THE BROWNIES AND THE LOCOMOTIVE.

 ONE

 

NIGHT the Brownies found their way

To where some tracks and switches lay,

And buildings stood, such as are found

 

In every town on railroad ground.

They moved about from place to place,

With prying¹ eyes and cautious pace

They peeped in shops and gained a view,

Where cars were standing² bright and new;

While others, that had service known,

And in some crash were overthrown³,

On jack-screws, blocks, and such affairs,

Were undergoing full repairs.

 

The table that turns end for end

Its heavy load, without a bend,

Was next inspected through and through

And tested by the wondering crew.

They scanned the signal-lights with care

That told the state of switches there,—

Showed whether tracks kept straight ahead,

Or simply to some siding led.

 

Then round a locomotive strong

 

They gathered in an earnest throng⁴,

Commenting on the style it showed,

Its strength and speed upon the road.

Said one: "That 'pilot' placed before

Will toss a cow a block or more;

You'd hardly find a bone intact

When such a thing her frame has racked—

 

Above the fence, and, if you please,

Above the smoke-stack and the trees

Will go the horns and heels in air,

When hoisted⁵ by that same affair."

"Sometimes it saves," another cried,

"And throws an object far aside

That would to powder have been ground,

If rushing wheels a chance had found.

I saw a goat tossed from the track

And landed on a farmer's stack,

And though surprised at fate so strange,

He seemed delighted at the change;

And lived content, on best of fare,

Until the farmer found him there."

 

Another said: "We'll have some fun

And down the road this engine run.

The steam is up, as gauges⁶ show;

She's puffing⁷, ready now to go;

 

The fireman and the engineer

 

Are at their supper, in the rear

Of yonder shed. I took a peep,

And found the watchman fast asleep.

So now's our time, if we but haste,

The joys of railway life to taste.

I know the engine-driver's art,

Just how to stop, reverse, and start;

I've watched them when they little knew

From every move I knowledge drew;

We'll not be seen till under way,

And then, my friends, here let me say,

The man or beast will something lack

Who strives to stop us on the track."

Then some upon the engine stepped,

And some upon the pilot crept,

And more upon the tender found

A place to sit and look around.

And soon away the engine rolled

At speed 'twas fearful to behold⁸;

It seemed they ran, where tracks were straight,

At least at mile-a-minute rate;

 

And even where the curves were short

The engine turned them with a snort

 

That made the Brownies' hearts the while

Rise in their throats, for half a mile.

But travelers many dangers run

On safest roads beneath the sun.

They ran through yards, where dogs came out

To choke with dust that whirled about,

 

And so could neither growl⁹ nor bark

Till they had vanished in the dark;

Some pigs that wandered late at night,

And neither turned to left nor right,

But on the crossing held debate

Who first should squeeze beneath the gate,

Were helped above the fence to rise

Ere they had time to squeal¹⁰ surprise,

And never after cared to stray

Along the track by night or day.

But when a town was just in sight,

And speed was at its greatest height,—

Alas¹¹! that such a thing should be,—

An open switch the Brownies see.

 

Then some thought best at once to go

Into the weeds and ditch below;

But many on the engine stayed

And held their grip, though much dismayed.

And waited for the shock to fall

That would decide the fate of all.

In vain reversing tricks were tried,

And brakes to every wheel applied¹²;

 

The locomotive forward flew,

In spite of all that skill could do.

But just as they approached the place

Where trouble met them face to face,

Through some arrangement, as it seemed,

Of which the Brownies never dreamed,

The automatic switch was closed,

A safety signal-light exposed,

And they were free to roll ahead,

And wait for those who'd leaped in dread¹³;

 

Although the end seemed near at hand

Of every Brownie in the band,

And darkest heads through horrid¹⁴ fright

Were in a moment changed to white,

The injuries indeed were small.

A few had suffered from their fall,

And some were sprained¹⁵ about the toes,

While more were scraped upon the nose;

But all were able to succeed

In climbing to a place with speed,

And there they stayed until once more

They passed the heavy round-house door.

Then jumping down on every side

The Brownies scampered¹⁶ off to hide;

And as they crossed the trestle high

The sun was creeping up the sky,

And urged them onward¹⁷ in their race

To find some safe abiding¹⁸ place.

 

 

1 prying   

adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开

参考例句：

• I'm sick of you prying into my personal life! 我讨厌你刺探我的私生活！
• She is always prying into other people's affairs. 她总是打听别人的私事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 overthrown   

adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词

参考例句：

• The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

4 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。

5 hoisted   

把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He hoisted himself onto a high stool. 他抬身坐上了一张高凳子。
• The sailors hoisted the cargo onto the deck. 水手们把货物吊到甲板上。

6 gauges   

n.规格( gauge的名词复数 )；厚度；宽度；标准尺寸v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的第三人称单数 )；估计；计量；划分

参考例句：

• A thermometer gauges the temperature. 温度计可测量温度。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fuel gauges dropped swiftly. 燃料表指针迅速下降。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 puffing   

v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧

参考例句：

• He was puffing hard when he jumped on to the bus. 他跳上公共汽车时喘息不已。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• My father sat puffing contentedly on his pipe. 父亲坐着心满意足地抽着烟斗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 behold   

v.看，注视，看到

参考例句：

• The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold.这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
• The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold.海滨日出真是个奇景。

9 growl   

v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣

参考例句：

• The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫，尾巴也跟着摇摆。
• The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。

10 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。

11 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。

12 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

13 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

14 horrid   

adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的

参考例句：

• I'm not going to the horrid dinner party.我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
• The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down.这种药很难吃，她咽不下去。

15 sprained   

v.&n. 扭伤

参考例句：

• I stumbled and sprained my ankle. 我摔了一跤，把脚脖子扭了。
• When Mary sprained her ankles, John carried her piggyback to the doctors. 玛丽扭伤了足踝，约翰驮她去看医生。

16 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》

17 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

18 abiding   

adj.永久的，持久的，不变的

参考例句：

• He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
• He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。