IX. Peter Rabbit Hears the News

 Johnny Chuck came running up to the edge of the Old Briarpatch quite out of breath. You see, he is so round and fat and roly-poly that to run makes him puff¹ and blow. Johnny Chuck's eyes danced with excitement as he peered into the Old Briar-patch, trying to see Peter Rabbit.

 

“Peter! Peter Rabbit! Oh, Peter!” he called. No one answered. Johnny Chuck looked disappointed. It was the middle of the morning, and he had thought that Peter would surely be at home then. He would try once more. “Oh, you Peter Rabbit!” he shouted in such a high-pitched voice that it was almost a squeal².

 

“What you want?” asked a sleepy voice from the middle of the Old Briar-patch.

 

Johnny Chuck's face lighted up. “Come out here, Peter, where I can look at you,” cried Johnny.

 

“Go away, Johnny Chuck! I'm sleepy,” said Peter Rabbit, and his voice sounded just a wee bit cross, for Peter had been out all night, a habit which Peter has.

 

“I've got some news for you, Peter,” called Johnny Chuck eagerly.

 

“How do you know it's news to me?” asked Peter, and Johnny noticed that his voice wasn't quite so cross.

 

“I'm almost sure it is, for I've just heard it myself, and I've hurried right down here to tell you because I think you'll want to know it,” replied Johnny Chuck.

 

“Pooh!” said Peter Rabbit, “it's probably as old as the hills to me. You folks who go to bed with the sun don't hear the news until it's old. What is it?”

 

“It's about Reddy Fox,” began Johnny Chuck, but Peter Rabbit interrupted him.

 

“Shucks, Johnny Chuck! You are slow! Why, it was all over Green Meadows last night how Reddy Fox had been shot by Farmer Brown's boy!” jeered³ Peter Rabbit. “That's no news. And here you've waked me up to tell me something I knew before you went to bed last night! Serves Reddy Fox right. Hope he'll be lame⁵ for a week,” added Peter Rabbit.

 

“He can't walk at all!” cried Johnny Chuck in triumph, sure now that Peter Rabbit hadn't heard the news.

 

“What's that?” demanded Peter, and Johnny Chuck could hear him begin to hop⁴ along one of his little private paths in the heart of the Old Briar-patch. He knew now that Peter Rabbit's curiosity was aroused, and he smiled to himself.

 

In a few minutes Peter thrust a sleepy-looking face out from the Old Briar-patch and grinned rather sheepishly. “What was that you were saying about Reddy Fox?” he asked again.

 

“I've a good mind not to tell you, Mr. Know-it-all,” exclaimed Johnny Chuck.

 

“Oh, please, Johnny Chuck,” pleaded Peter Rabbit.

 

Finally Johnny gave in. “I said that Reddy Fox can't walk. Aren't you glad, Peter?”

 

“How do you know?” asked Peter, for Peter is very suspicious of Reddy Fox, and has to watch out for his tricks all the time.

 

“Jimmy Skunk⁶ told me. He was up by Reddy's house early this morning and saw Reddy try to walk. He tried and tried and couldn't. You won't have to watch out for Reddy Fox for some time, Peter. Serves him right, doesn't it?''

 

“Let's go up and see if it really is true!” said Peter suddenly.

 

“All right,” said Johnny Chuck, and off they started.

1 puff   

n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气

参考例句：

• He took a puff at his cigarette.他吸了一口香烟。
• They tried their best to puff the book they published.他们尽力吹捧他们出版的书。

2 squeal   

v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音

参考例句：

• The children gave a squeal of fright.孩子们发出惊吓的尖叫声。
• There was a squeal of brakes as the car suddenly stopped.小汽车突然停下来时，车闸发出尖叫声。

3 jeered   

v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The police were jeered at by the waiting crowd. 警察受到在等待的人群的嘲弄。
• The crowd jeered when the boxer was knocked down. 当那个拳击手被打倒时，人们开始嘲笑他。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

5 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。

6 skunk   

n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥

参考例句：

• That was a rotten thing to do, you skunk!那种事做得太缺德了，你这卑鄙的家伙！
• The skunk gives off an unpleasant smell when attacked.受到攻击时臭鼬会发出一种难闻的气味。