XVI CLOVER TOPS

 The Muley Cow noticed that Billy Woodchuck was making many trips back and forth¹ across the pasture. Watching him carefully, she saw that he always crept under the fence and stole into the field where the clover grew. And every time he came back again he looked plumper than before.

 

"That clover's not intended for you," the Muley Cow told him at last. She thought that ought to be enough to stop him. But it made not the slightest difference. Billy Woodchuck continued to visit the clover-patch just as often as ever.And it seemed to the Muley Cow that he stayed longer each time he went there.

 

"Something will have to be done to keep that Woodchuck boy out of our clover," she announced to the rest of the herd². "If we don't stop him there'll be no nice clover hay for us next winter."

 

"Somebody ought to put a poke³ on him," said the little red cow. And everybody laughed—everybody except the Muley Cow. She saw nothing funny in the suggestion. She thought it silly; and she said as much, too: "Who ever heard of a Woodchuck wearing a poke about his neck?"

 

"Have you told Billy Woodchuck to keep out of the clover?" one of the Muley Cow's friends inquired.

 

"I've dropped a hint; but it seems he can't take a hint," the Muley Cow replied.

 

 

"Then someone will have to speak plainly to him," the friend said. And the whole herd told the Muley Cow that she was the one to do it, because she was the oldest cow on the farm.

 

So the next time that Billy Woodchuck hurried by on his way to the clover-patch, the Muley Cow stood right in his path and stopped him.

 

"Go back!" she said severely⁴. "You mustn't eat any more clover. You've had too much of it already."

 

Billy Woodchuck sat up on his hind⁵ feet and stared very hard at the Muley Cow.

 

But he said never a word.

 

"What's the matter with you?" she asked him. "Can't you speak when you're spoken to? Have you nothing to say?"

 

It appeared that he had. "I was thinking," he stammered⁶, "what a pity it is that you lost your horns."

 

The Muley Cow gave a sort of snort.

 

"Don't be a ninny!" she cried. "I never lost my horns. I never had any to lose. That's why they call me the Muley Cow."

 

Billy Woodchuck sat as still as a mouse and never took his eyes off her. It gave the Muley Cow a queer turn to be looked at so steadily⁷. It made her fidget and squirm.

 

"Well! well!" she exclaimed. "How strangely you act! What's the trouble with you? Are you ill?"

 

"No!" said Billy Woodchuck. "I was only thinking what a long face you have."

 

"Nothing of the sort!" the Muley Cow spluttered. "It's my opinion that you can't see well. There must be something wrong with your eyes. And I haven't a doubt that the trouble is just this: You've eaten too much clover."

1 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。

2 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

3 poke   

n.刺，戳，袋；vt.拨开，刺，戳；vi.戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• We never thought she would poke her nose into this.想不到她会插上一手。
• Don't poke fun at me.别拿我凑趣儿。

4 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

5 hind   

adj.后面的，后部的

参考例句：

• The animal is able to stand up on its hind limbs.这种动物能够用后肢站立。
• Don't hind her in her studies.不要在学业上扯她后腿。

6 stammered   

v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He stammered most when he was nervous. 他一紧张往往口吃。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Barsad leaned back in his chair, and stammered, \"What do you mean?\" 巴萨往椅背上一靠，结结巴巴地说，“你是什么意思？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

7 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。