VI SAMMY JAY LEARNS PETER RABBIT'S SECRET

 "I'm Mr. Jaybird, tee-hee-hee!

 

I'm Mr. Jaybird; you watch me!

 

You've got to rise 'fore¹ break of day

 

If you want to fool old Mr. Jay."

 

OVER and over Sammy Jay hummed this, as he brushed his handsome blue and white coat. Then he laughed as he remarked to no one in particular, for no one was near enough to hear: "Peter Rabbit's got a secret. When Peter goes about whispering, it's a sure sign that he's got a secret. He thinks that he can keep it from me, but he can't. Oh, my, no! I never knew of a secret that could be kept by more than two people, and already I've seen Peter whisper to five. I'll just see what Reddy Fox knows about it."

 

With a flirt² of his tail Sammy Jay started for the Green Meadows, where Reddy Fox was busy hunting for his breakfast.

 

"It's a fine morning, Reddy Fox," said Sammy Jay.

 

"It would be finer, if I could fill my stomach faster," replied Reddy.

 

"That's a pretty good secret of Peter Rabbit's, isn't it?" asked Sammy, pretending to look very wise.

 

Reddy pricked³ up his sharp little ears.

 

"What secret?" he demanded.

 

"If you don't know, I'm not going to tell," retorted Sammy Jay, just as if he knew all about it, and off he flew to hunt up his cousin, Blacky the Crow. Blacky knew nothing about Peter Rabbit's secret, nor did Shadow the Weasel, whom he met by the way. But Sammy Jay was not in the least bit discouraged.

 

"I'll try Johnny Chuck; he'll know," said Sammy to himself.

 

He found Johnny sitting on his doorstep, watching the world go by.

 

"Good morning, Johnny Chuck," said Sammy, with a low bow.

 

"Good morning," replied Johnny Chuck, who always is polite.

 

"Isn't that a fine secret of Peter Rabbit's?" exclaimed Sammy, just as if he knew all about it.

 

Johnny Chuck raised his eyebrows⁴ and put on the most surprised look.

 

"Do tell me what it is!" he begged.

 

"Oh, if you don't know, I won't tell, for that wouldn't be fair," replied Sammy, and tried to look very honest and innocent, and then he flew over to the Green Forest. And as he flew, he said to himself: "Johnny Chuck can't fool me; he does know Peter Rabbit's secret."

 

Over in the Green Forest he found Drummer the Woodpecker making a great racket on the hollow limb of an old chestnut⁵. Sammy sat down near by and listened. "My, that's fine! I wish I could do that. You must be practising," said Sammy at the end of a long rat-a-tat-tat.

 

Drummer the Woodpecker felt very much flattered. "I am," said he. "I'm practising for Peter Rabbit's party."

 

"I thought so," replied Sammy Jay. Of course he hadn't thought anything of the kind.

 

"Won't Unc' Billy Possum be surprised?" remarked Drummer the Woodpecker, as he sat down to rest.

 

"He surely will," replied Sammy Jay, and then he flattered and flattered Drummer the Woodpecker until finally Drummer told all about Peter's plan for a surprise party for Unc' Billy Possum.

 

By and by, as he flew home, Sammy Jay chuckled⁶ and said:

 

"You've got to rise 'fore break of day

 

If you want to fool old Mr. Jay."

1 fore   

adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部

参考例句：

• Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
• I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。

2 flirt   

v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者

参考例句：

• He used to flirt with every girl he met.过去他总是看到一个姑娘便跟她调情。
• He watched the stranger flirt with his girlfriend and got fighting mad.看着那个陌生人和他女朋友调情，他都要抓狂了。

3 pricked   

刺，扎，戳( prick的过去式和过去分词 )； 刺伤； 刺痛； 使剧痛

参考例句：

• The cook pricked a few holes in the pastry. 厨师在馅饼上戳了几个洞。
• He was pricked by his conscience. 他受到良心的谴责。

4 eyebrows   

眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Eyebrows stop sweat from coming down into the eyes. 眉毛挡住汗水使其不能流进眼睛。
• His eyebrows project noticeably. 他的眉毛特别突出。

5 chestnut   

n.栗树，栗子

参考例句：

• We have a chestnut tree in the bottom of our garden.我们的花园尽头有一棵栗树。
• In summer we had tea outdoors,under the chestnut tree.夏天我们在室外栗树下喝茶。

6 chuckled   

轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She chuckled at the memory. 想起这件事她就暗自发笑。
• She chuckled softly to herself as she remembered his astonished look. 想起他那惊讶的表情，她就轻轻地暗自发笑。