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安徒生童话英文版-7 The Travelling Companion(1835)
添加时间:2014-01-07 15:37:02 浏览次数: 作者:Andersen
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  • POOR John was very sad; for his father was so ill, he had no hope of his recovery. John sat alone with the sick man in the little room, and the lamp had nearly burnt out; for it was late in the night.

    “You have been a good son, John,” said the sick father, “and God will help you on in the world.” He looked at him, as he spoke1, with mild, earnest eyes, drew a deep sigh, and died; yet it appeared as if he still slept.

    John wept bitterly. He had no one in the wide world now; neither father, mother, brother, nor sister. Poor John! he knelt down by the bed, kissed his dead father’s hand, and wept many, many bitter tears. But at last his eyes closed, and he fell asleep with his head resting against the hard bedpost. Then he dreamed a strange dream; he thought he saw the sun shining upon him, and his father alive and well, and even heard him laughing as he used to do when he was very happy. A beautiful girl, with a golden crown on her head, and long, shining hair, gave him her hand; and his father said, “See what a bride you have won. She is the loveliest maiden2 on the whole earth.” Then he awoke, and all the beautiful things vanished before his eyes, his father lay dead on the bed, and he was all alone. Poor John!

    During the following week the dead man was buried. The son walked behind the coffin3 which contained his father, whom he so dearly loved, and would never again behold4. He heard the earth fall on the coffin-lid, and watched it till only a corner remained in sight, and at last that also disappeared. He felt as if his heart would break with its weight of sorrow, till those who stood round the grave sang a psalm5, and the sweet, holy tones brought tears into his eyes, which relieved him. The sun shone brightly down on the green trees, as if it would say, “You must not be so sorrowful, John. Do you see the beautiful blue sky above you? Your father is up there, and he prays to the loving Father of all, that you may do well in the future.”

    “I will always be good,” said John, “and then I shall go to be with my father in heaven. What joy it will be when we see each other again! How much I shall have to relate to him, and how many things he will be able to explain to me of the delights of heaven, and teach me as he once did on earth. Oh, what joy it will be!”

    He pictured it all so plainly to himself, that he smiled even while the tears ran down his cheeks.

    The little birds in the chestnut-trees twittered, “Tweet, tweet;” they were so happy, although they had seen the funeral; but they seemed as if they knew that the dead man was now in heaven, and that he had wings much larger and more beautiful than their own; and he was happy now, because he had been good here on earth, and they were glad of it. John saw them fly away out of the green trees into the wide world, and he longed to fly with them; but first he cut out a large wooden cross, to place on his father’s grave; and when he brought it there in the evening, he found the grave decked out with gravel6 and flowers. Strangers had done this; they who had known the good old father who was now dead, and who had loved him very much.

    Early the next morning, John packed up his little bundle of clothes, and placed all his money, which consisted of fifty dollars and a few shillings, in his girdle; with this he determined7 to try his fortune in the world. But first he went into the churchyard; and, by his father’s grave, he offered up a prayer, and said, “Farewell.”

    As he passed through the fields, all the flowers looked fresh and beautiful in the warm sunshine, and nodded in the wind, as if they wished to say, “Welcome to the green wood, where all is fresh and bright.”

    Then John turned to have one more look at the old church, in which he had been christened in his infancy8, and where his father had taken him every Sunday to hear the service and join in singing the psalms9. As he looked at the old tower, he espied10 the ringer standing11 at one of the narrow openings, with his little pointed12 red cap on his head, and shading his eyes from the sun with his bent13 arm. John nodded farewell to him, and the little ringer waved his red cap, laid his hand on his heart, and kissed his hand to him a great many times, to show that he felt kindly14 towards him, and wished him a prosperous journey.

    John continued his journey, and thought of all the wonderful things he should see in the large, beautiful world, till he found himself farther away from home than ever he had been before. He did not even know the names of the places he passed through, and could scarcely understand the language of the people he met, for he was far away, in a strange land. The first night he slept on a haystack, out in the fields, for there was no other bed for him; but it seemed to him so nice and comfortable that even a king need not wish for a better. The field, the brook15, the haystack, with the blue sky above, formed a beautiful sleeping-room. The green grass, with the little red and white flowers, was the carpet; the elder-bushes and the hedges of wild roses looked like garlands on the walls; and for a bath he could have the clear, fresh water of the brook; while the rushes bowed their heads to him, to wish him good morning and good evening. The moon, like a large lamp, hung high up in the blue ceiling, and he had no fear of its setting fire to his curtains. John slept here quite safely all night; and when he awoke, the sun was up, and all the little birds were singing round him, “Good morning, good morning. Are you not up yet?”

    It was Sunday, and the bells were ringing for church. As the people went in, John followed them; he heard God’s word, joined in singing the psalms, and listened to the preacher. It seemed to him just as if he were in his own church, where he had been christened, and had sung the psalms with his father. Out in the churchyard were several graves, and on some of them the grass had grown very high. John thought of his father’s grave, which he knew at last would look like these, as he was not there to weed and attend to it. Then he set to work, pulled up the high grass, raised the wooden crosses which had fallen down, and replaced the wreaths which had been blown away from their places by the wind, thinking all the time, “Perhaps some one is doing the same for my father’s grave, as I am not there to do it ”

    Outside the church door stood an old beggar, leaning on his crutch16. John gave him his silver shillings, and then he continued his journey, feeling lighter17 and happier than ever. Towards evening, the weather became very stormy, and he hastened on as quickly as he could, to get shelter; but it was quite dark by the time he reached a little lonely church which stood on a hill. “I will go in here,” he said, “and sit down in a corner; for I am quite tired, and want rest.”

    So he went in, and seated himself; then he folded his hands, and offered up his evening prayer, and was soon fast asleep and dreaming, while the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed without. When he awoke, it was still night; but the storm had ceased, and the moon shone in upon him through the windows. Then he saw an open coffin standing in the centre of the church, which contained a dead man, waiting for burial. John was not at all timid; he had a good conscience, and he knew also that the dead can never injure any one. It is living wicked men who do harm to others. Two such wicked persons stood now by the dead man, who had been brought to the church to be buried. Their evil intentions were to throw the poor dead body outside the church door, and not leave him to rest in his coffin.

    “Why do you do this?” asked John, when he saw what they were going to do; “it is very wicked. Leave him to rest in peace, in Christ’s name.”

    “Nonsense,” replied the two dreadful men. “He has cheated us; he owed us money which he could not pay, and now he is dead we shall not get a penny; so we mean to have our revenge, and let him lie like a dog outside the church door.”

    “I have only fifty dollars,” said John, “it is all I possess in the world, but I will give it to you if you will promise me faithfully to leave the dead man in peace. I shall be able to get on without the money; I have strong and healthy limbs, and God will always help me.”

    “Why, of course,” said the horrid18 men, “if you will pay his debt we will both promise not to touch him. You may depend upon that;” and then they took the money he offered them, laughed at him for his good nature, and went their way.

    Then he laid the dead body back in the coffin, folded the hands, and took leave of it; and went away contentedly19 through the great forest. All around him he could see the prettiest little elves dancing in the moonlight, which shone through the trees. They were not disturbed by his appearance, for they knew he was good and harmless among men. They are wicked people only who can never obtain a glimpse of fairies. Some of them were not taller than the breadth of a finger, and they wore golden combs in their long, yellow hair. They were rocking themselves two together on the large dew-drops with which the leaves and the high grass were sprinkled. Sometimes the dew-drops would roll away, and then they fell down between the stems of the long grass, and caused a great deal of laughing and noise among the other little people. It was quite charming to watch them at play. Then they sang songs, and John remembered that he had learnt those pretty songs when he was a little boy. Large speckled spiders, with silver crowns on their heads, were employed to spin suspension bridges and palaces from one hedge to another, and when the tiny drops fell upon them, they glittered in the moonlight like shining glass. This continued till sunrise. Then the little elves crept into the flower-buds, and the wind seized the bridges and palaces, and fluttered them in the air like cobwebs.

    As John left the wood, a strong man’s voice called after him, “Hallo, comrade, where are you travelling?”

    “Into the wide world,” he replied; “I am only a poor lad, I have neither father nor mother, but God will help me.”

    “I am going into the wide world also,” replied the stranger; “shall we keep each other company?”

    “With all my heart,” he said, and so they went on together. Soon they began to like each other very much, for they were both good; but John found out that the stranger was much more clever than himself. He had travelled all over the world, and could describe almost everything. The sun was high in the heavens when they seated themselves under a large tree to eat their breakfast, and at the same moment an old woman came towards them. She was very old and almost bent double. She leaned upon a stick and carried on her back a bundle of firewood, which she had collected in the forest; her apron20 was tied round it, and John saw three great stems of fern and some willow21 twigs22 peeping out. just as she came close up to them, her foot slipped and she fell to the ground screaming loudly; poor old woman, she had broken her leg! John proposed directly that they should carry the old woman home to her cottage; but the stranger opened his knapsack and took out a box, in which he said he had a salve that would quickly make her leg well and strong again, so that she would be able to walk home herself, as if her leg had never been broken. And all that he would ask in return was the three fern stems which she carried in her apron.

    “That is rather too high a price,” said the old woman, nodding her head quite strangely. She did not seem at all inclined to part with the fern stems. However, it was not very agreeable to lie there with a broken leg, so she gave them to him; and such was the power of the ointment23, that no sooner had he rubbed her leg with it than the old mother rose up and walked even better than she had done before. But then this wonderful ointment could not be bought at a chemist’s.

    “What can you want with those three fern rods?” asked John of his fellow-traveller.

    “Oh, they will make capital brooms,” said he; “and I like them because I have strange whims24 sometimes.” Then they walked on together for a long distance.

    “How dark the sky is becoming,” said John; “and look at those thick, heavy clouds.”

    “Those are not clouds,” replied his fellow-traveller; “they are mountains—large lofty mountains—on the tops of which we should be above the clouds, in the pure, free air. Believe me, it is delightful25 to ascend27" target="_blank">ascend26 so high, tomorrow we shall be there.” But the mountains were not so near as they appeared; they had to travel a whole day before they reached them, and pass through black forests and piles of rock as large as a town. The journey had been so fatiguing28 that John and his fellow-traveller stopped to rest at a roadside inn, so that they might gain strength for their journey on the morrow. In the large public room of the inn a great many persons were assembled to see a comedy performed by dolls. The showman had just erected29 his little theatre, and the people were sitting round the room to witness the performance. Right in front, in the very best place, sat a stout30 butcher, with a great bull-dog by his side who seemed very much inclined to bite. He sat staring with all his eyes, and so indeed did every one else in the room. And then the play began. It was a pretty piece, with a king and a queen in it, who sat on a beautiful throne, and had gold crowns on their heads. The trains to their dresses were very long, according to the fashion; while the prettiest of wooden dolls, with glass eyes and large mustaches, stood at the doors, and opened and shut them, that the fresh air might come into the room. It was a very pleasant play, not at all mournful; but just as the queen stood up and walked across the stage, the great bull-dog, who should have been held back by his master, made a spring forward, and caught the queen in the teeth by the slender wrist, so that it snapped in two. This was a very dreadful disaster. The poor man, who was exhibiting the dolls, was much annoyed, and quite sad about his queen; she was the prettiest doll he had, and the bull-dog had broken her head and shoulders off. But after all the people were gone away, the stranger, who came with John, said that he could soon set her to rights. And then he brought out his box and rubbed the doll with some of the salve with which he had cured the old woman when she broke her leg. As soon as this was done the doll’s back became quite right again; her head and shoulders were fixed31 on, and she could even move her limbs herself: there was now no occasion to pull the wires, for the doll acted just like a living creature, excepting that she could not speak. The man to whom the show belonged was quite delighted at having a doll who could dance of herself without being pulled by the wires; none of the other dolls could do this.

    During the night, when all the people at the inn were gone to bed, some one was heard to sigh so deeply and painfully, and the sighing continued for so long a time, that every one got up to see what could be the matter. The showman went at once to his little theatre and found that it proceeded from the dolls, who all lay on the floor sighing piteously, and staring with their glass eyes; they all wanted to be rubbed with the ointment, so that, like the queen, they might be able to move of themselves. The queen threw herself on her knees, took off her beautiful crown, and, holding it in her hand, cried, “Take this from me, but do rub my husband and his courtiers.”

    The poor man who owned the theatre could scarcely refrain from weeping; he was so sorry that he could not help them. Then he immediately spoke to John’s comrade, and promised him all the money he might receive at the next evening’s performance, if he would only rub the ointment on four or five of his dolls. But the fellow-traveller said he did not require anything in return, excepting the sword which the showman wore by his side. As soon as he received the sword he anointed six of the dolls with the ointment, and they were able immediately to dance so gracefully32 that all the living girls in the room could not help joining in the dance. The coachman danced with the cook, and the waiters with the chambermaids, and all the strangers joined; even the tongs33 and the fire-shovel made an attempt, but they fell down after the first jump. So after all it was a very merry night. The next morning John and his companion left the inn to continue their journey through the great pine-forests and over the high mountains. They arrived at last at such a great height that towns and villages lay beneath them, and the church steeples looked like little specks34 between the green trees. They could see for miles round, far away to places they had never visited, and John saw more of the beautiful world than he had ever known before. The sun shone brightly in the blue firmament35 above, and through the clear mountain air came the sound of the huntsman’s horn, and the soft, sweet notes brought tears into his eyes, and he could not help exclaiming, “How good and loving God is to give us all this beauty and loveliness in the world to make us happy!”

    His fellow-traveller stood by with folded hands, gazing on the dark wood and the towns bathed in the warm sunshine. At this moment there sounded over their heads sweet music. They looked up, and discovered a large white swan hovering36 in the air, and singing as never bird sang before. But the song soon became weaker and weaker, the bird’s head drooped37, and he sunk slowly down, and lay dead at their feet.

    “It is a beautiful bird,” said the traveller, “and these large white wings are worth a great deal of money. I will take them with me. You see now that a sword will be very useful.”

    So he cut off the wings of the dead swan with one blow, and carried them away with him.

    They now continued their journey over the mountains for many miles, till they at length reached a large city, containing hundreds of towers, that shone in the sunshine like silver. In the midst of the city stood a splendid marble palace, roofed with pure red gold, in which dwelt the king. John and his companion would not go into the town immediately; so they stopped at an inn outside the town, to change their clothes; for they wished to appear respectable as they walked through the streets. The landlord told them that the king was a very good man, who never injured any one: but as to his daughter, “Heaven defend us!”

    She was indeed a wicked princess. She possessed39 beauty enough—nobody could be more elegant or prettier than she was; but what of that? for she was a wicked witch; and in consequence of her conduct many noble young princes had lost their lives. Any one was at liberty to make her an offer; were he a prince or a beggar, it mattered not to her. She would ask him to guess three things which she had just thought of, and if he succeed, he was to marry her, and be king over all the land when her father died; but if he could not guess these three things, then she ordered him to be hanged or to have his head cut off. The old king, her father, was very much grieved at her conduct, but he could not prevent her from being so wicked, because he once said he would have nothing more to do with her lovers; she might do as she pleased. Each prince who came and tried the three guesses, so that he might marry the princess, had been unable to find them out, and had been hanged or beheaded. They had all been warned in time, and might have left her alone, if they would. The old king became at last so distressed40 at all these dreadful circumstances, that for a whole day every year he and his soldiers knelt and prayed that the princess might become good; but she continued as wicked as ever. The old women who drank brandy would color it quite black before they drank it, to show how they mourned; and what more could they do?

    “What a horrible princess!” said John; “she ought to be well flogged. If I were the old king, I would have her punished in some way.”

    Just then they heard the people outside shouting, “Hurrah41!” and, looking out, they saw the princess passing by; and she was really so beautiful that everybody forgot her wickedness, and shouted “Hurrah!” Twelve lovely maidens42 in white silk dresses, holding golden tulips in their hands, rode by her side on coal-black horses. The princess herself had a snow-white steed, decked with diamonds and rubies43. Her dress was of cloth of gold, and the whip she held in her hand looked like a sunbeam. The golden crown on her head glittered like the stars of heaven, and her mantle44 was formed of thousands of butterflies’ wings sewn together. Yet she herself was more beautiful than all.

    When John saw her, his face became as red as a drop of blood, and he could scarcely utter a word. The princess looked exactly like the beautiful lady with the golden crown, of whom he had dreamed on the night his father died. She appeared to him so lovely that he could not help loving her.

    “It could not be true,” he thought, “that she was really a wicked witch, who ordered people to be hanged or beheaded, if they could not guess her thoughts. Every one has permission to go and ask her hand, even the poorest beggar. I shall pay a visit to the palace,” he said; “I must go, for I cannot help myself.”

    Then they all advised him not to attempt it; for he would be sure to share the same fate as the rest. His fellow-traveller also tried to persuade him against it; but John seemed quite sure of success. He brushed his shoes and his coat, washed his face and his hands, combed his soft flaxen hair, and then went out alone into the town, and walked to the palace.

    “Come in,” said the king, as John knocked at the door. John opened it, and the old king, in a dressing45 gown and embroidered46 slippers47, came towards him. He had the crown on his head, carried his sceptre in one hand, and the orb48 in the other. “Wait a bit,” said he, and he placed the orb under his arm, so that he could offer the other hand to John; but when he found that John was another suitor, he began to weep so violently, that both the sceptre and the orb fell to the floor, and he was obliged to wipe his eyes with his dressing gown. Poor old king! “Let her alone,” he said; “you will fare as badly as all the others. Come, I will show you.” Then he led him out into the princess’s pleasure gardens, and there he saw a frightful49 sight. On every tree hung three or four king’s sons who had wooed the princess, but had not been able to guess the riddles51 she gave them. Their skeletons rattled52 in every breeze, so that the terrified birds never dared to venture into the garden. All the flowers were supported by human bones instead of sticks, and human skulls53 in the flower-pots grinned horribly. It was really a doleful garden for a princess. “Do you see all this?” said the old king; “your fate will be the same as those who are here, therefore do not attempt it. You really make me very unhappy,—I take these things to heart so very much.”

    John kissed the good old king’s hand, and said he was sure it would be all right, for he was quite enchanted54 with the beautiful princess. Then the princess herself came riding into the palace yard with all her ladies, and he wished her “Good morning.” She looked wonderfully fair and lovely when she offered her hand to John, and he loved her more than ever. How could she be a wicked witch, as all the people asserted? He accompanied her into the hall, and the little pages offered them gingerbread nuts and sweetmeats, but the old king was so unhappy he could eat nothing, and besides, gingerbread nuts were too hard for him. It was decided55 that John should come to the palace the next day, when the judges and the whole of the counsellors would be present, to try if he could guess the first riddle50. If he succeeded, he would have to come a second time; but if not, he would lose his life,—and no one had ever been able to guess even one. However, John was not at all anxious about the result of his trial; on the contrary, he was very merry. He thought only of the beautiful princess, and believed that in some way he should have help, but how he knew not, and did not like to think about it; so he danced along the high-road as he went back to the inn, where he had left his fellow-traveller waiting for him. John could not refrain from telling him how gracious the princess had been, and how beautiful she looked. He longed for the next day so much, that he might go to the palace and try his luck at guessing the riddles. But his comrade shook his head, and looked very mournful. “I do so wish you to do well,” said he; “we might have continued together much longer, and now I am likely to lose you; you poor dear John! I could shed tears, but I will not make you unhappy on the last night we may be together. We will be merry, really merry this evening; to-morrow, after you are gone, shall be able to weep undisturbed.”

    It was very quickly known among the inhabitants of the town that another suitor had arrived for the princess, and there was great sorrow in consequence. The theatre remained closed, the women who sold sweetmeats tied crape round the sugar-sticks, and the king and the priests were on their knees in the church. There was a great lamentation56, for no one expected John to succeed better than those who had been suitors before.

    In the evening John’s comrade prepared a large bowl of punch, and said, “Now let us be merry, and drink to the health of the princess.” But after drinking two glasses, John became so sleepy, that he could not keep his eyes open, and fell fast asleep. Then his fellow-traveller lifted him gently out of his chair, and laid him on the bed; and as soon as it was quite dark, he took the two large wings which he had cut from the dead swan, and tied them firmly to his own shoulders. Then he put into his pocket the largest of the three rods which he had obtained from the old woman who had fallen and broken her leg. After this he opened the window, and flew away over the town, straight towards the palace, and seated himself in a corner, under the window which looked into the bedroom of the princess.

    The town was perfectly57 still when the clocks struck a quarter to twelve. Presently the window opened, and the princess, who had large black wings to her shoulders, and a long white mantle, flew away over the city towards a high mountain. The fellow-traveller, who had made himself invisible, so that she could not possibly see him, flew after her through the air, and whipped the princess with his rod, so that the blood came whenever he struck her. Ah, it was a strange flight through the air! The wind caught her mantle, so that it spread out on all sides, like the large sail of a ship, and the moon shone through it. “How it hails, to be sure!” said the princess, at each blow she received from the rod; and it served her right to be whipped.

    At last she reached the side of the mountain, and knocked. The mountain opened with a noise like the roll of thunder, and the princess went in. The traveller followed her; no one could see him, as he had made himself invisible. They went through a long, wide passage. A thousand gleaming spiders ran here and there on the walls, causing them to glitter as if they were illuminated58 with fire. They next entered a large hall built of silver and gold. Large red and blue flowers shone on the walls, looking like sunflowers in size, but no one could dare to pluck them, for the stems were hideous59 poisonous snakes, and the flowers were flames of fire, darting60 out of their jaws61. Shining glow-worms covered the ceiling, and sky-blue bats flapped their transparent62 wings. Altogether the place had a frightful appearance. In the middle of the floor stood a throne supported by four skeleton horses, whose harness had been made by fiery63-red spiders. The throne itself was made of milk-white glass, and the cushions were little black mice, each biting the other’s tail. Over it hung a canopy64 of rose-colored spider’s webs, spotted65 with the prettiest little green flies, which sparkled like precious stones. On the throne sat an old magician with a crown on his ugly head, and a sceptre in his hand. He kissed the princess on the forehead, seated her by his side on the splendid throne, and then the music commenced. Great black grasshoppers66 played the mouth organ, and the owl38 struck herself on the body instead of a drum. It was altogether a ridiculous concert. Little black goblins with false lights in their caps danced about the hall; but no one could see the traveller, and he had placed himself just behind the throne where he could see and hear everything. The courtiers who came in afterwards looked noble and grand; but any one with common sense could see what they really were, only broomsticks, with cabbages for heads. The magician had given them life, and dressed them in embroidered robes. It answered very well, as they were only wanted for show. After there had been a little dancing, the princess told the magician that she had a new suitor, and asked him what she could think of for the suitor to guess when he came to the castle the next morning.

    “Listen to what I say,” said the magician, “you must choose something very easy, he is less likely to guess it then. Think of one of your shoes, he will never imagine it is that. Then cut his head off; and mind you do not forget to bring his eyes with you to-morrow night, that I may eat them.”

    The princess curtsied low, and said she would not forget the eyes.

    The magician then opened the mountain and she flew home again, but the traveller followed and flogged her so much with the rod, that she sighed quite deeply about the heavy hail-storm, and made as much haste as she could to get back to her bedroom through the window. The traveller then returned to the inn where John still slept, took off his wings and laid down on the bed, for he was very tired. Early in the morning John awoke, and when his fellow-traveller got up, he said that he had a very wonderful dream about the princess and her shoe, he therefore advised John to ask her if she had not thought of her shoe. Of course the traveller knew this from what the magician in the mountain had said.

    “I may as well say that as anything,” said John. “Perhaps your dream may come true; still I will say farewell, for if I guess wrong I shall never see you again.”

    Then they embraced each other, and John went into the town and walked to the palace. The great hall was full of people, and the judges sat in arm-chairs, with eider-down cushions to rest their heads upon, because they had so much to think of. The old king stood near, wiping his eyes with his white pocket-handkerchief. When the princess entered, she looked even more beautiful than she had appeared the day before, and greeted every one present most gracefully; but to John she gave her hand, and said, “Good morning to you.”

    Now came the time for John to guess what she was thinking of; and oh, how kindly she looked at him as she spoke. But when he uttered the single word shoe, she turned as pale as a ghost; all her wisdom could not help her, for he had guessed rightly. Oh, how pleased the old king was! It was quite amusing to see how he capered67 about. All the people clapped their hands, both on his account and John’s, who had guessed rightly the first time. His fellow-traveller was glad also, when he heard how successful John had been. But John folded his hands, and thanked God, who, he felt quite sure, would help him again; and he knew he had to guess twice more. The evening passed pleasantly like the one preceding. While John slept, his companion flew behind the princess to the mountain, and flogged her even harder than before; this time he had taken two rods with him. No one saw him go in with her, and he heard all that was said. The princess this time was to think of a glove, and he told John as if he had again heard it in a dream. The next day, therefore, he was able to guess correctly the second time, and it caused great rejoicing at the palace. The whole court jumped about as they had seen the king do the day before, but the princess lay on the sofa, and would not say a single word. All now depended upon John. If he only guessed rightly the third time, he would marry the princess, and reign68 over the kingdom after the death of the old king: but if he failed, he would lose his life, and the magician would have his beautiful blue eyes. That evening John said his prayers and went to bed very early, and soon fell asleep calmly. But his companion tied on his wings to his shoulders, took three rods, and, with his sword at his side, flew to the palace. It was a very dark night, and so stormy that the tiles flew from the roofs of the houses, and the trees in the garden upon which the skeletons hung bent themselves like reeds before the wind. The lightning flashed, and the thunder rolled in one long-continued peal69 all night. The window of the castle opened, and the princess flew out. She was pale as death, but she laughed at the storm as if it were not bad enough. Her white mantle fluttered in the wind like a large sail, and the traveller flogged her with the three rods till the blood trickled70 down, and at last she could scarcely fly; she contrived71, however, to reach the mountain. “What a hail-storm!” she said, as she entered; “I have never been out in such weather as this.”

    “Yes, there may be too much of a good thing sometimes,” said the magician.

    Then the princess told him that John had guessed rightly the second time, and if he succeeded the next morning, he would win, and she could never come to the mountain again, or practice magic as she had done, and therefore she was quite unhappy. “I will find out something for you to think of which he will never guess, unless he is a greater conjuror72 than myself. But now let us be merry.”

    Then he took the princess by both hands, and they danced with all the little goblins and Jack-o’-lanterns in the room. The red spiders sprang here and there on the walls quite as merrily, and the flowers of fire appeared as if they were throwing out sparks. The owl beat the drum, the crickets whistled and the grasshoppers played the mouth-organ. It was a very ridiculous ball. After they had danced enough, the princess was obliged to go home, for fear she should be missed at the palace. The magician offered to go with her, that they might be company to each other on the way. Then they flew away through the bad weather, and the traveller followed them, and broke his three rods across their shoulders. The magician had never been out in such a hail-storm as this. Just by the palace the magician stopped to wish the princess farewell, and to whisper in her ear, “To-morrow think of my head.”

    But the traveller heard it, and just as the princess slipped through the window into her bedroom, and the magician turned round to fly back to the mountain, he seized him by the long black beard, and with his sabre cut off the wicked conjuror’s head just behind the shoulders, so that he could not even see who it was. He threw the body into the sea to the fishes, and after dipping the head into the water, he tied it up in a silk handkerchief, took it with him to the inn, and then went to bed. The next morning he gave John the handkerchief, and told him not to untie73 it till the princess asked him what she was thinking of. There were so many people in the great hall of the palace that they stood as thick as radishes tied together in a bundle. The council sat in their arm-chairs with the white cushions. The old king wore new robes, and the golden crown and sceptre had been polished up so that he looked quite smart. But the princess was very pale, and wore a black dress as if she were going to a funeral.

    “What have I thought of?” asked the princess, of John. He immediately untied74 the handkerchief, and was himself quite frightened when he saw the head of the ugly magician. Every one shuddered75, for it was terrible to look at; but the princess sat like a statue, and could not utter a single word. At length she rose and gave John her hand, for he had guessed rightly.

    She looked at no one, but sighed deeply, and said, “You are my master now; this evening our marriage must take place.”

    “I am very pleased to hear it,” said the old king. “It is just what I wish.”

    Then all the people shouted “Hurrah.” The band played music in the streets, the bells rang, and the cake-women took the black crape off the sugar-sticks. There was universal joy. Three oxen, stuffed with ducks and chickens, were roasted whole in the market-place, where every one might help himself to a slice. The fountains spouted76 forth77 the most delicious wine, and whoever bought a penny loaf at the baker’s received six large buns, full of raisins78, as a present. In the evening the whole town was illuminated. The soldiers fired off cannons79, and the boys let off crackers80. There was eating and drinking, dancing and jumping everywhere. In the palace, the high-born gentlemen and beautiful ladies danced with each other, and they could be heard at a great distance singing the following song:—

    “Here are maidens, young and fair,

    Dancing in the summer air;

    Like two spinning-wheels at play,

    Pretty maidens dance away-

    Dance the spring and summer through

    Till the sole falls from your shoe.”

    But the princess was still a witch, and she could not love John. His fellow-traveller had thought of that, so he gave John three feathers out of the swan’s wings, and a little bottle with a few drops in it. He told him to place a large bath full of water by the princess’s bed, and put the feathers and the drops into it. Then, at the moment she was about to get into bed, he must give her a little push, so that she might fall into the water, and then dip her three times. This would destroy the power of the magician, and she would love him very much. John did all that his companion told him to do. The princess shrieked81 aloud when he dipped her under the water the first time, and struggled under his hands in the form of a great black swan with fiery eyes. As she rose the second time from the water, the swan had become white, with a black ring round its neck. John allowed the water to close once more over the bird, and at the same time it changed into a most beautiful princess. She was more lovely even than before, and thanked him, while her eyes sparkled with tears, for having broken the spell of the magician. The next day, the king came with the whole court to offer their congratulations, and stayed till quite late. Last of all came the travelling companion; he had his staff in his hand and his knapsack on his back. John kissed him many times and told him he must not go, he must remain with him, for he was the cause of all his good fortune. But the traveller shook his head, and said gently and kindly, “No: my time is up now; I have only paid my debt to you. Do you remember the dead man whom the bad people wished to throw out of his coffin? You gave all you possessed that he might rest in his grave; I am that man.” As he said this, he vanished.

    The wedding festivities lasted a whole month. John and his princess loved each other dearly, and the old king lived to see many a happy day, when he took their little children on his knees and let them play with his sceptre. And John became king over the whole country.



    点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

    1 spoke [spəʊk] XryyC   第11级
    n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
    参考例句:
    • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company. 他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
    • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre. 辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
    2 maiden [ˈmeɪdn] yRpz7   第7级
    n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的
    参考例句:
    • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden. 王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
    • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow. 这架飞机明天首航。
    3 coffin [ˈkɒfɪn] XWRy7   第8级
    n.棺材,灵柩
    参考例句:
    • When one's coffin is covered, all discussion about him can be settled. 盖棺论定。
    • The coffin was placed in the grave. 那口棺材已安放到坟墓里去了。
    4 behold [bɪˈhəʊld] jQKy9   第10级
    vt. 看;注视;把...视为 vi. 看
    参考例句:
    • The industry of these little ants is wonderful to behold. 这些小蚂蚁辛勤劳动的样子看上去真令人惊叹。
    • The sunrise at the seaside was quite a sight to behold. 海滨日出真是个奇景。
    5 psalm [sɑ:m] aB5yY   第12级
    n.赞美诗,圣诗
    参考例句:
    • The clergyman began droning the psalm. 牧师开始以单调而低沈的语调吟诵赞美诗。
    • The minister droned out the psalm. 牧师喃喃地念赞美诗。
    6 gravel [ˈgrævl] s6hyT   第7级
    n.砂跞;砂砾层;结石
    参考例句:
    • We bought six bags of gravel for the garden path. 我们购买了六袋碎石用来铺花园的小路。
    • More gravel is needed to fill the hollow in the drive. 需要更多的砾石来填平车道上的坑洼。
    7 determined [dɪˈtɜ:mɪnd] duszmP   第7级
    adj.坚定的;有决心的;v.决定;断定(determine的过去分词)
    参考例句:
    • I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation. 我已决定毕业后去西藏。
    • He determined to view the rooms behind the office. 他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。
    8 infancy [ˈɪnfənsi] F4Ey0   第9级
    n.婴儿期;幼年期;初期
    参考例句:
    • He came to England in his infancy. 他幼年时期来到英国。
    • Their research is only in its infancy. 他们的研究处于初级阶段。
    9 psalms [sɑ:mz] 47aac1d82cedae7c6a543a2c9a72b9db   第12级
    n.赞美诗( psalm的名词复数 );圣诗;圣歌;(中的)
    参考例句:
    • the Book of Psalms 《〈圣经〉诗篇》
    • A verse from Psalms knifed into Pug's mind: "put not your trust in princes." 《诗篇》里有一句话闪过帕格的脑海:“不要相信王侯。” 来自辞典例句
    10 espied [ɪˈspaɪd] 980e3f8497fb7a6bd10007d67965f9f7   第12级
    v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • One day a youth espied her as he was hunting.She saw him and recognized him as her own son, mow grown a young man. 一日,她被一个正在行猎的小伙子看见了,她认出来这个猎手原来是自己的儿子,现在已长成为一个翩翩的少年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • In a little while he espied the two giants. 一会儿就看见了那两个巨人。 来自辞典例句
    11 standing [ˈstændɪŋ] 2hCzgo   第8级
    n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
    参考例句:
    • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing. 地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
    • They're standing out against any change in the law. 他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
    12 pointed [ˈpɔɪntɪd] Il8zB4   第7级
    adj.尖的,直截了当的
    参考例句:
    • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil. 他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
    • A safety pin has a metal covering over the pointed end. 安全别针在尖端有一个金属套。
    13 bent [bent] QQ8yD   第7级
    n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的;v.(使)弯曲,屈身(bend的过去式和过去分词)
    参考例句:
    • He was fully bent upon the project. 他一心扑在这项计划上。
    • We bent over backward to help them. 我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
    14 kindly [ˈkaɪndli] tpUzhQ   第8级
    adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
    参考例句:
    • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable. 她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
    • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman. 一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
    15 brook [brʊk] PSIyg   第7级
    n.小河,溪;vt.忍受,容让
    参考例句:
    • In our room we could hear the murmur of a distant brook. 在我们房间能听到远处小溪汩汩的流水声。
    • The brook trickled through the valley. 小溪涓涓流过峡谷。
    16 crutch [krʌtʃ] Lnvzt   第10级
    n.T字形拐杖;支持,依靠,精神支柱
    参考例句:
    • Her religion was a crutch to her when John died. 约翰死后,她在精神上依靠宗教信仰支撑住自己。
    • He uses his wife as a kind of crutch because of his lack of confidence. 他缺乏自信心,总把妻子当作主心骨。
    17 lighter [ˈlaɪtə(r)] 5pPzPR   第8级
    n.打火机,点火器;驳船;v.用驳船运送;light的比较级
    参考例句:
    • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter. 这张画经过润色,色调明朗了一些。
    • The lighter works off the car battery. 引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
    18 horrid [ˈhɒrɪd] arozZj   第10级
    adj.可怕的;令人惊恐的;恐怖的;极讨厌的
    参考例句:
    • I'm not going to the horrid dinner party. 我不打算去参加这次讨厌的宴会。
    • The medicine is horrid and she couldn't get it down. 这种药很难吃,她咽不下去。
    19 contentedly [kən'tentɪdlɪ] a0af12176ca79b27d4028fdbaf1b5f64   第8级
    adv.心满意足地
    参考例句:
    • My father sat puffing contentedly on his pipe.父亲坐着心满意足地抽着烟斗。
    • "This is brother John's writing,"said Sally,contentedly,as she opened the letter.
    20 apron [ˈeɪprən] Lvzzo   第7级
    n.围裙;工作裙
    参考例句:
    • We were waited on by a pretty girl in a pink apron. 招待我们的是一位穿粉红色围裙的漂亮姑娘。
    • She stitched a pocket on the new apron. 她在新围裙上缝上一只口袋。
    21 willow [ˈwɪləʊ] bMFz6   第8级
    n.柳树
    参考例句:
    • The river was sparsely lined with willow trees. 河边疏疏落落有几棵柳树。
    • The willow's shadow falls on the lake. 垂柳的影子倒映在湖面上。
    22 twigs [twiɡz] 17ff1ed5da672aa443a4f6befce8e2cb   第8级
    细枝,嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
    • Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。
    23 ointment [ˈɔɪntmənt] 6vzy5   第9级
    n.药膏,油膏,软膏
    参考例句:
    • Your foot will feel better after the application of this ointment. 敷用这药膏后,你的脚会感到舒服些。
    • This herbal ointment will help to close up your wound quickly. 这种中草药膏会帮助你的伤口很快愈合。
    24 WHIMS [hwɪmz] ecf1f9fe569e0760fc10bec24b97c043   第9级
    虚妄,禅病
    参考例句:
    • The mate observed regretfully that he could not account for that young fellow's whims. 那位伙伴很遗憾地说他不能说出那年轻人产生怪念头的原因。
    • The rest she had for food and her own whims. 剩下的钱她用来吃饭和买一些自己喜欢的东西。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
    25 delightful [dɪˈlaɪtfl] 6xzxT   第8级
    adj.令人高兴的,使人快乐的
    参考例句:
    • We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday. 上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
    • Peter played a delightful melody on his flute. 彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。
    27 ascend [əˈsend] avnzD   第7级
    vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上
    参考例句:
    • We watched the airplane ascend higher and higher. 我们看着飞机逐渐升高。
    • We ascend in the order of time and of development. 我们按时间和发展顺序向上溯。
    28 fatiguing [fəˈti:gɪŋ] ttfzKm   第7级
    a.使人劳累的
    参考例句:
    • He was fatiguing himself with his writing, no doubt. 想必他是拼命写作,写得精疲力尽了。
    • Machines are much less fatiguing to your hands, arms, and back. 使用机器时,手、膊和后背不会感到太累。
    29 ERECTED [iˈrektid] ERECTED   第7级
    adj. 直立的,竖立的,笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立,建立
    参考例句:
    • A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
    • A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。
    30 stout [staʊt] PGuzF   第8级
    adj.强壮的,结实的,勇猛的,矮胖的
    参考例句:
    • He cut a stout stick to help him walk. 他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
    • The stout old man waddled across the road. 那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。
    31 fixed [fɪkst] JsKzzj   第8级
    adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的
    参考例句:
    • Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet? 你们俩选定婚期了吗?
    • Once the aim is fixed, we should not change it arbitrarily. 目标一旦确定,我们就不应该随意改变。
    32 gracefully ['greisfuli] KfYxd   第7级
    ad.大大方方地;优美地
    参考例句:
    • She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。
    • The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。
    33 tongs [tɒŋz] ugmzMt   第10级
    n.钳;夹子
    参考例句:
    • She used tongs to put some more coal on the fire. 她用火钳再夹一些煤放进炉子里。
    • He picked up the hot metal with a pair of tongs. 他用一把钳子夹起这块热金属。
    34 specks [speks] 6d64faf449275b5ce146fe2c78100fed   第9级
    n.眼镜;斑点,微粒,污点( speck的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • Minutes later Brown spotted two specks in the ocean. 几分钟后布朗发现海洋中有两个小点。 来自英汉非文学 - 百科语料821
    • Do you ever seem to see specks in front of your eyes? 你眼睛前面曾似乎看见过小点吗? 来自辞典例句
    35 firmament [ˈfɜ:məmənt] h71yN   第12级
    n.苍穹;最高层
    参考例句:
    • There are no stars in the firmament. 天空没有一颗星星。
    • He was rich, and a rising star in the political firmament. 他十分富有,并且是政治高层一颗冉冉升起的新星。
    36 hovering ['hɒvərɪŋ] 99fdb695db3c202536060470c79b067f   第7级
    鸟( hover的现在分词 ); 靠近(某事物); (人)徘徊; 犹豫
    参考例句:
    • The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
    • I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。
    37 drooped [dru:pt] ebf637c3f860adcaaf9c11089a322fa5   第10级
    弯曲或下垂,发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。
    • The flowers drooped in the heat of the sun. 花儿晒蔫了。
    38 owl [aʊl] 7KFxk   第7级
    n.猫头鹰,枭
    参考例句:
    • Her new glasses make her look like an owl. 她的新眼镜让她看上去像只猫头鹰。
    • I'm a night owl and seldom go to bed until after midnight. 我睡得很晚,经常半夜后才睡觉。
    39 possessed [pəˈzest] xuyyQ   第12级
    adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
    参考例句:
    • He flew out of the room like a man possessed. 他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
    • He behaved like someone possessed. 他行为举止像是魔怔了。
    40 distressed [dis'trest] du1z3y   第7级
    痛苦的
    参考例句:
    • He was too distressed and confused to answer their questions. 他非常苦恼而困惑,无法回答他们的问题。
    • The news of his death distressed us greatly. 他逝世的消息使我们极为悲痛。
    41 hurrah [həˈrɑ:] Zcszx   第10级
    int.好哇,万岁,乌拉
    参考例句:
    • We hurrah when we see the soldiers go by. 我们看到士兵经过时向他们欢呼。
    • The assistants raised a formidable hurrah. 助手们发出了一片震天的欢呼声。
    42 maidens [ˈmeidnz] 85662561d697ae675e1f32743af22a69   第7级
    处女( maiden的名词复数 ); 少女; 未婚女子; (板球运动)未得分的一轮投球
    参考例句:
    • stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
    • Transplantation is not always successful in the matter of flowers or maidens. 花儿移栽往往并不成功,少女们换了环境也是如此。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
    43 rubies [ˈru:biz] 534be3a5d4dab7c1e30149143213b88f   第7级
    红宝石( ruby的名词复数 ); 红宝石色,深红色
    参考例句:
    • a necklace of rubies intertwined with pearls 缠着珍珠的红宝石项链
    • The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝—有钻石、红宝石、绿宝石。
    44 mantle [ˈmæntl] Y7tzs   第9级
    n.斗篷,覆罩之物,罩子;vt.&vi.罩住,覆盖,脸红
    参考例句:
    • The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green. 大地披上了苍翠欲滴的绿色斗篷。
    • The mountain was covered with a mantle of snow. 山上覆盖着一层雪。
    45 dressing [ˈdresɪŋ] 1uOzJG   第7级
    n.(食物)调料;包扎伤口的用品,敷料
    参考例句:
    • Don't spend such a lot of time in dressing yourself. 别花那么多时间来打扮自己。
    • The children enjoy dressing up in mother's old clothes. 孩子们喜欢穿上妈妈旧时的衣服玩。
    46 embroidered [im'brɔidəd] StqztZ   第9级
    adj.绣花的
    参考例句:
    • She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。
    • She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。
    47 slippers ['slɪpəz] oiPzHV   第7级
    n. 拖鞋
    参考例句:
    • a pair of slippers 一双拖鞋
    • He kicked his slippers off and dropped on to the bed. 他踢掉了拖鞋,倒在床上。
    48 orb [ɔ:b] Lmmzhy   第12级
    n.太阳;星球;v.弄圆;成球形
    参考例句:
    • The blue heaven, holding its one golden orb, poured down a crystal wash of warm light. 蓝蓝的天空托着金色的太阳,洒下一片水晶般明亮温暖的光辉。
    • It is an emanation from the distant orb of immortal light. 它是从远处那个发出不灭之光的天体上放射出来的。
    49 frightful [ˈfraɪtfl] Ghmxw   第9级
    adj.可怕的;讨厌的
    参考例句:
    • How frightful to have a husband who snores! 有一个发鼾声的丈夫多讨厌啊!
    • We're having frightful weather these days. 这几天天气坏极了。
    50 riddle [ˈrɪdl] WCfzw   第7级
    n.谜;谜语;vt. 解谜;出谜题;充满;筛选;vi.出谜题
    参考例句:
    • The riddle couldn't be solved by the child. 这个谜语孩子猜不出来。
    • Her disappearance is a complete riddle. 她的失踪完全是一个谜。
    51 riddles ['rɪdlz] 77f3ceed32609b0d80430e545f553e31   第7级
    n.谜(语)( riddle的名词复数 );猜不透的难题,难解之谜
    参考例句:
    • Few riddles collected from oral tradition, however, have all six parts. 但是据收集的情况看,口头流传的谜语很少具有这完整的六部分。 来自英汉非文学 - 民俗
    • But first, you'd better see if you can answer riddles. 但是你首先最好想想你会不会猜谜语。 来自辞典例句
    52 rattled ['rætld] b4606e4247aadf3467575ffedf66305b   第7级
    慌乱的,恼火的
    参考例句:
    • The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
    • Every time a bus went past, the windows rattled. 每逢公共汽车经过这里,窗户都格格作响。
    53 skulls [skʌlz] d44073bc27628272fdd5bac11adb1ab5   第7级
    颅骨( skull的名词复数 ); 脑袋; 脑子; 脑瓜
    参考例句:
    • One of the women's skulls found exceeds in capacity that of the average man of today. 现已发现的女性颅骨中,其中有一个的脑容量超过了今天的普通男子。
    • We could make a whole plain white with skulls in the moonlight! 我们便能令月光下的平原变白,遍布白色的骷髅!
    54 enchanted [ɪn'tʃɑ:ntɪd] enchanted   第9级
    adj. 被施魔法的,陶醉的,入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词
    参考例句:
    • She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
    • He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。
    55 decided [dɪˈsaɪdɪd] lvqzZd   第7级
    adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
    参考例句:
    • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents. 这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
    • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting. 英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
    56 lamentation [ˌlæmənˈteɪʃn] cff7a20d958c75d89733edc7ad189de3   第7级
    n.悲叹,哀悼
    参考例句:
    • This ingredient does not invite or generally produce lugubrious lamentation. 这一要素并不引起,或者说通常不产生故作悲伤的叹息。 来自哲学部分
    • Much lamentation followed the death of the old king. 老国王晏驾,人们悲恸不已。 来自辞典例句
    57 perfectly [ˈpɜ:fɪktli] 8Mzxb   第8级
    adv.完美地,无可非议地,彻底地
    参考例句:
    • The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said. 证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
    • Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board. 我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
    58 illuminated [i'lju:mineitid] 98b351e9bc282af85e83e767e5ec76b8   第7级
    adj.被照明的;受启迪的
    参考例句:
    • Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
    • the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市
    59 hideous [ˈhɪdiəs] 65KyC   第8级
    adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的
    参考例句:
    • The whole experience had been like some hideous nightmare. 整个经历就像一场可怕的噩梦。
    • They're not like dogs, they're hideous brutes. 它们不像狗,是丑陋的畜牲。
    60 darting [dɑ:tɪŋ] darting   第8级
    v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔
    参考例句:
    • Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
    • Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句
    61 jaws [dʒɔ:z] cq9zZq   第7级
    n.口部;嘴
    参考例句:
    • The antelope could not escape the crocodile's gaping jaws. 那只羚羊无法从鱷鱼张开的大口中逃脱。
    • The scored jaws of a vise help it bite the work. 台钳上有刻痕的虎钳牙帮助它紧咬住工件。
    62 transparent [trænsˈpærənt] Smhwx   第7级
    adj.明显的,无疑的;透明的
    参考例句:
    • The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming. 水清澈透明,可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
    • The window glass is transparent. 窗玻璃是透明的。
    63 fiery [ˈfaɪəri] ElEye   第9级
    adj.燃烧着的,火红的;暴躁的;激烈的
    参考例句:
    • She has fiery red hair. 她有一头火红的头发。
    • His fiery speech agitated the crowd. 他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。
    64 canopy [ˈkænəpi] Rczya   第9级
    n.天篷,遮篷
    参考例句:
    • The trees formed a leafy canopy above their heads. 树木在他们头顶上空形成了一个枝叶茂盛的遮篷。
    • They lay down under a canopy of stars. 他们躺在繁星点点的天幕下。
    65 spotted [ˈspɒtɪd] 7FEyj   第8级
    adj.有斑点的,斑纹的,弄污了的
    参考例句:
    • The milkman selected the spotted cows, from among a herd of two hundred. 牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
    • Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks. 山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。
    66 grasshoppers [ˈgræsˌhɔpəz] 36b89ec2ea2ca37e7a20710c9662926c   第8级
    n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 );蝗虫;蚂蚱;(孩子)矮小的
    参考例句:
    • Grasshoppers die in fall. 蚱蜢在秋天死去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • There are usually a lot of grasshoppers in the rice fields. 稻田里通常有许多蚱蜢。 来自辞典例句
    67 capered [ˈkeɪpəd] 4b8af2f39ed5ad6a3a78024169801bd2   第11级
    v.跳跃,雀跃( caper的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • While dressing, he capered and clowned like a schoolboy. 他一边穿,一边象个学生似的蹦蹦跳跳地扮演起小丑来。 来自辞典例句
    • The lambs capered in the meadow. 小羊在草地上蹦蹦跳跳。 来自辞典例句
    68 reign [reɪn] pBbzx   第7级
    n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;vi.占优势
    参考例句:
    • The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century. 伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
    • The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years. 朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。
    69 peal [pi:l] Hm0zVO   第12级
    n.钟声;v.鸣响
    参考例句:
    • The bells of the cathedral rang out their loud peal. 大教堂响起了响亮的钟声。
    • A sudden peal of thunder leaves no time to cover the ears. 迅雷不及掩耳。
    70 trickled [ˈtrikld] 636e70f14e72db3fe208736cb0b4e651   第8级
    v.滴( trickle的过去式和过去分词 );淌;使)慢慢走;缓慢移动
    参考例句:
    • Blood trickled down his face. 血从他脸上一滴滴流下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • The tears trickled down her cheeks. 热泪一滴滴从她脸颊上滚下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    71 contrived [kənˈtraɪvd] ivBzmO   第12级
    adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的
    参考例句:
    • There was nothing contrived or calculated about what he said. 他说的话里没有任何蓄意捏造的成分。
    • The plot seems contrived. 情节看起来不真实。
    72 conjuror [ˈkʌndʒərə(r)] oYryD   第12级
    n.魔术师,变戏法者
    参考例句:
    • The boys looked at the conjuror in silent wonder. 孩子们目瞪口呆地看着那魔术师。
    • The conjuror's magic delighted the children. 魔术师的戏法逗乐了孩子们。
    73 untie [ʌnˈtaɪ] SjJw4   第9级
    vt.解开,松开;解放
    参考例句:
    • It's just impossible to untie the knot. It's too tight. 这个结根本解不开。太紧了。
    • Will you please untie the knot for me? 请你替我解开这个结头,好吗?
    74 untied [ʌnˈtaɪd] d4a1dd1a28503840144e8098dbf9e40f   第9级
    松开,解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 ); 解除,使自由; 解决
    参考例句:
    • Once untied, we common people are able to conquer nature, too. 只要团结起来,我们老百姓也能移山倒海。
    • He untied the ropes. 他解开了绳子。
    75 shuddered [ˈʃʌdəd] 70137c95ff493fbfede89987ee46ab86   第8级
    v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动
    参考例句:
    • He slammed on the brakes and the car shuddered to a halt. 他猛踩刹车,车颤抖着停住了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • I shuddered at the sight of the dead body. 我一看见那尸体就战栗。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    76 spouted [s'paʊtɪd] 985d1d5b93adfe0645aa2c5d409e09e2   第9级
    adj.装有嘴的v.(指液体)喷出( spout的过去式和过去分词 );滔滔不绝地讲;喋喋不休地说;喷水
    参考例句:
    • The broken pipe spouted water all over the room. 破裂的水管喷了一屋子的水。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • The lecturer spouted for hours. 讲师滔滔不绝地讲了几个小时。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    77 forth [fɔ:θ] Hzdz2   第7级
    adv.向前;向外,往外
    参考例句:
    • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth. 风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
    • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession. 他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
    78 raisins ['reɪzɪnz] f7a89b31fdf9255863139804963e88cf   第8级
    n.葡萄干( raisin的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • These raisins come from Xinjiang,they taste delicious. 这些葡萄干产自新疆,味道很甜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • Mother put some raisins in the cake. 母亲在糕饼中放了一些葡萄干。 来自辞典例句
    79 cannons [ˈkænənz] dd76967b79afecfefcc8e2d9452b380f   第7级
    n.加农炮,大炮,火炮( cannon的名词复数 )
    参考例句:
    • Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    • One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    80 crackers ['krækəz] nvvz5e   第8级
    adj.精神错乱的,癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 );薄脆饼干;(认为)十分愉快的事;迷人的姑娘
    参考例句:
    • That noise is driving me crackers. 那噪声闹得我简直要疯了。
    • We served some crackers and cheese as an appetiser. 我们上了些饼干和奶酪作为开胃品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
    81 shrieked [ʃri:kt] dc12d0d25b0f5d980f524cd70c1de8fe   第7级
    v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 )
    参考例句:
    • She shrieked in fright. 她吓得尖叫起来。
    • Li Mei-t'ing gave a shout, and Lu Tzu-hsiao shrieked, "Tell what? 李梅亭大声叫,陆子潇尖声叫:“告诉什么? 来自汉英文学 - 围城

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