英国语文第三册 第32期:老虎的故事

 　　LESSON 31 Stories of tigers 第三十一课 老虎的故事

　　When taken young, the tiger can be tamed. 如果从小开始，老虎是能被驯服的。
　　The fakirs, a class of people in India who are in the habit of going about begging, 在印度，那些苦行者们习惯去乞讨，
　　often lead with them tame tigers and leopards 1; but they are dangerous pets. 他们通常会带着被驯服的老虎和豹；这些都是很危险宠物。
　　A story is told of a gentleman in India, who nearly lost his life by a tame tiger which he had reared. 有一个故事说的是印度的一个人，差点丧命于他自己喂养驯服的老虎嘴下。
　　He was sitting one evening outside his tent reading, with his pet couched down beside him. 一个晚上，他正坐在帐篷外看书，他的宠物老虎卧在身边。
　　One hand hung by his side, while the other held his book. 他一只手垂在一边，另一只手拿着书。
　　The tiger began to lick his hand, and went on doing so for some time. 老虎开始舔他的手，并进行了一段时间。
　　A low growl 2 made the gentleman turn his head and look down. 听到一声低声吼叫，这个人回头往下看。
　　He saw that his hand was covered with blood! 发现手上满是鲜血！
　　In a moment he knew that the wild nature of the animal had awakened 3, and that if he withdrew his hand, the tiger would at once spring upon him. 那一刻他知道，老虎的兽性已经被唤醒，如果他缩回手，老虎肯定会扑向他。
　　Calling to his servant, whom he saw at a little distance, he told him to fetch a loaded gun, and shoot the tiger dead on the spot. 他叫来了近处的一个仆人，让他去拿一把上膛的枪，射杀老虎。
　　He then sat quite still, allowing him to growl and to lick the blood at his pleasure. 然后他一如既往的安静坐着，让老虎低吼并舔他手上的血。
　　We may feel sure that the moments seemed very long to him. 我们能感觉到当时的他肯定是度日如年。
　　Speedily, however, the servant came near with the gun, very quietly, so as not to disturb the animal; 然而，他的仆人很快就端着枪悄无声息地走过来了，以防惊扰老虎；
　　took a steady aim, and shot him through the heart! 他慢慢瞄准，一枪打在老虎的心脏部位！
　　The general way of hunting the tiger is with elephants. 通常都是用大象去捕猎老虎。
　　Though the horse can be made to face a lion, he will seldom face a tiger. 虽然马可以在狮子面前不露惧色，但是在老虎面前却不行。
　　The elephant, on the other hand, stands steadily 4, while his rider takes aim just before the tiger makes his spring. 另一方面，大象步伐稳重，猎手可以在老虎扑上来之前就瞄准好。
　　The Hindoos rarely hunt the tiger, or even fire on him. 印度人很少猎杀老虎，甚至很少攻击老虎。
　　They let him prowl about their houses, and carry away their cattle, and even their children! 他们任由老虎在屋子周围徘徊，叼走他们的牛，甚至是他们的孩子！
　　But wherever Europeans go, they strive to rid the country of such dangerous animals. 但是欧洲人就不同，他们一心想要把这种动物赶尽杀绝。
　　Sometimes the tiger, when hunted, springs upon the elephant, and fastens his teeth and claws in his neck or shoulder. 老虎被追捕时有时会扑向大象，咬住大象脖子和肩膀处。
　　The latter tries to kneel on his enemy, so as to crush him by the weight of his great legs and heavy body. 大象则会尽力跪在地上，因为那样可以用自身重量和粗腿压死老虎。
　　Sometimes they both roll on the ground, and a fearful struggle follows; 有时它们会在地上翻滚，痛苦的挣扎；
　　generally, however, ending in the death of the tiger, either from the strength of the elephant, or by a bullet from the hunter's rifle. 然而，通常来说，老虎要么死于大象的重量，要么死于猎枪下。