The Fox and the Gulls

The Fox and the Gulls

《狐狸和海鸥》

Long ago Fox lived in a little reed hut on the shore of a large lake. Early one spring morning the sound of splashing water startled Fox. The gulls are back, Fox cried. It's been a long winter. His stomach rumbled at the thought of a tasty gull breakfast. I just need to wait a bit longer, Fox said to himself. Soon I will have a tasty feast.

很久很久以前，狐狸住在大湖边的一间小芦苇屋里。一个初春的 早上，哗啦哗啦的水声吓了狐狸一跳。 “海鸥们回来啦！”狐狸大叫道。这个冬天可太长了。一想到 一顿美味的海鸥早餐，他的肚子就咕噜咕噜叫。 “我只要再等一小段时间，”狐狸自言自语道，“很快我就能吃上一顿美餐啦。”

From a distance, Fox watched Mother Gull build a nest of twigs and reeds. When she finished, Mother Gull laid her eggs. Some weeks later, Fox heard the cries of newborn gull chicks. Those gulls will be delicious, Fox said to himself. I just need to wait a bit longer. Soon I will have a tasty feast.

狐狸远远地看着海鸥妈妈用小树枝和芦苇搭窝。等她搭好窝， 海鸥妈妈就下了几枚蛋。 几周之后，狐狸听到了新生海鸥宝宝的叫声。 “那些海鸥肯定很好吃，”狐狸自言自语道，“我只要再等一小段时间。” “很快我就能吃上一顿美餐啦。”

One day Mother Gull flew off to find food for her chicks. Fox ran to the nest and scooped up the baby gulls. He put the chicks in an old sack. Then Fox ran back to his little reed hut. Fox was very tired by the time he got home. I'm too tired to cook, he said. I need to rest before I fix dinner. He dropped the sack of chicks beside the pile of wood outside his doorway. He went inside his hut to take a nap. While Fox slept, the baby chicks cried for help.

有一天，海鸥妈妈飞出去给宝宝们找食物。狐狸跑到窝边，一把捞起 海鸥宝宝们，把它们装进了一个旧麻袋里。然后狐狸跑回了自己的小 芦苇屋。等他到家的时候，已经累得不行了。 “我太累了，实在没力气做饭，”他说，“我得先歇会儿再准备晚餐。” 他把装着海鸥宝宝的麻袋丢在门外的柴堆旁边，就走了进去 屋里打盹儿。狐狸睡着的时候，小海鸥们大声叫着求救。

Mother Gull heard her baby's cries. She flew as fast as she could to Fox's hut. Shh! Mother Gull whispered. Don't cry, my little ones. Mother Gull took the baby chicks out of the sack. She carried them one by one to an island in the middle of the lake. Fox could not reach them there. When all the chicks were safely on the Mother Gull flew back to Fox's hut. I will teach that mean fox a lesson, she said. She filled the sack with thorny branches.

海鸥妈妈听到了宝宝们的叫声，她拼尽全力飞快地朝狐狸的小屋飞去。 “嘘！”海鸥妈妈轻声说，“别哭呀，我的小宝贝们。”海鸥妈妈把小 海鸥们从麻袋里抱了出来，一只接一只地把它们带到了湖中央的 小岛上，狐狸到不了那里。等所有宝宝都安全到了 小岛上之后，海鸥妈妈又飞回了狐狸的小屋。 “我要给那只坏狐狸一个教训，”她说，然后把麻袋里装满了带刺的树枝。

Fox woke up. He was very hungry. He went outside and opened the sack. But when Fox reached down to grab a chick, he got a paw full of thorns instead. Ouch! he cried. Where is my tasty treat? Fox looked toward the table. There were Mother Gull and her chicks. Wait, watching him. Fox looked toward the lake. There were Mother Gull and her chicks. Watching him from the island. Mother Gull has tricked me, Fox cried. I must teach her a lesson.

狐狸醒了，他肚子饿极了。他走到屋外打开麻袋，可当狐狸伸手 下去抓小海鸥的时候，爪子上反而扎满了刺。 “哎哟！”他大叫道，“我的美味大餐去哪了？” 狐狸朝桌子望去，根本不见海鸥妈妈和宝宝们的踪影。 狐狸又朝湖面望去，看到了海鸥妈妈和她的宝宝们，他们正从 小岛上看着他。 “海鸥妈妈骗了我！”狐狸大叫道，“我一定要给她点颜色瞧瞧。”