Chapter 3 Ginger's story

　　What more could I want？ Freedom！For the first four years of my life I had a large field where I could gallop¹ around at full speed—with no straps，no bit，and no blinkers．Now I stood in a stable，night and day，except when I was wanted for work， and sometimes when John took me out，I felt so strong，so full of life，that I wanted to jump or dance．

　　'Calm down，boy！'he would say．

　　Then，as soon as we were out of the village，he would let me trot² fast for a few miles．Some grooms³ punished a horse for getting too excited，but not John．He knew how to control me with only the sound of his voice， and I was very fond of him．

　　Sometimes we did have our freedom in the field for an hour or two．This was on fine Sundays in the summer，because the carriage never went out on Sundays．It was wonderful．The grass was cool and soft to our feet，and the air was so sweet．And we could gallop or lie down or roll over on our backs，or do what we liked．

　　One day Ginger⁵ asked me about my old home and my train-ing．When I finished telling her，she said，'Life has been differ-ent for me．I was taken from my mother when I was young，and there was no kind master like yours to look after me．I had a bad time when I was trained．Several men caught me in a corner of the field and one held my nose so hard that I could only just breathe．Then another pulled my mouth open to put the bit in， and I was pulled along and beaten from behind．They didn't give me a chance to understand what they wan-ted．

　　'The old master， Mr Ryder， knew about horses， but he gave up most of the business to his son， who was tall and strong， but not gentle． They called him Samson， and he said that no horse could throw him out of the saddle．One day，he made me run round the field on a long rein⁶ until I was very tired and miser-able．The next morning he did the same again，then he put a saddle and bridle⁷ on me，and a new kind of bit into my mouth．

　　'The new bit was very painful and I pulled away and stood up on my back legs， which made him very angry． He stayed in the saddle and beat me with a whip，but after a long and terri-ble battle I threw him off and galloped⁸ to the other end of the field．

　　'I watched him go into the stable， but no one came to fetch me．Time went on and the sun was very hot．I was hungry and very thirsty．At last，just as the sun was going down， the old master came out with some oats．He spoke⁹ kindly¹⁰ and held out the oats for me to eat，then patted me gently and looked at the blood on my sides where Samson had whipped me．

　　'“Poor girl！”he said，then led me to the stable．Samson was there．“Keep out of the way，”said the master．“You've done a bad day's work for this horse with your bad temper． A bad-tempered¹¹ man will never make a good-tempered horse．”He led me into my box and took off my saddle and bridle．Then he called for some warm water and gently cleaned the blood from my sides．

　　'After that，he often came to see me， but a man called Joe went on training me．He was quiet and thoughtful and I soon learned what he wanted．

　　'After my training，'Ginger went on，'I was bought by a dealer¹² to match another horse of my colour．But then we were sold to a man in London who drove us with a bearing rein—a rein to hold our heads up unnaturally¹³ high and to keep them there，for hours and hours，until the pain was terrible．We had to wear two bits instead of one，and mine was so sharp that it made my mouth bleed．Sometimes we waited for hours while our master or mistress was at parties or the theatre， and if we weren't patient，the driver would whip us．'

　　'Didn't your master care about you at all？'I said．

　　'Only about how we looked，'replied Ginger．'He knew very little about horses．The driver told him I had a bad temper but would soon get used to the bearing rein．I was willing to work and learn，but they were so cruel that it made me angry．Then I broke away from the carriage one day，and that was the end of that place．

　　'I was sold to another man，but he had a groom⁴ as bad-tem-pered as Samson．He hit me across the legs with his stable brush if I didn't move quickly．I hated him， and one day when he made me angry，I bit him！He never came into my stall af-ter that， and I was soon sold again．

　　'A dealer heard of me and said he thought he knew one place where I should do well．“It's wrong for a fine horse to go bad like that，”he said．And I was brought here，not long before you came．Of course，it's very different here．But who knows how long it will last？ I've decided¹⁴ that all men are my natural enemies．'

　　I was sorry for Ginger， but as the weeks went on， she be-came happier and more gentle．

　　'I do believe Ginger is getting quite fond of me，'James said one day．

　　'She'll be as good as Black Eeauty one day，'replied John．'Kindness is all she needs，poor thing！'

　

3 金儿的故事

　

　　我还想要什么呢？自由！在我生命的头4年，我曾拥有那么广阔的田野，我可以在那儿全速奔驰——没有缰绳，没有嚼口，也没有眼罩。现在，除了有活干的时候，我得日夜呆在马厩里，有时约翰带我出去的时候，我觉得自己是那么强壮有力，充满生机，我按捺不住地想跳跃，想舞蹈。

　　“静一点儿，伙计！”他会说。

　　我们一出村，他就会让我撒开了跑上几里。有的马夫会惩罚过度兴奋的马，约翰不。他知道怎么能只用声音来控制我，我真喜欢他。

　　有时在田野里，我们可以尽情享受一两小时自由。这时往往是在夏天的周日，因为马车在周日不外出。那真叫妙不可言。青草踏上去凉爽而柔软，连空气都是甜的。我们可以或飞跑或卧倒或是滚来滚去，随心所欲。

　　一天金儿问起我的老家和我受的训练。我讲完后，她说：“过去我的生活可不是这样。我小时候就被人从我妈妈身边带走，可没有像你的主人那么好的人照顾我。训练时我可受了罪了。几个人在草场的一角捉住我，一个人紧紧地抓住我的鼻子，我都快透不过气来了。另一个掰开我的嘴，塞进嚼子，我一路被拖着，屁股被抽打着。他们不给我时间弄明白他们到底想要我干什么。

　　“老主人莱德先生倒是懂得马匹，但他已把绝大部分工作转给了他的儿子，那是个又高又壮、又不和气的家伙。他们叫他萨姆森，他说没有哪匹马能把他甩下马鞍。一天，他用长鞭子赶着我绕着田野跑啊跑，直到我精疲力尽。第二天他又这样来了一遍，还给我备上马鞍，绑上笼头，而且还给我嘴里塞进了一种新式嚼口。

　　“新嚼口让我的嘴很疼，我挣脱开去，用后腿直立起来，这可惹恼了他。他仍坐在马鞍上，用鞭子抽我，经过一番长时间的激烈较量，我终于把他甩了下来，跑到田野的另一边去了。

　　“我看着他走进马厩，但是没人来把我领回去。时间一分一秒地过着，太阳变得火热。我好饿，还渴得要命。最后，到太阳快落山的时候，老主人带着一些燕麦出来了。他对我和气地讲话，又捧出燕麦来喂我，还轻轻地拍着我，察看了我身上被萨姆森抽打出的鲜血。

　　“'可怜的姑娘！'他说着，牵我回了马厩。萨姆森也在那儿。'滚出去，'老主人说。'你的臭脾气让这匹马受了一天的罪。一个坏脾气的人永远训练不出好脾气的马。'他带我进了我的圆栏，卸下了我的马鞍和笼头。然后他叫人送来了温水，轻轻地为我擦拭身上的血。

　　“从那以后，他常来看我，一个叫乔的人继续训练我。他又安静又周到，我很快就能领会他的意图。

　　“训练之后，”金儿继续道，“我被一个商人买去配他的另一匹颜色和我相仿的马。随后我们被卖到伦敦。新主人用缰绳把我们的头勒得老是不自然地高昂着，一连好几个小时，直到我们痛得受不了。我们得戴两副嚼子，而不是一副，我的嚼口锋利得把我的嘴都划出血了。有时我们的男主人或女主人参加舞会或去剧院，我们得等上好多个小时，如有一点不耐烦，马夫就抽我们。”

　　“你们的主人就一点也不关心你们？”我说。

　　“他只在乎我们的外貌。”金儿说。“他对马懂得很少。马夫告诉他说我的脾气很坏，但很快就会适应缰绳。我愿意干活和学新本领，但他们太冷酷了，我就生气了。于是一天我从那辆车上挣脱开逃走了，从此告别了那个地方。

　　“我被卖给了另一个人，他有一个脾气和萨姆森一样坏的马夫。如果我走得慢一点，他就用马刷打我的腿。我恨他，一天他惹恼了我，我就咬了他！他后来再也没进过我的马厩。很快我又被卖掉了。

　　“一个商人听说了我，说他知道有一个地方适合我。'一匹好马不应该就这样一天天变坏，'他说。我就被带到这里，就在你来之前不久。当然，这里倒真是不一样。可谁知道这能维持多久呢？我认定所有人类都是我的天敌。”

　　我真为金儿难过，不过时间一星期一星期地过去，她变得高兴起来，而且温和起来。

　　“我确信金儿喜欢我了，”一天詹姆斯说。

　　“有一天她会变得和黑骏马一样出色的，”约翰说。“可怜的小家伙，她要的不过是善意罢了。”

1 gallop   

v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展

参考例句：

• They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
• The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。

2 trot   

n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧

参考例句：

• They passed me at a trot.他们从我身边快步走过。
• The horse broke into a brisk trot.马突然快步小跑起来。

3 grooms   

n.新郎( groom的名词复数 )；马夫v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的第三人称单数 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗

参考例句：

• Plender end Wilcox became joint grooms of the chambers. 普伦德和威尔科克斯成为共同的贴身侍从。 来自辞典例句
• Egypt: Families, rather than grooms, propose to the bride. 埃及：在埃及，由新郎的家人，而不是新郎本人，向新娘求婚。 来自互联网

4 groom   

vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁

参考例句：

• His father was a groom.他父亲曾是个马夫。
• George was already being groomed for the top job.为承担这份高级工作，乔治已在接受专门的培训。

5 ginger   

n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气

参考例句：

• There is no ginger in the young man.这个年轻人没有精神。
• Ginger shall be hot in the mouth.生姜吃到嘴里总是辣的。

6 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

7 bridle   

n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒

参考例句：

• He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。
• I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。

8 galloped   

（使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事

参考例句：

• Jo galloped across the field towards him. 乔骑马穿过田野向他奔去。
• The children galloped home as soon as the class was over. 孩子们一下课便飞奔回家了。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。

11 bad-tempered   

adj.脾气坏的

参考例句：

• He grew more and more bad-tempered as the afternoon wore on.随着下午一点点地过去，他的脾气也越来越坏。
• I know he's often bad-tempered but really,you know,he's got a heart of gold.我知道他经常发脾气，但是，要知道，其实他心肠很好。

12 dealer   

n.商人，贩子

参考例句：

• The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
• The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。

13 unnaturally   

adv.违反习俗地；不自然地；勉强地；不近人情地

参考例句：

• Her voice sounded unnaturally loud. 她的嗓音很响亮，但是有点反常。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her eyes were unnaturally bright. 她的眼睛亮得不自然。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 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。