A CHRISTMAS TALE

IN the forest，high up on the steep shore，hard by the open sea coast，stood a very old Oak Tree．It was exactly three hundred and sixty-five years old，but that long time was not more for the Tree than just as many days would be to us men．We wake by day and sleep through the night，and then we have our dreams：it is different with the Tree，which keeps awake through three seasons of the year，and does not get its sleep till winter comes．Winter is its time for rest，its night after the long day which is called spring，summer，and autumn．

On many a [warm] summer day the Ephemera，[the fly that lives but for a day，] had danced around his crown—had lived，enjoyed，and felt happy；and then the tiny creature had rested for a moment in quiet bliss¹ on one of the great fresh Oak leaves；and then the Tree always said，

“Poor little thing！Your whole life is but a single day！How very short！It's quite melancholy．”

“Melancholy！Why do you say that？”the Ephemera would then always reply．“It's wonderfully bright，warm，and beautiful all around me，and that makes me rejoice．”

“But only one day，and then it's all done！”

“Done！”repeated the Ephemera．“What's the mean－in of done？Are you done，too？”

“No；I shall perhaps live for thousands of your days，and my day is whole seasons long！It's something so long，that you can't at all manage to reckon it out．”

“No？then I don't understand you．You say you have thousands of my days；but I have thousands of moments，in which I can be merry and happy．Does all the beauty of this world cease when you die？”

“No，”replied the Tree；“it will certainly last much longer—far longer than I can possibly think．”

“Well，then，we have the same time，only that we reckon differently．”

And the Ephemera danced and floated in the air，and rejoiced in her delicate wings of gauze and velvet，and rejoiced in the balmy breezes laden² with the fragrance³ of the meadows and of wild roses and elder flowers，of the garden hedges，wild thyme，and mint，and daisies；the scent⁴ of these was all so strong that the Ephemera was al－most intoxicated．The day was long and beautiful，full of joy and of sweet feeling，and when the sun sank low the little fly felt very agreeably tired of all its happiness and enjoyment．The delicate wings would not carry it any more，and quietly and slowly if

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1 bliss
n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福
参考例句：
It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。 He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。

2 laden
adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的
参考例句：
He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。 Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

3 fragrance
n.芬芳，香味，香气
参考例句：
The apple blossoms filled the air with their fragrance.苹果花使空气充满香味。 The fragrance of lavender filled the room.房间里充满了薰衣草的香味。

4 scent
n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉
参考例句：
The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。 The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

5 glided
v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔
参考例句：
The President's motorcade glided by. 总统的车队一溜烟开了过去。 They glided along the wall until they were out of sight. 他们沿着墙壁溜得无影无踪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 twigs
细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。 Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。

7 strew
vt.撒；使散落；撒在…上，散布于
参考例句：
Their custom is to strew flowers over the graves.他们的风俗是在坟墓上撒花。 Shells of all shapes and sizes strew the long narrow beach.各种各样的贝壳点缀着狭长的海滩。

8 acorn
n.橡实，橡子
参考例句：
The oak is implicit in the acorn.橡树孕育于橡子之中。 The tree grew from a small acorn.橡树从一粒小橡子生长而来。

9 descried
adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的
参考例句：
He descried an island far away on the horizon. 他看到遥远的地平线上有个岛屿。 来自《简明英汉词典》 At length we descried a light and a roof. 终于，我们远远看见了一点灯光，一所孤舍。 来自辞典例句

10 landmark
n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标
参考例句：
The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。 The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

11 boughs
大树枝( bough的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The green boughs glittered with all their pearls of dew. 绿枝上闪烁着露珠的光彩。 A breeze sighed in the higher boughs. 微风在高高的树枝上叹息着。

12 crooked
adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的
参考例句：
He crooked a finger to tell us to go over to him.他弯了弯手指，示意我们到他那儿去。 You have to drive slowly on these crooked country roads.在这些弯弯曲曲的乡间小路上你得慢慢开车。

13 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。

14 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。

15 festive
adj.欢宴的，节日的
参考例句：
It was Christmas and everyone was in festive mood.当时是圣诞节，每个人都沉浸在节日的欢乐中。 We all wore festive costumes to the ball.我们都穿着节日的盛装前去参加舞会。

16 mighty
adj.强有力的；巨大的
参考例句：
A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。 The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

17 knights
骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马
参考例句：
stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事 He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

18 dames
n.（在英国）夫人（一种封号），夫人（爵士妻子的称号）( dame的名词复数 )；女人
参考例句：
Dames would not comment any further. Dames将不再更多的评论。 来自互联网 Flowers, candy, jewelry, seemed the principal things in which the elegant dames were interested. 鲜花、糖果和珠宝看来是那些贵妇人的主要兴趣所在。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

19 gallant
adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的
参考例句：
Huang Jiguang's gallant deed is known by all men. 黄继光的英勇事迹尽人皆知。 These gallant soldiers will protect our country.这些勇敢的士兵会保卫我们的国家的。

20 plumes
羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物
参考例句：
The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。 The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

21 bonnets
n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子
参考例句：
All the best bonnets of the city were there. 城里戴最漂亮的无边女帽的妇女全都到场了。 来自辞典例句 I am tempting you with bonnets and bangles and leading you into a pit. 我是在用帽子和镯子引诱你，引你上钩。 来自飘（部分）

22 falcons
n.猎鹰( falcon的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Peregrine falcons usually pluck the feathers and strip the flesh off their bird prey. 游隼捕到鸟类猎物时，通常是先拔掉它们的羽毛，再把肉撕下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Though he doubted the wisdom of using falcons, Dr. de la Fuente undertook the project. 虽然德·拉·富恩特博士怀疑使用游隼是否明智，但他还是执行了这项计划。 来自辞典例句

23 warriors
武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )
参考例句：
I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。 The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

24 harps
abbr.harpsichord 拨弦古钢琴n.竖琴( harp的名词复数 )
参考例句：
She continually harps on lack of money. 她总唠叨说缺钱。 来自《简明英汉词典》 He could turn on the harps of the blessed. 他能召来天使的竖琴为他奏乐。 来自辞典例句

25 rippling
起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的
参考例句：
I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。 The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。

26 joyous
adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的
参考例句：
The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。 They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。

27 yearning
a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的
参考例句：
a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往 He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。

28 majestic
adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的
参考例句：
In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。 He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

29 fervently
adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地
参考例句：
"Oh, I am glad!'she said fervently. “哦，我真高兴！”她热烈地说道。 来自《简明英汉词典》 O my dear, my dear, will you bless me as fervently to-morrow?' 啊，我亲爱的，亲爱的，你明天也愿这样热烈地为我祝福么？” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

30 streak
n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动
参考例句：
The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。 Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

31 upwards
adv.向上，在更高处...以上
参考例句：
The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。 The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。

32 zigzag
n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行
参考例句：
The lightning made a zigzag in the sky.闪电在天空划出一道Z字形。 The path runs zigzag up the hill.小径向山顶蜿蜒盘旋。

33 grasshopper
n.蚱蜢，蝗虫，蚂蚱
参考例句：
He thought he had made an end of the little grasshopper.他以为把那个小蚱蜢干掉了。 The grasshopper could not find anything to eat.蚱蜢找不到任何吃的东西。

34 beetles
n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )
参考例句：
Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》 This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

35 fetters
n.脚镣( fetter的名词复数 )；束缚v.给…上脚镣，束缚( fetter的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
They were at last freed from the fetters of ignorance. 他们终于从愚昧无知的束缚中解脱出来。 They will run wild freed from the fetters of control. 他们一旦摆脱了束缚，就会变得无法无天。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 prostrate
v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的
参考例句：
She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。 The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。

37 psalm
n.赞美诗，圣诗
参考例句：
The clergyman began droning the psalm.牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。 The minister droned out the psalm.牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。