The blazing sun shone with such a glare upon the farmyard that it was almost unbearable2, and there was not a vestige3 of grass or any green thing to relieve the eye or cast a little shade.
But the fowls4 in the back yard were not disturbed by the heat the least bit in the world, for they had plenty of time in which to doze6, and they were fond of taking a siesta7 in the hottest place that could be found. Certainly the hottest place that afternoon, by far, was the yard in which they reposed8.
There were five of them—a cock and four hens. Two of the hens were renowned9 throughout the whole village, for they wore tufts of feathers on their heads instead of the usual red combs; and the cock was very proud of having such distinguished-looking wives.
Besides which, he was naturally a very stately bird himself in appearance, and had a splendid blackish-green tail and a golden speckled hackle, which shone and glistened10 in the sun. He had also won many sharp battles with certain young cocks in the neighbourhood, whom curiosity about the tufted foreigners had attracted to the yard. The consequence of these triumphs was that he held undisputed dominion11 as far as the second fence from the farmyard, and whenever he shut his eyes and sounded his war-clarion, the whole of his rivals made off as fast as wings and legs could carry them.
During the middle of the day they had managed to get some winks13 of sleep, but now the farmer's men began to thresh in a barn close by, making noise enough to wake the dead, so there was small chance of well-organized fowls being able to sleep through the din14.
"I wish some one would tell a story," said one of the common hens, as she ruffled15 all her feathers up on end, and then shook them straight again, for coolness. "I am tired of scrabbling in the dust, and fly-catching16 is an amusement only suited to sparrows and such vulgar birds."
This was a hit at one of the foreign hens, who had wandered away a little and was pecking at flies on the wall. The two common hens were very fond of vexing17 the foreign ones, for their feelings were hurt at being reckoned less beautiful and rare.
The tufted fair one heard the remark, and called out spitefully from a distance: "If certain people were not ignorant country bumpkins, they would be able to tell a good story themselves."
"That remark can't apply to me, for I know a great number of stories," replied the common hen, turning her head on one side to show her contempt. "For instance: once upon a time there was a hen who laid nothing but soft-shelled eggs—"
"You can't mean me by that story," said the tufted one, "for I have only laid one soft-shelled egg in my whole life. So there! But do tell me how your interesting story ends—I am so anxious to hear the end."
"You know that best yourself," retorted the other.
"Now I'm sure, dear Father Cock, you could tell us something really amusing if you would be so kind," said the second common hen, who was standing20 near him. "Those two make one's life a burthen, with their everlasting21 wrangling22 and bickering23."
"Hush24!" said the cock, who was standing motionless with one leg in the air, an attitude he often assumed when any very hard thinking had to be done; "I was just trying to recollect25 one."
After a pause, he said in a solemn voice: "I will tell you the terrible tale of the troubles of 'The Hens of Hencastle.'
"Once upon a time—it was the village fair week, when, as you know, every one eats and drinks as much as he possibly can, and consequently a great many animals are killed,—the farmer's cook came into the fowlyard, and after carefully looking over all the chickens, remarked that seven of them would be twisting merrily on the spit next morning. On hearing this, all the fowls were plunged26 into the deepest despair, for no one felt sure that he would not be of the seven, and no one could guess how the victims would be chosen. Two young cockerels, in their deep perplexity, at last went to the yard-dog, Flaps by name, who was a very great friend of theirs, and to him they cackled out their woes28.
"'Why do you stop here?' asked Flaps. 'If you had any pluck at all you would run away.'
"'Ah! Perhaps so—but who has enough courage for such a desperate step?' sighed the young cockerels. 'Why, you yourself are no more courageous29 than we, else why do you stop here chained up all day, and allow those tiresome30 children to come and tease you?'
"'Well,' replied the dog, 'I earn a good livelihood31 by putting up with these small discomforts32, and besides that, I am not going to be set twisting on a spit. However, if you particularly wish it, we can go away somewhere together; but if we do, I may as well tell you at once, that you will have to feed me.'
"The cockerels, fired by this bold advice, betook themselves at once to the henroost with the courage of young lions; and after a short but animated33 discussion, persuaded the whole of the cocks and hens to run away and to take Flaps as protector of the community.
"When darkness fell, the dog was unchained for the night as usual, and as soon as the coast seemed clear, he went to the henhouse, pushed back the sliding door with his nose, and let them all out.
"Then he and the whole company stole away as quietly as possible through the yard-gate, away out into the open country.
"The fowls flew and wandered on, the livelong night, perfectly34 happy in their freedom, and feeding themselves from the sheaves of corn that stood in the stubble-fields.
"Whenever Flaps felt hungry, the hens laid him a couple of eggs or so which he found far nicer than barley-meal and dog-biscuit.
"When they passed through thinly-populated places where they were not likely to be observed, they marched gaily35 forward; but whenever there was a chance of danger, they only travelled by night.
"Meanwhile the cook went early in the morning to kill the chickens; but on finding the whole place as empty as Mother Hubbard's cupboard, she fell into a violent fit of hysterics, and the kitchen-maid and pig-boy had to put her under the pump, and work it hard for a quarter of an hour before they could revive her.
"After some days' journeying, the wanderers arrived at a large desolate-looking heath, in the middle of which stood an old weather-beaten house, apparently37 uninhabited. Flaps was sent forward to examine it, and he searched from garret to cellar without finding a trace of a human being. The fowls then examined the neighbourhood for two whole days and nights with a like result, and so they determined38 to take up their abode39 in the dwelling40.
"In they trooped, and set themselves to work to turn it into a strong castle, well fortified41 against all danger. They stopped up the holes and cracks with tufts of grass, and piled a wall of big and little stones right round the house. When the repairs were completed they called it Hencastle.
"During the autumn some of the fowls ventured forth42 into the cornfields that lay near the haunts of men, and collected a store of grain to supply them with food during the winter. They kept it on the floor of a loft43, and when spring came they sowed the remainder of the stock in a field, where it produced such an abundant crop that they had plenty of provisions for the following winter.
"Thus they lived a peaceful and happy life, which was so uneventful that it has no history; and Mark, the watchman, who always stood on the coping-stone of the highest chimney to act as sentinel, used constantly to fall asleep, partly from sheer boredom44, and partly from the combined effects of old age, good living, and having nothing on earth to do. Flaps, too, who had undertaken to guard the castle against intruders, and who at first used to patrol the house carefully inside and out every night, soon came to the conclusion that the game was not worth the candle.
"One chilly45 evening, about the time of the first snows, when the wind was beginning to whistle over the heath and make strange noises in the castle, two old hens were up in the loft having a chat and picking up a few stray grains of corn for supper. All of a sudden they heard a mysterious 'Piep.' 'Hollo!' said one, 'what's that? no one can be hatching out at this time of the year—it's impossible; yet surely something said "Piep" down there in the corner.'
"Just then another 'Piep' was heard.
"'I don't think it sounds quite like a young chicken,' replied the other hen.
"In the middle of their discussion on this knotty46 point, they descried47 a couple of mice at the edge of the corn-heap. One of them was sitting on his hind-legs, washing his ears and whiskers with his fore-paws, but his wife was gobbling up corn at a rapid rate, and in this sight the wise and far-seeing old hens discerned the probability of future troubles.
"'Hollo there! that's our corn,' they cried; 'you mustn't steal it. Of course you may have a few grains in the depth of winter to keep you from starving; but remember, when spring comes again, this sort of thing must stop, and you must go away and never come here any more.'
"'Piep,' said the mice, and vanished.
"The two hens told the rest what had happened, but nobody troubled themselves about such an insignificant48 matter, and some said that the poor old things made mountains out of molehills. Anyhow, in two days everybody, including the wise hens themselves, had forgotten all about it. Later on, that winter, the mice had seven young ones—seven such skinny, thread-limbed, beady-eyed little beasts that no one noticed their arrival.
"Very soon after, almost before any hen had time to look round or think, behold49! mice were squeaking50 in every corner, and there were holes behind every wainscot, plank51, and rafter.
"A year passed away, and when winter returned again the mice came and took the stored corn away in such quantities that everybody saw none would be left to sow in the spring.
"Matters had come to a crisis; many and anxious discussions were held amongst the fowls, for good counsel was a thing much sought after at Hencastle.
"At first they took very energetic measures, and many a mouse fell a victim to a well-aimed peck from a cock's beak52; but alas53! the mice took energetic measures also, and resisted to the death, so that many a fowl's leg was bitten to the bone. Much had been said, and much was done, but the mice were more numerous than before.
"The commonwealth54 then decided55 on sending three experienced cocks out into the world, to try and find some means for getting rid of the plague of mice.
"The cocks journeyed for one whole day without finding anything to help them in their trouble, but towards evening they came to a wild, rocky mountainside, full of caves and clefts56, and made up their minds to stay there for the night; so they crept into a hole under a ledge58 of rock, put their heads under their wings, and went to sleep.
"In the middle of the night they were roused by the sound of flapping wings, followed by a whispering voice, saying, 'whish—ish,' which soon broke out into a loud 'Whoo—hoo! whoo—hoo!' They popped their heads out of the hole to see what was the matter, and they perceived a great owl5 sitting on a stump59, flapping its wings up and down, and rolling its great round eyes about, which glared like red-hot coals in its head.
"On hearing this the cocks nudged one another, and said, 'We are in luck's way at last.' Then as the owl still continued to call for mice, one of them plucked up courage and addressed it: 'If you will only come with us, sir, you shall have as many mice as you can eat—a whole house-full, if you like.'
"'Whoo—hoo! I'll come, I'll come,' screamed the owl, snapping its beak with pleasure.
"In the grey of the dawn the fowls sat on the roof-tree, listening to Mark, the watchman, who stood on the top of, his chimney, and cried,
"'What do I see?
Here come the three!
And with them, I reckon,
A bird with no neck on.'
"Thereupon the owl and the three messengers flew up with a rush to the top of the castle.
"'Ha! ha! I smell mice,' shrieked the new comer, and dashed through a hole in the roof, from whence it shortly reappeared with a mouse in its claws.
"This sight filled all the fowls with joy; and as they sat on the edge of the roof in a row, they nudged each other, and remarked,
"'This has indeed been a happy venture.'
"For a few days everything went as smoothly64 as possible, but after a time the mice began to find out that the owl could only see really well at night, that it saw badly by day, and hardly at all when the midday sun was shining through the window into the loft. So they only came out at noon, and then dragged enough corn away into their holes to last them till the following day.
"One night the owl did not catch a single mouse, and so, being very hungry, drove its beak into some hen's eggs that lay in a corner, and ate them. Finding them more to its taste than the fattest mouse, and much less trouble to catch, henceforth the owl gave up mouse-hunting, and took to egg-poaching. This the fowls presently discovered, and the three wise cocks were sent to tell the owl to go away, as it was no longer of use to anybody, for it never caught mice but only ate eggs.
"'Whoo—hoo! whoo—hoo! More eggs—give me more eggs, or I'll scratch your eyes out,' shrieked the owl, and began to whet65 its beak on a beam in such a savage66 manner that the three cocks fled in terror to the top of the chimney.
"Having somewhat recovered from their alarm, they went down and told Flaps, who was basking67 in the sunshine, that the owl must be got rid of.
"'What, are all the mice eaten, then?' inquired he.
"'Alas!' answered one of the cocks, 'the brute68 will eat nothing but eggs now, and threatens to scratch our eyes out if we don't supply as many more as it wants.'
"At twelve o'clock Flaps quietly pushed the door open and went up into the loft. There sat the old owl winking70 and blinking in a corner.
"'So you are the robber who is going to scratch people's eyes out,' said Flaps. 'For this you must die!'
"'That remains71 to be seen,' sneered72 the owl; 'but eyes I will have, and dogs' eyes too!' and with that it swooped73 down upon Flaps' head; but the old dog seized the bird between his teeth and killed it, though not before one of his own eyes had been scratched out in the struggle.
"'No matter,' said Flaps; 'I've done my duty, at any rate, and I don't know why I should want more than one eye to see with;' and so saying, he went back to his post.
"The fowls made a great feast, which lasted the whole day, to celebrate the owl's death.
"But the mice remained in the castle, and continued to increase and multiply. So the three wise cocks had to go forth on a second voyage of discovery, in order to try and find a remedy against the intruders.
"They flew on for a night and a day without any result; but towards morning, on the second day, they alighted to rest in a thick wood, and there, in one of the forest glades74, just as the sun was rising, they saw a red-coated animal watching a mouse-hole. It was a fox, who had come out to find something for breakfast. They soon saw him catch a mouse and eat it, and then heard him say, 'Heaven be praised for small mercies! I have managed to secure a light breakfast at last, though I've been hunting all night in vain.'
"'Do you hear that?' said one of the messengers. 'He considers himself very lucky to have caught a single mouse. That's the sort of animal we want.'
"So the cock called down from the tree—'I say! below there! Mr. Mouse-eater! you can have a whole loft-full of such long-tailed vermin as that, if you will come with us. But you must first solemnly swear that you will never eat eggs instead of mice.'
"'Nothing on earth shall ever tempt19 me to touch an egg. I swear it most solemnly,' said the fox, staring up into the tree. 'But whence do you come, my worthy75 masters?'
"'We live at Hencastle, but no one knows where that is except the mice, who eat us out of house and home.'
"'You don't say so,' said the fox from below, licking his lips. 'And are there many more such handsome, magnificent birds as you are, at Hencastle?'
"'Why, of course, the whole place is full of them.'
"'Then I'll come with you,' said the fox, lowering his eyes, lest the cocks should discern the hungry look in them. 'And if there are a thousand mice in the loft, they shall all soon lick the dust. Ah! you don't know what delicious dainties such—mice—are.'
"This time the fowls had to wait till evening before they heard Mark, the watchman, crowing from his chimney, and calling forth,
"'Here come the three!
But what do I see?
Why, the friend that they bring
Is a four-legged thing.'
"'I smell a dog, and I am not fond of the race, nor do they as a rule like me.'
"'You need not be alarmed,' replied the cocks; 'there is only one of them here—our friend Mr. Flaps,—and he is always stationed outside the castle; besides, he is just as glad as we are that you have come to kill the mice.'
"But in spite of this assurance, the fox did not at all like the idea of going in past Flaps, who stood at the door, showing his teeth, and with the hair down his back standing on end; but at last, catching sight of a number of plump young chickens looking out at a window, Reynard could resist no longer, and with his mouth watering in anxiety to be among them, he slipped past Flaps like lightning, and scampered77 up into the loft. Once there, he behaved so affably to the fowls, and especially to some of the oldest and most influential78 hens, that very soon every one looked on him as their friend in time of need, and their enthusiasm was brought to a climax79 when they saw him catch four mice in half as many minutes.
"In the dead of the night, when all were asleep, Reynard crept up to where the fowls roosted, and finding out where the youngest and fattest were perched, he snapped off the heads of a couple before they had even time to flutter a feather. He then carried them to the window, opened it very gently, dropped the dead bodies out on to the ground beneath, and then sped away down to the house-door and bolted it.
"When he had done this, he returned to the old hens and woke them by groaning81 in such a heartbreaking manner, that all the fowls crowded round him to know what was amiss.
"'Alas!' cried he, 'it has been my sad lot to witness a most fearful sight. That dog whom you keep down below to guard the house slipped in at the door, and going to the corner where the lovely young chickens roost, quicker than thought killed two that were more beautiful than angels. I was chasing a mouse under the stairs at the time, and happened to come up just as the dreadful deed was done, and I saw the robber making off with his booty. Only come with me a minute, and you shall see that I have spoken the truth.'
"He took the scared and frightened fowls to the window, and when they looked out, they saw to their horror their guardian82 Flaps sniffing83 at the dead bodies on the ground outside.
"'Who would have thought it!' said the hens, in an awe-stricken whisper.
"'You may thank me,' said the fox, 'for my presence of mind in bolting the house-door when he ran out, or no one knows how many more he would have killed! If you will take my advice, you will send him about his business; and if you will put me in his place, I can assure you that you shall be protected in quite another manner.'
"'Hi! open the door,' cried Flaps, who saw something was wrong; 'you've got another King Stork84, I'll be bound.' But though he rattled85 and shook the door, no one unbolted it. 'Ah!' sighed Flaps, 'before long the whole pack of idiots will be killed and eaten.' So he scratched open an old hole in the wall that had been stopped up, and crept in. He arrived just in time to hear the old hens giving orders that no more eggs were to be given him, and that the door was to be kept bolted, in order that he might be obliged either to leave the place or to starve.
"They were all talking at once, and so eagerly, that no one noticed the dog come up behind them. He gave one spring and seized the fox by the throat. The attack was quite unexpected, but the fox fought, writhed86, and wriggled87 like an eel18, and just as he was being borne down, he made one desperate snap, and bit off the dog's ear close to the head.
"'Well, my ear is done for, but so is this blood-thirsty villain,' said Flaps, looking down at the fox, which lay dead at his feet; 'and as for you, you pack of ungrateful fools, one ear is quite enough to listen to you with. Here have I been your faithful comrade for all these years, and yet you believe that I have turned murderer in my old age on the word of this rogue88, who did the evil deed himself last night.'
"Now that the panic was over, the fowls felt heartily89 ashamed of themselves for having been deceived by the fox, and done Flaps such great injustice90. So they all asked his pardon, and the feast which they held to celebrate their deliverance from the fox was even more magnificent than the last, and it went on for two whole days.
"Hencastle was en fête for a time, but it was a very short time. For the mice were no less glad than the fowls that their enemy was dead; and now that both he and the owl had disappeared, they came out fearlessly at all hours of the day, and lived a life quite free from trouble and care.
"Not so the fowls. What was to be done with the ever-increasing colony of corn-stealers? The more the fowls meditated91, the more the mice squeaked92 and played about, and the more corn they dragged away into their holes. There was even a rumour93 that some one meddled94 with the eggs.
"There was nothing for it but to dispatch the three messengers a third time, with directions to be more vigilant95 and careful than before. Away they flew, farther than ever. The first chance of help that arose was from a couple of cats and a kite, who seemed likely to perform the required work, but the cocks declined to accept their aid, feeling that the Hencastle had suffered too much already from two-winged and four-legged protectors.
"At length the messengers reached a bit of waste ground close to a village, and there they saw an extremely grimy-looking gipsy sitting on a bank. He knocked the ashes out of his black pipe, and muttered, 'I've the luck of a dog! Here am I with a lot of the best mouse-traps in the world, and I haven't sold one this blessed day!'
"'Here's luck!' said the wise birds. 'That is exactly the man for us; he is neither two-winged nor four-legged, so he will be quite safe.'
"They flew down at once to the rat-catcher and made their proposition. He laughed softly and pleasantly to himself, and accepted their invitation without any demur96, and started at once with a light step and lighter97 heart for Hencastle.
"Two days after this, the fowls heard Mark, the watchman, crowing away lustily from his chimney-pot,
"'What do I see?
Here come the three!
And the black beast they bring
Has no tail and no wing.'
"'But,' added the sentinel in less official language, 'he carries a bundle of things that look like little houses made of wire.'
"The gipsy was at once taken up to the loft, and having, luckily, a few scraps98 of strong-smelling bacon left over from his last night's supper, he struck a light and managed to make a small fire in the long-disused grate with some bits of dry grass and chips. He then frizzled some bacon and baited his traps, and in less than ten minutes he had filled them all, for the mice had never smelt99 such a delicious thing as fried bacon before, and besides, they were new to the wiles100 of man.
"The fowls were wild with delight, and in their thankfulness they bethought them of a special mark of favour, and every hen came clucking up to him and laid an egg at his feet.
"For about a week the gipsy did nothing but catch mice and eat eggs; but all things must have an end, and the bacon ran out, just when the gipsy had come to the conclusion that he was heartily sick of egg-diet. Being a man of action, he put out his hand suddenly and caught the fattest and nicest young chicken within reach, and promptly101 wrung102 its neck.
"Oh, what a row there was in the henroost! The cocks began to crow loud enough to split their throats, and the hens to fly about and cackle. The man was nearly deafened103, and yelled out at the top of his voice, 'What do you expect, you fools? Mice can only be caught with meat, and meat I must and will have too.' He then let them rave36 on, and quietly and methodically continued to pluck his chicken. When it was ready, he made a fire and began to roast it.
"In the meanwhile, Flaps had heard all the noise and outcry, and as it showed no signs of abating104, he thought the man was most likely in mischief105, so he went into the castle.
"'Oh! Woe27! Misery106! Horror! Despair!' cried all the fowls at once as soon as they saw him. 'The murderer has slain107 young Scratchfoot the cock, and is just going to roast him!'
"'I'm not so sure of that, my fine cur,' said the man, taking hold of the cudgel he had brought with him, and tucking up his sleeves.
"But the brave old dog sprang at him and bit him so severely109 that he uttered a savage groan80, and dealt Flaps a heavy blow with his cudgel. This nearly broke the dog's leg and obliged him to relax his hold, on which the gipsy dashed down-stairs and ran away with such speed that Flaps on three legs had no chance of overtaking him.
"'Wait a bit!' cried the man from afar. 'I'll remember you!' And then his retreating figure became smaller and smaller on the heath until at last it disappeared altogether.
"This time the fowls had no heart for a feast. They sat brooding and moping in rows on the rafters, for they began to see very clearly that it was quite hopeless to try and get rid of the mice.
"Poor old Flaps, too, was very ill. A good many days elapsed before he could get about, and for years he walked lame110 on his injured leg.
"One morning as the fowls were listlessly wandering about, wondering what was to happen next, Mark, the watchman, was heard crowing away in a very excited manner,
"'What do I see?
Twenty and three!'
"'What do you see?' cried they all in a great fright. 'Twenty and three what?'
"'An army of soldiers dressed in smock frocks. They are armed with pitchforks, and the black gipsy is their general.'
"The fowls flew up like a cloud to the roof, and sure enough they saw the rat-catcher coming across the heath with a crowd of villagers towards the castle.
"When they broke the doleful news to Flaps, he said, 'That scoundrel of a man has betrayed our hiding-place, and we must wander forth again. Get ready, and keep up your spirits, and remember that in any case we should not have been able to stay here much longer, on account of the mice.'
"So the hens filled their crops as full as possible, and escaped with Flaps out at the back door.
"When the country-folk got to the house, they found nothing in it but a small heap of corn; so they fell upon the gipsy and half killed him for having brought them on a fool's errand. Then they divided what little corn there was left, and went away.
"As to the mice they were left to whistle for their food.
"So ends the tale of the Hens of Hencastle."
"And a very fine tale too," said one of the stranger-hens who had been asleep all the time, and woke up with a jump. "It was deeply interesting." The threshers happened to have stopped to rest for a moment, or she would never have woke at all.
"Of course it was!" said the cock, full of dignity; and he shook his feathers straight.
"But what became of the fowls afterwards?" asked one of the common hens.
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1
drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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unbearable
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| adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的 | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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siesta
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| n.午睡 | |
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reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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glistened
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| v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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13
winks
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| v.使眼色( wink的第三人称单数 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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vexing
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| adj.使人烦恼的，使人恼火的v.使烦恼( vex的现在分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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eel
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| n.鳗鲡 | |
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19
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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21
everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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22
wrangling
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| v.争吵，争论，口角( wrangle的现在分词 ) | |
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23
bickering
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| v.争吵( bicker的现在分词 )；口角；（水等）作潺潺声；闪烁 | |
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24
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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25
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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26
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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27
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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woes
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| 困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉 | |
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29
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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30
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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31
livelihood
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| n.生计，谋生之道 | |
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32
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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33
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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34
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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35
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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36
rave
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| vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬 | |
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37
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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38
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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39
abode
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| n.住处，住所 | |
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40
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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41
fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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42
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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43
loft
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| n.阁楼，顶楼 | |
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44
boredom
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| n.厌烦，厌倦，乏味，无聊 | |
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45
chilly
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| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
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46
knotty
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| adj.有结的，多节的，多瘤的，棘手的 | |
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47
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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48
insignificant
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| adj.无关紧要的，可忽略的，无意义的 | |
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49
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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50
squeaking
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的现在分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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51
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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52
beak
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| n.鸟嘴，茶壶嘴，钩形鼻 | |
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53
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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54
commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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55
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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56
clefts
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| n.裂缝( cleft的名词复数 )；裂口；cleave的过去式和过去分词；进退维谷 | |
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57
cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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58
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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59
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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60
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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whet
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| v.磨快，刺激 | |
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66
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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basking
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| v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽 | |
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68
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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69
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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70
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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71
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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72
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74
glades
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| n.林中空地( glade的名词复数 ) | |
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75
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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76
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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77
scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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78
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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79
climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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80
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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81
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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82
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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83
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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84
stork
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| n.鹳 | |
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85
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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86
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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87
wriggled
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的过去式和过去分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等） | |
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88
rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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89
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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90
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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91
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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92
squeaked
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| v.短促地尖叫( squeak的过去式和过去分词 )；吱吱叫；告密；充当告密者 | |
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93
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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94
meddled
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| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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95
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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96
demur
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| v．表示异议，反对 | |
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97
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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98
scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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99
smelt
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| v.熔解，熔炼；n.银白鱼，胡瓜鱼 | |
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100
wiles
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| n.（旨在欺骗或吸引人的）诡计，花招；欺骗，欺诈( wile的名词复数 ) | |
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101
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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102
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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103
deafened
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| 使聋( deafen的过去式和过去分词 )； 使隔音 | |
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104
abating
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| 减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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105
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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106
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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107
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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108
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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109
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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110
lame
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| adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的 | |
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111
strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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