VII The Major Has a Pain

 The party had come to an end; nobody was left except old Mr. Crow and his friend Major Monkey.

 

Mr. Crow himself was fast growing sleepy, for it was almost dark. And he wanted to fly home and go to bed. But he hardly felt that he ought to leave just then.

 

There was no doubt that the Major was in great pain. He kept one hand pressed against the lowest button of his short red coat. His cap was awry¹. And his wrinkled face showed a careworn³ and anxious look.

 

"How many apples have you eaten to-day?" Mr. Crow asked his friend.

 

"I haven't the slightest idea," the Major answered. "After I had finished two dozen I lost count."

 

"My goodness!" Mr. Crow exclaimed. "It's no wonder you're ill.... We'll hurry over to the pasture and see Aunt Polly Woodchuck, the herb doctor. She'll know what to do for you."

 

Major Monkey was more than willing. So they set out at once. The Major travelled through the tree-tops where he could, while Mr. Crow flew slowly, alighting now and then to wait for his friend to overtake him.

 

In a little while they came to the pasture. And Major Monkey was glad to find Aunt Polly at home.

 

She was a wise old lady. She knew right away, without being told, that it was Major Monkey—and not Mr. Crow—that was ill.

 

"You're in pain," she remarked to the Major. "I knew it the moment I set eyes on you."

 

Major Monkey moaned faintly.

 

"I hope you'll give me something to make me feel better," he wailed⁴.

 

"I will," Aunt Polly Woodchuck promised. And putting her hand inside a basket that she carried on her arm, she drew forth⁵ a red apple. "Here!" she said, "eat this!"

 

Major Monkey drew back.

 

"No!" he groaned⁶. "I don't want any more apples. I've had too many already."

 

Aunt Polly Woodchuck shot a triumphant⁷ look at Mr. Crow.

 

"I thought so," she said. And she dropped the red apple back into her basket.[Pg 36] "Now," she went on, turning again to the Major, "I should like to ask whether you're fond of corn."

 

Old Mr. Crow stepped forward quickly.

 

"I object!" he cried. "The less said about corn, the better!"

 

Aunt Polly Woodchuck hastened to explain that she meant no offense⁸ to anyone.

 

"I merely wondered," she said, "whether you gave your guests corn to eat at your party."

 

"Certainly not!" Mr. Crow exploded. "Certainly not!" And he glared at the old lady as if to say: "Change the subject—for pity's sake!"

 

"You're a stranger in these parts, I take it," Aunt Polly said, turning once more to Major Monkey. "No doubt you've been used to eating different food from what you get hereabouts."

"That's so," the Major admitted. "I've been living mostly on boiled rice, with a baked potato now and then."

 

"Ah! Cooked food!" said Aunt Polly. "And if you had that sort of fare, you must have been living with men."

 

The Major looked uneasy.

 

"I don't care to talk about my past," he murmured. "Just you give me something to warm my stomach a bit. That's all I ask of you."

 

Well, Aunt Polly Woodchuck handed him some peppermint⁹ leaves.

 

"Chew these," she directed him. "And if you don't feel better to-morrow I'll lose my guess."

 

Major Monkey put the leaves into his mouth and made a wry² face.

 

"Haven't you a lump of sugar to make this dose taste better?" he asked her.

 

"There!" Aunt Polly cried. "You've been fed by men! I knew it all the time."

 

Major Monkey made no comment on her remark. And settling his cap firmly on his head he said that he must be going.

 

So he and Mr. Crow went off.

 

"Where are you going to spend the night?" Mr. Crow asked him as soon as they were out of Aunt Polly's hearing.

 

"That haystack is a good place," said the Major. "I believe I'll live there as long as I stay in Pleasant Valley."

 

"It's not far from the farmhouse," Mr. Crow observed. "Perhaps you could steal—er—I mean find a little cooked food there now and then."

 

"That's an idea," Major Monkey told him. But he did not explain whether he thought it a good one or not.

1 awry   

adj.扭曲的，错的

参考例句：

• She was in a fury over a plan that had gone awry. 计划出了问题，她很愤怒。
• Something has gone awry in our plans.我们的计划出差错了。

2 wry   

adj.讽刺的；扭曲的

参考例句：

• He made a wry face and attempted to wash the taste away with coffee.他做了个鬼脸，打算用咖啡把那怪味地冲下去。
• Bethune released Tung's horse and made a wry mouth.白求恩放开了董的马，噘了噘嘴。

3 careworn   

adj.疲倦的，饱经忧患的

参考例句：

• It's sad to see the careworn face of the mother of a large poor family.看到那贫穷的一大家子的母亲忧劳憔悴的脸庞心里真是难受。
• The old woman had a careworn look on her face.老妇脸上露出忧心忡忡的神色。

4 wailed   

v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句

5 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

6 groaned   

v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• He groaned in anguish. 他痛苦地呻吟。
• The cart groaned under the weight of the piano. 大车在钢琴的重压下嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 triumphant   

adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的

参考例句：

• The army made a triumphant entry into the enemy's capital.部队胜利地进入了敌方首都。
• There was a positively triumphant note in her voice.她的声音里带有一种极为得意的语气。

8 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

9 peppermint   

n.薄荷，薄荷油，薄荷糖

参考例句：

• Peppermint oil is very good for regulating digestive disorders.薄荷油能很有效地调节消化系统失调。
• He sat down,popped in a peppermint and promptly choked to death.他坐下来，突然往嘴里放了一颗薄荷糖，当即被噎死。