09 Hooray for Little Billy!

Hooray for Little Billy! When it was all over, Swan and Little Billy flew higher and circled the lake for a last look. And suddenly the whole sky around them was filled with birds, and every bird had one or more Minpins on its back. Little Billy recognized Don Mini riding on a fine jay and he was waving and cheering as he flew alongside them. It seemed that all the other Minpins from the big tree had turned up as well to witness the great victory over the dreaded Gruncher. Every kind of bird was circling around Little Billy and Swan, and the Minpins on their backs were waving and clapping and

为小比利欢呼!当一切都结束了，天鹅和小比利飞得更高，绕着湖最后看了一眼。 突然，他们周围的整个天空布满了鸟，每只鸟的背上都有一只或多只民平。 小比利认出了唐·米尼骑在一辆漂亮的松鸦上，他在他们旁边飞行时挥手欢呼。 似乎大树上所有其他的明平也都来了，见证了对可怕的格伦彻的伟大胜利。 各种各样的鸟都在小比利和天鹅的周围盘旋，他们背上的民平们在挥手、拍手和

shouting with joy. Little Billy waved back and laughed and thought how wonderful it all was. Then, led by Swan, all the birds and the Minpins returned to the home tree. Back in the tree there was a tremendous celebration for Little Billy's victory over the dreaded Gruncher. Minpins from all over the forest had flown in on their birds to cheer the young hero, and all the branches and twigs of the great tree were crowded with tiny people. When the cheers and the clapping had died down at last, Don Mini stood up to make a speech. 'Minpins of the forest!' he cried, raising his small voice so that it could be heard all over the tree. 'The murderous Gruncher, who has gobbled up so many thousands of us Minpins, has gone forever! The forest floor is safe at last for us to walk on! So now we can all go down to pick

高兴地喊着。小比利也向他挥手笑着，心想这一切是多么美妙啊。 然后，在天鹅的带领下，所有的鸟和民品回到了家树。 回到树上，人们举行了盛大的庆祝活动，庆祝小比利战胜了可怕的格伦彻。 森林里所有的人都带着他们的鸟飞过来为这位年轻的英雄欢呼，这棵大树的所有树枝和细枝上都挤满了小人。 当欢呼声和掌声终于平息下来时，唐·米尼站起来发表讲话。 “森林里的敏宾!”他叫道，提高了他那细小的声音，好让全树都能听到。 “那个凶残的格伦彻，那个吞噬了我们敏平成千上万人的家伙，永远地消失了!”森林的地面终于安全了，我们可以在上面行走了!现在我们都可以去选了

blackberries and winkleberries and puckleberries and muckleberries and twinkleberries and snozzberries to our heart's content. And our children can play among the wild flowers and the roots all day long.' Don Mini paused and turned his eyes upon Little Billy who was sitting on a branch not far away. 'But ladies and gentlemen,' he went on, 'who is it we have to thank for this great blessing that has come upon us? Who is the saviour of the Minpins?' Don Mini paused again. The Minpins in their thousands sat listening intently. 'Our saviour,' he cried out, 'our hero, our wonder-boy, is, as you already know, our human visitor, Little Billy.' (Cheers and shouts of 'Hooray for Little Billy!' from the crowd.) Don Mini now turned and spoke directly to Little Billy. 'You, my boy, have done a wonderful thing for us and in return we wish to do something for you. I have had a word with Swan and he has agreed to become your personal private aeroplane for just as long as you remain small enough to fly on his back.' (More cheers and clapping and shouts of 'Good old Swan! What a great idea!')

黑莓、小红莓、小红莓、小红莓、小红莓、小红莓、小红莓，我们尽情享用。 我们的孩子可以整天在野花和树根间玩耍。”唐·米尼停顿了一下，把目光转向坐在不远处树枝上的小比利。 “但是，女士们，先生们，”他接着说，“我们应该感谢谁给我们带来了这么大的祝福呢? 谁是敏平家的救世主?”唐·米尼又停顿了一下。 成千上万的明平人坐在那里聚精会神地听着。 “我们的救世主，”他喊道，“我们的英雄，我们的神童，正如你已经知道的，是我们的人类访客，小比利。(欢呼声和“小比利万岁!”人群中问道。)唐·米尼现在转身直接对小比利说话。 “你，我的孩子，为我们做了一件了不起的事，作为回报，我们也希望为你做点什么。 我和斯旺谈过了，他同意成为你的私人飞机，只要你足够小，可以骑在他背上。(更多的欢呼声、掌声和“好老天鹅!”真是个好主意!”)

'However,' Don Mini continued, still addressing Little Billy, 'you cannot go flying around all over the place on Swan's back in full daylight. Some human would be bound to see you. And then the secret would be out and you would be forced to tell your people all about us. That must never happen. If it did, crowds of enormous humans would come clumping all over our beloved forest to look for Minpins and our quiet homeland would be ruined.' 'I'll never tell a soul!' Little Billy cried out. 'Even so,' Don Mini said, 'we cannot risk you making daylight flights. But every night, after the light in your bedroom has been switched off,

“不过，”唐·米尼继续说，仍然对小比利说，“你不能在大白天骑在天鹅背上到处飞。 一定会有人看到你的。 然后秘密就会泄露你就会被迫把我们的事告诉你的人。 这绝不能发生。如果真的发生了，那么成群的人类就会聚集在我们心爱的森林里寻找民品，我们安静的家园就会被破坏。“我决不会告诉任何人的!”小比利叫道。 “即便如此，”唐·米尼说，“我们也不能冒险让你在白天飞行。 但每天晚上，当你卧室的灯关掉后，

Swan will come to your window to see if you'd like a ride. Sometimes he will bring you back here to see us. Other times he will take you to visit places more wonderful than you could ever dream of. Would you like Swan to take you home now? I think we can risk just one more quick daylight flight.' 'Oh gosh!' Little Billy cried. 'I'd clean forgotten about home! Mummy'll be in a panic! I must fly!' Don Mini gave the signal and in five seconds Swan swooped down and landed on the tree. Little Billy climbed on to his back, and as the great swan spread his wings and flew away, the whole forest,

斯旺会到你窗前看你要不要搭车。 有时他会带你回来见我们。 其他时候，他会带你去参观比你做梦都想不到的地方。 你现在想让斯旺带你回家吗? 我想我们可以冒险再做一次日间快速飞行。“哦，天哪!”小比利哭了。 “我完全忘记了家!”妈妈会惊慌失措的!我必须飞起来!”唐·米尼发出信号，五秒钟后，天鹅俯冲下来，落在树上。 小比利爬到他的背上，当大天鹅展开翅膀飞走时，整个森林，

not just the tree they were in but the whole forest from end to end, came alive with the cheering of a million Minpins.

不仅是他们所在的那棵树，整个森林从这头到那头，都在一百万民品的欢呼声中活跃起来。