OLD SQUIRREL NUTCRACKER

 Twinkle Tail and Featherhead were old enough to find homes for themselves, so Old Squirrel Nutcracker thought. And when that old squirrel had thought out a thing seriously he was pretty likely to put it into words.

 

“I feel sorry for the boys,” said Mrs. Nutcracker, wiping her eyes with her calico apron¹, as she stood beneath the Big Chestnut² Tree talking to Mrs. Rabbit. “They’ve had such a comfortable home, if I do say it myself. But last night Squirrel Nutcracker said after dinner:

 

“‘Boys, it’s time for you to get out and hustle³ for yourselves. It will make men-squirrels out of you. If you get into trouble, always remember your father will help you. And don’t forget your mother.’”

 

Poor Mrs. Nutcracker threw her apron over her head and burst into tears. “Don’t cry,” said the kind bunny lady, and very soon she said good-by and hopped⁴ home to the Old Bramble Patch to tell her little rabbit the news.

 

When Mrs. Nutcracker reached home she found her little squirrel boys packing up their things. Twinkle Tail had his nearly finished, but Featherhead was only half through. So Mrs. Nutcracker helped him, and when it was all done, she sat down and cried again. Poor Mrs. Nutcracker felt so badly she just couldn’t help it.

 

Just then Old Squirrel Nutcracker came up the stairs, so she dried her eyes and the two little squirrels picked up their trunks and started down the tree.

 

When they reached the first landing, a great big limb that spread out to one side, there stood Squirrel Nutcracker. His voice was a little husky as he said:

 

“I want to be proud of you, Twinkle Tail and Featherhead. See that you find nice homes and that you don’t do anything to make me ashamed of you.” Then he hugged them good-by and went upstairs to Mrs. Nutcracker.

1 apron   

n.围裙；工作裙

参考例句：

• We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron.招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
• She stitched a pocket on the new apron.她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。

2 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。

3 hustle   

v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)

参考例句：

• It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
• I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

4 hopped   

跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花

参考例句：

• He hopped onto a car and wanted to drive to town. 他跳上汽车想开向市区。
• He hopped into a car and drove to town. 他跳进汽车，向市区开去。