5 Eels and Clams

Chapter 5. Eels and Clams Jack looked at Annie. We can't stay here, he said. What? she said. We can't go home now. The pilgrims need us to help them. But we don't know how to do anything, Jack said. And Squano is going to figure out he doesn't really know us and... Don't worry so much, said Annie. We help Mom and Dad make our Thanksgiving dinner every year, don't we? We can help the pilgrims, but we better hurry.

第五章 鳗鱼和蛤蜊 杰克看着安妮。 “我们不能待在这儿。”他说。 “什么？”她问。 我们现在还不能回家，清教徒们需要我们帮忙呢。 “可我们什么都不会做啊。”杰克说。 而且斯匡托很快就会发现他其实不认识我们，然后…… “别这么担心啦。”安妮说。 我们每年都帮爸爸妈妈做感恩节晚餐呀，对不对？ 我们能帮上清教徒的，不过我们得快点儿。

Clutching the big basket she started running toward the bay. Jack sighed, then ran after her. At the rocky shore they stopped and looked around. Little waves rolled on to the short stretch of sand. The salty air felt clean and fresh. Seagulls swooped over the water. I wonder where the eels are, said Annie, and the clams. I'll look in the book, said Jack. He pulled out their book and looked up eels in the index. He turned to the right page and read aloud. Squanto showed the pilgrims a way to catch eels. He showed them how to push the eels out of the wet sand with their bare feet, then grab them with their hands.

她抓着大篮子，就往海湾的方向跑。杰克叹了口气，也跟在她后面跑。 他们到了多石的岸边才停下，四处张望。 小小的海浪滚过短短一片沙滩，咸咸的空气闻起来清爽又干净。 海鸥在水面上俯冲冲翔。 “不知道鳗鱼在哪儿，还有蛤蜊。”安妮说。 “我查查书吧。”杰克说。 他掏出他们的书，在索引里找鳗鱼的条目。 他翻到对应的页码，大声读了出来。 斯匡托教了清教徒们一种抓鳗鱼的办法。 他教他们怎么光脚把鳗鱼从湿沙子里踩出来， 再用手把鳗鱼抓住。

"'That sounds fun,' said Annie. She put down her basket and pulled off her shoes and stockings. She held up her long skirt with one hand, then she walked over the rocks to the edge of the water. Jack put the research book into his bag, he pulled off his shoes and stockings, and joined Annie. They dug their bare feet into the wet sand. "'I don't feel anything,' said Jack. "'Let's wade into the water,' said Annie. Together they stepped forward. "'Brrr,' said Annie. "'No kidding,' said Jack with a shiver. He kept squishing the muddy sand with his toes. He felt pebbles and shells, and he felt something soft. "'Hey, I think I found one,' he said. Annie splashed over to him. "'Where?'

“听上去好好玩呀。”安妮说。她放下篮子，脱掉了鞋子和袜子。 她一只手拎起长裙，踩着石头走到了 水边。杰克把科普书放进包里，也脱掉了鞋子和袜子， 走到安妮身边。他俩光脚踩进湿沙子里。 “我什么都没摸到呀。”杰克说。 “我们往水里走走试试。”安妮说。他俩一起往前迈了一步。 “咝——好冷啊。”安妮说。 “可不是嘛。”杰克打着哆嗦说。 他不停用脚趾踩揉泥沙，摸到了小石子和贝壳，还摸到了 一个软软的东西。 “嘿，我好像摸到一只了！”他说。安妮哗啦哗啦淌着水跑过来。 “在哪儿？”

Stand back, he said. Here! Jack squished harder with his feet. The soft thing moved. Jack squished more. An eel slithered through the water. Jack grabbed it with both hands. Ah! He yelled.

“往后退。”他说。 在这儿！ 杰克脚底下用了更大的劲儿踩。 那个软乎乎的东西动了。 杰克又踩了几下。 一条鳗鱼从水里滑了出来。 杰克双手一把抓住了它。 啊！ 他大叫起来。

The eel was long and skinny like a snake. It felt slimy and icky. It twisted and squirmed. Annie laughed as Jack tried to hold on to it. The eel wiggled out of Jack's hands and fell against Annie. "'Yikes!' she yelled, jumping away and bumping into Jack. With more screams they both tumbled into the cold water. They scrambled up and splashed back to shore. Annie was still laughing. "'Poor eel!' she said, trying to catch her breath. We scared him half to death.' "'Him!' said Jack. "'Forget eels!' said Annie, her teeth chattering. What about clams?' Jack was wet and cold, but he took out the book again and looked up clams. He turned to the right page and read aloud.

那条鳗鱼又长又瘦，像条蛇。摸起来黏糊糊滑溜溜的，不停扭来扭去。 杰克使劲抓着它，安妮在旁边笑个不停。鳗鱼从杰克手里挣了出来，掉在了 安妮身上。 “哎呀！”她大叫着往后跳，撞到了杰克。俩人尖叫着一块儿摔进了 冰冷的水里。他们爬起来，哗啦哗啦蹚回岸边。安妮还在笑。 “可怜的鳗鱼！”她喘着气说，“我们把它吓得半死。” “还它呢！”杰克说。 “别管鳗鱼了！”安妮牙齿打颤地说，“我们挖蛤蜊怎么样？”杰克浑身又湿又冷， 但还是又掏出书查蛤蜊的条目。他翻到对应的页码， 大声读了出来。

Squanto taught the pilgrims how to dig for cohog clams. Cohog clams are hard -shell clams. They can live for sixty years or more. The oldest have been known to live for almost a hundred years. They— Oh, forget it! Annie broke in. What? said Jack. We can't catch them, she said. They live to be so old. We can't just end their lives. Jack sighed. He sat down on a rock. Annie sat next to him. Their clothes were soaking wet. Their feet were caked with muddy sand. Their basket was empty. What other things do pilgrim kids do to help? said Annie. Jack opened the book again. He looked up pilgrim children. He read aloud.

斯匡托教清教徒们怎么挖圆蛤。 圆蛤是硬壳蛤蜊的一种。 它们能活六十年甚至更久。 已知最长寿的圆蛤能活将近一百年。 它们—— 哦，算了吧！ 安妮打断了他。 “怎么了？”杰克问。 “我们不能抓它们。”安妮说。 它们能活那么久呢。 我们不能就这么结束它们的生命呀。 杰克叹了口气。 他坐在一块石头上。 安妮坐到了他旁边。 他们的衣服全湿透了。 脚上沾满了泥沙。 篮子还是空空的。 “清教徒的小朋友还会帮着做什么呀？”安妮问。 杰克又翻开了书。 他查找清教徒儿童的条目。 大声读了出来。