評論
打印
"Montana," said their father, "is a state of the Union.
“蒙大拿，”他們的父親說，“是美國的一個州。
And there, in a lovely valley surrounded by high mountains, are the Red Rock Lakes, which nature has designed especially for swans.
在那兒，在高山環繞著的一個可愛的峽谷里，有一個紅石湖，那是大自然特地給天鵝們定做的。
In these lakes you will enjoy warm water, arising from hidden springs.
在那些湖里你能享用到從看不見的泉眼里涌出來的溫水。
Here, ice never forms, no matter how cold the nights.
在哪里，不管夜里有多么冷，湖水也不會結冰。
In the Red Rock Lakes, you will find other Trumpeter Swans, as well as the lesser waterfowl--the geese and the ducks.
在這個紅石湖，你會找到其他的號手天鵝，還有一些為數不多的水鳥——野鵝和野鴨們。
There are few enemies. No gunners.
這里幾乎沒有敵人。也沒有帶槍的獵人。
Plenty of muskrat houses. Free grain. Games every day.
到處是麝鼠窩。谷粒隨便吃。每天都有游戲玩。
What more can a swan ask, in the long, long cold of winter?"
在一個長長的，長長的寒冬里，一只天鵝還能再求什么呢？”
Louis listened to all this in amazement. He wanted to ask his father how they would learn to fly and how they would find Montana even after they learned to fly.
路易斯驚奇地聽著這一切。他想問他的父親他們怎樣才能學會飛翔，而且，就算他們都學會了飛翔，又怎樣才可以找到蒙大拿。
He began to worry about getting lost. But he wasn't able to ask any questions. He just had to listen.
他開始擔心到時候會迷路了。可是他卻不能問任何問題。他只有在那里聽。
One of his brothers spoke up.
他的一個哥哥大聲說起來。
"Father," he said, "you said we would fly south.
“爸爸，”他說，“你說我們要往南飛。
I don't know how to fly. I've never been up in the air."
可我不知道怎么才能飛。我從沒上過天呀。”
"True," replied the cob. "But flying is largely a matter of having the right attitude--plus, of course, good wing feathers.
“是的，”雄天鵝回答，“不過飛翔主要是要有個正確姿勢的問題——當然了，此外你還得有好的翅膀羽毛。
Flying consists of three parts.
飛翔由三個部分組成。
First, the takeoff, during which there is a lot of fuss and commotion, a lot of splashing and rapid beating of the wings.
第一，起飛，這期間你會有一陣子混亂和騷動，還要濺起無數的水花，不停地迅速拍打翅膀。
Second, the ascent, or gaining of altitude--this requires hard work and fast wing action.
第二，上升，或者說高度的增加——這需要艱苦的努力和翅膀的快速扇動。
Third, the leveling-off,
第三，平飛，
the steady elevated flight, high in air, wings beating slower now, beating strongly and regularly, carrying us swiftly and surely from zone to zone as we cry ko-hoh, ko-hoh,
穩穩地高飛，飛到高空里去，現在翅膀拍打的速度要慢些了，但卻有力均勻得多，在我們高唱著吭—嗬，吭—嗬的時候，翅膀則迅速而又穩妥地帶著我們從一個地方飛到另一個地方，
with all the earth stretched out far below."
讓整個大地在我們的身下延伸。”
"It sounds very nice," said the cygnet, "but I'm not sure I can do it.
“聽起來很美，”這只小天鵝說，“可我不知道我能否做到這一點。
I might get dizzy way up there--if I look down."
在天空中我也許會頭暈的——如果我往下看的話。”
"Don't look down!" said his father. "Look straight ahead. And don't lose your nerve.
“別往下看！”他的父親說，“要一直往前看。不要慌。
Besides, swans do not get dizzy--they feel wonderful in the air. They feel exalted."
再說，天鵝們是從不會頭暈的——他們在空中的感覺非常好。他們會感到志得意滿。”
"What does "exalted" mean?" asked the cygnet.
“‘志得意滿’是什么意思？”這只小天鵝問。
"It means you will feel strong, glad, firm, high, proud, successful, satisfied, powerful, and elevated--as though you had conquered life and had a high purpose."
“它的意思是說你會感到強大，興奮，堅定，高大，驕傲，成功，滿足，有威力，崇高——好像你已經征服了生活并有了一個高尚的目標一樣。”
Louis listened to all this with great attention.The idea of flying frightened him.
路易斯非常專心地聽著這些話。想到飛翔他便有些恐懼。
"I won't be able to say ko-hoh," he thought. "I wonder whether a swan can fly if he has no voice and can't say ko-hoh."
“我不能說‘吭—嗬’”，他想，“我不知道如果一只天鵝沒有嗓子也不能說‘吭—嗬’的話是否還可以飛翔。”
