LESSON 34

GEORGE'S FEAST

乔治的美餐

1．George's mother was very poor. Instead of having bright, blazing fires in winter, she had nothing to burn but dry sticks, which George picked up from under the trees and hedges.

2．One fine day in July, she sent George to the woods, which were about two miles from the village in which she lived. He was to stay there all day, to get as much wood as he could collect.

3．It was a bright, sunny day, and George worked very hard; so that by the time the sun was high, he was hot, and wished for a cool place where he might rest and eat his dinner.

4．While he hunted about the bank he saw among the moss some fine, wild strawberries, which were a bright scarlet with ripeness.

5．"How good these will be with my bread and butter!" thought George; and lining his little cap with leaves, he set to work eagerly to gather all he could find, and then seated himself by the brook.

6．It was a pleasant place, and George felt happy and contented. He thought how much his mother would like to see him there, and to be there herself, instead of in her dark, close room in the village.

7．George thought of all this, and just as he was lifting the first strawberry to his mouth, he said to himself, "How much mother would like these;” and he stopped, and put the strawberry back again.

8．"Shall I save them for her?" said he, thinking how much they would refresh her, yet still looking at them with a longing eye.

9．"I will eat half, and take the other half to her," said he at last; and he divided them into two heaps. But each heap looked so small, that he put them together again.

10．"I will only taste one," thought he; but, as he again lifted it to his mouth, he saw that he had taken the finest, and he put it back. "I will keep them all for her," said he, and he covered them up nicely, till he should go home.

11．When the sun was beginning to sink, George set out for home. How happy he felt, then, that he had all his strawberries for his sick mother. The nearer he came to his home, the less he wished to taste them.

12．Just as he had thrown down his wood, he heard his mother's faint voice calling him from the next room. "Is that you, George? I am glad you have come, for I am thirsty, and am longing for some tea."

13．George ran in to her, and joyfully offered his wild strawberries."And you saved them for your sick mother, did you?" said she, laying her hand fondly on his head, while the tears stood in her eyes."God will bless you for all this, my child."

14．Could the eating of the strawberries have given George half the happiness he felt at this moment?

【中文阅读】

1．乔治的妈妈非常贫穷，冬天里见不到明亮、闪烁的炉火，家里没有木柴生火取暖，她只能利用乔治从树下或篱笆边拣来的干树枝取暖。

2．七月的一天，她让乔治到森林中去拣木头，那个地方离他们住的村子大概两英里远。乔治在森林里逛了一整天，以尽量多收集一点能用的木头。

3．这是一个洒满阳光的日子，乔治很辛苦地拣拾着木头。等到太阳高高在上时，他已经非常热了，希望能找个凉快的地方吃点东西，好好休息一下。

4．他一路搜寻到岸边，在苔藓丛中发现了一些外形诱人的野生草莓，散发着明亮的猩红色，一副圆圆的熟透了的样子。

5．“用这些草莓来充当我的面包和奶油，多好呀！”乔治心里这样想着。他将树叶铺在自己的小帽子里，开始迫不及待地去摘那些刚刚发现的草莓，随后，他就在小溪边坐下来。

6．这是一个很舒适的地方，乔治既高兴又满足。他心想，要是妈妈看到自己坐在这里该多么高兴，她该多么想到这里来坐坐呀，而不是整天待在村中那个黑暗、封闭的小屋里。

7．乔治一边想着，一边拿起一个草莓准备放入口中，就在这时，他自言自语地说：“妈妈该多么喜欢这些草莓呀。”接着，他的手停下来，又把草莓放回原处。

8．“我应该把草莓留给她吗？”他说，心里一边想着这些草莓能给妈妈补充多少营养，一边又带着渴望的眼神看着它们。

9．“我就吃一半，把另一半留给她。”他最后说道；接着，他把草莓分成了两堆。但是，每一堆看上去都那么小，于是，他又把它们合起来。

10．“我只尝一个吧，”他心里又想；但是，当他再次拿起草莓放到嘴边时，看到自己拿起了那个最好的草莓，于是他又放了回去。“我还是把草莓都留给她吧，”他一边说着，一边细心地盖好所有草莓，一直留到该回家的时候。

11．太阳开始下沉时，乔治决定要回家了。他心里多么高兴呀，将所有的草莓都留给了生病的妈妈。越是靠近自己的家，他就越不想去品尝它们了。

12．刚刚放下拣来的木头，他就听到隔壁房间里传来了妈妈呼唤他的虚弱声音。“是你吗，乔治？我很高兴你回来了，我太渴了，真想能喝点茶。”

13．乔治立刻跑向她，欢快地把自己采来的野生草莓给妈妈。“你把草莓都留给了生病的妈妈，是吗？”她说，充满怜爱地将手放到乔治头上，眼中噙满了泪水。“上帝会保佑你的，我的孩子。”

14．自己吃掉草莓，能给乔治带来此刻一半的快乐吗？