CHAPTER XXIV: A Merry Home-Going

  “The Laughing Brook¹ is merry

  And so am I,” cried Jerry.

  Grandfather Frog said he was too.

  And Spotty was, the others knew.

 

The trees stood with wet feet where just a little while before had been the strange pond in the Green Forest, the pond made by the dam of Paddy the Beaver². In the dam was a great hole made by Paddy himself.

 

Through the Green Forest rang the laughter³ of the Laughing Brook, for once more the water ran deep between its banks. And in the hearts of Grandfather Frog and Jerry Muskrat⁴ and Spotty the Turtle was laughter also, for now the Smiling Pool would smile once more, and they could go home in peace and happiness. And there was one more who laughed. Who was it? Why, Paddy the Beaver to be sure, and his was the best laugh of all, for it was because he had brought happiness to others.

 

“You beat me up here to the dam, but you won't beat me back to the Smiling Pool,” cried Jerry Muskrat to Spotty the Turtle.

 

Spotty laughed good-naturedly. “You'd better not stop to eat or play or sleep on the way then,” said he, “for I shall keep right on going all the time. I've found that is the only way to get anywhere.”

 

“Let us all go down together” said Grandfather Frog. “We can help each other over the bad places.”

 

Jerry Muskrat laughed until he had to hold his sides at the very thought of Grandfather Frog or Spotty the Turtle being able to help him, but he is very good-natured, and so he agreed that they should all go down together. Paddy the Beaver said that he would go, too, so off the four started, Jerry Muskrat and Paddy the Beaver swimming side by side, and behind them Grandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle.

 

Now Spotty the Turtle is a very slow traveler on land, but in the water Spotty is not so slow. In fact, it was not long before Grandfather Frog found that he was the one who could not keep up. You see, while he is a great diver⁵ and can swim fast for a short distance, he is soon tired out. Pretty soon he was puffing⁶ and blowing and dropping farther⁷ and farther behind. By and by, Spotty the Turtle looked back. There was Grandfather Frog just tumbling⁸ head first over a little waterfall. He came up choking⁹ and gasping¹⁰ and kicking his long legs very feebly¹¹. Spotty climbed out on a rock and waited. He helped Grandfather Frog out beside him, and when Grandfather Frog had once more gotten his breath¹², what do you think Spotty did? Why, he took Grandfather Frog right on his back and started on again.

 

Now Jerry Muskrat and Paddy the Beaver, being great swimmers, were soon out of sight. All at once Jerry remembered that they had agreed to go back together, and down in his heart he felt a little bit mean when he looked for Grandfather Frog and Spotty the Turtle and could see nothing of them. So he and Paddy sat down to wait. After what seemed a long time, they saw something queer¹³ bobbing along in the water.

 

“It's Grandfather Frog,” cried Paddy the Beaver.

 

“No, it's Spotty the Turtle,” said Jerry Muskrat.

 

“It's both,” replied Paddy, beginning to laugh.

 

Just then Spotty tumbled¹⁴ over another waterfall which he hadn't seen, and of course Grandfather Frog went with him and lost his hold on Spotty's back.

 

“I have an idea!” cried Paddy.

 

“What is it?” asked Jerry.

 

“Why, Grandfather Frog can ride on my flat tail,” replied Paddy, “and then we'll go slow enough for Spotty to keep up with us.”

 

And so it was that just as the first moonbeams kissed the Smiling Pool, out of the Laughing Brook swam the merriest party that ever was seen.

 

“Chugarum!” said Grandfather Frog. “It is good to be home, but I think I would travel often, if I could have the tail of Paddy the Beaver for a boat.”

 

1 brook   

n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让

参考例句：

• In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook.在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
• The brook trickled through the valley.小溪涓涓流过峡谷。

2 beaver   

n.海狸，河狸

参考例句：

• The hat is made of beaver.这顶帽子是海狸毛皮制的。
• A beaver is an animals with big front teeth.海狸是一种长着大门牙的动物。

3 laughter   

n.笑，笑声

参考例句：

• I don't know how my story caused so much laughter.我不知我的故事怎么引起如此大笑。
• The audience gave way to uncontrollable bursts of laughter.听众忍不住发出一阵阵笑声。

4 muskrat   

n.麝香鼠

参考例句：

• Muskrat fur almost equals beaver fur in quality.麝鼠皮在质量上几乎和海獭皮不相上下。
• I saw a muskrat come out of a hole in the ice.我看到一只麝鼠从冰里面钻出来。

5 diver   

n.潜水员，跳水运动员

参考例句：

• He is a deep sea diver.他是深海潜水员。
• The diver comes up for air.潜水员升到水面呼吸空气。

6 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》

7 farther   

adj.更远的，进一步的；adv.更远的，此外；far的比较级

参考例句：

• I can throw the ball farther than you can.这个球我能比你扔得远。
• The farther hill is five kilometres away.那座更远的小山在五公里以外。

8 tumbling   

n.摔跤，翻跟头，翻筋斗adj.歪斜状的v.倒塌( tumble的现在分词 )；翻滚；突然摔倒；恍然大悟

参考例句：

• His eyes were fastened on the boiling, tumbling waves. 他的眼睛凝视着汹涌的波涛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The earthquake sent buildings tumbling into one another like failing dominoes. 地震使大楼哗啦啦倒塌，就像正在倾倒的骨牌一般。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 choking   

adj.窒息的，憋闷的，透不过气来的v.填塞( choke的现在分词 )；（使）窒息；（尤指感情激动）而哽咽；因紧张而失灵

参考例句：

• He was choking on a piece of toast. 他被一块烤面包噎得透不过气来。
• The pungent, choking smell of sulphur filled the air. 空气中弥漫着刺鼻呛人的硫磺气味。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 gasping   

adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
• "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

11 feebly   

adv. 贫乏地, 虚弱地

参考例句：

• The bird is beating feebly. 那只鸟的翅膀在无力地扑扇着。
• A wick was sputtering feebly in a dish of oil. 瓦油灯上结了一个大灯花，使微弱的灯光变得更加阴暗。 来自汉英文学 - 家（1-26） - 家（1-26）

12 breath   

n.呼吸，气息，微风，迹象，精神，一种说话的声音

参考例句：

• I'm just going out for a breath of fresh air.我正要出去呼吸新鲜空气。
• While climbing up the stairs the old man always loses his breath.那老人上楼时总是气喘吁吁的。

13 queer   

adj.奇怪的，异常的，不舒服的，眩晕的

参考例句：

• I heard some queer footsteps.我听到某种可疑的脚步声。
• She has been queer lately.她最近身体不舒服。

14 tumbled   

v.倒塌( tumble的过去式和过去分词 )；翻滚；突然摔倒；恍然大悟

参考例句：

• He slipped and tumbled down the stairs. 他脚一滑滚下了楼梯。
• A hundred and fifty empty bottles tumbled onto the floor. 150个空瓶子滚落到地板上。 来自《简明英汉词典》