THE BROWNIES' DANCING-SCHOOL.

 WHEN flitting bats commenced to wheel

Around the eaves to find their meal,

And owls¹ to hoot² in forests wide,

To call their owlets to their side,

The Brownie Band, in full array,

Through silent streets pursued their way.

But as they neared a building high,

Surprise was shown in every eye.

They heard the strains of music sweet,

And tripping of the dancers' feet;

While o'er the tap of heel and toe,

The twang of harp³ and scrape of bow,

 

Arose the clear and ringing call

Of those who had control of all.

The Brownies slackened their swift pace,

Then gathered closely round the place,

 

To study out some way to win

A peep or two at those within.

Said one: "In matters of this kind

Opinions differ, you will find.

And some might say, with sober thought,

That children should not thus be taught

To hop⁴ around on toe and heel

So actively⁵ to fiddle⁶'s squeal⁷,

 

For fear 'twould turn their minds away

From graver duties of the day."

Another said: "The dancing art

Doth ease to every move impart.

It gives alike to city-bred

And country-born a graceful⁸ tread,

And helps them bear themselves along

Without offense⁹ in greatest throng¹⁰.

The nimble step, the springing knee,

 

And balanced body all agree.

The feet, my friends, may glide¹¹ with grace

As well as trudge¹² from place to place.

And in the parlor¹³ or without

They best can stand or walk about

Who found in early life a chance

To mingle¹⁴ in the sprightly¹⁵ dance."

 

The Brownies need no ladders long,

No hoists¹⁶, nor elevators strong,

To lift them to an upper flight,

A window-sill, or transom light.

The weather-vane upon the spire¹⁷,

That overlooks the town entire,

Is not too high above the base

If fancy leads them to the place.

'Tis said the very fleecy clouds

They can bestride in eager crowds,

 

Around the world their way to find,

And leave the lagging winds behind.

Said one: "We've scaled the dizzy heights

Of mountain-peaks on other nights,

And crossed the stream from shore to shore

Where but the string-piece stretched before;

And cunning Brownies, never fear,

Will find some way to enter here."
 

 WHEN once the Brownies' plans were laid,

No formal, tiresome¹⁸ speech was made.

In mystic ways, to Brownies known,

They clambered up the walls of stone.

 

They clung to this and that, like briers,

They climbed the smooth electric wires;

Some members lending ready aid

To those who weaker nerves displayed.

And in five minutes at the most,

By vine, by bracket, and by post,

By every scroll¹⁹, and carving²⁰ bold,

That toes could touch or fingers hold

They made their way, and gained a chance

To view, unnoticed, every dance.

Said one: "How pleasant is the sight

To see those children young and bright

While skipping blithely²¹ to and fro,

Now joined in pairs, now in a row,

Or formed in circles, hand in hand,

And lightly moving at command—

 

Like butterflies through balmy air

When summer spreads attractions fair,

 

And blends with every whispering breeze

The drowsy²² hum of working bees."

Another said: "When this is o'er

The Brownie Band will take the floor.

We'll bide²³ our time and not be slow

To take possession when they go.

 

Then up and down the spacious²⁴ hall

We'll imitate the steps of all.

We'll show that not in Frenchmen's bones

Lies all the grace that nature owns;

That others at the waltz can shine

As well as Germans from the Rhine;

That we some capers²⁵ can enjoy

As well as natives of Savoy."

While thus they talked, the moments flew,

And soon the master's task was through.

When children's cloaks were wrapped around,

 

And heavier shoes their feet had found

They hastened home; but while they slept

The Brownies in that building crept

To take their turn at lively reel,

 

At graceful glide, or dizzy wheel,

Till all the dances people know,

From Cuba's palms to Russia's snow

Were tried, and soon in every case

Were mastered with surprising grace.

Imagine how they skipped about,

And how they danced, with laugh and shout!

 

NO sooner had the Brownies run

Into the hall than 'twas begun.

Some round the harp, with cunning stroke,

The music in the strings²⁶ awoke.

The violins to others fell,

Who scraped, and sawed, and fingered well,

Until the sweet and stirring air

Would rouse the feet of dullest there.

Like people in the spring of life,

Of joys and countless²⁷ blessings²⁸ rife²⁹,

Who yield themselves to Pleasure's hand—

So danced that night the Brownie Band.

First one would take his place to show

The special step for heel or toe,

Just how to edge about with care,

And help around the partner fair,

Nor plant his feet upon a dress—

To cause confusion and distress³⁰.

Then more would play the master's part,

And give some lessons in the art:

 

Would show the rest some figures new

From Turkey, China, or Peru.

 

Now smoothly³¹ glide, as if on wings,

Then bob around, as if on springs,

Until the sprightly steps would call

Loud acclamations from them all.

They danced in twos with skip and bound,

They danced in circles, round and round;

They danced in lines that coiled about

As runs the serpent in and out,

Some moving slow, some standing³² still—

More cutting capers with a will.

At length, by joining hand in hand,

The set included all the band.

A happier crowd was never seen

On ball-room floor or village green.

By turns they danced, by turns would go

And try their skill at string and bow—

 

They almost sawed the fiddle through,

So fast the bow across it flew.

And louder still the harp would ring,

As nimbler fingers plucked the string.

Alike they seemed a skillful band

 

Upon the floor or music-stand.

The night wore on, from hour to hour,

And still they danced with vim³³ and power;

For supple-kneed and light of toe

The Brownies are, as well you know,

And such a thing as tiring out

Gives them but small concern, no doubt.

As long as darkness hung her pall³⁴

In heavy folds around the hall,

The Brownies stayed to dance and play,

Until the very break of day.
 

 TO dance the figures o'er and o'er,

They lingered on the polished floor;

No sooner was one party done

Than others the position won.

They chose their partners for the set,

And bowed, and scraped, and smiling, met.

 

As night advanced, and morning gray

Nigh and still nigher cast its ray,

The lively Brownies faster flew,

Across and back, around and through;

Now down the center, up the side,

Then back to place with graceful glide—

 

Until it seemed that even day

Would hardly drive the band away.

At length some, more upon their guard

Against surprises, labored³⁵ hard

 

To urge their comrades from the place

Before the sun would show his face.

They pulled and hauled with all their might

At those half crazy with delight,

Who still would struggle for a chance

To have, at least, another dance—

Some figure that was quite forgot,

 

Although "the finest of the lot."

Another wished to linger still—

In spite of warning words—until

Each member present on the floor

Had been his partner twice or more.

Meantime, outside, the tell-tale dyes

Of morn began to paint the skies,

And, one by one, the stars of night

Grew pale before the morning's light.

Alone, bright Venus, in the west,

Upheld her torch and warned the rest;

While from the hedge the piping note

Of waking birds began to float;

 

And crows upon the wooded hills

Commenced to stir and whet³⁶ their bills,

When Brownies scampered³⁷ from the place,

And undertook the homeward race.

 

Nor made a halt in street or square,

Or verdant³⁸ park, however fair;

 

But farther from the sight of man

And light of day, they quickly ran.

They traveled at their highest speed,

And swiftly must they go, indeed;

For, like the spokes³⁹ of some great wheel,

The rays of light began to steal

Still higher up the eastern sky,

And showed the sun was rolling nigh.

1 owls   

n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• 'Clumsy fellows,'said I; 'they must still be drunk as owls.' “这些笨蛋，”我说，“他们大概还醉得像死猪一样。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛
• The great majority of barn owls are reared in captivity. 大多数仓鸮都是笼养的。 来自辞典例句

2 hoot   

n.鸟叫声，汽车的喇叭声； v.使汽车鸣喇叭

参考例句：

• The sudden hoot of a whistle broke into my thoughts.突然响起的汽笛声打断了我的思路。
• In a string of shrill hoot of the horn sound,he quickly ran to her.在一串尖声鸣叫的喇叭声中，他快速地跑向她。

3 harp   

n.竖琴；天琴座

参考例句：

• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。
• He played an Irish melody on the harp.他用竖琴演奏了一首爱尔兰曲调。

4 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：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

5 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

6 fiddle   

n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动

参考例句：

• She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。
• Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。

7 squeal   

v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音

参考例句：

• The children gave a squeal of fright.孩子们发出惊吓的尖叫声。
• There was a squeal of brakes as the car suddenly stopped.小汽车突然停下来时，车闸发出尖叫声。

8 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

9 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

10 throng   

n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集

参考例句：

• A patient throng was waiting in silence.一大群耐心的人在静静地等着。
• The crowds thronged into the mall.人群涌进大厅。

11 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

12 trudge   

v.步履艰难地走；n.跋涉，费力艰难的步行

参考例句：

• It was a hard trudge up the hill.这趟上山是一次艰难的跋涉。
• The trudge through the forest will be tiresome.长途跋涉穿越森林会令人疲惫不堪。

13 parlor   

n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅

参考例句：

• She was lying on a small settee in the parlor.她躺在客厅的一张小长椅上。
• Is there a pizza parlor in the neighborhood?附近有没有比萨店？

14 mingle   

vt.使混合，使相混；vi.混合起来；相交往

参考例句：

• If we mingle with the crowd,we should not be noticed.如果我们混在人群中，就不会被注意到。
• Oil will not mingle with water.油和水不相融。

15 sprightly   

adj.愉快的，活泼的

参考例句：

• She is as sprightly as a woman half her age.她跟比她年轻一半的妇女一样活泼。
• He's surprisingly sprightly for an old man.他这把年纪了，还这么精神，真了不起。

16 hoists   

把…吊起，升起( hoist的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Mine hoists are usually operated by the counterbalance of an ascending and a descending car. 矿井升降机通常用一个升车一个落车互相平衡的方法进行操作。
• Sam understands tacitly. He hoists his cup saying. 山姆心领神会，举起酒杯。

17 spire   

n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点

参考例句：

• The church spire was struck by lightning.教堂的尖顶遭到了雷击。
• They could just make out the spire of the church in the distance.他们只能辨认出远处教堂的尖塔。

18 tiresome   

adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的

参考例句：

• His doubts and hesitations were tiresome.他的疑惑和犹豫令人厌烦。
• He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors.他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。

19 scroll   

n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡

参考例句：

• As I opened the scroll,a panorama of the Yellow River unfolded.我打开卷轴时，黄河的景象展现在眼前。
• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements.他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。

20 carving   

n.雕刻品，雕花

参考例句：

• All the furniture in the room had much carving.房间里所有的家具上都有许多雕刻。
• He acquired the craft of wood carving in his native town.他在老家学会了木雕手艺。

21 blithely   

adv.欢乐地，快活地，无挂虑地

参考例句：

• They blithely carried on chatting, ignoring the customers who were waiting to be served. 他们继续开心地聊天，将等着购物的顾客们置于一边。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He blithely ignored her protests and went on talking as if all were agreed between them. 对她的抗议他毫不在意地拋诸脑后，只管继续往下说，仿彿他们之间什么都谈妥了似的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

23 bide   

v.忍耐；等候；住

参考例句：

• We'll have to bide our time until the rain stops.我们必须等到雨停。
• Bide here for a while. 请在这儿等一会儿。

24 spacious   

adj.广阔的，宽敞的

参考例句：

• Our yard is spacious enough for a swimming pool.我们的院子很宽敞，足够建一座游泳池。
• The room is bright and spacious.这房间很豁亮。

25 capers   

n.开玩笑( caper的名词复数 )；刺山柑v.跳跃，雀跃( caper的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• I like to fly about and cut capers. 我喜欢跳跳蹦蹦闹着玩儿。 来自辞典例句
• He always leads in pranks and capers. 他老是带头胡闹和开玩笑。 来自辞典例句

26 strings   

n.弦

参考例句：

• He sat on the bed,idly plucking the strings of his guitar.他坐在床上，随意地拨着吉他的弦。
• She swept her fingers over the strings of the harp.她用手指划过竖琴的琴弦。

27 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

28 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

29 rife   

adj.(指坏事情)充斥的，流行的，普遍的

参考例句：

• Disease is rife in the area.疾病在这一区很流行。
• Corruption was rife before the election.选举之前腐败盛行。

30 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

31 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

32 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

33 vim   

n.精力，活力

参考例句：

• He set to his task with renewed vim and vigour.他再度抖擞精神，手完成自己的工作。
• This young fellow does his work with vim and vigour.这小伙子干活真冲。

34 pall   

v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕

参考例句：

• Already the allure of meals in restaurants had begun to pall.饭店里的饭菜已经不像以前那样诱人。
• I find his books begin to pall on me after a while.我发觉他的书读过一阵子就开始对我失去吸引力。

35 labored   

adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• I was close enough to the elk to hear its labored breathing. 我离那头麋鹿非常近，能听见它吃力的呼吸声。 来自辞典例句
• They have labored to complete the job. 他们努力完成这一工作。 来自辞典例句

36 whet   

v.磨快，刺激

参考例句：

• I've read only the fIrst few pages of her book,but It was enough to whet my appetIte.她的书我只看了开头几页，但已经引起我极大的兴趣。
• A really good catalogue can also whet customers' appetites for merchandise.一份真正好的商品目录也可以激起顾客购买的欲望。

37 scampered   

v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The cat scampered away. 猫刺棱一下跑了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The rabbIt'scampered off. 兔子迅速跑掉了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

38 verdant   

adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的

参考例句：

• Children are playing on the verdant lawn.孩子们在绿茵茵的草坪上嬉戏玩耍。
• The verdant mountain forest turns red gradually in the autumn wind.苍翠的山林在秋风中渐渐变红了。

39 spokes   

n.（车轮的）辐条( spoke的名词复数 )；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动

参考例句：

• Her baby caught his fingers in the spokes of the pram wheel. 她宝宝的手指被婴儿车轮的辐条卡住了。 来自辞典例句
• The new edges are called the spokes of the wheel. 新的边称为轮的辐。 来自辞典例句