兔子醫(yī)生接到一個(gè)電話(huà)

張恒

Doctor Rabbit lived in the very biggest tree in the Big Green Woods. He looked after all the other rabbits when they were ill and he doctored quite a number of the other little creatures of the Big Woods too， when they did not feel well. He was so jolly and cheerful， always trying so hard to help others， that he had a great many friends.

兔子醫(yī)生住在綠色大森林里最大的那顆樹(shù)上。當(dāng)其它兔子生病時(shí)，它照看它們；它也給大森林里許多其他生病的小動(dòng)物治病。它快樂(lè)開(kāi)朗，總是努力幫助別人，所以有很多朋友。

Doctor Rabbit said when he came to live in the Big Green Woods he didnt have the least idea that he would have so many adventures. “But then，” he said one day as he curled his mustache， “its a good thing I have so many adventures. They make me take plenty of exercise， and thats fine for my constitution1.” What he meant by this was that exercise kept him in good health.

兔子醫(yī)生說(shuō)，當(dāng)它來(lái)到綠色大森林里生活時(shí)，它完全不知道會(huì)有這么多冒險(xiǎn)的事?！暗?，”有一天它卷起胡子說(shuō)：“幸虧我有那么多冒險(xiǎn)經(jīng)歷，才能多做運(yùn)動(dòng)，這有利于提高我的體質(zhì)?！彼@么說(shuō)的意思是運(yùn)動(dòng)使它保持健康。

Doctor Rabbit looked after some of the other creatures when they were ill. But there were some he did not dare go near. For instance， there was Ki-yi Coyote2， who lived out on the Wide Prairie3 just outside the Big Green Woods. No， Doctor Rabbit never went near Ki-yi Coyote. And if old Ki-yi had been ill and if all his relatives had been so ill they never again would be able to get out of bed， Doctor Rabbit would not have cared at all. No indeed， he would have been glad of it， because Ki-yi Coyote and all his relatives， who lived far away， were ready any time to gobble4 up Doctor Rabbit.

兔子醫(yī)生在其他動(dòng)物生病時(shí)會(huì)照顧它們，但有一些它不敢靠近。比如，有一只叫凱伊的土狼，它就住在綠色大森林外的大草原上。不，兔子醫(yī)生從來(lái)沒(méi)有接近過(guò)土狼凱伊。如果老凱伊生病了，如果它所有的親戚都病得如此厲害，以至于再也無(wú)法起床，兔子醫(yī)生也根本不會(huì)在乎的。不會(huì)的，它會(huì)很高興，因?yàn)橥晾莿P伊和它所有住在遠(yuǎn)方的親戚隨時(shí)準(zhǔn)備吞掉兔子醫(yī)生。

In one fine morning in spring Doctor Rabbit began to have trouble with Ki-yi. On this morning Doctor Rabbit arose from his bed very early and prepared a fine breakfast for himself. He cooked some nice new potatoes and green peas he had found in Farmer Roes garden. After he had eaten his breakfast he had to wash the dishes because there wasnt anybody else to do it. Then he put on his second best pair of glasses and went out in his front yard to get some fresh air and see if his neighbor， Blue Jay， was up.

在一個(gè)晴朗春天的早晨，兔子醫(yī)生惹上了凱伊。這天早上，兔子醫(yī)生很早就起床，并為自己準(zhǔn)備了一頓豐盛的早餐。它煮了一些從農(nóng)夫羅伊的花園里找來(lái)的漂亮的新鮮土豆和青豆。吃完早飯后它只好自己洗碗，因?yàn)闆](méi)有別人來(lái)洗。然后它戴上第二好的那副眼鏡，走到前院去呼吸新鮮空氣，看看鄰居藍(lán)松雞是否起床了。

There was a very good reason why he wanted to know whether Blue Jay was up. Just now Doctor Rabbit was greatly troubled. Now， what do you suppose he was troubled about？ Word had been brought the night before that Billy Rabbit， the small son of Jack and Mrs. Jack Rabbit， who lived far out on the Wide Prairie， was ill. Blue Jay had come flying in to tell the news. He said Mrs. Jack Rabbit told him if Billy was not better by morning Doctor Rabbit would simply have to cross the Wide Prairie even if it was dangerous.

它想知道藍(lán)松雞是不是起來(lái)了是有充分理由的。剛才兔子醫(yī)生非常煩惱。你認(rèn)為它有什么煩惱？就在前一天晚上，它聽(tīng)說(shuō)住在遙遠(yuǎn)大草原上的兔子杰克和杰克太太的小兒子兔子比利病了。藍(lán)松雞飛過(guò)來(lái)告訴它這個(gè)消息，它說(shuō)兔子杰克夫人告訴它，如果比利早上沒(méi)有好轉(zhuǎn)，兔子醫(yī)生就得穿過(guò)大草原，即使這樣很危險(xiǎn)。

Now Doctor Rabbit was a cottontail rabbit， so of course he couldnt run faster than any other cottontail. So Doctor Rabbit was greatly troubled this morning. He could not sit still， but kept walking slowly round and round in his front yard. As he walked round and round he said to himself， “Ive never been so far out on the open Wide Prairie as Jack Rabbits. Suppose I should go away out there to see little sick Billy and Ki-yi Coyote should get after me！Goodness gracious！He would be almost sure to catch me.” Doctor Rabbit trembled a little and looked all around even though he was right in his own dooryard. He very much hoped he would not be called to go so far out on the Wide Prairie.

兔子醫(yī)生是只棉尾兔，所以它當(dāng)然不可能跑得比其他的棉尾兔快。所以兔子醫(yī)生今天早上非常煩惱。它沒(méi)法安靜坐下來(lái)，而是在前院里慢慢地走來(lái)走去。它一邊走來(lái)走去，一邊自言自語(yǔ)道：“我從來(lái)沒(méi)去過(guò)像廣闊大草原那么遠(yuǎn)的兔子杰克家。我該出去看看生病的小比利，但是土狼凱伊?xí)飞衔?！天哪！它一定?huì)抓住我?！蓖米俞t(yī)生顫抖了一下，盡管就在自己家門(mén)口，它還是環(huán)顧了一下四周。它非常不希望被叫到廣闊的草原上。

But what he feared happened. Very soon Jack Rabbit came running fast， and flying right along with him came Blue Jay. Busy Blue Jay generally knows everything that is happening.

但它擔(dān)心的事情發(fā)生了。不久，兔子杰克飛快跑來(lái)，和它一起飛來(lái)的是藍(lán)松雞。忙碌的藍(lán)松雞通常知道所有正在發(fā)生的事。

Jack Rabbit walked straight up to Doctor Rabbit and， bowing politely， said， “Im so glad I found you at home， Doctor. My son Billy is no better. In fact， he is much worse， and we are troubled about him. Cant you run over and see him right now？”

兔子杰克徑直走向兔子醫(yī)生，彬彬有禮地鞠躬說(shuō)道：“我很高興在您家里找到您，醫(yī)生。我兒子比利沒(méi)有好轉(zhuǎn)。事實(shí)上，它的情況變得更糟了，我們很擔(dān)心它。你現(xiàn)在不能跑過(guò)去給它看病嗎？”

For a moment Doctor Rabbit did not know what to say. He feared Ki-yi Coyote， but at the same time he hated to think of Billy Rabbits being so ill with no one there to make him well. He thought and thought. Finally he said： “Of course， Friend Jack Rabbit， I shall try to get over to see your son. But as you know， its very dangerous for me because I cant run more than half as fast as you can. Now what could we do if old Ki-yi Coyote should happen to get after us？”

兔子醫(yī)生有一會(huì)兒不知道該說(shuō)什么。它害怕土狼凱伊，但同時(shí)一想到兔子比利病得這么厲害，沒(méi)有一個(gè)人能治好它，就覺(jué)得難受。它想了又想，終于說(shuō)道：“當(dāng)然可以，朋友兔子杰克，我會(huì)設(shè)法去給你兒子看病的。但是你知道，這對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)非常危險(xiǎn)，因?yàn)槲遗艿貌患澳阋话肟?。如果老土狼凱伊碰巧追上我們，我們?cè)撛趺崔k？”

Friend Jack Rabbit scratched his head and said he hadnt thought about that. It was a very serious matter， too. For suppose Ki-yi Coyote should gobble up good Doctor Rabbit！Then what would the woods creatures do？ They must certainly plan some means of going in safety.