Lesson10 The Country Maid and Her Milk Can
A country maid was walking along with a can of milk upon her head, when she fell into the following train of reflections: "The money for which I shall sell this milk will enable me to increase my stock of eggs to three hundred. These eggs, allowing for what may prove addle and what may be destroyed by vermin, will produce at least 250 chickens. The chickens will be fit to carry to market just at the time when poultry is always dear; so that by the New Year I can not fail to have enough money to purchase a new gown. Green - let me consider - yes, green becomes my complexion best, and green it shall be. In this dress I will go to the fair, where all the young fellows will strive to have me for a partner; but no, I shall refuse every one of them, and with a disdainful toss turn from them."Transported with this idea, she could not forbear acting with her head the thought that thus passed in her mind; when, down came the can of milk! All her imaginary happiness vanished in a moment.
addle 腐坏的
vermin 害虫
disdainful 轻蔑的
forbear 忍耐
农家姑娘和她的牛奶桶
一位农家姑娘头顶着一桶牛奶在路上走的时候，心里浮想联翩。“卖牛奶的钱将使我能把我储存的鸡蛋数量增加到三百个，这些鸡蛋，除去臭蛋和被虫子破坏的，将至少能够孵出两百五十只小鸡。小鸡长到可以拿到市场上买的时候，刚好是家禽的价格总是很贵的时候，这样在新年到来前，我就能攒够钱买一件新的长外衣。绿色的……让我再想一想……好，绿色最适合我的肤色，就要绿色的。我要穿着这件衣服到集市上去，那里所有的年轻人将争着和我跳舞。但是，不，我要一个个地拒绝他们，轻蔑地头一摇，转身而去。”想到这里，她禁不住把头脑中的这个念头付诸于行动。她头一摇，牛奶桶掉了下来。她所有幻想的幸福都在瞬间消失了。 |