LITTLE SIR CAT

 Little Sir Cat Meets "The Maiden¹ All Forlorn"

After leaving Cinderella's house Little Sir Cat continued his journey with a happy heart, for had he not had a fine night's rest and a good breakfast, and for a traveler that is a good beginning. The road now led through the country, with well-kept farm lands on either side.

 

"That looks like the House That Jack² Built!" he exclaimed, as he neared a big farm house. Sure enough it was, for there in the meadow close by was the Cow With the Crumpled³ Horn, and leaning against the turnstile at the corner of the fence was the Maiden All Forlorn.

 

"Good morning, Miss," said Little Sir Cat, but for an answer the maiden began to cry.

 

"Don't cry," he said, wiping the tears from her eyes, for he was a very tender-hearted puss. "Don't cry."

 

"I can't help it," whimpered the Maiden All Forlorn. "You'd cry, too, if you'd been kissed by the Man All Tattered⁴ and Torn."

 

"Did it tickle⁵?" inquired Little Sir Cat.

 

"Tickle!" exclaimed the Maiden All Forlorn. "It scratched! But where are you going?"

 

"Where am I going?" he repeated. "Why, I'm seeking my fortune." And then Piggie Porker began to cry. I guess he felt that nobody cared much about him for the Maiden All Forlorn hadn't noticed him at all.

 

"Nobody, nobody cares for me,

I feel as lonely as can be.

I'm a character in Mother Goose,

So I consider you've no excuse

Not to speak a word to me,

Piggie Porker, diddle dum dee."

"You naughty pig," said the Maiden All Forlorn, "how did you get out of your sty?" So he told her how Georgy Porgy had teased him until he had run-away. Well, after that she invited Little Sir Cat to visit the House that Jack Built, which was just a little ways off on the green hill. So the three went through the stile and by-and-by they found Jack himself making a garage in which to keep his new automobile⁶, for in Mother Goose Land, now-a-days, automobiles⁷ are quite the thing, you know.

 

But, oh, dear me! As soon as the Dog that Worried the Cat saw Little Sir Kitten, he commenced to growl⁸. But pretty soon he stopped, and, wagging his tail, asked about Old Mother Hubbard's dog. After that all the people who lived in the House that Jack Built came out to say "How do you do," even the Man All Tattered and Torn, and the nice old Priest All Shaven and Shorn, and the Rooster Who Crowed in the Early Morn. And, let me see! Who else greeted Little Sir Cat? Why, Little Boy Blue with his bright tin horn, and the Sheep that Trampled⁹ the Waving Corn, and, oh, dear me again, I can't go on like this any longer, unless I can find a word to rhyme with corn.

 

"I must be going, my pretty maid," said Little Sir Cat, gallantly¹⁰ taking off his hat with the long feather and bowing. Then away he went to find his fortune.

 

And maybe he will in the next story, unless—

 

The big high church steeple

Falls down on the people.

1 maiden   

n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的

参考例句：

• The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
• The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。

2 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

3 crumpled   

adj. 弯扭的, 变皱的 动词crumple的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• She crumpled the letter up into a ball and threw it on the fire. 她把那封信揉成一团扔进了火里。
• She flattened out the crumpled letter on the desk. 她在写字台上把皱巴巴的信展平。

4 tattered   

adj.破旧的，衣衫破的

参考例句：

• Her tattered clothes in no way detracted from her beauty.她的破衣烂衫丝毫没有影响她的美貌。
• Their tattered clothing and broken furniture indicated their poverty.他们褴褛的衣服和破烂的家具显出他们的贫穷。

5 tickle   

v.搔痒，胳肢；使高兴；发痒；n.搔痒，发痒

参考例句：

• Wilson was feeling restless. There was a tickle in his throat.威尔逊只觉得心神不定。嗓子眼里有些发痒。
• I am tickle pink at the news.听到这消息我高兴得要命。

6 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

7 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 growl   

v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣

参考例句：

• The dog was biting,growling and wagging its tail.那条狗在一边撕咬一边低声吼叫，尾巴也跟着摇摆。
• The car growls along rutted streets.汽车在车辙纵横的街上一路轰鸣。

9 trampled   

踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

• He gripped his brother's arm lest he be trampled by the mob. 他紧抓着他兄弟的胳膊，怕他让暴民踩着。
• People were trampled underfoot in the rush for the exit. 有人在拼命涌向出口时被踩在脚下。

10 gallantly   

adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地

参考例句：

• He gallantly offered to carry her cases to the car. 他殷勤地要帮她把箱子拎到车子里去。
• The new fighters behave gallantly under fire. 新战士在炮火下表现得很勇敢。