美国小学英语教材6:第191课 非洲的放牧女孩琳珐(7)

（单词翻译）

In the morning when she woke, she could tell by the brilliant sunlight streaming in through the doorway¹ that it was late.

她在早上醒来，明亮的阳光通过门口照进来，她知道她起晚了。

Why had they let her oversleep? Why had no one wakened her? Frightened and wondering,

他们为什么要让她睡懒觉？为什么没人叫醒她？她既感到害怕又好奇，

for the cattle always left at dawn, she wrapped her short skirt around her hips², tucking it in at the belt to keep it in place,

因为牛群总是在黎明时离开，她穿上了短裙子，

and slipped out of the house. Breakfast was over long ago and the men were at work in the fields,

并出了家门，早饭很早就结束了，男人去田间干活了，

but a covered gourd³ was set among the ashes, keeping her breakfast warm.

但有盖的葫芦放在了灰烬中，保持早饭的温度。

The village seemed deserted⁴, and when she looked out, the corral was empty.

村庄显得很荒凉，当她向外看时，围栏是空的。

Moy and the others had been taken out for the day, and she was not with them!

“老头”和其它牛群已经出去了，她并没有和它们一起。

Swallowing back her tears, she ate breakfast and looked up to see her father entering the yard.

她忍住泪水，她吃了早饭，并看到父亲进入了庭院。

He came directly to her and sat down beside her on the warm ground.

她径直向她走来，坐在她身边的温暖地带。

Rimfa at once asked, Is it then that my brother has taken out the cattle for the day, my father?

琳珐马上问道，父亲，是不是我的哥哥带着牛群出去了？

Ay-e-e. Yes. It is so. Her father smiled and paused. My child, he said, I am proud of you. Yesterday's work was well done.

没错，确实如此，她的父亲笑了，随后停止后说，我的孩子，我为你感到骄傲，昨天的事情你做的很棒。

Rimfa looked up, surprised. Two of the boys of the village saw what was done.

琳珐抬头看，很惊讶，村里两名男孩看到了这一幕。

They had found shelter under a tree above the bank when you turned the herd⁵. They told me of it last night.

你让牛群转变方向，在河岸上的一棵树下避雨，他们昨晚告诉我的这些。

Rimfa looked pleased, but the unspoken question was in her mind. Why, then, had he sent the herd out with her brother again?

琳珐看上去很高兴，但她心里还有没有问的话，为什么是我的哥哥再次带着牛群出去了？

Her father answered the question before she spoke⁶. I have decided⁷ to let you have your way, he said.

她的父亲在她问出这个问题之前就回答了，他说我决定让你做你想做的事情。

You shall have your herd, but it shall be your own, not your brother's.

你应该有你的牛群，而且是属于你的，不是你哥哥的。

Stay quietly with your mother for the rest of the month till the new calves⁸ are older. Then you may have the calves for a herd of your own.

安安静静地和你妈妈把这个月过完，等待新的牛犊长大，之后你就会有自己的牛犊群了。

Rimfa's face showed her joy, but her father held up his hand. One thing more. You shall have Moy for your own.

琳珐的脸上露出了笑容，但她的父亲举起他的手，还有一件事，你可以拥有“老头”。

I give him to you. Your brother couldn't drive him, he added with a laugh.

我把它给你了，你的哥哥无法驱使它，他最后笑着说。