評論
打印
No one knew what to say. A little man who would do everything for nothing! It could not be true!
所有人都不知道該說什么了。一個小人愿意無償地做所有的事情！這真是難以置信啊！
There must be something wrong about it!
一定有什么不對勁的地方！
People began to whisper to each other." Perhaps it would be better to have nothing to do with him," they said." Perhaps he is wicked."
人們開始交人接耳。”或許最好不要跟他扯上關系，”他們說，“也許他很邪惡。”
Then Granny Duncan spoke up again.
后來，鄧肯奶奶又說話了。
"He is just a kind brownie, I tell you," she said. "Have you not all said that you had too much work to do?
我跟你們說，他是一個善良的小棕仙。她說，你們不是都說有許多工作要做嗎？
Here is a good workman all ready to help you.
現在有個能干的工人準備來幫助你們。
Will you turn him away just because he looks so strange?"
“你們僅僅因為他的長相古怪就拒絕他嗎？
"But he will frighten our friends," said the young people, "They will not come to our town if we let him stay. Then it will be lonely here."
“但是他會嚇到我們的朋友”年輕人說，如果我們讓他留下來。我們的那就不會來我們的小鎮。那樣的話，這里會很孤寂的。”
"People need not be afraid of anyone who wants only to work hard," said Granny Duncan.
“人們沒有必要對那些只想努力工作的人感到害怕，”鄧肯奶奶說。
"I have heard that a brownie can cut a whole field of wheat in one night"
“我聽說小棕仙一個晚上就能收完整個田里的麥子。”
"Cut a whole field of wheat in one night! Just think of that!" said all the men.
一個晚上就能收完整個田里的麥子！所有的人都感嘆道。
So the miller said that the brownie might sleep in his barn, and Granny Duncan promised the little man a bowl of porridge at bedtime.
于是，磨坊主說，小棕仙可以睡在他的谷倉里，鄧肯奶奶答應每天睡覺的時候給這個小人兒一碗粥。
They all said good-night and went home, looking over their shoulders to see if the strange little creature was following them.
他們相互說了再見，回到自己家中，他們不斷地回頭看，看這個奇怪的小家伙有沒有跟著他們。
You may be very sure that no one stayed behind that night.
可以非常肯定，自從那晚以后沒有一個人還會在晚上待在那里。
