Far up in a distant peak of the barn, in a certain dim corner where a great rafter lapped, forming a secluded9 sort of shelf, there hung, stretched across the corner, an unusually large cobweb curtain. The old grey spider who had spun10 the web had abandoned it when cold weather came, and crawled down into the warm hay. Gradually thick dust collected upon the web curtain, and well it did, because behind it, upon the wide, dusty beam it covered, lay two torpid12 things, resembling nothing so much as two round balls of brown fur.
The strident chatter5 of the swallows had penetrated13 the small round ears of the two fur balls, perhaps, or it might have been the light from a stray yellow sunbeam, which at a certain hour of each day had a way of filtering through a crack and warming their retreat. At any rate, one of the torpid things began slowly to undo15 itself; a small, mouse-like head appeared, having round, delicate ears of membrane16, which seemed rather too large for its head. Its eyes, when it opened them, were exactly like two jet-black beads17, and its rather wide, pink mouth was liberally armed with tiny, saw-like teeth, which the fur ball showed as it yawned sleepily, stretching itself and spreading out its wings, to which were attached by a thin membrane its forearms and legs. Then, fully19 awake, it plunged20 straight through the cobweb curtain, tearing it apart from end to end, and sending back a sharp, encouraging squeak21 to the smaller fur ball to follow.
Of course the two ridiculous fur balls were just the bat family. The smaller, more timorous22 bat, soon followed her mate from behind the web curtain and joined him upon the broad beam. But so clumsy and half awake was she that the very first thing she did was to make a misstep and go pitching off the high beam into space. She landed upon the hay, fortunately, and then began the funniest sight. Did you ever chance to see a bat when it attempted to walk? They seldom use their feet, and when they do it is a droll23 sight.
As soon as Mrs. Bat recovered from her dizzy fall, she put forth24 one wing and a hind11 leg and began to walk toward a beam, for strangely enough she could not fly from so low an elevation25, but must climb some distance in order to launch herself properly into the air. Hitching26 and tumbling along she finally reached a beam, and clutching it she began to climb it head downward, exactly as a woodpecker does. Then, having reached the desired height, she whirled away, and landed finally beside her mate.
The barn was a very silent place. The rasping of its rusty27 latch28 always gave ample time for all its little wild tenants29 to get under cover, so usually all you heard when you entered would be the hidden, lonely trill of a cricket or a faint, stealthy rustle31 in the hay.
Upon a broad beam far up over the loft32 where the oat straw was stored, lived rather an exclusive family, that of the barn owl14. You would never have dreamed they were there, so well did the brown feathers of the owls33 blend with the dimness of the shadows. Under the grain bins34, far down below, lived a large colony of fat rats, while in among the dried clover raced and romped35 shoals of field-mice who wintered there. But there was another, a new tenant30, feared and shunned36 by all the others. He came from no one knew where exactly; still the farmer's boy might have explained, for he had lost a pet ferret.
The ferret was an ugly creature to look upon, its body long and snaky, and covered with yellowish-white, rather dirty-looking fur; its movements were sly and furtive37, and somehow always struck terror to every tenant of the barn whenever they saw him steal forth. All winter the ferret had been there, and the hay was literally38 honeycombed with its secret tunnels, and woe39 to anything which happened to cross its evil trail.
Each evening soon after twilight40 the swallows would return to the barn from their raids, and when the shadows grew quite dusky far down beneath them, then the bats and the barn owl family would launch themselves out into the night.
"Squeak, squeak," ordered the big male bat; then like two shadows they would flit silently off upon their velvety42 wings. All during the early part of the night they chased gnats43 and moths44, because they invariably got their best pickings before midnight. Before the dim shadows began to lift, the bats and owls had returned usually, but the bat family did not retire again behind their cobweb curtain; instead they hung themselves by their wing-claws head downward from the beam, folding their wings closely over their beady eyes, and thus they would sleep all day.
Warmer days came, and livelier times were stirring among the tenants of the barn. Far up on her own beam Mrs. Barn Owl tended and fed two young downy owlets faithfully. Of course the owl mother knew the beam to be quite a safe spot for baby owls, but somehow she distrusted the skulking45 old ferret, whom she occasionally caught sight of; besides, rats sometimes climb beams, and once, before the owl eggs had hatched, something had stolen one egg; so that is really why there were but two owlets instead of three.
The swallows were the busiest tenants, for each nest now held a circle of gaping46, hungry mouths to feed. All day long, and far into twilight, the swallows were whirring incessantly47, in and out. But up in the secret corner, partially48 hidden by the torn cobweb curtain, clung Mrs. Bat herself, and if you could only have peeped beneath one of her wings you might have seen the dearest little mite49 of a bat, with eyes of jet, clinging close to its mother's breast as she folded it tenderly beneath her wing. There the helpless little creature stayed, close to its mother, until it became older and stronger, for among all the tiny, fur-bearing animals there is no little mother more considerate of her young than the bat. And rather than leave the furry50 thing all alone upon the great beam when she had to go off for food, as she could not carry it beneath her wing in flight, she would make a kind of little basket cradle by spreading out her wing, and thus the baby bat would ride with its mother, clinging close to her back with its wing hooks and tiny teeth, and he never fell from the wing basket nor was he afraid.
When the young owlets were out of the pin-feather stage they began to go out with the old ones. But once when they were left behind, sitting huddled51 together upon their beam, when the mother owl came back only one small, chuckle-faced owlet remained. Hunt as she might, the robber had left no clue behind. However, her suspicions centred upon the sly old ferret and she took to watching his movements more than ever. There she would sit, sullen52 and revengeful, far up among the shadows and beams, with her one owlet. She frequently saw the sinuous53, snake like body of the ferret creep forth, and even caught the sound of his peculiarly hateful hiss54 when he encountered anything in his path. Once, in a great fury she swooped55 clear down to the barn floor after her enemy, but she got there a second too late. The sly creature had heard the swish of the owl's wings when she left the beam, and caught a fleeting56 glimpse of her blazing yellow eyes, so he hastily slid into the nearest runway, and the owl flew back to her beam defeated; but she never forgot, she simply waited.
More and more bold became the raids of the hateful old ferret. He robbed the swallows' nests; frequently you might see his dirty-white, sinuous body stealing across some high beam, creeping, creeping warily57, arching his back, holding his snaky head high, one foot gathered up, looking for an unguarded nest; then if he found one, he would arch his snaky neck over the edge of the nest and suck every egg.
Velvet41 Wings, the young bat, grew very fast. He foraged58 for himself now, for his wings were as broad and fleet as his mother's. Sometimes, however, he made a clumsy start and so got many a fall. So one night as he started forth he fell fluttering and squeaking59 and protesting, until with a soft thud he landed far below upon the barn floor. Completely stunned60 Velvet Wings lay there, his wings outspread and helpless, his little heart beating so hard it shook his whole body. Of course he saw nothing, so did not notice the peaked snout of the sly old ferret as he peered inquisitively61 forth from his lair62 in the hay to see what the soft thud might be. The next instant the ferret had Velvet Wings in his cruel mouth, but instead of devouring63 him at once he began to have some fun with the poor bat, tossing it in the air, then pouncing64 upon it as it fell, mauling it as a cat does a mouse, pinning its wings down with both fore18 feet. A second more and Velvet Wings would have been lost, but that second was not allowed the ferret; for far up among the brown rafters a pair of great, blazing yellow eyes had been watching, and like a rocket from above fell the old mother owl, clear to the barn floor. "Swish, swish," went her great wings, as she buried her talons65 in the back of the dirty-white fur coat. With a twist of his snaky, supple66 body, the ferret managed to free himself a second from that awful clutch, and, arching its back, it began to slip away. But the owl was too quick; landing upon the ferret's back, she took another, firmer hold and bore him, struggling and snarling67, aloft.
Down through the centre of the old barn a broad sunbeam entered. It left a long bar of light through the dimness of the dusky place. The barn was strangely silent, hushed, but many bright eyes had witnessed the tragedy and were watching to see the end, but all that they finally saw was just a few wisps of white fur, which came floating lazily down through the bar of light. It appeared not unlike floating thistle-down, but it had come from the owl's nest, and was the last they ever saw of their enemy, the sly old ferret.
Up there in the dim shadows of the old red barn you'll find them all, and should the yellow beam of sunlight happen to dance across their dark hiding-place, you may plainly see the bat family. There they all hang through the day, looking for all the world like a row of small velvet bags, their bright eyes shrouded68 by their soft wings as they sleep, head downward; while off in quite another corner, perched upon her own dusty beam drowses the brave barn owl and her one chuckle-headed owlet.
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1
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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3
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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4
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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5
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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6
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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7
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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8
torpor
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| n.迟钝；麻木；（动物的）冬眠 | |
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9
secluded
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| adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词) | |
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10
spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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11
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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12
torpid
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| adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的 | |
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13
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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14
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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15
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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membrane
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| n.薄膜，膜皮，羊皮纸 | |
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17
beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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18
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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19
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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20
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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21
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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22
timorous
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| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
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23
droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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24
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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25
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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26
hitching
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| 搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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27
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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28
latch
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| n.门闩，窗闩；弹簧锁 | |
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29
tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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30
tenant
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| n.承租人；房客；佃户；v.租借，租用 | |
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31
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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32
loft
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| n.阁楼，顶楼 | |
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33
owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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34
bins
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| n.大储藏箱( bin的名词复数 )；宽口箱（如面包箱，垃圾箱等）v.扔掉，丢弃( bin的第三人称单数 ) | |
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35
romped
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| v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜 | |
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36
shunned
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| v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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38
literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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39
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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40
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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41
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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42
velvety
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| adj. 像天鹅绒的, 轻软光滑的, 柔软的 | |
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43
gnats
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| n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 ) | |
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44
moths
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| n.蛾( moth的名词复数 ) | |
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45
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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46
gaping
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| adj.口的；张口的；敞口的；多洞穴的v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的现在分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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47
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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48
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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49
mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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50
furry
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| adj.毛皮的；似毛皮的；毛皮制的 | |
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51
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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52
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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53
sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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54
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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55
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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57
warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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58
foraged
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| v.搜寻（食物），尤指动物觅（食）( forage的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指用手）搜寻（东西） | |
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59
squeaking
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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60
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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61
inquisitively
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| 过分好奇地； 好问地 | |
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62
lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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63
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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64
pouncing
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| v.突然袭击( pounce的现在分词 )；猛扑；一眼看出；抓住机会（进行抨击） | |
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65
talons
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| n.（尤指猛禽的）爪( talon的名词复数 )；（如爪般的）手指；爪状物；锁簧尖状突出部 | |
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66
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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67
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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68
shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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