很久很久以前,有三隻小豬離開父母,獨自過他們的第一個冬天…..
Once upon a time there were three little pigs. When they grew up, they left their parents to live their first winter by themselves.
很久很久以前,有三隻小豬。他們長大後離開父母,獨自過他們的第一個冬天。
Autumn came and it began raining. The three little pigs started to feel they needed a real house to live in. They talked about how to build a house and prepare for the coming winter, but each decided for himself. The laziest little pig said he’d build a straw hut. “It will only take a day to get it done,” he said.
秋天來臨,開始下雨。三隻小豬開始覺得他們需要住進一間真正的房子。他們談到如何蓋間房子準備過冬,但每個人都只想到自己。最懶惰小豬說,他要蓋稻草屋。他說:「只要一天就能做好。」
“It’s too fragile,” the others said, but the laziest refused to take their advice. The second little pig went to look for planks of seasoned wood to build his house. It took him almost two whole days to nail them together. Nevertheless, the third little pig did not like the wooden house.
其他兩隻小豬說:「這太不堅固了。」但最懶惰小豬拒絕接受他們的意見。第二隻小豬去找厚木板來蓋他的房子。他花了幾乎兩整天釘木板蓋房子。然而,第三隻小豬不喜歡木屋。
“That’s not the best way to build a stable house!” he said. “Building a good house takes a lot of time, patience and hard work. My house will be strong enough to stand up to wind and rain, and it will even protect me from wolves!”
他說:「這不是建造堅固房子的最好辦法!蓋好的房子需要花費很多時間,耐心和努力工作。我的房子將夠堅固,經得起風吹雨打,甚至可保護我不受到野狼傷害! 」
The days went by, and the wisest little pig’s house came to take shape, brick by brick. His brothers visited him, saying with a chuckle, “Why are you working so hard?”
日子一天天過去,最聰明小豬的房子已經一磚一瓦地逐漸成形。他的兄弟們去看他,還笑著說: 「你為什麼這麼賣力工作?」
But the determined bricklayer pig just told himself, “I will build my house. I’ll make it solid and sturdy,” he said. “For he who laughs last, laughs longest!”
但下定決心的砌磚小豬告訴自己:「我要蓋好我的房子,讓它紮實堅固。」他說:「最後一個笑的人,才是贏家!」
It was the wisest little pig that found the tracks of a big wolf in the neighborhood. The little pigs rushed home in alarm. Along came the wolf, scowling fiercely at the laziest pig’s straw hut.
最聰明小豬首先發現附近有大野狼的蹤跡。小豬們慌張地衝回家。大野狼緊跟在後,在最懶惰小豬的稻草屋前狠狠地瞪著眼看。
“Come out!” said the wolf, with his mouth watering. “I want to talk to you!”
大野狼口水直流地說:「出來!」「我想和你聊聊天!」
“I’d rather stay where I am!” replied the little pig in a scared voice.
小豬用害怕的聲音說:「我寧願待在裡面!」
“I’ll make you come out!” growled the wolf angrily, and he blew with all his might, right onto the house. And all the straw the silly pig had heaped fell down in the great blast.
大野狼憤怒大聲咆哮:「我會讓你出來!」用盡所有的力氣向房子吹氣,最懶惰小豬的稻草屋所有稻草蹋了下來。
Excited by his own cleverness, the wolf did not notice that the little pig had slithered out from underneath the heap of straw, and was dashing towards his brother’s wooden house. When he realized that the little pig was escaping, the wolf grew wild with rage.
自以為聰明的大野狼,並沒有發現小豬已偷偷地從稻草堆底下溜走,頭也不回地衝往他兄弟的木屋。當大野狼發現小豬不見了,更加憤怒不已。
“Come back!” he roared, trying to catch the pig as he ran into the wooden house. The other little pig greeted his brother, shaking like a leaf.
「給我回來!」大野狼大叫著,試圖去抓衝進木屋的小豬。另一隻小豬和他的兄弟打招呼,渾身直發抖。
“I hope this house won’t fall down! Let’s lean against the door, so he can’t break in!”
「希望這房子不會塌下來!我們緊靠著門,大野狼就無法破門而入!」
Outside, the wolf could hear the little pigs’ words. Starving as he was, at the idea of a two course meal, he rained blows on the door.
大野狼在門外可以聽到小豬們說的話。大野狼在兩道大餐前感到非常飢餓,不斷用力向門口吹氣。
“Open up! Open up! I only want to speak to you!”
「開門!開門!我只是想和你們聊聊天!」
Inside, the two brothers wept in fear and did their best to hold the door fast against the blows. Then the furious wolf drew in a really enormous breath, and suddenly the wooden house collapsed like a pack of cards.
在裡面,兩兄弟害怕地哭著用最大力氣擋在門口不讓大野狼進來。憤怒的大野狼吸了一大口氣用力一吹。剎那間小木屋就像一副紙牌似的倒塌。
Luckily, the wisest little pig had been watching the scene from the window of his own brick house, and he rapidly opened the door to his fleeing brothers. And not a moment too soon, for the wolf was already hammering furiously on the door. This time, the wolf had grave doubts. He blew once, he blew again and then a third time, but all was in vain.
幸好,最聰明小豬從他磚造房子的窗口看到這一幕。他迅速開門,讓他的兄弟逃進屋子裡避難。沒多久,大野狼已在門口憤怒地用力敲門。這一次,大野狼不確定情況為何。他吹了一口氣,再吹第二次,然後第三次,卻一點動靜也沒有。
The three little pigs watched him and their fear began to fade. The wolf decided to try one of his tricks. He scrambled up a nearby ladder on to the roof to have a look at the chimney. However, the wisest little pig had seen this ploy, and quickly, he said, “Quick! Light the fire!”
三隻小豬看在眼裡,心中不再那麼懼怕。大野狼決定使出他的絕招。他爬上附近的梯子到屋頂上看看煙囪。然而,最聰明小豬看過這種手法,他說:「快點!生火!」
With his long legs thrust down the chimney, the wolf was not sure if he should slide down the black hole. It wouldn’t be easy to get in, but the sound of the little pigs’ voices below only made him feel hungrier.
大野狼的長腿伸入煙囪裡,卻不知該不該從這黑洞滑下去。雖然不是這麼輕易就可以進去,但下面小豬的聲音,讓大野狼感覺更飢餓。
“I’m dying of hunger! I’m going to try and get down.” And he let himself drop. But landing was rather hot, too hot! The wolf landed in the fire, stunned by his fall.
「我快餓死了!我要下去試試看。」於是他讓自己掉落下去。但落下時覺得很燙,超燙!大野狼發現自己落在火裡面,嚇了一大跳。
The flames licked his hairy coat and his tail became a flaring torch.
火燄點燃他毛茸茸的外衣,他的尾巴成了燃燒的火把。
“Never again! Never again will I go down a chimney” he squealed, as he tried to put out the flames in his tail. Then he ran away as fast as he could.
他一邊哇哇大叫:「再也不要了!我再也不要從煙囪跳下去了!」一邊試著撲滅尾巴的火燄,然後頭也不回地落荒而逃。
The three happy little pigs, dancing round and round the yard, began to sing. “Tra-la-la! Tra-la-la! The wicked black wolf will never come back…!”
這三隻快樂的小豬,在院子裡手舞足蹈地團團轉唱著歌。「啦啦啦!啦啦啦!討厭的大野狼永遠不會回來了……!」
From that day on, the wolf only returned once to roam the neighborhood, then left for good.
從那天起,大野狼只有在附近徘徊一次,然後就永遠地消失了。
enormous (adj.) 很大的
The main bedroom is enormous.
主臥室非常大。
collapse (v.) 倒塌
The bridge collapsed.
橋塌了。
hammer (v.) 反覆敲打
We had to hammer and shout before they would open up.
我們不停地拍門、叫喊,他們才開門。
torch (n.) 火把
They lit a torch.
他們點燃火把。
squeal (v.) 發出長而尖的叫聲
She squealed with delight.
她高興地尖叫起來。
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