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"I think," said the cob, "the best plan is for me to demonstrate flying to you.
“我覺得，”雄天鵝說，“我最好還是先給你們做一次示范飛行。
I will make a short exhibition flight while you watch.
我要在你們的眼前來一場簡短的飛翔表演。
Observe everything I do! Watch me pump my neck up and down before the takeoff! Watch me test the wind by turning my head this way and that!
到時候要觀察我做的每個動作！注意看我在起飛前脖子是怎樣上下擺動的！看我怎么把頭轉(zhuǎn)來轉(zhuǎn)去的探測風向！
The takeoff must be into the wind--it's much easier that way.
起飛時一定要飛進風里去——那樣就更容易飛起來了。
Listen to the noise I make trumpeting! Watch how I raise my great wings!
聽聽我發(fā)出來的吹號聲！瞧瞧我是怎么揚起我那雙碩大的翅膀的！
See how I beat them furiously as I rush through the water with my feet going like mad!
看看當我用我的雙腳發(fā)狂地踢打著沖出水面時翅膀拍打得多猛烈！
This frenzy will last for a couple of hundred feet,
這種猛烈的拍打?qū)⒊掷m(xù)兩百英尺遠，
at which point I will suddenly be airborne, my wings still chopping the air with terrific force but my feet no longer touching the water!
然后我會突然地被空氣托起，那時雖然我的翅膀還在以可怕的力量劈砍著空氣，可我的兩腳卻再也碰不到水了！
Then watch what I do! Watch how I stretch my long white elegant neck out ahead of me until it has reached its full length!
接著再看我怎么做！看我是怎樣舒展著我那雪白雅潔的長脖子直到它完全伸直為止！
Watch how I retract my feet and allow them to stream out behind, full-length, until they extend beyond my tail!
看我是怎么縮回我的雙腳讓它們筆直地向后伸出，一直伸到我的尾巴后面！
Hear my cries as I gain the upper air and start trumpeting!
聽我升到上風處時開始發(fā)出的吹號聲！
See how strong and steady my wingbeat has become!
看我的翅膀拍打得多么有力穩(wěn)健！
Then watch me bank and turn, set my wings, and glide down!
現(xiàn)在看我斜著身子盤旋過來，平伸著翅膀，準備向下滑翔！
And just as I reach the pond again, watch how I shoot my feet out in front of me and use them for the splashdown, as though they were a pair of water skis!
就在我再回到池塘的瞬間，看我是怎么把雙腳伸到前面并用它們在水面降落，好像它們是一副滑水板似的！
Having watched all this, then you can join me, and your mother, too, and we will all make a practice flight together, until you get the hang of it.
看完了所有這些以后，你們就能和我，還有你們的媽媽，一起作飛行訓練了，直到你們學會飛翔為止。
Then tomorrow we will do it again,
等明天我們再練一次，
and instead of returning to the pond, we will head south to Montana.
然后就不再飛回池塘了，而是大家一起南飛到蒙大拿去。
Are you ready for my exhibition flight?"
你們準備好看我的飛翔表演了嗎？”
"Ready!" cried all the cygnets except Louis.
“準備好了！”除路易斯外的所有小天鵝都這么大叫。
"Very well, here I go!" cried the cob.
“很好，我現(xiàn)在起飛了！”雄天鵝大叫。
As the others watched, he swam downwind to the end of the pond, turned, tested the wind, pumped his neck up and down, trumpeted,
在大家的注視下，他逆風游到池塘的盡頭，轉(zhuǎn)過身，試了試風向，上下擺動著他的長脖子，吹號般的叫著，
and after a rush of two hundred feet, got into the air and began gaining altitude.
猛沖了兩百英尺，進到空中開始往上升。他的白色長脖子向前伸了出來。
His long white neck stretched out ahead. His big black feet stretched out behind. His wings had great power.
他的黑色大腳向后伸展著。他的翅膀拍打得極其有力。
The beat slowed as he settled into sustained flight.
當他開始持續(xù)飛行的時候，翅膀的拍打速度慢了下來。
All eyes watched. Louis was more excited than he had ever been.
所有的眼睛都在盯著他看。路易斯比以往任何時候都要緊張。
"I wonder if I can really do it?" he thought.
“不知道我是不是真能這樣做？”他想，
"Suppose I fail! Then the others will fly away, and I will be left here all alone on this deserted pond, with winter approaching, with no father, no mother, no sisters, no brothers, and no food to eat when the pond freezes over.
“假如我做不到的話！那時大家就都飛走了，我就會孤伶伶地留在這個荒涼的池塘，等冬天臨近的時候，身邊沒有爸爸，沒有媽媽，沒有姐姐，沒有哥哥，在池塘結(jié)冰后也沒有食物可吃了。
I will die of starvation. I'm scared."
我會餓死的。我怕。”
