.
“如果我们知道你们要来的话，”她说，“我善良的丈夫和我一口也不会吃，以便你们能够吃一顿好些的晚饭。但是，我把今天*好的一部分牛奶做了奶酪；而且我们*后一个面包已经吃了一半。”
“哎呀，博西斯妈妈，无论你拿什么招待我们都好似盛宴一般！”水银大声说道， “因为我平生从来没有感到这么饿过！”
“请饶恕我们吧！”博西斯跟她的丈夫低语道，“如果那个年轻人有这么大的胃口，恐怕他*多只能吃个半饱！”
接着他们都走进了小屋。
And now shall I tell you something that will make you open your eyes very wide? Quicksilver’s staff, you remember, had set itself up against the wall of the cottage. Well, when its master entered the door, leaving this wonderful staff behind, what should it do but spread its little wings and go hopping and fluttering up the doorsteps! Tap, tap, went the staff on the kitchen floor; nor did it rest until it stood beside Quick silver’s chair.
Old Philemon and his wife were so busy taking care of their guests that they did not notice what the staff was doing.
那么现在我可以告诉你一件会使你感到非常吃惊的事情吗？你记得水银的手杖是自己靠在小屋的墙上的。哎呀，当它的主人进了屋而将这根奇妙的手杖落在后面时，它展开它的小翅膀震颤着、跳跃着，上了门前的台阶！嗒，嗒，手杖轻轻地敲打着厨房的地板前行，一直来到水银的椅子旁边才立住。
老菲利蒙和他的妻子忙着照顾客人，他们都没有注意到手杖在干什么。
【书摘与插画】
