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THE NEIGHBOURING FAMILIES
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One would have thought that something important was going on in the duck-pond, but it was nothing after all. All the ducks lying quietly on the water or standing1 on their heads in it—for they could do that—at once swarm2 to the sides; the traces of their feet were seen in the wet earth, and their cackling was heard far and wide. The water, which a few moments before had been as clear and smooth as a mirror, became very troubled. Before, every tree, every neighbouring bush, the old farmhouse3 with the holes in the roof and the swallows' nest, and especially the great rose-bush full of flowers, had been reflected in it. The rose-bush covered the wall and hung out over the water, in which everything was seen as if in a picture, except that it all stood on its head; but when the water was troubled everything got mixed up, and the picture was gone. Two feathers which the fluttering ducks had lost floated up and down; suddenly they took a rush as if the wind were coming, but as it did not come they had to lie still, and the water once more became quiet and smooth. The roses were again reflected; they were very beautiful, but they did not know it, for no one had told them. The sun shone among the delicate leaves; everything breathed forth4 the loveliest fragrance5, and all felt as we do when we are filled with joy at the thought of our happiness.
"How beautiful existence is!" said each rose. "The only thing that I wish for is to be able to kiss the sun, because it is so warm and bright. I should also like to kiss those roses down in the water, which are so much like us, and the pretty little birds down in the nest. There are some up above too; they put out their heads and pipe softly; they have no feathers like their father and mother. We have good neighbours, both below and above. How beautiful existence is!"
The young ones above and below—those below were really only shadows in the water—were sparrows; their parents were sparrows too, and had taken possession of the empty swallows' nest of last year, and now lived in it as if it were their own property.
"Are those the duck's children swimming here?" asked the young sparrows when they saw the feathers on the water.
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1
standing
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| n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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2
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群;vi.成群飞舞;蜂拥而入 | |
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3
farmhouse
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| n.农场住宅(尤指主要住房) | |
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4
forth
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| adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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fragrance
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| n.芬芳,香味,香气 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很 | |
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7
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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8
smelt
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| v.熔解,熔炼;n.银白鱼,胡瓜鱼 | |
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9
strews
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| v.撒在…上( strew的第三人称单数 );散落于;点缀;撒满 | |
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10
gnats
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| n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 ) | |
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11
crest
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| n.顶点;饰章;羽冠;vt.达到顶点;vi.形成浪尖 | |
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12
industrious
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| adj.勤劳的,刻苦的,奋发的 | |
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13
drawn
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| v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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14
beak
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| n.鸟嘴,茶壶嘴,钩形鼻 | |
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shudder
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| v.战粟,震动,剧烈地摇晃;n.战粟,抖动 | |
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16
smeared
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| 弄脏; 玷污; 涂抹; 擦上 | |
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17
gilded
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| a.镀金的,富有的 | |
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18
adornment
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| n.装饰;装饰品 | |
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lining
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| n.衬里,衬料 | |
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20
beaks
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| n.鸟嘴( beak的名词复数 );鹰钩嘴;尖鼻子;掌权者 | |
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21
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的,精疲力尽的 | |
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22
eldest
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| adj.最年长的,最年老的 | |
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23
flop
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| n.失败(者),扑通一声;vi.笨重地行动,沉重地落下 | |
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24
upwards
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| adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人;业主;经营者 | |
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26
charred
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| v.把…烧成炭( char的过去式);烧焦 | |
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27
twig
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| n.小树枝,嫩枝;v.理解 | |
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portfolio
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| n.公事包;文件夹;大臣及部长职位 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的 | |
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30
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
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31
hopped
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| 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 | |
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32
pious
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| adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
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prettily
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| adv.优美地;可爱地 | |
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34
strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走,高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 );喷着汽(或烟)移动;吹嘘;吹捧 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地;非常地 | |
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malice
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| n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋 | |
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chatter
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| vi./n.喋喋不休;短促尖叫;(牙齿)打战 | |
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attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地;周到地;谛;凝神 | |
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sketch
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| n.草图;梗概;素描;v.素描;概述 | |
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betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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42
laden
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| adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
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pottery
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| n.陶器,陶器场 | |
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44
maiden
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| n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里;adj.在那边的,对岸的 | |
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47
enraptured
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| v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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48
mighty
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| adj.强有力的;巨大的 | |
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49
bosom
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| n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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50
reigned
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| vi.当政,统治(reign的过去式形式) | |
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51
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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52
emblem
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| n.象征,标志;徽章 | |
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53
fragrant
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| adj.芬香的,馥郁的,愉快的 | |
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54
immortal
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| adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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WHAT THE MOON SAW
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THE NIGHTINGALE
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