TOM WILDCAT MOVES HASTILY

Kit¹ Wildcat had just swept the upper part of her house and was coming down stairs, when she heard Tom Wildcat tearing through the brush and yelling² like a madman.

Kit Wildcat ran out into the yard and shouted, “Sakes alive, Tom Wildcat, have you gone plumb³ crazy, or what in the world is the matter with you?”

But Tom Wildcat didn’t stop; he came right on and yelled⁴ as loud as he could. “Crazy nothing! I’m not crazy, but I’d rather be crazy than get cat cholera⁵! Come right this minute, Kit Wildcat, this very minute! I’m going clear away from this place, and never come within ten miles of it again! Hurry, Kit! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!”

[Pg 93]“Who’s got it?” shrieked⁶ Kit Wildcat, now very badly scared.

“Everybody!” shouted Tom wildly. “Cheepy Chipmunk⁷, and Stubby Woodchuck, and Doctor Rabbit himself has it, and is dying⁸ with it this very minute!” Then Tom Wildcat said, “I had gone clear into those woods before I discovered the trouble. On every door there’s a cat cholera sign, asking anyone who passes to come in and help; but I can tell you, Kit Wildcat, I didn’t go in and help. Why, I saw Cheepy Chipmunk come out and fall down and die, and then I saw his wife come out and die; and I know everyone in the Big Green Woods must be dead by this time, because you know what cat cholera is. Come on,” Tom Wildcat ended suddenly, “I’m going!” and away he started, without even waiting for Kit Wildcat.

[Pg 94]“Wait until I get my coat!” Kit shouted.

“I won’t wait for anything!” old Tom called back, and away he ran. Well, Kit Wildcat was so scared she did not try to get her coat, but just started off right after Tom.

When Tom Wildcat started out of the Big Green Woods yelling so loudly, all the little creatures hurried out to watch him. After a while they could not see old Tom any more, although they could hear him and Kit Wildcat yelling and running away up the river. But busy Blue Jay flew over the trees and watched. And after a long time he came back and said Tom and Kit Wildcat were still running up the river, and that he had heard them both say they knew of a woods about twenty-five miles away, and that they would go there and live.
All the little creatures hurried out to watch him

All the little creatures hurried out to watch him

[Pg 95]When Blue Jay delivered his message, all the little creatures were gathered together at Doctor Rabbit’s house. How Doctor Rabbit did laugh! “I just knew I could fool old Tom Wildcat; and if I fooled Tom Wildcat, I knew we’d get rid of Kit Wildcat, too. Ha! ha! ha!” Then Doctor Rabbit said, “Do come in now, my friends. I have a splendid⁹ meal all ready for you.”

So the little creatures went in and ate about all they could hold. It certainly was fine to know that they could eat in so much comfort, and that Tom Wildcat had been driven out of the Big Green Woods forever.

1 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

2 yelling   

v.叫喊，号叫，叫着说( yell的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The coach stood on the sidelines yelling instructions to the players. 教练站在场外，大声指挥运动员。
• He let off steam by yelling at a clerk. 他对一个职员大喊大叫，借以发泄怒气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 plumb   

adv.精确地，完全地；v.了解意义，测水深

参考例句：

• No one could plumb the mystery.没人能看破这秘密。
• It was unprofitable to plumb that sort of thing.这种事弄个水落石出没有什么好处。

4 yelled   

v.叫喊，号叫，叫着说( yell的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He yelled at the other driver. 他冲着另一位司机大叫。
• The lost man yelled, hoping someone in the woods would hear him. 迷路的人大声喊着，希望林子里的人会听见。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

6 shrieked   

v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
• Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫，陆子潇尖声叫：“告诉什么？ 来自汉英文学 - 围城

7 chipmunk   

n.花栗鼠

参考例句：

• This little chipmunk is hungry.这只小花栗鼠肚子饿了。
• Once I brought her a chipmunk with a wound on its stomach.一次，我带了只腹部受伤的花栗鼠去找她。

8 dying   

adj.垂死的，临终的

参考例句：

• He was put in charge of the group by the dying leader.他被临终的领导人任命为集团负责人。
• She was shown into a small room,where there was a dying man.她被领进了一间小屋子，那里有一个垂死的人。

9 splendid   

adj.光亮的，了不起的，灿烂的，壮丽的，显著的，杰出的

参考例句：

• He got a splendid present for her.他送她一件极好的礼物。
• The play was just splendid.这出戏真是太好了。