STORY XI THE RABBITS RISE AGAINST BUMPER

Forewarned by Rusty¹, Bumper² was partly prepared for the trouble that was brewing³, but not so Old Blind Rabbit. Bumper had intended to tell him the truth, but he didn’t want to raise unnecessary alarm. Perhaps, after all, Rusty had exaggerated the danger, and nothing would come of Spotted⁴ Tail’s work.

So one morning he was greatly disturbed when there was a noise outside the burrow⁵ made by the pattering of many little feet. It was Goggle⁶ Eyes who brought the information in to Old Blind Rabbit.

“There is something in the wind, Old Blind Rabbit!” he exclaimed in excitement. “All the rabbits of the woods have come to visit us. There’s White Tail, with his huge family; Pink Nose and all his big sons; Crooked⁷ Ears, looking surly and angry; Brindley the Lame⁸, Rolly Polly, and—oh!—many, many more!”

Old Blind Rabbit did not get excited. It was the way with him. Instead of always looking for trouble, he expected the best of everything.

79“Perhaps it means,” he replied, after a moment’s thought, “that they have heard of Bumper’s coming, and they have come to meet him. I shall go out and see them. They’re all welcome.”

“They don’t look very friendly,” stammered⁹ Goggle Eyes. “They look and act positively¹⁰ rude. I don’t believe their coming is for any good.”

“Tut! Tut! You’re always looking for the worst, Goggle Eyes. Now I’ll go out and greet my brother leaders. Lend me a paw, Goggle Eyes.”

“No,” interrupted Bumper, who had heard the conversation. “You must let me go out first. I’ll speak to them, and if there’s trouble—”

“Spoken like a king, Bumper,” interrupted Old Blind Rabbit, “but I should meet White Tail and his friends first. They know me.”

“Listen!” added Bumper. “I have not told you before because I didn’t believe anything would come of it. But there may be trouble outside.”

“What trouble, Bumper? You mustn’t follow the ways of Goggle Eyes, and look for evil in everything.”

Bumper knew that he ought to tell, and straightway, without hesitation¹², he related all 80that Rusty had told him. Old Blind Rabbit listened in silence, but not without surprise and trembling.

“Where is Spotted Tail?” he asked in a voice of thunder when Bumper had finished.

Spotted Tail was nowhere around. Nobody knew where he was.

“He has betrayed us!” added Old Blind Rabbit, solemnly. “He has spread false news to our friends, and used Shrike the Butcher Bird as his messenger. Alack! And alas¹³! that I should live to see this day!”

For a moment Old Blind Rabbit dropped back on his haunches and looked very sad and depressed¹⁴. His age told on him, and his breath came slow and hard. Finally arousing himself, he continued:

“If Spotted Tail has stirred up a revolt, the truth must be told. I will see the leaders. They will listen to me.”

“No, let me go!” interrupted Bumper again. “If there’s any danger on my account, I must face it, and not you, Old Blind Rabbit.”

“They will not harm me, but in their passion they might do something to you, Bumper. It is the part of wisdom that I should see them first. Isn’t it so?”

All the others agreed to this, and much against 81his will Bumper stayed in the burrow, while Old Blind Rabbit was led outside by Goggle Eyes.

And what a sight it was outside the burrow! All the wild rabbits of the woods were assembled there. White Tail, Pink Nose, Crooked Ears, Brindley the Lame, Rolly Polly and a lot of other leaders were there with all their followers¹⁵. The woods around the rock were literally¹⁶ alive with rabbits.

They were packed ten deep around the big rock, and scattered¹⁷ in groups all through the surrounding bushes. And on every face there was an angry, defiant¹⁸ look, and in every eye sullen¹⁹ discontent. Old Blind Rabbit could not see all these sights, but he sensed them before any one spoke¹¹. Then a babel of sounds greeted his ears. They were so many, and so confusing, that nobody could understand anybody else.

Finally Old Blind Rabbit reared himself on his haunches, and raised a paw for silence. “Listen,” he called. “There’s no sense in jabbering²⁰ like silly babies. What is the trouble? Don’t all speak at once, but—”

“Where’s Bumper the White Rabbit!” they shouted back in unison²¹.

Once more the senseless chatter²² made the air ring until Brindley the Lame took a tree stump²³ and signalled for silence. “This isn’t a tea 82party,” he said, smiling, “and we shouldn’t waste time talking like a lot of magpies²⁴. Let some of the leaders speak for all.”

There was instant silence, and hundreds of heads were nodded. Brindley then continued:

“As for my part, I’m not sure but we’re all here on a fool’s errand. I never knew the Shrike to carry news that did any one good. However, we’re here, and a big crowd we are. We’ve brought all of our families with us, big and little, and I’m glad to see them—Mrs. White Tail with her children, and Mrs. Pink Nose—”

Brindley’s jollying pleased the younger rabbits, and they began to laugh and applaud; but not so the leaders. Crooked Ears rose up, and interrupted.

“Come to the point, Brindley! We’re here to drive Bumper the White Rabbit from the woods. That’s the long and short of it. Am I not right?”

A terrifying shout greeted these words, and for a moment it seemed as if bedlam²⁵ had broken loose. Even Old Blind Rabbit was frightened, and he trembled so that Goggle Eyes was afraid he would fall down.

“What has Bumper done that you should want to drive him from the woods?” was all that Old Blind Rabbit could say.

83“It’s not what he’s done,” roared White Tail, leaping to the top of a fallen tree. “It’s what he’s going to do. He’ll not be king of the woods!”

“NO! No!” shouted a hundred voices. “We’ll not be his slaves! We’ll not follow him!”

“Listen, friends!” Old Blind Rabbit called back. “You have been deceived. Spotted Tail has spread false rumors²⁶. He knew they were false, and he couldn’t get Rusty or Mr. Woodpecker or Towhee or any of the birds, who were his friends, to carry the message to you. Then when they all failed him he appealed to Shrike the Butcher Bird.”

He paused, and looked with his sightless eyes over the big assemble. Then, raising his voice, he continued: “Since when have you come to believe what Shrike tells! When has he ever spread anything but lies in the woods? He has no friends among the birds—”

Suddenly there was a commotion²⁷ on the outskirts²⁸ of the crowd. Shrike flew in their midst and whistled sharply. Then out of the bushes crashed Buster the Bear, followed by Mr. Fox. Screams and shouts went up from all sides as every rabbit scurried²⁹ for cover. They ran pell-mell hither and thither³⁰, with Mr. Fox and Buster 84after them, laughing in their glee at the fright they had caused.

It was a miracle that some were not killed, for it hardly seemed there were enough hiding-places in the woods to conceal³¹ them. Old Blind Rabbit stumbled back in his burrow, and invited as many to follow him as the place would hold.

1 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

2 bumper   

n.(汽车上的)保险杠；adj.特大的，丰盛的

参考例句：

• The painting represents the scene of a bumper harvest.这幅画描绘了丰收的景象。
• This year we have a bumper harvest in grain.今年我们谷物丰收。

3 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

4 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

5 burrow   

vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞

参考例句：

• Earthworms burrow deep into the subsoil.蚯蚓深深地钻进底土。
• The dog had chased a rabbit into its burrow.狗把兔子追进了洞穴。

6 goggle   

n.瞪眼，转动眼珠，护目镜；v.瞪眼看，转眼珠

参考例句：

• His insincerity is revealed by the quick goggle of his eyes.他眼睛的快速转动泄露了他的不诚实。
• His eyes seemed to goggle larger than usual behind the heavy lenses.在厚厚的镜片后面，眼睛瞪得比平时大得多。

7 crooked   

adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的

参考例句：

• He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。
• You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

8 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

9 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

10 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

11 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：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

12 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

13 alas   

int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

参考例句：

• Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
• Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

14 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

15 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

16 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

17 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

18 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

19 sullen   

adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的

参考例句：

• He looked up at the sullen sky.他抬头看了一眼阴沉的天空。
• Susan was sullen in the morning because she hadn't slept well.苏珊今天早上郁闷不乐，因为昨晚没睡好。

20 jabbering   

v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴

参考例句：

• What is he jabbering about now? 他在叽里咕噜地说什么呢？
• He was jabbering away in Russian. 他叽里咕噜地说着俄语。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 unison   

n.步调一致，行动一致

参考例句：

• The governments acted in unison to combat terrorism.这些国家的政府一致行动对付恐怖主义。
• My feelings are in unison with yours.我的感情与你的感情是一致的。

22 chatter   

vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me.她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。
• I've had enough of their continual chatter.我已厌烦了他们喋喋不休的闲谈。

23 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

24 magpies   

喜鹊（magpie的复数形式）

参考例句：

• They set forth chattering like magpies. 他们叽叽喳喳地出发了。
• James: besides, we can take some pied magpies home, for BBQ. 此外，我们还可以打些喜鹊回家，用来烧烤。

25 bedlam   

n.混乱，骚乱；疯人院

参考例句：

• He is causing bedlam at the hotel.他正搅得旅馆鸡犬不宁。
• When the teacher was called away the classroom was a regular bedlam.当老师被叫走的时候，教室便喧闹不堪。

26 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 commotion   

n.骚动，动乱

参考例句：

• They made a commotion by yelling at each other in the theatre.他们在剧院里相互争吵，引起了一阵骚乱。
• Suddenly the whole street was in commotion.突然间，整条街道变得一片混乱。

28 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

29 scurried   

v.急匆匆地走( scurry的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She said goodbye and scurried back to work. 她说声再见，然后扭头跑回去干活了。
• It began to rain and we scurried for shelter. 下起雨来，我们急忙找地方躲避。 来自《简明英汉词典》

30 thither   

adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的

参考例句：

• He wandered hither and thither looking for a playmate.他逛来逛去找玩伴。
• He tramped hither and thither.他到处流浪。

31 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。