Anansi and the Melon

Anansi the Spider sat in a tall tree, watching Goat work in his garden. “ Goat’s melons look delicious! ” thought Anansi. The spider loved fruit, but he was too lazy to grow anything himself. When Goat left, Anansi dropped into the garden. With a thorn, he carved a hole in a melon. He crawled inside, and began to eat—and eat and eat!

蜘蛛阿纳西坐在一棵高高的树上，看着山羊在他的花园里干活。 “山羊的瓜看起来很好吃!”阿纳西想。 蜘蛛喜欢水果，但他太懒了，自己什么也不种。 山羊离开后，阿纳西掉到花园里。他用一根刺在瓜上刻了一个洞。 他爬了进去，开始吃——吃啊吃!

Anansi rubbed his full belly. “ Goat will be back soon, ” he said. “ I must go. ” He tried to crawl out through the hole. But now he was too fat! “ I’ll wait until I’m thin again. ” Anansi grew bored while he waited. When Goat returned, Anansi got an idea.

阿纳西揉着他饱胀的肚子。“山羊很快就回来了，”他说。“我得走了。” 他试图从洞里爬出去。但现在他太胖了! “我要等到我再次瘦下来。”在等待的过程中，阿纳西感到厌烦。 山羊回来后，阿纳西有了一个主意。

He loved to play tricks—he could trick Goat! Goat picked up the melon. “ Ow! ” Anansi yelped. “ Who said that?” Goat cried, looking around. “ Me, ” replied the melon. Goat blinked. “ Melons can’t talk! ” “ Yes, we can. ”

他喜欢耍花招——他能欺骗山羊!山羊捡起了瓜。 “噢!”Anansi叫喊起来。“谁在那说话?”山羊叫着，向四周看了看。 “我，”瓜答道。山羊眨了眨眼睛。“瓜不会说话!”“是的，我们可以。”

“ This is incredible! ” said Goat. “ I must show the queen! ” He hurried toward the palace. Rattlesnake saw him. “ Where are you going?” she called. “ I’m taking this melon to the queen, ” replied Goat. “ It talks. ” “ That’s silly, ” Rattlesnake laughed. “ As silly as—”

“这太不可思议了!山羊说。“我必须让王后看看!”他急忙向宫殿走去。 响尾蛇看见了他。“你上哪儿去?”她喊道。 “我要把这个瓜带给王后，”山羊回答说。“它说话了。” 响尾蛇笑着说:“太蠢了。”“傻得像——”

“ A kind rattlesnake! ” said the melon. Rattlesnake scowled. “ Who said that?” “ I told you—this melon talks! ” said Goat. “ Amazing! ” said Rattlesnake. “ I’ll go with you. ” Goat and Rattlesnake headed toward the palace. More animals heard the melon talking. They followed Goat and Rattlesnake to the palace.

“一条善良的响尾蛇!”瓜说。响尾蛇皱起了眉头。“谁在那说话?” “我告诉过你——这个瓜会说话!”山羊说。“太神奇了!响尾蛇说。“我和你一起去。” 山羊和响尾蛇朝宫殿走去。更多的动物听到了瓜说话。 他们跟着山羊和响尾蛇来到宫殿。

Goat bowed. “ Your Majesty, we brought you a melon. ” The queen frowned. “ I already have plenty of melons. ” “ This melon is unique, ” explained Goat proudly. “ It can talk! ” The queen stepped closer. “ Speak, melon! ” she ordered.

山羊鞠躬。“陛下，我们给您带来了一个瓜。” 女王皱了皱眉。“我已经有很多瓜了。” “这个瓜是独一无二的，”山羊自豪地解释道。“它会说话!” 王后走上前。“说话,瓜!”她命令道。