評論
打印
But when the war came, and General Washington and his brave men were fighting for the very life of the new nation,
但當戰爭來臨，華盛頓將軍和他的勇士為新國家灑熱血，
and no one knew what might happen from day to day, such jolly good times seemed almost impossible even to think of.
沒人知道每天會發生什么，這種歡樂時光幾乎不可能想象。
But fortunately for the boys and girls, the mothers of the village said that they needed more leaves than usual during war times,
但男孩和女孩很幸運，村里面的母親說戰爭時期他們需要更多的葉子，
for most of them were baking bread for the soldiers as well as for their own families.
多數是給士兵烤面包，也為自己家人烤面包。
And that's how it happened that one day in late autumn,
事情是這么發生的，那是深秋的一天，
when the leaves were broad and green and shiny from all the scrubbings which they had received during the fall showers,
在秋天落葉時期，他們采集了許多又寬又綠，又閃亮的葉子，
Joseph and Priscilla heard their teacher say, If you all have your lessons perfectly this morning,
約瑟夫和普麗西拉聽他們的老師說，如果你們早上好好聽課，
you may spend the afternoon gathering leaves in the woods for your mothers.
下午你們可以為你們的媽媽到森林里撿葉子。
Leafing day! whispered the children to each other happily.
葉子節，孩子們互相歡快地耳語著。
Then, when they had clapped and clapped their hands, they all began to study very hard.
隨后他們拍了拍手，開始投入到刻苦學習中。
By noon every lesson was learned better than usual. Then, very soon afterwards, every child in the whole village was on his way to the woods.
到了中午，學生學習的課程比平常要好，之后不久，全村的孩子都去了森林。
THE ENGLISH LAY THEIR PLANS
英國人湊備計劃
Although the children did not know it, a great many important things were happening that beautiful leafing day.
盡管孩子們不知道，一些很重要的事情在這個美麗的葉子節發生了。
General Washington's headquarters at that time were located a few miles south of the village,
華盛頓將軍的總部當時在村子以南幾英里處，
and he was waiting there with his small, poorly clothed, and poorly armed troops,
他穿著瘦小破爛的衣服在那里等待，還有裝備很差的部隊，
hoping to avoid a battle with the English troops until more of his soldiers arrived
他希望躲避與英國一戰，等待更多部隊的到來。
And on this very day the English, who had a camp several miles north, decided to attack the little American army,
就在這一天，英國人在北邊幾英里處安營扎寨，決定攻擊這些弱小的美國士兵，
take General Washington and his brave men captives, and, if possible, end the war and the new nation!
俘虜華盛頓將軍和他的勇士們，如果可能的話結束戰爭，結束這個新國家！
