THE BROWNIES' CANDY-PULL.

 ONE evening, while the Brownies sat

Enjoying free and friendly chat,

Some on the trees, some on the ground,

And others perched on fences round—

One Brownie, rising in his place,

Addressed the band with beaming face.

The listeners gathered with delight

Around the member, bold and bright,

To hear him tell of scenes he'd spied

While roaming through the country wide.

 

"Last eve," said he, "to shun¹ the blast,

Behind a cottage fence I passed.

While there, I heard a merry rout²,

And as the yard was dark without,

I crawled along through weeds and grass,

Through melon-vines and broken glass,

Until I might, unnoticed, win

A glimpse of all the sport within.

At length, below the window-pane³,

To reach the sill I stretched in vain;

But, thanks to my inquiring mind

And sundry⁴ bricks, I chanced to find

 

The facts I can relate in full

About that lively candy-pull.

"An hour or more, I well believe,

I stood, their actions to perceive,

With elbows resting on the sill,

And nose against the window still.

I watched them closely at their fun,

And learned how everything was done.

The younger members took the lead,

And carried on the work with speed.

With nimble feet they ran about

From place to place, with laugh and shout;

But older heads looked on the while,

And cheered the youngsters with a smile,

And gave advice in manner kind

To guide the inexperienced mind.

They placed the sugar in a pot,

And stirred it round till boiling hot;

Then rolled and worked it in their hands,

And stretched it out in shining bands,

Until it reached across the floor,

From mantel-piece to kitchen door.

"These eyes of mine for many a night

Have not beheld⁵ a finer sight.

To pull the candy was the part

Of some who seemed to know the art.

The moon had slipped behind the hill,

And hoarse⁶ had grown the whip-poor-will;

 

But still, with nose against the pane,

I kept my place through wind and rain.

There, perched upon the shaky pile,

With bated breath I gazed the while.

I watched them with the sharpest sight

That I might tell the tale aright;

For all the active youngsters there

Appeared to have of work their share.

Some put fresh sugar in the pot,

Some kept the fire blazing hot,

And worked away as best they could

To keep the stove well filled with wood.

Indeed, ourselves, with all our skill,

At moving here and there at will,

Would have to 'lively' be and 'tear

Around' to beat those children there!

Some cut it up, more passed it round,

While others ate it by the pound!"

 

At this, a murmur⁷ of surprise

On every side began to rise;

Then smiles o'er every visage flitted,

As wide as cheeks and ears permitted,

That told what train of thought had sped

At once through every Brownie's head—

A thought of pleasure near at hand

That well would suit the cunning band.

 

THE Brownies act without delay

When new ideas cross their way,

And soon one raised a finger small

And close attention gained from all.

They crowded near with anxious glance

To learn what scheme he could advance—

What methods mention or employ

To bring about the promised joy.

 

Said he: "A vacant house is near.

The owner leaves it every year

For several months, and pleasure seeks

On ocean waves or mountain peaks.

The range is there against the wall,

The pots, the pans, the spoons, and all,

While cans of syrup⁸ may be found

In every grocer's store around.

The Brownie must be dull and tame,

And scarce deserves to bear the name,

Who will not join with heart and hand

To carry out a scheme so grand."

 

Another cried: "When to his bed

The sun to-morrow stoops his head,

Again we'll muster⁹ in full force

And to that building turn our course."

Next eve they gained the street at last

That through the silent city passed;

And soon they paused, their eyes they raised

And on the vacant mansion¹⁰ gazed.

 

In vain the miser¹¹ hides his store,

In vain the merchant bars his door,

In vain the locksmith changes keys—

The Brownies enter where they please.

Through iron doors, through gates of brass¹²,

And walls of stone they safely pass,

And smile to think how soon they can

Upset the studied schemes of man.

Within that house, without delay,

Behind the guide they worked their way,

More happy far and full of glee

Than was the owner, out at sea.

The whale, the shark, or fish that flies

Had less attraction for his eyes

Than had the shining candy-balls

For Brownies, swarming¹³ through his halls.

Soon coal was from the cellar brought

And kindling¹⁴ wood came, quick as thought;

Then pots and pans came rattling¹⁵ in

And syrup sweet, in cans of tin.

Just where the syrup had been found

It matters not. It was around.

The cunning band was soon possessed¹⁶

Of full supplies and of the best;

Next tablespoons of silver fine

In every hand appeared to shine,

And ladles long, of costly¹⁷ ware¹⁸,

That had been laid away with care.

No sooner was the syrup hot

Than some around the kettle got,

 

And dabbed¹⁹ away in eager haste

To be the first to get a taste.

Then some were scalded when the spoon

Let fall its contents all too soon,

 

And gave the tongue too warm a mess

To carry without some distress²⁰.

Then steps were into service brought

That dancing-masters never taught,

And smothered²¹ cries and swinging hand

Would wake the wonder of the band.

And when the candy boiled until

It could be pulled and hauled at will,

Take every shape or twist, and seem

As free as fancy in a dream,

The busy, happy-hearted crew

 

Enjoyed the moments as they flew.

The Brownies in the building stayed

And candy ate as fast as made.

But when at length the brightening sky

Gave warning they must homeward fly,

They quickly sought the open air

And had but little time to spare.

The shortest way, as often found,

Was o'er the roughest piece of ground,

Where rocks as large as houses lay

All scattered²² round in wild array.

Some covered o'er with clinging vines,

Some bearing up gigantic pines,

Or spreading oaks, that rooted fast,

For centuries had stood the blast.

 But over all the rugged²³ ground

The Brownies passed with lightsome bound,

Now jumping clear from block to block,

Now sliding down the shelving rock,

Or cheering on the lagging kind

Who here and there would fall behind.

 

 

1 shun   

vt.避开，回避，避免

参考例句：

• Materialists face truth,whereas idealists shun it.唯物主义者面向真理，唯心主义者则逃避真理。
• This extremist organization has shunned conventional politics.这个极端主义组织有意避开了传统政治。

2 rout   

n.溃退，溃败；v.击溃，打垮

参考例句：

• The enemy was put to rout all along the line.敌人已全线崩溃。
• The people's army put all to rout wherever they went.人民军队所向披靡。

3 pane   

n.窗格玻璃，长方块

参考例句：

• He broke this pane of glass.他打破了这块窗玻璃。
• Their breath bloomed the frosty pane.他们呼出的水气，在冰冷的窗玻璃上形成一层雾。

4 sundry   

adj.各式各样的，种种的

参考例句：

• This cream can be used to treat sundry minor injuries.这种药膏可用来治各种轻伤。
• We can see the rich man on sundry occasions.我们能在各种场合见到那个富豪。

5 beheld   

v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟

参考例句：

• His eyes had never beheld such opulence. 他从未见过这样的财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The soul beheld its features in the mirror of the passing moment. 灵魂在逝去的瞬间的镜子中看到了自己的模样。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

6 hoarse   

adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的

参考例句：

• He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
• He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动，嗓子都喊哑了。

7 murmur   

n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言

参考例句：

• They paid the extra taxes without a murmur.他们毫无怨言地交了附加税。
• There was a low murmur of conversation in the hall.大厅里有窃窃私语声。

8 syrup   

n.糖浆，糖水

参考例句：

• I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
• Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

9 muster   

v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册

参考例句：

• Go and muster all the men you can find.去集合所有你能找到的人。
• I had to muster my courage up to ask him that question.我必须鼓起勇气向他问那个问题。

10 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

11 miser   

n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)

参考例句：

• The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。

12 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

13 swarming   

密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去

参考例句：

• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。
• The beach is swarming with bathers. 海滩满是海水浴的人。

14 kindling   

n. 点火, 可燃物 动词kindle的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• There were neat piles of kindling wood against the wall. 墙边整齐地放着几堆引火柴。
• "Coal and kindling all in the shed in the backyard." “煤，劈柴，都在后院小屋里。” 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

15 rattling   

adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词

参考例句：

• This book is a rattling good read. 这是一本非常好的读物。
• At that same instant,a deafening explosion set the windows rattling. 正在这时，一声震耳欲聋的爆炸突然袭来，把窗玻璃震得当当地响。

16 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

17 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

18 ware   

n.(常用复数)商品，货物

参考例句：

• The shop sells a great variety of porcelain ware.这家店铺出售品种繁多的瓷器。
• Good ware will never want a chapman.好货不须叫卖。

19 dabbed   

（用某物）轻触( dab的过去式和过去分词 )； 轻而快地擦掉（或抹掉）； 快速擦拭； （用某物）轻而快地涂上（或点上）…

参考例句：

• She dabbed her eyes and blew her nose. 她轻轻擦了几下眼睛，擤了擤鼻涕。
• He dabbed at the spot on his tie with a napkin. 他用餐巾快速擦去领带上的污点。

20 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。

21 smothered   

（使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制

参考例句：

• He smothered the baby with a pillow. 他用枕头把婴儿闷死了。
• The fire is smothered by ashes. 火被灰闷熄了。

22 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。

23 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。