CHAPTER 29 THE YOUNG OTTER PAYS THE PRICE

 If life and freedom be the cost,

 

What matter if a toe is lost?

 

               Little Joe Otter¹.

 

Have you ever tried to make up your mind to have an aching² tooth pulled? If you have, you remember what hard work it was and how you kept putting it off and putting it off and putting it off. It was the same way with the young Otter caught in a steel trap³ by one toe. His father, Little Joe Otter, had told him that there was only one way in which he could gain freedom, and that was by losing that toe. He had told him that he would have to lose that toe or lose his life.

 

But the young Otter didn’t want to lose his toe. He said so over and over. He just couldn’t make up his mind to it. It seemed to him a dreadful⁴ thing to lose a toe.

 

“What is losing your toe compared with losing your life?” his father asked.

 

“But perhaps I won’t lose my life,” protested⁵ the young Otter.

 

“Yes, you will,” replied Little Joe Otter. “It is just as certain as it is that you are now caught in this trap. I can’t help you; your mother can’t help you; no one can help you. That two-legged creature who set this dreadful trap will come to see if any one has been caught in it. Then he’ll kill you. If you want this to happen rather than lose that toe, why I may as well go back to your mother and sister. It is useless for me to stay here. There is no knowing when that trapper may come and he may have a terrible gun with him. A good hard pull with all your might will set you free. I’m going now. Come on!”

 

The young Otter shook his head. His eyes were filled with tears. He couldn’t bear the thought of being left alone, yet he couldn’t make up his mind to lose that toe. That toe was numb⁶ now. That trap didn’t hurt so very much. But he was sure that if he should try to pull himself free, it would hurt dreadfully. It was because of this that he couldn’t make up his mind to try.

 

“Good-by,” said Little Joe Otter, and began to swim away swiftly⁷. He didn’t even look back. At first the young Otter couldn’t believe that he was really being left alone. But his father kept straight on. Every second he was getting farther⁸ and farther away. At last the young Otter realized that his father had meant just what he said.

 

The young Otter stood it just as long as he could. Then the thought of being left alone in that cruel trap became more than he could bear. He plunged⁹ after his father. The trap brought him up short. But with all his might he struggled. He didn’t even notice the pain. The thought of being left alone there was worse than any pain.

 

Suddenly that trap let go. At least he thought it had let go. He was free! I wish you could have seen him shoot through the water. How he did swim! Little Joe Otter heard him coming and waited for him. “So you decided¹⁰ that freedom is worth the price of a toe,” said he.

 

Such a funny look as the face of that young Otter wore. It was not until then that he realized that he had left his toe behind.

该作者的其它作品
《Blacky the Crow》
《The Adventures of Buster Bear》
《Old Granny Fox》

 

1 otter   

n.水獭

参考例句：

• The economists say the competition otter to the brink of extinction.经济学家们说，竞争把海獭推到了灭绝的边缘。
• She collared my black wool coat with otter pelts.她把我的黑呢上衣镶上了水獭领。

2 aching   

adj.痛的，疼痛的，心痛的v.渴望( ache的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• I'm aching all over. 我周身疼痛。
• There was an aching emptiness in her heart. 她的内心有一种隐隐作痛的空虚感。

3 trap   

vt.使陷入困境，使受限制；设陷，坑害；n.陷阱，诡计；困境；活板门，存水弯；（双轮）轻便马车；vi.设圈套，设陷阱

参考例句：

• The hunter laid a trap for the tiger.猎人设置了陷阱捕捉老虎。
• Cheese is very good for luring a mouse into a trap.奶酪是引诱老鼠上钩的极好的东西。

4 dreadful   

adj.糟透了的，极端的，可怕的，令人畏惧的

参考例句：

• I cannot imagine what to do in this dreadful situation.我不能想像在这么糟的情况下该怎么办。
• I must apologize for the dreadful mistake I made.我为我所犯的严重错误深表歉意。

5 protested   

v.声明( protest的过去式和过去分词 )；坚决地表示；申辩

参考例句：

• He protested he was being cheated of his rightful share. 他提出抗议说他被人骗取了他依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Amy protested she was being cheated of her rightful share. 艾米提出抗议，说有人骗取了她依法应得的份额。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 numb   

adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木

参考例句：

• His fingers were numb with cold.他的手冻得发麻。
• Numb with cold,we urged the weary horses forward.我们冻得发僵，催着疲惫的马继续往前走。

7 swiftly   

adv.快地，迅速地

参考例句：

• He came in swiftly and placed the child in my arms.他匆忙走进来把孩子放到我怀里。
• The police must be able to react swiftly in an emergency.警方在面对紧急情况时必须能迅速作出反应。

8 farther   

adj.更远的，进一步的；adv.更远的，此外；far的比较级

参考例句：

• I can throw the ball farther than you can.这个球我能比你扔得远。
• The farther hill is five kilometres away.那座更远的小山在五公里以外。

9 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

10 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。