英国语文第四册 第4期:热带地区的景象(4)

（单词翻译）

But there, as in all tropical countries, there is a season of rain and storm.

但那儿正如所有的热带地区一样，都有一个暴风雨的季节。

Then the birds disappear, as the swallows do with us, and seek some sheltered place.

那时候，这些鸟就都消失了。像燕子一般，去寻找可以栖息的地方。

But when the rain is over, and the spices in the woods breathe out fresh fragrance¹,

当雨季结束时，森林里的香料散发出清新的香味，

they return to their old haunts, and the gay plumes² of the male birds may be seen glittering amongst the trees as before.

鸟儿们会回到以前常去的地方，雄鸟漂亮的羽毛和从前一样在树林中闪闪发光。

When the Birds of Paradise are about to take one of their long flights, they choose a leader to be king over them.

当天堂鸟要开始一次长途飞行时，它们会选出一位首领。

Where he goes they go, and where he settles they settle, perching on the same tree.

首领飞去哪儿，他们就去哪儿，首领落在哪儿，它们也落在哪儿，在同一棵树上栖息。

He generally flies high up in the air, far above the heads of his subjects;

领飞的鸟通常会飞在高空，在它的子民之上，

and he takes care to lead them against the wind, so that their loose floating plumes may not be blown over their heads.

小心地带领它们对抗狂风，这样它们松散的羽毛可能才不会被风吹得遮住头顶。

If a storm comes, they then rise higher and higher, and keep mounting until they reach a calmer and serener³ region.

如果暴风雨来了，它们就越飞越高，一直飞到一片寂静之地。

The natives always know the king, by the spots which he has upon his tail, like the eyes upon the feathers of the peacock.

当地人通过看鸟的尾巴，总是能认出鸟王，就像看羽毛来辨别孔雀一样。

When they go into the woods to shoot these birds, they try to kill him first.

人们进入树林射杀这些鸟时，会先杀死鸟王。

In order to get a good shot, they make a little bower⁴ of leaves and branches of trees,

他们为了能射得更准，造了一些用树叶和树枝遮盖的凉棚，

within which they can hide themselves and yet see all that is going on.

这样可以躲在里面，但仍能查看周围发生的一切。