驯养动物(Tame Animals)
章节大纲
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Tame Animals
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS,
LONDON AND NEW YORK.
Kronheim & Co., London
[3]THE HARE.
I suppose you have all seen a Hare, and perhaps many of you have helped to eat one. The Hare is a very timid animal, running away on the least alarm; but, poor fellow, he is too often caught by the dogs and killed, notwithstanding his swift running. It is rather difficult to tame Hares, but there is a very amusing account of three, named Puss, Tiney, and Bess, written by the poet Cowper, who kept them for some time, and one day you shall read about them. The colour of the Hare in this country is usually brown, but white Hares are found in very cold countries. The Hare does not burrow like the rabbit, but makes a kind of nest called its form.::我想你们都见过野兔，也许你们中的许多人都吃过一只。野兔是一种非常胆小的动物，稍有动静就会逃跑；然而，尽管它跑得很快，尽管它跑得非常快，但可怜的家伙却经常被狗抓住并杀死。驯养野兔是相当困难的，但有一篇非常有趣的故事，讲述了三只兔子，名叫普斯、蒂妮和贝斯，这是诗人考伯写的，他曾养过它们一段时间，有一天你们会读到这个故事。这个国家的野兔通常是棕色的，但在寒冷的国家可以找到白色的野兔。野兔不像兔子那样挖洞，而是做一种叫做“窝”的巢。
[4]THE GOAT.
The Goat ranks in general usefulness next to the sheep, and as a domestic animal is very valuable. His chief pleasure seems to consist in climbing from [5]one rock to another, for which amusement his hoofs are well adapted. The milk of the Goat is sweet and nourishing, and is made into cheese by the mountaineers, who also eat his flesh, which is rather tough. His skin is made into the materials called morocco leather, and vellum; and that of the young animals, the kids, is used to make the best kinds of gloves. The hair of some species of Goats is soft and fine, and is woven into shawls of beautiful texture.::山羊在一般的实用性方面仅次于绵羊，作为家畜非常有价值。它的主要乐趣似乎是从一块岩石跳到另一块岩石，这项活动非常适合它的蹄子。山羊的奶味道甜美且富有营养，山区居民将其做成奶酪，他们也食用山羊的肉，虽然肉质较为坚韧。山羊的皮革被制成称为摩洛哥皮和羊皮纸的材料；而小山羊（羔羊）的皮则用来制作最好的手套。一些品种的山羊毛发柔软细腻，可以编织成质地优美的披肩。
[6]THE COW.
Cows are very useful to mankind, in supplying them with milk from which both butter and cheese are made. Their young ones are called calves, and the flesh of calves is veal. A good Cow will give about fifteen or more quarts of milk a day, but much depends upon the quality of the pasture she feeds upon. Her age is told by her horns; after she is three years old a ring is formed every year at the root of the horn, so that by counting the number of circles, her age may be exactly known. Cows are sometimes prettily marked with black, brown, and yellow spots, and, as they lie scattered about a green meadow, add much to the charms of a landscape.::奶牛对人类非常有用，提供了可以制作黄油和奶酪的牛奶。它们的幼崽叫做小牛，小牛的肉称为小牛肉。好的奶牛每天大约能产十五夸脱或更多的奶，但这很大程度上取决于她所吃草地的质量。通过她的角可以判断奶牛的年龄；在三岁以后，每年角根部都会形成一个年轮，通过数圈的数量，可以准确地知道她的年龄。奶牛有时会有漂亮的黑色、棕色和黄色斑点，当它们分散在绿草如茵的草地上时，为风景增添了许多魅力。
[8] THE SHEEP.
The Sheep is found in every quarter of the globe, and is one of the most profitable animals that mankind possesses. His flesh is eaten by the inhabitants of all nations, and, as you know, is called mutton. The wool of the Sheep is very valuable, and most of our clothing is made from it: that produced by the breed called Merino sheep is particularly fine, and fetches a high price. The skin is also of service, and forms covers for many of your school-books. Sheep-washing and shearing are busy times for the farmer, and are very interesting sights. Young sheep are called lambs—you have often seen the gentle little things skipping about in the meadows.::羊遍布全球，是人类拥有的最有利可图的动物之一。它的肉被世界各地的居民食用，如你所知，这种肉叫做羊肉。羊毛非常有价值，我们的大部分衣物都是用羊毛制成的：特别是梅里诺羊种的羊毛尤为细腻，价格也很高。羊皮也很有用，常用来做许多书本的封面。洗羊和剪羊毛是农民的繁忙时节，也是非常有趣的景象。小羊叫做羔羊——你们常常看到这些温顺的小家伙在草地上蹦蹦跳跳。
THE DORMOUSE.
In some places people call this little animal “the Sleeper,” because he lies in a torpid state through the long winter and spring, until the weather becomes quite warm. He builds his nest in an old hollow tree, or beneath the bushes, and during the summer lays up a great quantity of nuts or acorns for his winter provender. Dormice rarely come out, except [10]at night, passing the day in a solitary manner in their cells, which they manage to make very comfortable by linings of moss. Dormice are about the size of the common mice, only more bulky, and of a reddish brown colour.::在一些地方，人们称这种小动物为“睡鼠”，因为它在漫长的冬天和春天里处于一种昏睡状态，直到天气变得相当温暖才会醒来。它在一棵老树的空洞里或灌木丛下筑巢，夏天时储存大量的坚果或橡果，以备冬季食用。睡鼠很少出来，除非在晚上，它们白天通常独自待在自己的巢穴里，并通过铺上苔藓使巢穴变得非常舒适。睡鼠的体型与普通老鼠差不多，只是更加健壮，毛色为红棕色。
The American Dormouse is a more beautiful animal, striped down the back, and much resembling the squirrel in his habits.::美国睡鼠是一种更漂亮的动物，背部有条纹，习性和松鼠很像。
THE ASS.
Is the most patient of all quadrupeds, and, although thought by many to be the most stubborn, he is not really so, but is both active and willing if well treated. Donkeys are generally badly used by their masters, and you cannot go far without seeing one with his skin bruised by hard blows. Poor beasts! I hope you pity them when you see them looking half-starved, with no flesh on their aching bones, dragging with slow and weary steps some heavy load of sand or wood. The milk of Asses is greatly esteemed for the use of invalids: in some diseases it forms the only nourishment that can be safely given. The foal of the Ass is a pretty, lively little fellow, and jumps about, very unlike his quiet mother.::驴是所有四足动物中最有耐心的，尽管许多人认为它是最顽固的，但实际上并非如此，它如果受到良好的对待，既活跃又愿意工作。驴通常被主人虐待，你走得不远就能看到有驴因为受到重击而皮肤淤伤。可怜的动物！我希望当你看到它们看起来半饿，骨瘦如柴，拖着缓慢而疲惫的步伐拉着沉重的沙子或木材时，能对它们心生怜悯。驴奶在病人的治疗中被高度赞赏：在某些疾病中，它是唯一可以安全提供的营养。驴的驹子是一只可爱、活泼的小家伙，跳来跳去，和它那安静的母亲截然不同。
