Today, tomorrow, learn English naturally. 天天自然学英语
1. 原文：
There was once a pretty chicken;
But his friends were very few,
For he thought that there was nothing in the world but what he knew:
So he always, in the farmyard ,
Had a very forward way,
Telling all the hens and turkeys，
What they ought to do and say.
"Mrs. Goose," he said,
I wonder that your goslings you should let
Go out paddling in the water;
It will kill them to get wet.
I wish, my old Aunt Dorking,
He began to her, one day,
"That you wouldn't sit all summer
In your nest upon the hay.
Won't you come out to the meadow,
Where the grass with seeds is filled?"
"If I should," said Mrs. Dorking,
"Then my eggs would all get chilled.
"No, they won't," replied the chicken,
"And no matter if they do;
Eggs are really good for nothing;
What's an egg to me or you?
"What's an egg!" said Mrs. Dorking,
Can it be you do not know
You yourself were in an eggshell
Just one little month ago?
And, if kind wings had not warmed you,
You would not be out to-day,
Telling hens, and geese, and turkeys,
What they ought to do and say!
To be very wise, and show it,
Is a pleasant thing, no doubt;
But, when young folks talk to old folks,
They should know what they're about.
2. 解读：
There was once a pretty chicken;
从前有只漂亮的小公鸡，
But his friends were very few,
但他的朋友却没几个；
For he thought that there was nothing in the world but what he knew:
因为他认为这个世界上没有什么是他不知道的；
So he always, in the farmyard ,
所以在农家小院里，
Had a very forward way,
总看见他直冲向前大言不惭
Telling all the hens and turkeys
告诉所有母鸡和火鸡，
What they ought to do and say.（不可以更换成should吗?）
什么该说，什么该干。
"Mrs. Goose," he said,
他说：“鹅太太，”
I wonder that your goslings you should let
我没想到你居然让小鹅们到外面玩耍；
Go out paddling in the water;
他们在水里扑腾嬉戏，
It will kill them to get wet.
全身湿透会没命的呀。
I wish, my old Aunt Dorking, （不可以更换成hope吗?）
我希望，我亲爱的道根鸡阿姨，
He began to her, one day,
有一天，他又对道根鸡开口：
"That you wouldn't sit all summer （不可以更换成shouldn’t吗?）
你不要整个夏天总是坐着不动，
In your nest upon the hay.
老在干草上蹲窝有什么意思！
Won't you come out to the meadow,
难道你就不愿意到草地上走走？
Where the grass with seeds is filled?"
那里布满了很多带草籽的草。
"If I should," said Mrs. Dorking, （不可以更换成ought to吗?）
“如果我可以走开，”道根鸡阿姨回答他，
"Then my eggs would all get chilled.
“那我的蛋全都会冻死。
"No, they won't," replied the chicken,
“不，它们不会的，”小公鸡接话，
"And no matter if they do;
就算它们冻坏又能怎样。
Eggs are really good for nothing;
那些蛋一点好处也没有，
What's an egg to me or you?
对你对我又有什么意义？
"What's an egg!" said Mrs. Dorking,
“蛋有什么意义！”道根鸡大声说，
Can it be you do not know
难道你不知道
You yourself were in an eggshell
就在短短一个月之前，你自己，
Just one little month ago?
还在蛋壳里没来到这个世界吗？
And, if kind wings had not warmed you,
并且，要不是有慈爱的翅膀给过你温暖，
You would not be out to-day,
今天你就不会在出现这里，
Telling hens, and geese, and turkeys,
对着母鸡、鹅妈妈和火鸡，
What they ought to do and say! （不可以更换成should吗?）
说它们什么该说，什么该干！”
To be very wise, and show it,
做个聪明人到处炫耀，
Is a pleasant thing, no doubt;
毫无疑问你会感觉愉快；
But, when young folks talk to old folks,
可是，当年轻人跟长者说话时，
They should know what they're about. （不可以更换成ought to吗?）
他们说的东西应当自己先明白。”
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