No, clearly, Spotted Tail could not redeem5 his lost glory by challenging Bumper to another race. But there were other ways to discredit6 him in the eyes of his people.
“Oh, Bumper, King of the rabbits!” he exclaimed one day in mock courtesy. “The Lion is called the King of the beasts, and he won that title by his bravery and courage. Do you think that should make one king?”
“Courage is a quality that every king and leader should have,” replied Bumper, cautiously.
“Greater than that of any of his subjects?”
45Bumper hesitated, for he feared a trap; but when all the others looked at him, waiting upon his words, he felt that he had to assent7.
“Yes, I suppose he should be the bravest of his people.”
“Then,” smiled Spotted Tail, “you must be the bravest of all the rabbits in the woods—braver than Old Blind Rabbit ever was, or any of the young ones here.”
“I shouldn’t like to claim that,” faltered8 Bumper, modestly.
“Then you shouldn’t be king. Isn’t that the law of the woods?”
“A leader should be as brave as any of his people,” Bumper answered, “not braver. Perhaps that would be impossible.”
“Well said,” muttered the Old Blind Rabbit. “There are many of my people who are brave as any king, and more could not be asked of their leader.”
Spotted Tail licked his lips and smiled. “We should make a test,” he added, “to see who are the brave ones among us. All who choose can enter it. Has any one a test to suggest?”
There was absolute silence. Spotted Tail knew no one would think of a suitable test on the spur of the moment. So he proposed one himself, one that he had had in mind for some days.
46“Suppose, then,” he added, still smiling, “we cross, one by one, Swinging Bridge, and those who get over safely will be entitled to be called brave.”
There was a gasp9 of surprise and consternation10. Swinging Bridge was a small tree that had fallen across Rocky Ford11 where the river cut deep through a narrow gorge12. The tree seemed almost suspended in mid-air by the vines and bushes, and was very dangerous. Every wind swung it back and forth13 like a hammock strung between two trees.
No rabbit had ever dared to cross it. It was supposed to be an impossible feat14. The tree was so small and slippery that it afforded small chance for an animal without claws to walk across it. It hung fifty feet from the river’s bed so that a fall from it meant almost sure death.
It was foolhardy to try it. Bobby Gray Squirrel could run across it easily, but that was because he had claws with which to cling to it. Sleepy the Opossum and Washer the Raccoon could likewise walk across the bridge without fear of falling. But for a rabbit, whose feet were not made to climb, it was a dangerous undertaking15.
“Oh, no, not that!” exclaimed Fuzzy Wuzz, shuddering16.
47“Why not?” asked Spotted Tail. “It will be a wonderful record for any rabbit who can do it. What do you say, Bumper?”
“I’m willing if you are,” Bumper replied, feeling that he could not withdraw from the challenge.
“Then we will draw lots to see who goes first,” promptly17 added Spotted Tail, who had arranged the whole thing.
“That isn’t fair,” interrupted one of Bumper’s followers18. “The challenger should go first.”
“Since when was drawing lots unfair?” queried19 Spotted Tail. “I appeal to your judgment20, Old Blind Rabbit. Isn’t it fair?”
The old leader of the rabbits hesitated for a moment, but he had to admit that this form of selection had been common with his people as long as he could recollect21.
So when he decided22 in favor of Spotted Tail, the work of choosing their order of going across the bridge began. There were ten who stepped forward to accept the challenge. The Old Blind Rabbit held the sticks as each one stepped up to choose. Bumper got the short one, either through chance or through some trick Spotted Tail had arranged. No one could say which it was, but a murmur23 of dissent24 went up at once.
“It wasn’t a fair drawing!” they cried. “Try 48it over again. Spotted Tail played a trick on Bumper.”
“No,” interrupted Bumper, “we’ll not draw lots again. I’ll cross Swinging Bridge first.”
This decision was accepted with applause, and the rabbits trooped through the woods to Swinging Bridge. Bumper’s first sight of it made him shiver. It was worse than he had imagined. The chasm25 was at least thirty feet across, and the butt26 end of the tree was not more than eight inches in diameter, while the smaller end seemed to dwindle27 away into a mere28 whip. In fact, the tree could never have remained in its position if it hadn’t been for the vines suspending it.
“I’ll begin on this end,” Bumper said, choosing the butt end of the tree. His quick eye had seen the only possible chance for crossing. Half way across, where the tree grew smaller rapidly, there was a crotch which offered a firm footing. Bumper decided to walk out to this, and then reach the other side in one tremendous hop29. That would be crossing the bridge, for nothing in the terms had been said about the manner of going.
While the others held their breath, and Fuzzy Wuzz shook and trembled with fear, Bumper hopped30 on the tree, and began making his way slowly along. He dared not look below where 49the river rolled and tossed over the rocks. He kept his eyes on the crotch ahead.
He reached this without accident. Then paused. The rest of the way was too perilous31 for any rabbit to proceed. Spotted Tail smiled to himself. He knew that it would be the last of the white rabbit if he attempted it.
Bumper crouched32 low, fastened his hind33 feet firmly in the crotch, and then, to the surprise of all, leaped into the air in one tremendous spring that carried him clear across to the other side. His heart was beating at a lively rate, but when he realized that he had performed the difficult feat a little glow of triumph spread over his face.
“Wonderful! Good for Bumper!” were the cries from the other side that reached his ears.
“Now Spotted Tail, it’s your turn!” some one said.
But Spotted Tail was white and trembling. He had never expected to be called upon to attempt it. With the death of Bumper in the river below, they would call the test off. It would be suicidal for another to try it. But now all was changed. Bumper was safe on the other side, and they were calling on him to cross. He crouched in abject34 fear, and seemed ready to ask for mercy when Bumper spoke35.
50“No,” he said, “it isn’t safe. It’s a foolhardy thing to do. I forbid any one else trying it. You understand, Spotted Tail, I forbid it!”
Spotted Tail raised his head hopefully, and a cunning, cringing36 expression came into his eyes.
“The king must be obeyed,” he said.
Then boastfully, walking away: “But I could have crossed without jumping half the way. That was not included in the terms of the test.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
spotted
|
|
| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
chagrined
|
|
| adj.懊恼的，苦恼的v.使懊恼，使懊丧，使悔恨( chagrin的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
humiliate
|
|
| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
bumper
|
|
| n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
redeem
|
|
| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
discredit
|
|
| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
assent
|
|
| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
faltered
|
|
| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
gasp
|
|
| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
consternation
|
|
| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
Ford
|
|
| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
gorge
|
|
| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
feat
|
|
| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
undertaking
|
|
| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
shuddering
|
|
| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
followers
|
|
| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
queried
|
|
| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
recollect
|
|
| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
dissent
|
|
| n./v.不同意，持异议 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
chasm
|
|
| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
butt
|
|
| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
dwindle
|
|
| v.逐渐变小（或减少） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
hop
|
|
| n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
hopped
|
|
| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
perilous
|
|
| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
crouched
|
|
| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
hind
|
|
| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
abject
|
|
| adj.极可怜的，卑屈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
cringing
|
|
| adj.谄媚，奉承 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |