XX THE ALMANAC

 One rainy night Peter Mink¹ stopped at Black Creek²; and calling loudly to Timothy Turtle he asked for a place to sleep.

 

"You remember," he said, when Timothy drew himself upon the bank, "you told me that you would do something handsome for me some time. And now that I'm wet and tired I hope you can offer me a snug³, dry spot in which to spend the night."

 

"What can you do to pay me?" asked Timothy Turtle. He never did anything for anybody without pay. "Can you saw wood?"p. 98

 

Now, Peter Mink would rather stay out in the rain forever than saw a single stick of wood. So he said:

 

"No, I can't!" just like that.

 

"Well, it's about time you learned," said Timothy Turtle.

 

Peter Mink was about to leave in disgust; and he was wondering what name he would call Timothy Turtle, when he was a little further away, when he noticed that Timothy had a thin book in his hand.

 

"What's that?" Peter asked.

 

"It's the Farmer's Almanac," said Timothy Turtle. "I've been looking through it; but my eyes are bad and I can't read."

 

Now that was quite true; for Timothy's eyes were bad—and he had never learned to read.

 

"I'll tell you what I'll do," Peter Mink announced. "If you'll give me a place top. 99 spend the night I'll read the Farmer's Almanac to you."

 

"Come right in!" Timothy Turtle cried, leading the way to a cozy⁴ nook beneath a big rock which was not far from the water. And Peter Mink was very glad to creep inside that comfortable shelter. He took the Almanac from Timothy Turtle and they both sat down.

 

Peter opened the book.

 

"I see," he said, "that it says the weather was fair to-day, but look out for a heavy rain to-night!"

 

Now, Timothy Turtle had not felt quite sure that Peter Mink knew how to read. But when he heard that he quickly changed his mind.

 

"That's exactly what's happened!" he exclaimed. And he was greatly pleased.

 

But the next moment he noticed that Peter Mink was holding the book upsidep. 100 down. Timothy could tell that because the picture of the man ploughing, on the cover, was upside down.

 

"You can't read!" he cried angrily. "You don't even know how to hold a book. You've got it bottom side up!"

 

But Peter Mink only smiled pleasantly at him.

 

"You don't understand," he said. "That's the way I was taught to read. Then, if you want to read when standing⁵ on your head, you don't need to turn the book over.... It's the latest method," he explained.

 

"Oh!" said Timothy Turtle. "That's different!"

 

"Yes—quite different!" said Peter Mink.

 

"What does the Almanac say about next week?" Timothy inquired.

 

"Time to plant corn!" Peter told him.p. 101

 

"That's so!" said Timothy Turtle. "Mr. Crow was telling me this very day that Farmer Green was ploughing his cornfield; but of course that doesn't interest me much.... What else does the book say?" Timothy continued.

 

"Well, here's some general advice," Peter Mink remarked, as he looked at the Almanac again. "It says: 'If anybody comes to you and asks for a place to sleep, give him a bed—but first of all, give him a good supper.'"

 

"I don't believe I want to hear any more to-night," said Timothy Turtle hastily⁶. "It's late; so we'd better go to bed right away."

 

Peter Mink was somewhat disappointed. He had hoped to get a fish or two to eat. But there was nothing he could say, though he did wish Timothy Turtle could take a hint.p. 102

 

"In the morning you can read to me again," Timothy told him.

 

So they went to bed.

 

But in the morning the Almanac was nowhere to be found. Timothy Turtle hunted for it in every place he could think of—except Peter Mink's pocket.

 

After Peter had gone, Timothy continued his search. And at last he found the Almanac beneath the heap of dry leaves which Peter Mink had used for a bed.

 

"That's queer⁷!" Timothy Turtle said. "I'm almost sure I looked there before Peter Mink went away.... My eyes must be growing worse."

 

The more he thought of the matter, the gladder he was that he hadn't found the book before. For there was no knowing but that Peter Mink might have found some advice about giving a good breakfastp. 103 to a guest who stayed over night.

 

Then Timothy Turtle went into Black Creek and caught a fine fish, for he was hungry. And he enjoyed his meal mightily⁸, because he had it all to himself.

 

While he was eating he kept thinking what a disagreeable fellow Peter Mink was. No doubt he would have been surprised had he known that Peter Mink was thinking the same thing about him, at exactly the same moment.

1 mink   

n.貂，貂皮

参考例句：

• She was wearing a blue dress and a mink coat.她穿着一身蓝色的套装和一件貂皮大衣。
• He started a mink ranch and made a fortune in five years. 他开了个水貂养殖场，五年之内就赚了不少钱。

2 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

3 snug   

adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房

参考例句：

• He showed us into a snug little sitting room.他领我们走进了一间温暖而舒适的小客厅。
• She had a small but snug home.她有个小小的但很舒适的家。

4 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

5 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

6 hastily   

ad.过于匆忙地，急急忙忙地

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily. 我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• Nothing must be done hastily but killing of fleas. 除非要捉跳蚤，做事不可匆忙。

7 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。

8 mightily   

ad.强烈地；非常地

参考例句：

• He hit the peg mightily on the top with a mallet. 他用木槌猛敲木栓顶。
• This seemed mightily to relieve him. 干完这件事后，他似乎轻松了许多。