看原版童书学英语：星月
来源：沪江英语
2012-04-17 07:45
1
Stellaluna
星月
获奖及推荐经历：
- 诚品年度好书
- 荣获美国年度畅销童书大奖
- 荣获美国出版人周刊畅销书奖
- 荣获美国KEYSTONE开卷奖
- 荣获美国加州优良童书奖
- 荣获美国南加州儿童文学创作奖
- 著名读书节目「READING RAINBOW」专题介绍
2
在很远很远的地方，一座炎热潮湿的森林里，住着一只果蝠妈妈和她刚出生的小宝宝。
果蝠妈妈好爱好爱这个柔软小巧的宝贝！她轻轻哼着：我要为你取名叫：星月。
Each night, Mother Bat would carry Stellaluna clutched to her breast as she flew out to search for food.
每天晚上，星月都会紧紧抱着妈妈的胸口，跟着妈妈在夜空中飞行，寻找食物。
3
有一天晚上，蝙蝠妈妈闻到浓浓的水果香，就朝着那香味飞过去。这时，一只猫头鹰盯上了她。
这只强壮的大鸟静悄悄往下飞，冲向星月和妈妈。
Dodging and shrieking, Mother Bat tried to escape, but the owl struck again and again, knocking Stellaluna into the air.
蝙蝠妈妈极力闪躲，在慌忙中不断惊叫，努力脱逃。但是，猫头鹰却一次又一次的攻击，将星月击落于夜空中。
Her baby wings were as limp and useless as wet paper.
星月的小翅膀脆弱、单薄，像一张浸湿的纸，完全使不上力。
Down, down she went, faster and faster, into the forest below.
她掉落下去，愈来愈快，掉进了下面的森林里。
4
浓密繁茂的枝叶，接住了掉下来的星月。
One twig was small enough for Stellaluna's tiny feet.
星月的小脚，抓住一根细细的嫩枝。
她用翅膀把身体围起来，就这样挂在小树枝上，又冷又怕，一直发抖。
"Mother," Stellaluna squeaked. "Where are you?"
“妈妈！”星月呼唤着：“你在哪里啊？”
清晨第一道阳光出现的时候，星月再也支撑不住了，她又往下坠落...
5
Flump! Stellaluna landed headfirst in a soft downy nest, starting the three baby birds who lived there.
噗噜！星月一头栽进了一个软绵绵的鸟巢里，把里面的三支小鸟吓了一跳！
Stellaluna quickly clambered from the nest and hung out of sight below it.
星月赶紧爬出去，倒挂在鸟巢下。
She listened to the babble of the three birds. "What was that?" cried Flap.
仔细听着三只小鸟吱吱喳喳的对话， “那是什么呀？”飞飞叫着说。
" I don't know, but it's hanging by its feet," chirped Flitter. " Shhh! Here comes Mama," hissed Pip.
“我不知道啊！”翔翔说：“可是，她用脚把自己倒挂起来呢！”“嘘！妈妈回来了。”皮皮小声的说
6
Many, many times that day Mama Bird flew away, always returning with food for her babies.
那一天，鸟妈妈来来回回、飞进飞出许多次，每一次都带着食物回来给她的宝宝。
星月实在是饿极了！可是她不吃鸟妈妈带回来的那种会爬动的东西。
Finally, though, the little bat could bear it no longer. She climbed into the nest.
最后，星月实在饿得熬不住了。她爬进鸟巢。
Closed her eyes, and opened her mouth.
闭上双眼，张开了嘴巴。
Flop! In dropped a big green grasshopper!
啪！掉进来一只绿色的大蚱蜢！
7
Stellaluna learned to be like the birds.
星月开始试着当一只鸟。
She stayed awake all day slept at night.
白天保持清醒，夜晚时睡觉。
She ate bugs even though they tasted awful.
她也吃虫子了，虽然那味道实在恶心。
Her bat ways quickly disappearing.Except for one thing: Stellaluna still liked to sleep hanging by her feet.
星月愈来愈不象一只蝙蝠，唯一没变的是：星月还是喜欢用脚倒挂着睡觉。
Once, when Mama was away, the curious baby birds decided to try it, too.
有一次鸟妈妈出去，这些好奇的小鸟们决定试一试倒挂的滋味。
When Mama Bird came home she saw eight tiny feet gripping the edge of the nest.
鸟妈妈回来时，赫然看见有八只小小的脚倒勾住鸟巢。
"Eeeek!" she cried. " Get back up here this instant! You're going to fall and break your necks!"
“咿－喀！”鸟妈妈失声尖叫：“立刻上来！要是掉下去，脖子会摔断！”
8
The birds clambered back into the nest, but Mama Bird stopped Stellaluna.
三只小鸟爬回巢里。但是，鸟妈妈挡住星月。
" You are teaching my children to do bad things.
"你教我的孩子做不好的事。
I will not let you back into this nest unless you promise to obey all the rules of this house."
除非你答应我，遵守这个家所有的规矩，否则，我不让你回来。"
Stellaluna promised. She ate bugs without making faces.
星月答应了，从此以后，她吃虫子时，不再做鬼脸。
She slept in the nest at night. And she didn't hang by her feet.
晚上也睡在鸟巢里，不再倒挂在外面。
Stellaluna behaved as a good bird should.
星月变得像一只乖巧的小鸟了。
9
All the babies grew quickly. Soon the nest became crowded.
这些小宝贝们都长得好快，不久鸟巢就变得好挤。
Mama Bird told them it was time to learn to fly.
鸟妈妈觉得他们应该学飞了。
One by one, Pip, Flitter, Flap, and Stellaluna jumped from the nest.
起先是皮皮、翔翔，然后是飞飞和星月，一个一个跳出了鸟巢。
Their wings worked! I'm just like them, thought Stellaluna. I can fly, too.
他们的翅膀能飞。星月心里想：我和他们一样；他们能飞，我也能飞。
10
Pip,Flitter,andFlap landed gracefully on a branch.
皮皮，飞飞，和翔翔，优雅的停在一根树枝上。
Stellaluna tried to do the same.
星月也想跟着做。
11
How embarrassing!
真是太尴尬了！
12
I will fly all day, Stellaluna told herself.
星月告诉自己：我要整天飞翔。
Then no one will see how clumsy I am.
这样，就不会有人看见我的笨拙的样子。
13
The next day, Pip, Flitter, Flap, and Stellaluna went flying far from home.
第二天，皮皮、飞飞、翔翔，和星月从家里飞出来，飞得好远好远。
They flew for hours, exercising their new wings.
一连飞行了好几个小时，锻炼他们新生的翅膀。
"The sun is setting," warned Flitter. "We had better go home or we will get lost in the dark," said Flap.
“太阳快下山了！”飞飞警告大家。“我们最好赶快回家，要不然天黑了会迷路。”翔翔说。
But Stellaluna had flown far ahead and was nowhere to be seen.
但是星月远远的飞在前头，不见了踪影。
The three anxious birds went home without her.
三只小鸟虽然很担心，也只好丢下她回家去了。
14
All alone,Stellaluna flew and flew until her wings ached and she dropped into a tree.
星月独自不停的飞、不停 的飞，飞到翅膀酸痛，摔落在一棵树上。
" I promised not to hang by my feet," Stellaluna sighed.
星月叹了一口气说：我曾经答应鸟妈妈，不再用脚倒挂。
So she hung by her thumbs and soon feel asleep.
于是，她只好用大拇指勾住树枝，把自己挂起来，而且很快就睡着了。
She didn't hear the soft sound of wings coming near.
她没有听到轻柔的拍翅声，由远而近的靠了过来。
15
"Hey!" a loud voice said." Why are you hanging upside down?"
“嗨！”一个响亮的声音问：“你怎么倒挂着啊？”
Stellaluna's eyes opened wide. She saw a most peculiar face.
星月的眼睛瞪得大大的，她看见了一张非常奇怪的脸。
"I'm not upside down, you are!" Stellaluna said.
“倒挂的不是我，是你吧！”星月说。
"Ah, but you're a bat. Bats hang by their feet. "
“是吗？可是你是一只蝙蝠呀！蝙蝠都是头朝下，用脚挂在树上。”
You are hanging by your thumbs, so that makes you upside down!"
而你用大拇指勾住树枝，站在树枝上，所以你当然是倒挂得咯！
the creature said. “I’m a bat I am hanging by my feel. That makes me right side up!"
他接着又说：“而我是一只蝙蝠，当然用脚挂在树上！”
Stellaluna was confused. “Mama Bird told me I was upside down.She said I was wrong ...
星月听了很迷惑，心想：鸟妈妈说我是倒挂；她说，我这样是错的。
“Wrong for a bird, maybe, but not for a bat."
对鸟来说，也许是错的；对蝙蝠来说，却没错！
16
More bats gathered around to see the strange young bat who behaved like a bird.
许多蝙蝠都围了过来，争着要看这只的小蝙蝠－－她的行为举止像 一只鸟！
Stellaluna told them her story."You ate b-bugs?" stuttered one.
星月告诉大家她的遭遇。“你吃、吃、吃虫子吗？”一只蝙蝠结结巴巴的说。
" You slept at night?" gasped another.
“你在晚上睡觉吗？”另一只蝙蝠倒抽一口凉气说。
"How very strange," they all murmured.
“真是太奇怪了！”所有的蝙蝠都交头接耳的谈论着。
"Wait! Wait! Let me look at this child." A bat pushed through the crowd.
“等一等！让我看看这孩子。”一只蝙蝠把大家推开，挤到星月面前。
"An owl attacked you?" she asked. Sniffing Stellalunas fur, she whispered, " You are Stellaluna. You are my baby."
她问星月：“你说有一只猫头鹰攻击你？”她闻了闻星月的皮毛后，轻轻的说：“你是星月！你是我的宝贝！”
17
You escaped the ow!'!" cried Stellaluna. " You survived?"
“妈妈！”星月哭 着问：“你没有被猫头鹰抓去吗？你还活着！”
"Yes," said Mother Bat as she wrapped her wings around Stellaluna.
“是的，我还活着。”蝙蝠妈妈一边回答，一边用双翼紧紧抱住星月！
"Come with me and I'll show you where to find the most delicious fruit.
蝙蝠妈妈对星月说：“跟我来，我带你去吃世界上最可口的水果。
You'll never have to eat another bug as long as you live."
你这辈子再也不用吃虫子了。”
18
“可是，现在是晚上。”星月尖声叫着说：“不能在黑暗中飞行，会撞到树。”
"We're bats," said Mother Bat. " We can see in darkness. Come with us."
“我们是蝙蝠，在黑暗中看得见。跟我们来！”蝙蝠妈妈说。
Stellaluna was afraid, but she let go of the tree and dropped into the deep blue sky.
星月很害怕，但是她仍然从树上中下，跳进深蓝色的夜空中。
Stellaluna could see. She felt as though rays of light shone from her eyes.
星月看得见，她觉得好像有两道光从她的眼睛照射出去。
She was able to see everything in her path.
她能够看见所有的东西。
19
Soon the bats found a mango tree, and Stellaluna ate as much of the fruit as she could hold.
不久，蝙蝠妈妈和星月找到一棵芒果树。星月拼命的吃，吃了好多好多的水果。
"I’ll never eat another bug as long as I live,"
“我这辈子再也不吃虫子了！”
cheered Stellaluna as she stuffed herself full. “I must tell Pip, Flitter, and Flap!"
星月吃了一肚子水果，兴奋的说：“我一定要回去告诉皮皮、飞飞和翔翔。”
20
The next day Stellaluna went to visit the birds.
第二天，星月回去找他们。
"Come with me and meet my bat family," said Stellauna.
“跟我来，去见我的蝙蝠家人。”星月说。
"Okay, let's go, “agreed Pip. "They hang by their feet and they fly at night and they eat the best food in the world,"
“好呀，我们走吧。”皮皮同意了。“蝙蝠用脚把自己倒挂起来，他们在晚上飞行。而且，蝙蝠吃的是世界上最好吃的食物！”
Stellaluna explained to the birds on tile way. As the birds flew among the bats, Flap said, "I feel upside down here."
星月在飞行时向那些鸟介绍蝙蝠家族。 当小鸟们飞在蝙蝠群中的时候，翔翔说：“跟这群蝙蝠在一起，我觉得自己是倒挂着的！
So the birds hung by their feet. "Wait until dark," Stellaluna said excitedly.“We will fly at night."
所以，小鸟们都把自己倒挂在树上。星月兴奋的说：“等天黑以后，我们就可以一起在夜空中飞行！”
21
When night came Stellaluna flew away. Pip, Flitter, and Flap leapt from the tree to follow her.
夜晚来临了，星月首先迎向夜空，皮皮、飞飞，和翔翔，也跟着星月，从树梢飞了出去。
"I can't see a thing!"yelled Pip. "Neither can I," howled Flitter. "Aaeee!" shrieked Flap.
“啊！我什么都看不见！”皮皮尖叫。“我也是！”飞飞哀嚎着。 “救命呀！”翔翔惨叫了一声。
"They're going to crash," gasped Stellaluna. "I must rescue them!"'
“糟糕！他们要摔下去了，我得赶快救他们！”星月倒抽了一口凉气。
Stellaluna swooped about, grabbing her friends in the air.
星月快速冲下去，接住他的朋友。
She lifted them to a tree, and the birds grasped a branch.
把他们放在一棵树上，这些小鸟紧紧抓住树枝。
Stellaluna hung from the limb above them.
星月则挂在上面的树枝。
22
"We're safe," said Stellaluna. Then she sighed. "I wish you could see in the dark, too."
“我们安全了！”星月安慰小鸟。然后，她叹了一口气说：真希望你们在黑暗中也能看得见！
"We wish you could land on your feet," Flitter replied. Pip and Flap nodded.
“但愿你也能像我们一样，用双脚站在树枝上。”飞飞回答说。皮皮和翔翔也点点头。
They perched in silence for a long time. " How can we be so different and feel so muchalike?" mused Flitter .
他们沉默了好长一段时间。“为什么我们如此的不同，感受却如此相近呢？”飞飞若有所思的说。
"And how can we feel so different and he so much alike?" wondered Pip.
“为什么我们的感受如此不一样，看起来却如此相似呢？”飞飞也不解的说。
" I think this is quite a mystery," Flap chirped. "I agree," said Stellaluna.
“我想，这真是太不可思议了！”翔翔兴奋的说。“我也这么认为！”星月回答。
"But we're friends . And that's a fact."
“但是，无论如何，我们都是朋友。这是永远也不会改变的事实！”