There was a small Kangaroo who was bad in school. He put thumbtacks on the teacher's chair. He threw spitballs across the classroom. He set off firecrackers in the lavatory¹ and spread glue on the doorknobs.

有这么一只小袋鼠，它在学校里非常淘气。它在老师的椅子上放图钉，在教室里扔纸团，在厕所里放鞭炮，还往门把手上抹胶水。

“Your behavior is impossible！”said the school principal².“I am going to see your parents. I will tell them what a problem you are！”

“你的行为真让人无法忍受！”校长说,“我要去见见你的父母，告诉它们你的问题！”

The principal went to visit Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo. He sat down in a living-room³ chair.

校长去拜访袋鼠夫妇。它坐在客厅的椅子上。

“Ouch！”cried the principal.“There is a thumbtack in this chair！”

“哎哟！”校长叫道，“这把椅子上有个图钉！”

“Yes, I know,”said Mr. Kangaroo.“I enjoy putting thumbtacks in chairs.”

“是的，我知道，”袋鼠先生说，“我喜欢把图钉放在椅子上。”

At the same time, a spitball hit the principal on his nose.

就在这时，一个纸团飞过来打在了校长的鼻子上。

“Forgive me,”said Mrs. Kangaroo,“But I can never resist throwing those things.”

“请原谅，”袋鼠夫人说,“我总是控制不住想扔那些东西。”

Suddenly, there was a loud booming⁴ sound from the bathroom.

突然，浴室里传来一声巨响。

“Keep calm,”said Mr. Kangaroo to the principal.“The firecrackers that we keep in the medicine chest have just exploded. We love the noise.”

“别紧张，”袋鼠先生对校长说,“我们放在药箱里的鞭炮爆炸了，我们喜欢这种声音。”

The principal rushed for the front door. In an instant he was stuck to the doorknob.

校长冲向前门，刚要开门，手就被粘在了门把手上。

“Pull hard,”said Mrs. Kangaroo.“There are little globs of glue on all of our doorknobs.”

“使劲儿拽，”袋鼠夫人说，“我们所有的门把手上都有点儿胶水。”

The principal pulled himself free. He dashed out of the house and ran off down the street.

校长挣脱后，冲出屋子，沿着街道跑了。

“Such a nice person,”said Mr. Kangaroo.“I wonder why he left so quickly.”

“它真是个好人，”袋鼠先生说,“我不明白它为什么这么快就走了。”

“No doubt he had another appointment,”said Mrs. Kangaroo.“Never mind, supper is ready.”

“它准是还有个约会，”袋鼠夫人说，“没关系，吃晚饭吧。”

Mr. and Mrs. Kangaroo and their son enjoyed their evening meal. After the dessert, they all threw spitballs at each other across the dining-room table.

袋鼠夫妇和儿子津津有味地共进了晚餐。吃完甜点后，它们在饭桌旁互相扔起纸团来。