英語趣味故事之士兵和他的馬

　　英語趣味故事

During the wars, a soldier looked after hishorse with the greatest care. He gave it the best oats to eat and the clearestwater to drink.

戰爭期間，有個士兵對他的馬悉心照料。給它吃最好的燕麥,喝最乾淨的水。

He rubbed it down when it got wet and covered it with a warm blanket on coldwinter nights.

馬身上溼了，他就給它擦乾;在寒冷的冬夜，他給它蓋上溫暖的毯子。

As a result, the horse was strong and swift and carried its master safely outof the dangers of war.

因此，這匹馬很健壯，跑得很快，馱着它的主人屢屢安全脫險。

When peace came, however, the soldierchanged. He put the horse out in a field full of thistles and gave it only alittle mouldy hay to eat.

戰爭結束了，士兵也變了。他把馬拉到長滿薊的野地裏，只給它一點兒發黴的乾草吃。

The stable was a broken-down hut with a leaking roof and a floor made of mud;the only water was in a ditch under the hedge.

給它住的馬廄是間破舊不堪的茅草屋，屋頂是漏的，地面是泥土地;喝的水也只是樹籬旁小水溝裏的水。

During the day the soldier made the horse work hard on his farm, carrying loadsof wood and pulling heavy wagons.

白天，士兵讓馬在農場裏乾重活，不是馱木頭，就是拉大車。

After some time war broke out again. Thesoldier took out his heavy breastplate and boots, strapped on his pistols andhelmet, and went to the field to catch his horse.

過了一段時間，戰爭又爆發了。士兵拿出沉重的盔甲和靴子，帶上手槍和頭盔，去野地裏牽回他的戰馬。

Hastily brushing the thistles from its coat, he laid the leather saddle on itsback, pulled the bridle over its mangy ears and heaved himself up.

他匆匆地刷了刷馬身上的薊，放上皮馬鞍，往長癬的馬耳朵上套上籠頭，翻身上了馬背。

For a moment the horse stood motionless. Thengradually its thin legs began to bend and it sank slowly to the ground. Thehorse gave the soldier a look of reproach.

馬一動不動地站了一會兒。隨後，它乾瘦的腿越來越彎，慢慢地倒在了地上。馬用責備的目光看了士兵一眼。

“Master,”it said,“you'll have to fight onfoot this time. You have made me work like a mule and fed me like a goat. Icannot change back into a horse in an instant just because you want me to.”

“主人，”馬說，“這回，您得徒步去打仗了。您讓我像騾子那樣幹活兒，卻像喂山羊那樣餵我。我不可能如您所期望的那樣，瞬間變爲一匹戰馬的。”