06 Swamp Creature

Chapter 6. Swamp Creature. Caw, caw. Ork, ork, ork. Jack slowly came out of his dream. He opened his eyes with a start. He was surrounded by hazy sunlight. Where am I? he thought in a panic. Then he remembered he was in India, on an elephant's back. He sat up. Through the haze he saw that Saba was standing on a muddy stream bank.

第六章 沼泽怪物 嘎——嘎——嗷呜嗷呜嗷呜—— 杰克慢慢从梦里醒过来，猛地睁开眼睛，朦胧的阳光裹着他。 我在哪儿？他慌慌张张地想，然后才想起自己在印度，正趴在大象背上呢。 他坐起身，透过薄雾看见萨巴正站在一条泥泞的小溪岸边。

Jack yawned. Where was Annie? The other elephants were upstream. They sprayed water on each other with their trunks. Teddy, Ka, and Ko were at the edge of the forest. Teddy sniffed the tall grass. The lungers ate flowers. Good morning, called Annie. She was sitting on a big black rock downstream. She was barefoot and soaking wet. Hi, said Jack. How did you get down? Teddy and I slid off Saba into the mud, said Annie. Try it, but throw down your sneakers and backpack first. Annie went to Saba's side. Her feet were buried in mud up to her ankles. Jack threw his things to Annie. Then he patted Saba's rough wrinkled skin.

杰克打了个哈欠。安妮去哪儿了？其他大象都待在上游，正用鼻子互相 喷水玩。泰迪、卡和科在森林边缘，泰迪正嗅着高高的青草。 长耳朵小家伙们正在吃小花。 “早呀~”安妮大声喊。她正坐在下游一块大大的黑石头上，光着脚丫 浑身都湿透了。 “嗨，”杰克说，“你怎么下去的呀？” “我和泰迪从萨巴身上滑下来摔进泥里啦，”安妮说，“你也试试呀，不过先把你的运动鞋 和背包扔下来哦。” 安妮走到萨巴身边，她的脚陷在泥里，都没到脚踝了。杰克把自己的东西 扔给安妮，然后轻轻拍了拍萨巴粗糙又满是褶皱的皮肤。

Thanks for the ride, he said softly. The elephant touched him one last time with her trunk. Jack slid down her side, feet first, and fell into the mud. He caught himself with his hands. They sank into the mud past his wrists. His glasses were spattered, too. Wash off in the stream, Annie said. She put Jack's pack and shoes on the rock while Jack waded into the cool water. He washed the mud off his hands and feet. He rinsed off his glasses, then he looked around. Saba had joined the rest of the herd. The elephants looked beautiful in the morning mist. Everything looked beautiful. Yellow and blue water birds spread their wings.

“谢谢你载我呀，”他轻声说。大象用鼻子最后轻轻碰了碰他。 杰克脚朝下顺着她身侧滑下去，摔进了泥里，他赶紧用手撑住地面。 两只手陷在泥里，都没过手腕了，他的眼镜上也溅满了泥点。 “去小溪里冲一冲吧。”安妮说。杰克蹚进凉凉的溪水里时，安妮把他的背包和鞋子放到了石头上。 他洗掉手上脚上的泥，把眼镜冲干净，然后四下张望。 萨巴已经回到象群里了，大象们在晨雾里看起来漂亮极了。 所有东西都好看得不得了。 黄蓝相间的水鸟扑棱着张开了翅膀。

wings. Mossy hanging vines swayed in the breeze. Huge white flowers floated on top of the stream. Then Jack saw a strange sight. It looked like a horn and two ears sticking out of the water. One ear flicked away a fly. There's a weird creature out here, he called to Annie. It looks like it has a horn. Annie waded into the stream. I better check the book, said Jack. He hurried to his pack, wiping his wet hands on his t -shirt. He pulled out the India book. There was a picture of a horn sticking out of the water. He read, The one -horned rhinoceros, or rhino, washes in a forest stream. Rhinos are not usually dangerous, but because they are, they are very dangerous.

。挂着的长了苔藓的藤蔓在风里轻轻晃，大大的白色花朵漂在小溪水面上。 忽然杰克看到了个奇怪的景象，看起来像是一只角和两只耳朵从水里伸出来。 其中一只耳朵还啪地一下扇走了一只苍蝇。 “这儿有个怪怪的生物！”他对着安妮喊，“它好像长了一只角！” 安妮蹚着水走到小溪里。 “我最好查查书。”杰克说。 他快步走到背包旁，在T恤上擦了擦湿手，掏出那本讲印度的书。 书里刚好有一张角伸出水面的图片，他读道： 独角犀牛，简称犀牛，会在森林的小溪里洗澡。 犀牛通常不危险，但要是被惊动了，就会变得非常凶猛。

They do not see well. They sometimes charge at things by mistake. A loud noise will usually stop them. Jack felt sorry for the rhinos. Too bad animals can't wear glasses, he thought. He read more. The Indian rhino is a very endangered animal. This means that there are not many left. People called poachers kill them and sell their body parts as medicine and good luck charms. Jack started to take out his notebook. Just then a slurpy sloshing sound came from the water. Whoa, said Annie. Jack looked up. The rhino rose from the stream. He looked like an ancient swamp creature.

它们的视力不太好。 有时候会搞错目标贸然冲过去。 通常很大的声响就能拦住它们。 杰克觉得犀牛好可怜。 可惜动物不能戴眼镜呀，他心里想。 他接着往下读。 印度犀牛是极度濒危的动物。 这意味着现在存活的印度犀牛数量已经非常少了。 被叫做偷猎者的人会猎杀它们，卖掉它们的身体部位 当作药材和好运护身符。 杰克准备掏出他的笔记本。 就在这时，水里传来哗啦哗啦的响动。 哇哦。安妮惊呼。 杰克抬起头。 那只犀牛从小溪里站了起来。 看起来活像个古老的沼泽怪物。

Oh, man! said Jack. The rhino peered at Annie with his tiny eyes. Then he snorted and lowered his head. His horn pointed right at Annie. Make a loud noise! Jack yelled.

我的天呐！杰克叫道。 犀牛用小小的眼睛盯着安妮看。 然后它喷了个响鼻，低下了头。 它的角直直对准了安妮。 快弄出大动静！杰克大喊。