"About his playing the fiddle5 and getting lost in the woods!" exclaimed the child. "Oh, no, I have n't forgotten him, Uncle Remus. I remember just how he tuned6 his fiddle in Brother Wolf's house."
"Dat's me!" said Uncle Remus with enthusiasm; "dat's me up en down. Mr. Ram des ez fresh in my min' now ez he wuz de day I year de tale. Dat ole creetur wuz a sight, mon. He mos' sho'ly wuz. He wrinkly ole hawn en de shaggy ha'r on he neck make 'im look mighty7 servigous,[65] en w'ence he shake he head en snort, hit seem lak he gwine ter fair paw de yeth fum und' 'im.
"Ole Brer Fox bin3 pickin' up ole Mr. Benjermun Ram chilluns w'en dey git too fur fum home, but look lak he ain't never bin git close ter de ole creetur.
"So one time w'en he 'uz comin' on down de road, talkin' 'long wid Brer Wolf, he up'n 'low, ole Brer Fox did, dat he mighty hongry in de neighborhoods er de stomach. Dis make Brer Wolf look lak he 'stonish'd, en he ax Brer Fox how de name er goodness come he hongry w'en ole Mr. Benjermun Ram layin' up dar in de house des a-rollin' in fat.
"Den9 Brer Fox tuck'n 'low, he did, dat he done bin in de habits er eatin' Mr. Benjermun Ram chillun, but he sorter fear'd er de [246]ole creetur 'kaze he look so bad on de 'count er he red eye en he wrinkly hawn.
"Brer Wolf des holler en laugh, en den he 'low:—
"'Lordy, Brer Fox! I dunner w'at kinder man is you, nohow! W'y, dat ar ole creetur ain't never hurted a flea10 in all he born days—dat he ain't,' sezee.
"Brer Fox, he look at Brer Wolf right hard, he did, en den he up'n 'low:—
"'Heyo, Brer Wolf! manys de time dat you bin hongry 'roun' in deze diggin's en I ain't year talk er you makin' a meal off'n Mr. Benjermun Ram,' sezee.
"Brer Fox talk so close ter de fatal trufe, dat Brer Wolf got tooken wid de dry grins, yit he up'n 'spon', sezee:—
"'I des lak ter know who in de name er goodness wanter eat tough creetur lak dat ole Mr. Benjermun Ram—dat w'at I lak ter know,' sezee.
"Brer Fox, he holler en laugh, he did, en den he up'n say:—
"'Ah-yi, Brer Wolf! You ax me w'at I goes hongry fer, w'en ole Mr. Benjermun Ram up dar in he house, yit you done bin hongry manys en manys de time, en still ole Mr. Benjermun Ram up dar in he house. Now, den, how you gwine do in a case lak dat?' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"'I done say all I got ter say, en w'at I say, dat I'll stick ter. Dat ole creetur lots too tough.'
"Hongry ez he is, Brer Fox laugh way down in he stomach. Atter w'ile he 'low:—
"'Well, den, Brer Wolf, stidder 'sputin' 'longer you, I'm gwine do w'at you say; I'm gwine ter go up dar en git a bait er ole Mr. Benjermun Ram, en I wish you be so good ez ter go 'long wid me fer comp'ny,' sezee.
"'Eh-eh, Brer Fox! I druther go by my own—'lone se'f,' sezee.
"'Well, den,' sez Brer Fox, sezee, 'you better make 'as'e,' sezee, ''kaze 't ain't gwine ter take me so mighty long fer ter go up dar en make hash out'n ole Mr. Benjermun Ram,' sezee.
"Brer Wolf know mighty well," said Uncle Remus, snapping his huge tongs13 in order to silence a persistent14 cricket in the chimney, "dat ef he dast ter back out fum a banter15 lak dat he never is ter year de las' un it fum Miss Meadows en Miss Motts en de gals17, en he march off todes Mr. Benjermun Ram house.
"Little puff18 er win' come en blow'd up some leafs, en Brer Wolf jump lak somebody shootin' at 'im, en he fly mighty mad w'en he year Brer Fox laugh. He men' he gait, he did, en 't wa'n't 'long 'fo' he 'uz knockin' at Mr. Benjermun Ram do'.
"He knock at de do', he did, en co'se he 'speck somebody fer ter come open de do'; but stidder dat, lo' en beholes yer come Mr. Benjermun Ram 'roun' de house. Dar he wuz—red eye, wrinkly hawn en shaggy head. Now, den, in case lak dat, w'at a slim-legged man lak Brer Wolf gwine do? Dey ain't no two ways, he gwine ter git 'way fum dar, en he went back ter whar Brer Fox is mo' samer dan ef de patter-rollers wuz atter 'im.
"Brer Fox, he laugh en he laugh, en ole Brer Wolf, he look mighty glum19. Brer Fox ax 'im is he done kilt en e't Mr. Benjermun Ram, en ef so be, is he lef' any fer him. Brer Wolf say he ain't feelin' well, en he don't lak mutton nohow. Brer Fox 'low:—
"'You may be puny20 in de min', Brer Wolf, but you ain't feelin' bad in de leg, 'kaze I done seed you wuk um.'
"Brer Wolf 'low he des a-runnin' fer ter see ef 't won't mak 'im feel better. Brer Fox, he say, sezee, dat w'en he feelin' puny, he ain't ax no mo' dan fer somebody fer ter git out de way en let 'im lay down.
"Dey went on in dis a-way, dey did, twel bimeby Brer Fox ax Brer Wolf ef he'll go wid 'im fer ter ketch Mr. Benjermun Ram. Brer Wolf, he 'low, he did:—
"'Eh-eh, Brer Fox! I fear'd you'll run en lef' me dar fer ter do all de fightin'.'
"Brer Fox, he 'low dat he'll fix dat, en he tuck'n got 'im a plough-line, en tied one een' ter Brer Wolf en t'er een' ter he own se'f. Wid dat dey put out fer Mr. Benjermun Ram house. Brer Wolf, he sorter hang back, but he 'shame' fer ter say he skeer'd, en dey went on en went on plum twel dey git right spang up ter Mr. Benjermun Ram house.
"W'en dey git dar, de ole creetur wuz settin' out in de front po'ch sorter sunnin' hisse'f. He see um comin', en w'en dey git up in hailin' distance, he sorter cle'r up he th'oat, he did, en holler out:—
"'I much 'blije to you, Brer Fox, fer ketchin' dat owdashus vilyun en fetchin' 'im back. My smoke-'ouse runnin' short, en I'll des chop 'im up en pickle21 'im. Fetch 'im in, Brer Fox! fetch 'im in!'
"Des 'bout4 dat time ole Miss Ram see dem creeturs a-comin', en gentermens! you mought er yeard er blate plum ter town. Mr. Benjermun Ram, he sorter skeer'd hisse'f, but he keep on talkin':—
"'Fetch 'im in, Brer Fox! fetch 'im in! Don't you year my ole 'oman cryin' fer 'im? She ain't had no wolf meat now in gwine on mighty nigh a mont'. Fetch 'im in, Brer Fox! fetch 'im in!'
"Fus' Brer Wolf try ter ontie hisse'f, den he tuck'n broke en run'd, en he drag ole Brer Fox atter 'im des lak he ain't weigh mo'n a poun', en I let you know hit 'uz many a long day 'fo' Brer Fox git well er de thumpin' he got."
"Uncle Remus," said the little boy after a while, "I thought wolves always caught sheep when they had the chance."
"Dey ketches lam's, honey, but bless yo' soul! dey ain't ketch deze yer ole-time Rams22 wid red eye en wrinkly hawn."
"Where was Brother Rabbit all this time?"
"Now, den, honey, don't less pester23 wid ole Brer Rabbit right [249]now. Des less gin 'im one night rest, mo' speshually w'en I year de seven stares say yo' bed-time done come. Des take yo' foot in yo' han' en put right out 'fo' Miss Sally come a-callin' you, 'kaze den she'll say I'm a-settin' yer a-noddin' en not takin' keer un you."
The child laughed and ran up the path to the big-house, stopping a moment on the way to mimic24 a bull-frog that was bellowing25 at a tremendous rate near the spring.
Not many nights after the story of how Mr. Benjamin Ram frightened Brother Wolf and Brother Fox, the little boy found himself in Uncle Remus's cabin. It had occurred to him that Mr. Ram should have played on his fiddle somewhere in the tale, and Uncle Remus was called on to explain. He looked at the little boy with an air of grieved astonishment26, and exclaimed:—
"Well, I be bless if I ever year der beat er dat. Yer you bin a-persooin' on atter deze yer creeturs en makin' der 'quaintunce, en yit look lak ef you 'uz ter meet um right up dar in der paff you'd fergit all 'bout who dey is."
"Oh, no, I would n't, Uncle Remus!" protested the child, glancing at the door and getting a little closer to the old man.
"Yasser! you'd des nat'ally whirl in en fergit 'bout who dey is. 'T ain't so mighty long sence I done tole you 'bout ole Mr. Benjermun Ram playin' he fiddle at Brer Wolf house, en yer you come en ax me how come he don't take en play it at 'im 'g'in. W'at kinder lookin' sight 'ud dat ole creetur a-bin ef he'd jump up en grab he fiddle en go ter playin' on it eve'y time he year a fuss down de big road?"
The little boy said nothing, but he thought the story would [250]have been a great deal nicer if Mr. Benjamin Ram could have played one of the old-time tunes27 on his fiddle, and while he was thinking about it, the door opened and Aunt Tempy made her appearance. Her good-humor was infectious.
"Name er goodness!" she exclaimed, "I lef' you all settin' yer way las' week; I goes off un I does my wuk, un I comes back, un I fines you settin' right whar I lef' you. Goodness knows, I dunner whar you gits yo' vittles. I dunner whar I ain't bin sence I lef' you all settin' yer. I let you know I bin a-usin' my feet un I been a-usin' my han's. Dat's me. No use ter ax how you all is, 'kaze you looks lots better'n me."
"Yas, Sis Tempy, we er settin' yer whar you lef' us, en der Lord, he bin a-pervidin'. W'en de vittles don't come in at de do' hit come down de chimbly, en so w'at de odds29? We er sorter po'ly, Sis Tempy, I'm 'blige ter you. You know w'at de jay-bird say ter der squinch owl30! 'I'm sickly but sassy.'"
Aunt Tempy laughed as she replied: "I 'speck you all bin a-havin' lots er fun. Goodness knows I wish many a time sence I bin gone dat I 'uz settin' down yer runnin' on wid you all. I ain't bin gone fur—dat's so, yit Mistiss put me ter cuttin'-out, un I tell you now dem w'at cuts out de duds fer all de niggers on dis place is got ter wuk fum soon in de mawnin' plum tel bed-time, dey ain't no two ways. 'T ain't no wuk youk'n kyar' 'bout wid you needer, 'kaze you got ter spread it right out on de flo' un git down on yo' knees. I mighty glad I done wid it, 'kaze my back feel like it done broke in a thous'n pieces. Honey, is Brer Remus bin a-tellin' you some mo' er dem ole-time tales?"
Aunt Tempy's question gave the little boy an excuse for giving her brief outlines of some of the stories. One that he seemed to remember particularly well was the story of how Brother Rabbit and Brother Fox killed a cow, and how Brother Rabbit got the most and the best of the beef.
"I done year talk uv a tale like dat," exclaimed Aunt Tempy, [251]laughing heartily31, "but 't ain't de same tale. I mos' 'shame' ter tell it."
"You gittin' too ole ter be blushin', Sis Tempy," said Uncle Remus with dignity.
"Well den," said Aunt Tempy, wiping her fat face with her apron32: "One time Brer Rabbit un Brer Wolf tuck'n gone off som'ers un kilt a cow, un w'en dey come fer ter 'vide out de kyarkiss, Brer Wolf 'low dat bein's he de biggest he oughter have de mos', un he light in, he did, un do like he gwine ter take it all. Brer Rabbit do like he don't keer much, but he keer so bad hit make 'im right sick. He tuck'n walk all 'roun' de kyarkiss, he did, un snuff de air, un terreckly he say:—
"'Brer Wolf!—O Brer Wolf!—is dis meat smell 'zuckly right ter you?'
"Brer Wolf, he cuttin' un he kyarvin' un he ain't sayin' nothin'. Brer Rabbit, he walk all 'roun' un 'roun' de kyarkiss. He feel it un he kick it. Terreckly he say:—
"'Brer Wolf!—O Brer Wolf!—Dis meat feel mighty flabby ter me; how it feel ter you?'
"Brer Wolf, he year all dat's said, but he keep on a-cuttin' un a kyarvin'. Brer Rabbit say:—
"'You kin8 talk er not talk, Brer Wolf, des ez youer min' ter, yit ef I ain't mistooken in de sign, you'll do some tall talkin' 'fo' youer done wid dis beef. Now you mark w'at I tell you!'
"Brer Rabbit put out fum dar, en 't wa'n't long 'fo' yer he come back wid a chunk33 er fier, un a dish er salt. W'en Brer Wolf see dis, he say:—
"'W'at you gwine do wid all dat, Brer Rabbit?'
"Brer Rabbit laugh like he know mo' dan he gwine tell, un he say:—
"'Bless yo' soul, Brer Wolf! I ain't gwine ter kyar er poun' er dis meat home tel I fin28' out w'at de matter wid it. No I ain't—so dar now!'
[252]"Den Brer Rabbit built 'im a fier un cut 'im off a slishe er steak un br'ilte it good un done, un den he e't little uv it. Fus' he'd tas'e un den he'd nibble34; den he'd nibble un den he'd tas'e. He keep on tel he e't right smart piece. Den he went'n sot off little ways like he waitin' fer sump'n'.
"Brer Wolf, he kyarve un he cut, but he keep one eye on Brer Rabbit. Brer Rabbit sot up dar same ez Judge on de bench. Brer Wolf, he watch his motions. Terreckly Brer Rabbit fling bofe han's up ter he head un fetch a groan35. Brer Wolf cut un kyarve un watch Brer Rabbit motions. Brer Rabbit sorter sway backerds un forrerds un fetch 'n'er groan. Den he sway fum side to side un holler 'O Lordy!' Brer Wolf, he sorter 'gun ter git skeer'd un he ax Brer Rabbit w'at de matter. Brer Rabbit, he roll on de groun' un holler:—
"'O Lordy, Lordy! I'm pizen'd, I'm pizen'd! O Lordy! I'm pizen'd! Run yer, somebody, run yer! De meat done got pizen on it. Oh, do run yer!'
"Brer Wolf git so skeer'd dat he put out fum dar, un he wa'n't out er sight skacely 'fo' Brer Rabbit jump up fum dar un cut de pidjin-wing, un 't wa'n't so mighty long atter dat 'fo' Brer Rabbit done put all er dat beef in his smoke-house."
"What became of Brother Wolf?" the little boy inquired.
"Brer Wolf went atter de doctor," continued Aunt Tempy, making little tucks in her apron, "un w'en he come back Brer Rabbit un de beef done gone; un, bless goodness, ef it had n't er bin fer de sign whar Brer Rabbit built de fier, Brer Wolf would er bin mightly pester'd fer ter fine der place whar de cow bin kilt."
At this juncture36, 'Tildy, the house-girl, came in to tell Aunt Tempy that one of the little negroes had been taken suddenly sick.
"I bin huntin' fer you over de whole blessid place," said 'Tildy.
"No, you ain't—no, you ain't. You ain't bin huntin' nowhar. You know'd mighty well whar I wuz."
[253]"Law, Mam' Tempy, I can't keep up wid you. How I know you down yer courtin' wid Unk Remus?"
"Yo' head mighty full er courtin', you nas' stinkin' huzzy!" exclaimed Aunt Tempy.
Uncle Remus, strange to say, was unmoved. He simply said:—
"W'en you see dat ar 'Tildy gal16 pirootin' 'roun' I boun' you ole Brer Affikin Jack37 ain't fur off. 'T won't be so mighty long 'fo' de ole creetur'll show up."
"How you know dat, Unk Remus?" exclaimed 'Tildy, showing her white teeth and stretching her eyes. "Hit's de Lord's trufe; Mass Jeems done writ38 a letter ter Miss Sally, en' he say in dat letter dat Daddy Jack ax 'im fer ter tell Miss Sally ter tell me dat he'll be up yer dis week. Dat ole Affikin ape got de impidence er de Ole Boy. He dunner who he foolin' 'longer!"
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1
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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ram
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| (random access memory)随机存取存储器 | |
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3
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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4
bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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5
fiddle
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| n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动 | |
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6
tuned
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| adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调 | |
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7
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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8
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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10
flea
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| n.跳蚤 | |
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11
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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12
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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13
tongs
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| n.钳；夹子 | |
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14
persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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15
banter
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| n.嘲弄，戏谑；v.取笑，逗弄，开玩笑 | |
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16
gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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gals
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| abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 ) | |
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18
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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19
glum
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| adj.闷闷不乐的，阴郁的 | |
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puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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pickle
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| n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡 | |
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rams
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| n.公羊( ram的名词复数 )；(R-)白羊（星）座；夯；攻城槌v.夯实（土等）( ram的第三人称单数 )；猛撞；猛压；反复灌输 | |
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23
pester
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| v.纠缠，强求 | |
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mimic
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| v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人 | |
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bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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26
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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27
tunes
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| n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调 | |
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fin
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| n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼 | |
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29
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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30
owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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31
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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32
apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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33
chunk
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| n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量） | |
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nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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35
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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juncture
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| n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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